Ahead of the 35th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, Leeds fans have relived their ‘near miss’ at an FA Cup semi-final at the stadium in 1987.
Monday, April 15 will mark 35 years since 97 supporters lost their lives during an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
The stadium, still home to Sheffield Wednesday, has seen further complaints over a lack of safety in the years since.
That included in January of last year, as Newcastle fans experienced overcrowding in the lower tier of the Leppings Lane End.
Unfortunately, there were warning signs before the tragedy of 1989, too, including a crush that saw 38 fans injured during the FA Cup semi-final between Tottenham and Wolves in 1981.
ON THIS DAY 1987: Leeds United at Hillsborough for their game against Coventry City FA Cup Semi Final #LUFC pic.twitter.com/SJbJ24wCjy
— FootballAwaydays (@Awaydays23) April 12, 2024
And ahead of Monday’s anniversary, Leeds supporters have relived what “should have been a wake-up call” during their semi-final against Coventry in 1987.
I was right behind the goal that day. The crush was ridiculous. We were lucky it wasn't us. RIP 97
— Paul Brace ?? (@paulbrace66) April 12, 2024
Was there as an 18 yr old
Too many fans were let into the lower section behind the goal .
That should have been a wake up call for what was to happen a couple of years after ?— Neil (@SibsonNeil) April 12, 2024
I was in the seats above my nephew was one of the many Leeds fans lifted up into the seats R.I.P the Liverpool fans
— Nigel Grimes (@grimes_nigel) April 12, 2024
Yes I was there too aged 19 and those pics are just dreadful. We did indeed dodge a bullet. Those poor folk 2 years later. Never forget and RIP ?
— jane.bates (@BatesFionaj) April 12, 2024
I was there ,as a 16year old, stood up the terrace behind the goal. Both times we scored my mate and I were carried forward with our feet off the floor because we were packed in so tight. Terrifying looking back on it. @southorn_paul
— Simon gostling (@SimonGostling) April 13, 2024
The police walked hundreds of us around from the Kop.
Shoved us in the Leppings lane.
How we survived I don’t know.#Hillsborough— Cheshunt ABC (@CheshuntABC) April 12, 2024
Back in the day ,they packed us in at all costs ???? pic.twitter.com/0lLdcWYBXt
— Clec Rhino (@SpenRhino) April 12, 2024
Very hot and so over crowded in that end a very scary experience couldn't move from the entrance it was that compact
— YoungRevie (@revie_young) April 12, 2024
Lucky enough to be in the stand above the terracing.
From where we where, the crush down below looked scary.— David Purvis (@dp_ni) April 13, 2024
In that lower tier somewhere,you would have thought that stand would have been demolished by now tbh
— mick (@went57) April 12, 2024
To think we even warned about what would happen so soon after.
— David Ireland-Kimmer (@IrelandKimmer) April 12, 2024
The events of those 1981 and 1987 semi-finals were included in the Hillsborough inquest in 2016, which ultimately ruled that the 97 were unlawfully killed.
Liverpool will mark the 35th anniversary of Hillsborough with a minute’s silence before kickoff in Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace at Anfield.
A mosaic is also set to be displayed on the Kop, with tributes laid at the Hillsborough Memorial outside the stadium.
Rest in peace the 97. You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Fan Comments