Hillsborough: Twenty Year Remembrance

[Andy Bennett]

Things appear to be moving...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8006744.stm

The strange thing about the government minister appearing at the memorial shindig, (which I always thought would be risky for him), is that he asked to be there as he's a big Everton supporter?

Still, some good might have come from it.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Borussia's Tribute To The 96 (http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N164065090419-0850.htm)
Supporters from Borussia Moenchengladbach paid their own special tribute to the memory of the 96 in Germany on the day that Anfield held the 20th Hillsborough memorial service.

At their official 'Fanhaus' the Borussia fans erected a special flag and lit candles and placed flowers as a mark of respect.

This is a unique bond of friendship that exists between supporters of Liverpool and Borussia Moenchengladbach.

The 2009 LFC Supporters Moenchengladbach annual Friendship visit will take place this year from Friday, May 8 until Monday, May 11. Any supporters interested in going should contact organiser Graham Agg.

Telephone Graham on 079856 48229 or email grahamlfc@aol.com.

Speaking about the special friendship between the two sets of supporters, Agg told Liverpoolfc.tv: "This very special friendship between Liverpool and Gladbach was forged at the 1977 European Cup final.

"It is something both clubs and their supporters can be truly proud of."

Itandje - People Have Over-Reacted (http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/9472592/Itandje:-People-have-over-reacted)
"It is a 30-second clip about which people are going overboard.

"You need to see an hour of the video if you want to judge my behaviour, but you know the papers over there (in England). They make a big deal of things."

When asked if he could describe what he was doing in the footage, which has been circulated on the Internet, Itandje replied: "No idea. I haven't even seen it. I don't know at what moment it was being filmed."

Itandje revealed he has had no contact with Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez since his suspension was announced early on Saturday morning.

"I have had no explanation," he continued.

"I have not even had the opportunity to explain myself to the club.

"Sammy Lee, the assistant manager, called me on Friday morning to tell me not to turn up at training."

The former France Under-21 international revealed his position at the club, for whom he has made just seven first-team appearances since signing from Lens in 2007, will not be greatly affected by the fallout from his actions.

"It does not change a great deal, as I am already on the transfer list," he said.

"I should be leaving this summer. I am not used in the team.

"I don't want to seem paranoid, but I hope this is not linked with my situation at the club."

He added: "It's not the club I need to explain myself to, it's the families (of the Hillsborough victims).

"I sympathise with them and I would like to tell them that."

[Grave27]

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd332/hutchtx/FCD%20vs%20TOR/DSC_5383_2.jpg


From FC Dallas vs TFC on Sunday, I have pic of it up close but I have to find it.


http://%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd332/hutchtx/FCD%20vs%20TOR/DSC_5383_2.jpg%5B/IMG%5D

[Andy Bennett]

http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd332/hutchtx/FCD%20vs%20TOR/DSC_5383_2.jpg


From FC Dallas vs TFC on Sunday, I have pic of it up close but I have to find it.


http://%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd332/hutchtx/FCD%20vs%20TOR/DSC_5383_2.jpg%5B/IMG%5D
That's nice.

[usscouse]

It's still hard for me to look through this stuff, I still get angry.

Especially with comments from "Judges" saying: "People need to move on and get over it" After these same "Judges" whitewashed their reports.

YNWA!

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

It's still hard for me to look through this stuff, I still get angry.

It also gets me angry when dimwitted journalists comment on Hillsborough.

Steven Cohen takes the cake. He continues to demean and insult LFC.

Cohen has made the following comments on radio and television shows.

“People showing up without ticket, hell bent in getting into somewhere where they shouldn’t be going because they don’t have tickets, is the root cause of [the Hillsborough Disaster].”

“I’m yet to read anybody write in this weekend’s Sunday papers in England, where they’re all doing big commemorations about the 96, and why we should never forget and how it’s changed the game, nobody discusses the 6-8,000 who showed up without tickets and my argument has always been, if those people don’t show up, this never happens.”

“[Hillsborough] is a stadium that week-in week-out, Sheffield Wednesday used without incident.”

Cohen’s comments last week aren’t the first time he’s created controversy on American airwaves regarding Hillsborough. On December 5, 2006, he appeared on the Fox Football Fone-In TV show on the U.S. network Fox Soccer Channel and claimed that Liverpool fans were responsible for Hillsborough. He then apologized on the December 12 episode of Fox Football Fone-In, but the damage was clearly already done.

In April, 2007, he again blamed the Liverpool fans for causing the Hillsborough Disaster, this time on his radio show.

He may have apologized on Fox Football Fone-In December 12, 2006, but his views haven’t changed one iota — rendering his 2006 apology virtually meaningless.

Instead of apologizing, he softened his April 13 stance on his belief that there were 6-8,000 ticketless Liverpool supporters outside the ground. During the April 20, 2009 episode, he first said “There were several thousand who showed up without tickets.” But a few minutes later, when co-host Kenny Hassan gave Cohen an opportunity to retract the 6-8,000 number, Cohen replied “If it’s not the right number, it’s not the point. If I’m wrong on the number, then I’ll retract it and apologize. If it’s 25, 2500 or 25,000, my point is made for me. There were people there who shouldn’t have been there because they didn’t have tickets and they were hell bent on getting in. I’m sorry, those are the facts.”

Write Fox Soccer Channel an email. I did. I am waiting to hear back...

[Fnarf]

Write Fox Soccer Channel an email. I did. I am waiting to hear back...

So did I. Don't hold your breath. Fox is the home of Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, and Glenn Beck, after all. They thrive on stirring up controversy at the expense of truth or even reality.

Cohen's a sad sack who's trying to drum up interest in his pathetic satellite radio show and his "fone" in chat show on FSC. He's a moron. He's been a "die hard" Chelsea fan "since 1997", which is interesting seeing as how he permanently left Britain ten years before that, and has been appeared in public in an Arsenal shirt.

He's what you call a "professional Brit" -- a blockhead who discovers once he gets to LA that his accent alone is his meal ticket; he automatically becomes an expert on all things British, especially football.

I'm not a Liverpool supporter but like all decent fans -- make that just "human beings" I am remembering Hillsborough now. Steven Cohen makes my blood boil.

[Twenty26Six]

He's what you call a "professional Brit" -- a blockhead who discovers once he gets to LA that his accent alone is his meal ticket; he automatically becomes an expert on all things British, especially football.

Expert by way of accent. ;)

[Fnarf]

I'm sure he tells his admirers that he's mates with loads of famous Chelsea supporters. Like Madonna and Ginger Spice.

[Andy Bennett]

He's been a "die hard" Chelsea fan "since 1997", which is interesting seeing as how he permanently left Britain ten years before that,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Cohen_(soccer)

Actually, a bit before that in 1982 according to wikipedia. Apparently, he just discovered he was a 'die-hard' fan at the age of 35? :D

Man... that's some level of commitment, that. Presumably nobody told him he was a fan before that.

and has appeared in public in an Arsenal shirt.

:D

Fox seems to specialise in this type of feckwit.

[Fnarf]

Presumably nobody told him he was a fan before that.


Nobody told him that that Mockney accent and an interest in football could get him on the radio, more like. I'll bet his accent's gotten stronger since '97 as well.

Seriously, television in this country is full of people like this -- and not just football. If his accent was Yonkers or Mississippi, he'd be nowhere. Come on, you Brits, get over here and cash in! The ladies love it too -- especially the, ahem, ample ones.

I was actually kind of pissed off when I discovered that the stadium announcements in Qwest Field for Seattle Sounders games is an Englishman. And I'm generally pro-Englishman, if they keep in their place ;-)

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Anfield To Stage Memorial Match (http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N164116090423-0901.htm)
Legends from Liverpool's glorious history will come together to play on the hallowed turf of Anfield once more on Thursday, May 14, 2009, when they will face a team of All-Stars in aid of charity.
"The Hillsborough Memorial Game" is being staged in aid of the Marina Dalglish appeal, in a bid to raise much needed funds for the building of a new Radiotherapy Unit at University Hospital in Aintree.

An announcement on the confirmed line-ups for what promises to be a magical night will be made at a press conference at Anfield next week, with tickets being available to buy from Tuesday, April 28.

"This is a match we have been talking about staging for a while and it's brilliant we can now confirm it," said Kenny.

"The players who will be involved are all really keen to come together again and play for the fans who offered such support through the time of the Hillsborough disaster.

"I am sure it will be a great occasion with all of the money going towards the building of a badly needed Radiotherapy facility on this side of the water."

Marina added: "We want it to be a real fun night for everyone who comes along. That's the main aim, for everyone to have a good time.

"We are looking to raise money for the Radiotherapy Unit, but we are also looking at different ideas for the setting up of a memorial for the Hillsborough families somewhere in the hospital.

"The Hillsborough Families Support Group have been really helpful to us over the years and so it's nice for us to be able to stage this game in memory of those who lost their lives twenty years ago."

Ticket prices for the game will be: £15 (adults), £5 (U17s, wheelchair and visually impaired), free (personal assistant).

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

PM Brown Promises Help (http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N164113090422-1303.htm)
"96 people lost their lives on that day and the inquiry found that action had to be taken so that something like this would never happen again.

"I can well understand that, even after all these years, the feelings of the families are such that they want to be sure that everything possible was done, and so yes, we will look at how we can release whatever information is available to the families.

"I have to say that the Taylor Report was a very full inquiry, and there was then a further report after 1997 to at what may be necessary to do in addition.

"But if this is a means by which we can help the families in difficult times, even after these years, we will look very carefully at what we can do."

[usscouse]

Seriously, television in this country is full of people like this -- and not just football. If his accent was Yonkers or Mississippi, he'd be nowhere. Come on, you Brits, get over here and cash in! The ladies love it too -- especially the, ahem, ample ones.

I was actually kind of pissed off when I discovered that the stadium announcements in Qwest Field for Seattle Sounders games is an Englishman. And I'm generally pro-Englishman, if they keep in their place ;-)

Seriously, everything is bigger in the US especially the inferiority complex. Seek help sonny.

This is too serious a thread for you to be airing your problems.

[liverbird]

Seriously, everything is bigger in the US especially the inferiority complex. Seek help sonny.

This is too serious a thread for you to be airing your problems.

beside that you already exploited the American women's vulnerability to the Scouse accent :D:D

[UncleMike]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Cohen_(soccer)

Actually, a bit before that in 1982 according to wikipedia. Apparently, he just discovered he was a 'die-hard' fan at the age of 35? :D

Man... that's some level of commitment, that. Presumably nobody told him he was a fan before that.

:D

Fox seems to specialise in this type of feckwit.
They slurped the Braves like crazy... then the Yankees... and since October 2004 the Red Sox.

They loved the Cowboys... then the Packers... then the Rams... then the Patriots. At any moment, now, they should start kissing up to the Steelers.

They loved the Rangers, then the Red Wings, and if the Penguins had managed to beat the Wings in last season's finals you know they'd finish the process of becoming part of the "Sidney Crosby Is God" society.

Fox will start loving Liverpool as soon as they win another League title. A small price for you guys to pay for dethroning ManUre next month.

Don't forget Fox's habit of sticking their shows' stars in the good seats at games, and having them wave to the cameras. For a while, they even had their stars singing the National Anthem despite not being professional singers. At least the twits on American Idol intend to be professional singers.

Fox has always been unfair... and they are quite unbalanced. But then, what do you expect? Rupert Murdoch owns them. The same bastard who owns Liverpool's least favourite newspaper. Begging the question, who are these 12,000 people on Merseyside who continue to buy The Sun?

I looked at the ages. Of the 96, 16 were at least 30, and only 6 were at least 40. Murdoch is 78 and Kelvin MacKenzie is 62. Not all the good die young, but in this case it's an understandable error.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Hillsborough Justice Campaigners Plan Westminster Demo (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2009/04/27/hillsborough-justice-campaigners-plan-westminster-demo-100252-23479685/)
THOUSANDS of Liverpool FC fans plan to descend on parliament demanding justice for the Hillsborough victims.

Plans are underway for a mass protest in June, demanding someone be held accountable for the tragedy which claimed the lives of 96 Reds supporters.

A date of June 20 has been earmarked for the march to Westminster.

A petition will also be handed to the prime minister at Downing Street.

Organisers are due to meet officers from the Metropolitan Police next week to discuss their proposals.

Thousands of supporters are expected to support the march which will end with everyone congregating at St James’ Park.

So far, fans from Leeds, Bristol City, Chelsea and Tottenham have promised to join LFC supporters.

Members of the Hillsborough Family Support Group (HFSG) and Hillsborough Justice Campaign (HJC) have given their backing to the plans.

The idea came from Runcorn housewife and Liverpool FC fan Helen Boyle.

Reds fan and organiser Barry Thompson, originally from Bootle, said: “To wait 20 years for justice is too long, it’s disgusting.

“The government should take a look and see if someone should now be criminally responsible for the tragedy.”

An internet petition, so far signed by more than 8,000 people, has been lodged on the government’s Number 10 Downing Street website.

It urges the prime minister to “investigate if criminal charges should be brought against an individual or organisation”.

Hillsborough Survivor Makes Flag To Remember Victims (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2009/04/27/hillsborough-survivor-makes-flag-to-remember-leppings-lane-victims-100252-23479687/)
LEPPINGS Lane survivor Peter Carney has unveiled a new flag to remember the Hillsborough victims.

The flag features the names of the 96 who lost their lives.

There are pockets to place flowers and You’ll Never Walk Alone is emblazoned across the top.

The flag was placed on the Kop for the memorial service and adorned Liverpool Town Hall when the families were presented with Freedom of the City scrolls.

Peter, 49, said: “This flag has been 19 years in the thinking and half a year of constant work.

“The support I’ve had from the families, club, fans and everyone in Liverpool has been amazing.”

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

This article doesn't talk about Hillsborough, but it is in the same vein...

FIFA Tells Referees To Delay Matches, Keep Crowds Safe (http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/9504616/FIFA-tells-refs-to-delay-matches,-keep-crowds-safe)
FIFA has announced that World Cup match referees have the authority to delay kickoffs for safety reasons after 19 fans were killed in a stampede at a stadium in the Ivory Coast.

Soccer's world governing body also asked each of the 52 national federations in Africa to send security specialists to a meeting in Cairo next month.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter told members of the stadium and security committee that "not one human life should be put in the balance by football."

The committee backed a proposal giving power to referees and FIFA match delegates working at World Cup qualifiers to delay the start of games.

Referees "should therefore not start a match unless security is established outside the stadia and spectators have taken their seats," FIFA said in a statement Monday.

The Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan had a 35,000 capacity limit but many more came to see star striker Didier Drogba play at home for the first time this season when Ivory Coast and Malawi played March 29. Nineteen people and more than 130 were injured in the crush, but the match went ahead after order was restored.

FIFA has asked for reports from the Ivorian soccer federation and local government authorities to establish what happened. Eyewitnesses reported that panic spread after police fired tear gas into the crowd.

Fans have also died in stadium crushes in Zimbabwe, Ghana and Congo in recent years after tear gas was used.

Ivory Coast is scheduled to play its next home World Cup qualifier Sept. 5 against Burkina Faso.

FIFA's stadium committee, which met last week, confirmed that each of soccer's six continental confederations will hold a summit of security officers in the next year. It also acted against two African countries whose national stadium fell short of current regulations.

Kenya must limit attendance to 60 percent of the 30,000 capacity at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi for its remaining home World Cup qualifiers. It hosts Mozambique on June 20 and Nigeria on November 14.

Malawi must play its next three home matches away from the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre if the federation misses a May 15 deadline to comply with safety standards.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Liverpool Echo - REVEALED - South Yorkshire Police Statements Were Altered And Deleted (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2009/04/28/revealed-south-yorkshire-police-hillsborough-statements-were-altered-and-deleted-100252-23489865/)
TODAY, the Liverpool ECHO can exclusively expose how police statements were crucially altered after the Hillsborough tragedy.

For the first time ever, we can reveal how reams of officers’ accounts were deleted in the weeks following the disaster and how huge swathes of first-hand police statements were removed by South Yorkshire Police.

Today, families of the 96 Liverpool supporters who were killed said the dossier showed South Yorkshire Police trying to divert blame on to others.

Initial statements, before being erased, consistently detail:

A chronic lack of communication between officers.

Nobody tending to the injured.

Useless radios and incoherent transmissions.

Non-existent stewarding.

Lack of use of the public address system.

The lack of police officers on duty, 10%fewer than the previous semi-final involving Liverpool at Hillsborough.

Senior officers concerned about a growing “complacent” attitude towards policing at Hillsborough in years leading up to 1989.

Officers stationed in the wrong sections of the ground and its surrounding area.

The lack of faith officers had in the recently-installed Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield compared with his predecessor Chief Superintendent Brian Mole.

The ECHO has obtained a dossier of officers’ statements that were deleted after the tragedy, that included:

WIPED . . . . . . A statement made by PS Kennedy, who had stated: “Several senior officers were, I’m afraid, lacking in directing the officers there, towards useful purposes.

“My thought on the incident, professionally, are that many officers and above, had no idea of what to do.

“Many were unable to work without being told exactly where to go and what to do, without personal radios, directions were limited.

“Many constables were too concerned about finding their serials {squads}, than trying to help the situation.

“...I had no fears other than the officers feeling let down by higher ranking officers.”

WIPED . . . PC Bennett, who had said: “Although it was basically poorly organised, I felt that officers should have been at the turnstile entrance ways in more strength and caused the crowd to form queues prior to getting near the turnstiles.

“No senior officers at this stage appeared to be in command of the situation and what was happening was several officers of Inspector level pushed amongst the crowd shouting at officers to move the supporters first this way then that way.

“I feel that no one knew what was actually taking place.”

WIPED . . . PC Cammock, who had said: “For a start, the microphone system was next to useless and I and others around me could hear very little of what was actually said.

“We kept asking senior officers to speak up, but still only heard two words in four.”

WIPED . . . PC Ramsden, who had said: “..only one thing has concerned me, was that the pure location of the control box at Hillsborough overlooks the area where the tragedy took place.

“Were not officers appreciative of the developing situation? What was the feedback from the officers working the perimeter of the pitch.

“Couldn’t they see the developing crush on the terraces?”

WIPED . . . PC Green, who had said: “I felt useless and guilty and in anger asked, ‘where the hell were our senior officers?’

“Many officers sat there in bewilderment and still no senior officer was present. It was uplifting to see Chief Supt Mole walk across the field of play.”

WIPED . . . PC Kent, who had said: “...I was surprised that the Liverpool supporters coming to the ground along Halifax Road were allowed to go where they wanted and did not have a police escort from the coaches parked on Halifax Road.”

WIPED . . . PC Winter, who had said: “My feelings at this point were of total confusion, there were no persons to give any guidance at the initial attendance at the scene, everything was done as a gut reaction. “My only observations of the policing of the event were, if we had so many police officers on duty, spread out all over the place, why couldn’t more police have been deviated to the Leppings Lane area, to approach from behind and break up the large crowd?”

WIPED . . . PC Hooson, who had said: “I made a request to one Inspector who was standing on the grass to get a serial {squad} through the back to pull the people out.

“Whether he did or not I don’t know, he seemed a little nonplussed and walked away.”

WIPED . . . PC Twigg, who had said: “I have worked many matches in Hillsborough including last year’s semi final {in 1988} which I feel was policed a lot better because there were more officers on duty.”

WIPED . . . PC Linday, who had said: “Having surveyed the situation, I couldn’t understand why there were only two horses near to the turnstiles when normally there would be four to six on any other fixture.

“The situation appeared to be lost before I got there.”

WIPED . . . PC Groome, who had said: “Too many non-operational supervisory officers were in charge of important and critical parts of the football ground.

“The deployment of officers around the crucial time needs to come under scrutiny, too many were sat in the gymnasium, while others were rushed off their feet.”

Chief Inspector Purdy had some telling criticisms, which were all deleted from his original statement.

He had said: “Why, during the period 2-2.45pm, when the Leppings Lane end and the West Stand were not very full, except for the centre pen, was the kick off not put back and the delay broadcast to the supporters outside?

“You cannot pass 30-40,000 through the turnstiles at the Leppings Lane end in one hour. At 2pm, I would estimate that only 12,000 were in the ground.

“The policing at Hillsborough has become complacent over the last 2-3 years, because there hadn’t been any significant or major outbreaks of trouble, supervisory officers assumed that it wouldn’t happen.

“Various officers working the track and in the ground, had warned that things were starting to go wrong over this period, yet no notice was taken.

“Manpower levels had been steadily cut over this season to the detriment of policing the ground efficiently.

“The decision to replace Chief Superintendent Mole before the semi-final needs to come under some scrutiny.

“The man had many years experience of policing big matches at Hillsborough.”

The account given by PC Lang, appeared crucial, but that too was deleted by his South Yorkshire Police superiors.

The constable had spoken at length of his experience when he was on duty at Hillsborough in 1988, for Liverpool’s semi-final against Nottingham Forest a year earlier.

The officer described how he had personally received the order to close the gates at the top of the tunnel leading to the central pens and that he remained at those gates to prevent entry into the pens and directed fans to the wing pens.

But a large section of that account, which would have demonstrated how the 1989 operation should have worked, but failed to do so, was removed.

Other statements were subtly altered in the dossier, including a declaration from PC Rich that was changed from “we had lost control of the ticket situation”, to “the ticket control had got out of hand”.

PC Brookes, who had noted the central pens were “too” full at 2.50pm, saw the word “too” removed.

And a statement from Inspector Humphries, who had initially reported having 22 constables in his squad, was changed to record he had “thirty”.

Last week, the current Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police Meredydd Hughes admitted that “words” were changed in officers’ statements.

But our evidence demonstrates that words, and in indeed whole paragraphs, were completely slashed.

Today, Margaret Aspinall, from the Hillsborough Family Support Group, who lost her 18-year-old son James in the tragedy, told the ECHO: “It is despicable, there is so much that the public weren’t allowed to know.

“The issue around police statements being edited and deleted is the whole reason why we have never got accountability.

“We always knew they changed a lot of police officers’ accounts which is why we’re desperate to see all the documents relating to Hillsborough.

“It’s not just changing the odd word here and there, it’s major changes in those police statements.”

Unbelievable! :mad:

[liverbird]

Liverpool Echo - REVEALED - South Yorkshire Police Statements Were Altered And Deleted (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2009/04/28/revealed-south-yorkshire-police-hillsborough-statements-were-altered-and-deleted-100252-23489865/)


Unbelievable! :mad: The Irish, Afrikaans, Nigerians, and Indians could teach you much about the mendacity of the official British government. Nevermind the miners and the dockers in the same period in Britain.