When I walked out to sit on the bench at Hillsborough at 2.55pm on April 15 1989, I could not have imagined the mayhem that was to grasp not only Liverpool Football Club, but English football as a whole.
I was the reserve team manager at Liverpool at the time and my abiding memory was the overcrowding in the central pen of the Leppings Lane End of the stadium. I still remember seeing one person trying to climb out and being pushed back in by a policeman. I turned to Ian Rush, who was a substitute that day, and said "look how packed it is in that section".
Hillsborough: tributes paid
When the whistle went at 3.06pm to call the game off, not in my worst nightmares could I have foreseen what was about to unfold. We all had to go back into the changing room and Kenny Dalglish asked me to find out what was going on. When I came back out, it quickly became clear that things weren't right.
Fans were stood in the areas near the dressing room saying "Thommo, there's people dying out there". I spoke to policemen and to the referee and they told me something serious was happening.
People need to take a few seconds over the next 24 hours to think about why and how they are allowed to enjoy their football.
Phil Thompson
Quotes of the week
I went back to the dressing room and whispered in Kenny Dalglish's ear that I didn't think the game would go ahead. I told him there were reports of people dying, but I didn't know how true it was.
Soon afterwards the numbers started building up. Two people died, then it was five, soon it was 10. By the time we got up to meet our families in the players' lounge it was up to about 20.
As we got on the coach to drive across to Liverpool the tally was just rising. It was horrific and we sat in silence all the way back to Merseyside.
Football Family
Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini don't use the phrase 'football family' in the right way; what we saw in the days after Hillsborough was the true definition a football family coming together.
People came from all over the country to lay flowers, scarves and flags - and the brothers and sisters of the football community grieved at that time. In the immediate aftermath, a lot of football fans looked at it and thought "that could have been me". It touched everybody.
Ninety-six football fans died that day. Yes, these were supporters of Liverpool Football Club, but more importantly they were brothers and sisters of football fans around the world.
And even more importantly that day was a watershed day in English football.
Perhaps the generation of football supporter that has grown up in the last 20 years might not understand what that day stood for, but as I said at the time, we needed to change the way football fans were perceived. We had to ensure those lives were not lost for a punitive reason, there had to be a change of massive proportions.
Change
The Taylor Report changed the course of English football. Nowadays people can go to a football match without having to run a gauntlet of hate on the way in.
No longer are people herded onto trains and coaches like animals. No longer are football supporters treated like second-class citizens.
They can sit in a seat; they can get out and go to the toilet when they want to; they can eat decent food in decent areas.
Nowadays when you go to Stoke City or when you go to Leicester City, you can sit in fantastic all-seater stadia. People demand better, people deserve better and because of Hillsborough a wide range of changes have been made.
People need to take a few seconds over the next 24 hours to think about why and how they are allowed to enjoy their football.
It's because of those 96 people who died in 1989 - simply because they wanted to follow their team.
Concerns
I am deeply concerned that people are now calling for small enclosures at football grounds where they can stand. Even some Liverpool supporters, the people that suffered most 20 years ago, have called for standing areas.
Who's going to be held responsible if that change is made and somebody else falls and dies? Are these campaigners willing to take responsibility for that?
I strongly believe standing areas should never return. Football was damaged badly at Hillsborough and I don't want a single person, anywhere in the world, to ever die because of a crush at a football match.
At large grounds, and I'm talking about stadia with capacities between 25,000 and 80,000, there is simply no logic in having standing areas. People will argue that there would be more room - but people will still move and sway when corners are awarded and when goals are scored.
I don't want another tragedy to be on anybody's conscience.
Victim
The youngest victim of Hillsborough was 10-year-old Jon-Paul Gilhooley, a relative of Steven Gerrard. He should be a 30-year-old man today and he should be bringing his own children to watch his beloved Liverpool team.
I just feel so deeply for his mother and father, who must look at the calendar on April 15 and think how old he would have been.
He was just the youngest. There were husbands, wives, daughters and sons who lost their lives that day and it is an absolute travesty. Their friends and families are grieving, not just every April 15, but every day of their lives.
Still nobody has been brought to task over that. Still there is no explanation as to why this happened or who was to blame.
How many Prime Ministers have we had since that day? How many people at the top level of government can keep burying their heads? Why can't people in the government realise that 96 families have grieved enough and it's time to give them an answer.
We have to have apologies and it won't take a lot. I only hope Gordon Brown can be the person to put this to rest for the sake of the whole football community.
Comments (155)
Greg Mav (Liverpool fan) says...
It'll never happen. They'll keep burying their heads in the sand until this generation passes and it becomes a thing of the past. No, we'll never forget but we'll only be here for so long; then what? Our kids will no what happened but only us LFC supporters will tell the whole story and the truth. Others fans may pass on the message but will lose conviction. Then with numbers dwindling the pressure for the truth will too. we need action now! JUSTICE FOR THE 96 - YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
Posted 10:57 19th January 2010
Lee Jones (Liverpool fan) says...
Its such a sad loss of all those lifes that died on that tradgic day!! i just wish the authorities would come clean and admit what they did. Its pure neglect and an outrage what they had done. Hope there is another appeal to look it to this shocking tradgity! you'll never walk alone.
Posted 11:33 9th July 2009
Stephen Gobin (Liverpool fan) says...
on that semi final day i had a ticket to go,but couldnt get one for my son who was ten at the time...i thank the lord i didnt get onefor him.. who knows if he would be with me now. i didnt go because my son didnt have a ticket.still to this day i shiver at the thought we could have been in the tradegy that was to follow.god rest all who died.... JUSTICE will be done one day i strongly believe that........RIP 96
Posted 06:44 24th May 2009
Paul Muldoon (Everton fan) says...
what we need also is a massive massive apology from that disgusting newspaper the sun. This gutter press organisation should have been closed down and sued for the slanderous comments it made about liverpool fans that day. I am an Everton fan but will never look at that garbage again. Not only should the police be brought to book for what happened so should the sun. I was listening to 2 fans saying that the policeman in charge of the crowd control on that day had only been in his post for 2 weeks!!! He Froze and allowed the gates to be opened. No mention of a delay to kick off nothing because he was new to the job and wanted his first match in charge to go ahead as planned. I hope he can live with his decision because there are 1000's who can't Justice for the 96 YNWA x
Posted 11:51 21st April 2009
Ogwo Andy (Liverpool fan) says...
Goodbye 96 brothers, you have never walked alone and you still will not walk alone. thats our promise Rest in peace
Posted 11:43 21st April 2009
Dennis Reed (Liverpool fan) says...
I was at Anfield on Wednesday for the service and sat along side Everton fans in the Kop, united in grief and hope that justice may one day be done. I am 43 and remember Hillsborough very well. My dad took me tosome games as a child and I now take my youngest to Anfield and I am so glad that we do not have to suffer the crush of supporters as I used to do. The 96 and their families are always in my thoughts and I hope,along with all true supporters of all clubs, that justice will be done and that someone will have some backbone and take the blame. With hope in our hearts...JFT96
Posted 11:12 18th April 2009
Melissa Brotheridge (Liverpool fan) says...
First and foremost - R.I.P to the 96 and all their families and friends. we will never forget. To all who had family or friends who suffered because of this or if it effected you as a football fan - justice needs to be done - the truth needs to be told. It is such a horrific tradgedy and it could have happened to any club 20 years ago. Thank you to all fans of other teams - your support and understanding of this is a great help - but please join in the campaign to bring justice.
Posted 09:46 18th April 2009
Alfred Cachia (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Neither Platini nor his ilk convince me with their rhetoric What happened at Hillsborough and at Heysell Stadia can be put down to lack of foresight and planning by the authorities in charge. At times supporters are herded like cattle, treated with disrespect , and looked at as just a source of income. The excuse of the Hooligan myth does not hold water. If rowdy behaviour occurs at British football so it does at all the main football stadia around the worl. I have travelled extensively and been to football games all over and there are places (ex Rome) where I felt so frightened by the presence of the armed riot police. No there should never be standing areas around the stadia. All modrn stadia should be all seater. I watched the commemoration on TV and had tears down my cheek. No life should be lost again. The sacrifice made by those innocent fans that day has been too big a price. May they find everlasting peace and may their families find solace in knowing that we too suffer with them.
Posted 07:41 17th April 2009
Lhipon Miah (Liverpool fan) says...
I just wouldlike to say that the ones that died;died horrifcily and there families at least deserve an answer why they died. This needs to be rectified. RIP all 96. prayers and best wishes to there families.
Posted 01:28 17th April 2009
Rebecca Murphy (Everton fan) says...
Watching McGovern's drama last night had the same effect on me as it did 13 years ago - horror, sadness, disgust and disbelief, both at what happened on the day and the despicable and soulless cover-up and smear campaign again the victims. Yesterday showed that the wounds are still as raw as they were 20 years ago, and they are still raw because there has been a gross miscarriage of justice. How can the deaths of 96 innocent people, which were found to be caused by the negligence, incompetence, inexperience ignorance and prejudice of those in a position to prevent it have 20 years later STILL not have resulted in a single prosecution? Not even so much as anyone in charge losing their job! How on earth can those who were needlessly bereaved in this tragedy find any peace when the authorities have failed them so terribly? How can they even begin to move on when they have not seen those who allowed their loved ones to be crushed to death, because their husbands, wives, mums, dad, sons, daughters, were viewed as no better than animals, to escape any kind of punishment whatsoever? The government needs to finally do the right thing and order a fresh, full enquiry, by an independent body, not a single government-appointed judge, in which ALL evidence is considered, including that which was concealed by the police, and that which was inexplicably ruled out of consideration due to the incorrect assumption that all of those killed were brain-dead by 3.15pm. Give the families and the survivors the respect they deserve and have fought so long and hard for; JUSTICE for those who were unlawfully killed simply following the football team they loved.
Posted 23:34 16th April 2009
Yvonne Dawson (Liverpool fan) says...
For the 96 who were taken before their time on that fateful day due to actions of those who have never been brought to task, my condolences go to the families of all those affected by this tradgedy. "A smile for all, A heart of gold. The very best the world could hold. Those we love don't go away, they walk beside us every day.. YNWA God Bless and RIP
Posted 22:05 16th April 2009
Paul Moulder (Aston Villa fan) says...
R.I.P 96 Brothers & Sisters Justice must be done.
Posted 21:13 16th April 2009
Graham Kelly (Liverpool fan) says...
Can you please add your name to the government e.petition at the link below and ask others to do so. It has just over 1000 signatures so far but I'm sure this can be increased significantly and maybe, just maybe .... http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/lfcdisaster/ If this petition does not get a positive response I'll start another until Many thanks
Posted 20:18 16th April 2009
Rory Matthews (Manchester United fan) says...
Respect to Liverpool for the great tribute to the tragic incident 20 years ago. It is great to see some real football fans showing dignity towards this tragedy. I am sure the 96 great football fans would be proud to see this. REST IN PEACE!!!
Posted 18:18 16th April 2009
Daniel Henderson (Wigan Athletic fan) says...
God bless all those who suffered on that fateful day and god bless the families who are still suffering 20 years on. J.F.T.96 Y.N.W.A
Posted 17:22 16th April 2009
Jonathan Jackson (Stoke City fan) says...
96 never forgotten, you'll never walk alone RIP
Posted 16:51 16th April 2009
John Heron (Newcastle United fan) says...
JUSTICE FOR THE 96 !!! YNWA R.I.P
Posted 16:15 16th April 2009
Neil Wade (Rangers fan) says...
As a mark of respect to the families of those who died the truth must come out about exactly what happened that day...not to apportion blame but so the families can have closure. To those involved in covering things up I say....if it happened to your family members wouldn't you want to know the truth?
Posted 15:19 16th April 2009
Sameh Kamel (Chelsea fan) says...
R.I.P 2 those 96.feel sorry 4 their families.Im a chelsea fan but im going 2 say it,You'll never walk alone.
Posted 14:47 16th April 2009
Rebecca Eastment (Liverpool fan) says...
I believe it is about time that someone did the right thing and owned up to making a dreadful mistake that day and at last give the family and friends of the 96 justice.
Posted 14:21 16th April 2009
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