SlideShare une entreprise Scribd logo
1  sur  35
Télécharger pour lire hors ligne
The Hillsborough Disaster: A critical analysis of the 1989 Taylor Report,
the 2012 Independent Panel's report and a discussion of the political and
cultural issues that surrounded each investigation.
Callum Hillier
12026611
University of South Wales
Faculty of Business and Society
B.A History HS3D001
Supervisor- Sharif Gemie
2
Contents
Page Number
Introduction 3.
Chapter 1- The Hillsborough disaster and its social and political context 5.
Chapter 2- The media, the government, social issues and the Taylor Report 10.
Chapter 3- The aftermath of the Taylor Report, 'Justice for the 96' and the 2012
Independent Panel's report 22.
Conclusion 31.
Bibliography 33
3
The Hillsborough Disaster: A critical analysis of the 1989 Taylor Report, the
2012 Independent Panel's report and a discussion of the political and cultural
issues that surrounded each investigation.
Introduction
On 15 April 1989, 96 people lost their lives in one single calamitous event. This was not as a result
of a natural disaster or a terrorist attack but instead this happened at a simple football match. During
the FA Cup Semi-Final between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, 96 Liverpool fans were crushed
to death in the Leppings Lane end of the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield. In the 26 years that
have followed the disaster there have been a number of investigations, debates and reports into what
exactly happened at Hillsborough and who was to blame. In this essay I will conduct a comparative
study into two of the most significant reports on the disaster namely: the 1989 Taylor Report and the
2012 Independent Panel's report. I will carefully study both investigations and explain the reasoning
behind them, what they found out, what evidence was available, how they compare and contrast and
what events came after their reports. As well as a detailed study of the reports I will also discuss the
political and cultural issues that surrounded them.
The media has had a huge role in the discussion of the Hillsborough disaster with newspapers such
as The Sun having an infamous part to play across the last two decades. Another important issue that
surrounded the reports was the political climate at the time. Despite there being a Conservative
government in both 1989 and 2012 the reactions from both are very different. As well as probing
the political and media correspondence that surround the reports I will also look at the social
situation that surrounded the investigations. It is interesting to see just how much Liverpool as a city
4
has developed and grown in the time between the two reports and whether these developments have
influenced the media's reporting of the disaster. It is important to remember when studying these
reports and the ongoing social political and cultural issues at that time that ultimately 96 people lost
their lives in tragic and avoidable circumstances. The Hillsborough disaster had a lasting effect on a
wide range of people whether they be a football fan, a member of the media or a figure in authority.
5
Chapter 1- The Hillsborough disaster and its social and political context
50,000 eager football fans travelled to the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield on April 15 1989 to
witness the FA Cup Semi-Final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest1
. This number of fans
was not uncommon for an FA Cup Semi-Final and coincidentally both Liverpool and Nottingham
Forest had contested the same match at the same stage of the competition at Hillsborough just a
year previously. At the semi-final a year prior to the disaster there had been no reports of crowd
trouble and the directors at the stadium were confident that the 1989 semi-final would be as
uneventful as the previous year2
. This was a period in which fans, the police and the government all
feared the spectre of 'football hooliganism'. The idea of the football hooligan is something that is
widely discussed in both the 1989/1990 Taylor Report and in the 2012 Independent Panel's report in
regards to Hillsborough and the Liverpool fans. In the years preceding the Hillsborough disaster the
spectre of the 'young, violent and often working-class' hooligan haunted the footballing world3
. It
became an idea not only associated with football but also with working-class areas like Liverpool.
British football fans were slowly becoming the 'face' of world hooliganism and many in the foreign
media suggested that hooliganism was intrinsically linked with British football fans4
. There were
several incidents during the 1970's and 1980's which convinced the foreign media that hooliganism
was an 'English disease'. There were incidents of hooliganism by British football fans during the
1974 UEFA Cup final between Feyernoord and Tottenham Hotspur as well as during the 1975
European Cup final contested by Leeds United and Bayern Munich. Although no fans died during
1
Rogan Taylor, Andrew Ward, Tim Newburn The Day of the Hillsborough Disaster (Liverpool University Press
1995)- Taken from the Introduction
2
The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th
April 1989, Final Report'
P.P 4-5
3
Dave Russell- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997)- P.191
4
John Williams and Stephen Wagg- British Football and Social Change- (Leicester University Press 1991)- P.8
6
these incidents these acts by English football fans convinced the foreign media that hooliganism
was most definitely a British problem5
. During the 1960's and beyond, many working-class people
were drawn to the freedom and excitement that live football attendance brings. Many of these
'Working-class' males were stuck in mundane and uninteresting jobs so the opportunity to go to the
football on the weekend was the most exciting part of their week6
. Football was becoming ever
more popular with those under 20, many of whom were seen as some of the most problematic fans7
.
s As the years went on and the Hillsborough loomed ever closer the issue of hooliganism in British
football was seemingly getting worse. Between 1978 and 1986 when hooliganism was seen to be
becoming ever more rife over 9.7 million supporters 'abandoned' attending football matches in
Britain8
. This increase in behaviour of a violent nature led to attendances at matches across the
country falling( total league attendance in 1960-61 was 28,619,754 compared with just 16,488,577
in 1985-86)9
. Many spectators already thought that football attendance was too expensive and
inconvenient and when combined with the fear of the hooligan this explains the drop in
attendance10
. Although hooliganism did contribute to the falling levels of attendance at matches
there are other factors that have to be considered including other forms of Saturday entertainment as
well as the increased coverage of football on the television. For example in 1964 the BBC launched
'Match of the Day' which provided football fans with concise highlights of each game on a
Saturday. At its launch in 1964 the programme drew an audience of 75,000 but by the early 1970's
5
Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge
Publishing 2005) P.85
6
IBID P.9
7
Dave Russell- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997)- P.181
8
IBID P.182
9
IBID
10
James Walvin-The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited – (Mainstream Publishing 1994) P.185
7
the viewing figures for the show had reached an audience of 12-13 million people each week11
.
Even before the Hillsborough Disaster there were several other stadium disasters that were believed
to have been caused by hooliganism. In 1971 66 people were crushed to death on a stairwell at the
Ibrox stadium in Glasgow. The events at Ibrox led to a demand for safer stands at football grounds
across the UK but this did not happen until after the Taylor report in 199012
. Instead of actually
doing something about the unsafe stands at stadiums blame was shifted onto football 'hooligans'.
Similarly in 1985 a fire broke out at the Valley Parade ground in Bradford killing 56 people. The
fire was unable to be put out due to stewards at the ground removing fire extinguishers from the
stand to prevent football hooligans from using them13
. The disasters in Glasgow and Bradford go to
show that although football hooligans were not always at fault they are often blamed for causing
such catastrophes. As football hooliganism was seen to be increasing so to was the media backlash
towards the offenders with many outlets attempting to dehumanise these fans by describing them as
'animals' and 'savages'14
. It is important to note that although the media continually published
articles that claimed that football hooliganism was on the rise in fact during the 1980's the arrest
rate at football matches was decreasing. During the 1984/1985 season there was an arrest rate of
0.34 per every 1000 spectators attending football matches. However during the following season
arrest rates dropped by a staggering 51 percent showing that the problem was decreasing and not in
fact getting worse15
. However despite the figures showing that football hooliganism and arrest rates
11
Dave Russell- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997)- P.195
12
Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge
Publishing 2005) P.17
13
IBID P.18
14
Eric Dunning, Patrick Murphy and John Williams The Roots of Football Hooliganism- an Historical and
Sociological study- (Routledge & Kegan Paul Publishing 1988) P.8
15
Phil Scraton-Hillsborough The Truth - (Mainstream Publishing 2009)- P.33
8
at matches were declining the media seemed determined to continually perpetuate the idea of an air
of 'hooligan hysteria' surrounding football during the years prior to Hillsborough. For example in
1975 there were rumours that there could be clashes between West Ham Manchester United fans
outside the Upton Park stadium in London. Due to these rumours an extra police presence was
brought in and over 100 fans were arrested. Despite there being little actual trouble The Sun went
with the headline 'The Day The Terrace Terrors Were Hunted Like Animals and Hammered'16
. The
headline shows that despite there being very little hooligan related activity the media were often
very quick to suggest that there was. The media's obsession with the football hooligan is something
that would play a vital role in their reporting of the Hillsborough Disaster in the aftermath of the
event. One of the groups of football fans that were particularly targeted by the media during the
1980's were Liverpool fans. In May 1985 the European Cup final was contested between Italian
footballing giants Juventus and Liverpool at the Heysel stadium in Belgium. On the streets of
Brussels before the match there were several incidents of violence that sparked the issues that led to
the disaster in the stadium. A Liverpool supporter was stabbed by a group of Juventus fans, a
jewellery shop was robbed by a group of Liverpool fans and the two sides exchanged in the
throwing of bottles and stones at one another17
. As the match kicked off several Liverpool fans
attempted to enter the stand containing the Juventus fans which led to violence and a subsequent
crush which killed 38 members of the Italian support. This was a disaster that affected the entire
spectrum of English football with all British clubs being banned from European competition for a
number of years18
. The disaster led to much criticism of Liverpool fans from the press which would
play a vital role in the coverage of the Hillsborough disaster. For example in the News on Sunday
16
Eric Dunning, Patrick Murphy and John Williams The Roots of Football Hooliganism- an Historical and
Sociological study- (Routledge & Kegan Paul Publishing 1988) P.P 176-177
17
Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge
Publishing 2005) P.78
18
Phil Scraton-Hillsborough The Truth - (Mainstream Publishing 2009)- P.30
9
newspaper in 1987 an article was published which described Liverpool fans as 'evil scum'19
. The
Heysel disaster and the aftermath surrounding it sets the scene well for the Hillsborough disaster.
The media attempted to make connections between the incidents in Brussels and Sheffield in order
to create a highly sensationalist feeling of controversy in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster.
In the next section of this piece I will discuss in the depth the Taylor Report and the role the media,
the government and the police played in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.
19
Chris Rowland From Where I Was Standing- A Liverpool Supporters View of the Heysel Tragedy- (GPRF
Publishing 2009)- http://tomkinstimes.com/2013/05/heysel-25-years-on-book-extract/
10
Chapter 2-The media, the government, social issues and the Taylor Report
The Hillsborough disaster will go down as one of the worst disasters in modern British history. In
fact Hillsborough is still to this day the most deadly football stadium disaster in terms of the number
of deaths20
. Since the first stadium disaster in Glasgow in 1902 there have been a total of 251 deaths
and 96 of these deaths occurred at Hillsborough making it the most deadly stadium disaster in
history21
. A disaster at this scale was bound to create a large amount of different reactions whether
they be of grief, blame or anger. In this chapter I will explore these reactions including those of the
media, the Thatcher government, the families of the deceased and the official report into the disaster
conducted by Lord Justice Taylor in 1989.
The immediate reaction to the disaster was conveyed across all forms of media. As soon as the
disaster occurred the police immediately placed the blame on the Liverpool fans themselves.
Rumours of 'a door being broken down' were quickly conveyed by the police and reported by the
20
John Williams and Stephen Wagg- British Football and Social Change- (Leicester University Press 1991)- P.4
21
Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge
Publishing 2005) P.2
11
BBC as early as 3.40 p.m. on the day of the disaster(less than an hour after it had occurred)22
. The
police had sent suggestions to the press that Liverpool fans had broken down a door to the Leppings
Lane stand in order to take their place on the already crowded terrace. This influx of fans onto the
stand subsequently increased the pressure on the already over capacity stand which led to the fatal
crush. This was one of the many lies perpetuated by the police in the aftermath of the disaster. This
early lie presented by the officer in charge of the event, David Duckenfield would set the tone for
the media's reporting of the disaster for the next few months. The role of Duckenfield in the
Hillsborough disaster cannot be underestimated. As had been the norm for several years the F.A
Cup was supposed to be commanded by experienced official Chief Superintendent Brian Mole.
However just weeks before the game was due to be played Mole was transferred from the Sheffield
force to Barnsley. This lead to Duckenfield being put in charge of the match despite his 'minimal
appropriate professional experience'23
. Duckenfield's lack of experience and his lack of urgency to
relieve the pressure at the Leppings Lane end has led to him becoming the scapegoat for the disaster
amongst the families of the victims. He is also widely despised for the numerous lies he told to the
media in the aftermath of the disaster. Duckenfield simply created these myths about Hillsborough
in order to deflect blame away from himself and his officers and place it onto the shoulders of the
Liverpool fans24
. His role at Hillsborough is something that is covered in detail in the Taylor
Report. Duckenfield's lie about Liverpool fans 'breaking down a gate' led to huge media speculation
about the role of the Liverpool fans in the disaster. There soon became a 'mass hysteria' in the press
which accused Liverpool fans of being 'drunk, ticketless' and wanting to cause trouble at the match.
In the Sunday Mirror it was reported that between 3000 and 4000 Liverpool fans arrived at the
22
Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P.115
23
IBID P.19
24
IBID P.115
12
match without tickets and they attempted to 'force through the turnstiles'25
. Other newspapers like
the Liverpool Daily Post accused fans of 'yobbism' and that they had in fact crushed to death their
fellow scousers26
. In the local newspapers in Sheffield the blame was placed solely on the shoulders
of Liverpool fans. In the Sheffield Star there were reports that Liverpool fans had 'mounted a fatal
charge' into the stadium and had 'forced their way into the ground'. However these allegations
against Liverpool fans slowly became more and more extreme. The Sheffield Star reported on the
18th
of April that Liverpool fans had 'stolen from the dead', 'drunkenly attacked and urinated on the
police' and they had allegedly threatened the emergency personnel who were attending to the
victims of the disaster27
. These views presented by the Sheffield Star started to become shared
widespread across all major news platforms including the BBC and eventually The Sun. The
headline infamously used by The Sun was 'The Truth' however originally the editor of the
newspaper Kelvin Mackenzie wanted to use a far more controversial headline 'You Scum'. The
newspaper had echoed the statements used in the Sheffield Star with accusations of violence,
yobbery, pickpocketing and urination all included28
. The Sun is still despised today all across
Merseyside despite their attempts to make amends and apologise in recent years. In fact as recently
as last year there were notable issues between Merseyside and the newspaper. As part of the
publications' 50th
anniversary they planned on delivering free copies of the paper all across the UK.
However several postal workers across Merseyside refused to deliver this service and subsequently
The Sun decided not to send these free newspapers to Liverpool at all29
. Another idea to consider
when studying the Hillsborough disaster is the role the city of Liverpool played.
25
IBID P.116
26
IBID P.117
27
IBID P.117
28
IBID P.118
29
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-27761336 Date Accessed 17/02/2015
13
During the 1980's Liverpool and indeed Merseyside was a city in the midst of change. Under the
Thatcher government Liverpool went through a long period of economic depression. The city faced
the biggest wave of unemployment since the great depression of the 1930's and it soon became a
place associated with crime and violence. In 1983 88,000 people in Liverpool alone were registered
as unemployed. Across the city poverty and joblessness were far too common. In 1983 one in five
people in Liverpool were on the dole. Nationally the problem of unemployment was hugely
significant and Liverpool was one of the worst affected areas30
. One of the biggest causes of
unemployment in Liverpool was the decline of the port in the city. The port had been in decline for
a number of years due to in large part the loss of the British empire. 'It is certain that world
economics as a whole did to Liverpool what the abolition of the slave trade and ship canal were
unable to do- it deprived the port of its shipping'31
. It was as a city filled with 'depressed and
unattractive housing' which made it difficult to attract workers from other parts of the country to
come and earn a living there. It was estimated that during the early 1980's over one third of the
inner-city population of Liverpool lived in high-rise estates which were often described as
'wastelands'32
. Liverpool was seen to be the 'flagship' of urban decay across Britain33
. Many people
left the inner city and moved to areas outside the centre which many felt had ripped out the heart of
Liverpool. During this period the government attempted to improve housing in the city centre of
Liverpool by tearing down the areas they felt were 'slum-like' and to replace them with new council
estates instead. However this involved moving thousands of people out of their homes whilst the
new structures were being built. Liverpudlian writer Beryl Bainbridge described these new estates
30
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1983/jul/04/liverpool-unemployment- Date Accessed
23/02/2015
31
Peter Aughton Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008)- P.P 283
32
IBID P.285
33
James Walvin-The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited – (Mainstream Publishing 1994) P.188
14
as being similar to 'concentration camps' in appearance34
. These new unattractive houses coupled
with the unemployment issues in Liverpool led to many people leaving the city altogether(an
estimated 12,000 people were leaving the city each year during the 1980's)35
. There were also
several riots across Merseyside in this era with the most significant being the Toxteth riots of 1981.
It led to 500 arrests, 468 injured police officers and £11 million worth of damage36
. Furthermore
during the 1980's Liverpool started to develop a link with drugs and specifically heroin. In one of
the area's biggest towns the Wirral heroin use was at its peak during the eighties. It was estimated
by local radio that 50 percent of people in the Wirral between 14 and 25 were using or had used
heroin at some point37
. There is also a link between the number of people unemployed in an area
during the 1980's and the amount of heroin being used. For example in areas where unemployment
figures were at their highest in Liverpool(2000 out of 10,000 men unemployed) 0.7% of the
population were heroin users. However in contrast in areas where unemployment was
comparatively lower (only 6% out of 1300 men unemployed) there were no known users of the
drug38
. The media quickly jumped on these accusations about Merseyside and the area was dubbed
'Smack City' in several newspapers including The Observer. Just like during their reporting of the
Hillsborough there were also ludicrous headlines published about the heroin problem in Liverpool.
It was even reported in The Times that there had been heroin found in school dinners across
Liverpool and even that heroin was available outside of schools hidden in ice cream cones39
. As
34
IBID P.285
35
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1983/jul/04/liverpool-unemployment- Date Accessed
23/02/2015
36
Peter Aughton Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008)- P.P 283-286
37
Howard Parker, Keith Bakx and Russell Newcombe- Living With Heroin (Open University Press 1988) P.7
38
IBID P.19
39
IBID P.7
15
James Walvin puts it 'Football was seen as a symptom of Britain's problems'40
. Due to the media
associating football with working class people and consequently a working class area such as
Liverpool with drug use and other crimes it is easy to see why a link was made between football
and Britain's problems.
The government's reaction to Hillsborough was also quite interesting. It is well known that the
majority of the population of Liverpool disliked Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher due to her role
in the decline of the city during her tenure. In fact by 1986 there were only 2 conservative
councillors out of 99 on the city council in Liverpool41
. During the eighties there had been some
attempts by government ministers to improve life in the city. One of the most famous politicians
who attempted to help Liverpool in the eighties was Michael Heseltine. After the riots in Toxteth in
1981 Heseltine spent three weeks in Liverpool in an attempt to see just what was wrong with the
city. He once remarked that during this period he saw 'some of the worst housing conditions in
Western Europe'. He attempted under Thatcher to get enough money from the treasury to help
rebuild Liverpool but unfortunately for him he was unsuccessful at this time42
. However in the
thirty years since then Heseltine has worked tirelessly to help regenerate Liverpool. In fact he was
so successful that he was given the prestigious honour of having the 'freedom of Liverpool' in
201243
. It is interesting to note that Margaret Thatcher never actually conveyed her opinion on
Hillsborough publically. However it is believed that Thatcher 'despised' football and that she would
not allow anyone who was interested in football to be a part of her cabinet44
. Thatcher attended the
40
James Walvin The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited- (Mainstream Publishing 1994) P.189
41
Peter Aughton Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008)- P.P 284
42
Peter Jenkins Mrs Thatcher's Revolution (Pan Books LTD 1989) P.P 193-194
43
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/mar/13/michael-heseltine-liverpool-freeman-margaret-
thatcher- Date Accessed 18/02/2015
44
16
stadium the day after the disaster occurred and was informed by her press secretary Sir Bernard
Ingham that 'there would have been no Hillsborough if a mob who were clearly tanked up had not
tried to force their way into the ground'45
. Ingham truly believed that Liverpool fans caused the
tragedy at Hillsborough. He was sent a letter by Dolores Steele(her son Philip died at Hillsborough)
shortly after the disaster and in his reply he stated that 'a tanked up mob caused your son's death'
and that 'they are the guilty ones'46
. Thatcher had been highly critical of football hooliganism in the
years prior to Hillsborough. In some cases such as in Luton in the 1986-1987 season, away fans
were banned from the stadium altogether in a bid to curb Hooliganism. This measure led to there
being no arrests in that season and the costs of employing police went down by twenty-five percent.
This was a measure highly supported by Thatcher who intervened when the Football Association
attempted to ban Luton from playing in the League Cup47
. Thatcher attempted to get the Football
Association to change their decision and allow Luton into the cup but they refused. Although the
views that Thatcher held personally about Hillsborough are unclear it is well known that she was
critical of the Taylor report and his criticisms of the police. During the Independent Panel's
investigation into Hillsborough a hand written note by Thatcher was discovered in which she
expressed concern about the Taylor Report's criticisms of police. Thatcher did not want to give the
government's full backing towards the report because it gave a 'devastating criticism of the police'48
.
The Taylor Report 1989/1990
Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge
Publishing 2005) P.19
45
IBID P.60
46
Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P.P 119-120
47
Dave Russell- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997) P.227
48
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/margaret-thatcher-role-aftermath-hillsborough-3416839-
Date Accessed 23/02/2015
17
In the immediate aftermath of the disaster it was decided that a full governmental investigation into
the disaster would be opened. The enquiry led by Taylor intended to 'Inquire into the events at
Sheffield Wednesday Football Ground on 15 April 1989 and to make recommendations about the
needs of crowd control and safety at sports events'49
. Taylor as well as being a well-respected judge
was also a man with a 'well-known personal interest in football'50
. In the early days of his
investigation Taylor made it clear that he merely wanted to discover the facts about Hillsborough
and he did not want to place unequivocal blame on any party51
. Taylor was able to create his report
with the help of 174 witnesses at public hearings held throughout May and June of 198952
. There
was also a telephone number set up for the public to call in with any other relevant information
which yielded 2666 calls53
. There were also 3,776 statements made by various members of the
public and the police force as well as 1,550 letters sent to Taylor himself. Taylor stated that 'From
this mass it was essential to select only sufficient good and reliable evidence necessary to establish
the facts and causes of the disaster'54
. Taylor then published his findings across two reports the
first(the Interim Report) dealing with the Hillsborough disaster itself and the second which aimed to
assist all British football grounds into creating a safer experience for fans at live matches. The
report that is of immediate interest to me is the interim report which was published on 1 August
49
The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th
April 1989, Final Report'
P.1
50
Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 122
51
IBID P.123
52
The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th
April 1989, Final Report'
P.1
53
Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 122
54
IBID
18
1989. Taylor's first main conclusion was that the reason the crush occurred on the Leppings Lane
terrace was due to gate C being opened which allowed over 2000 more Liverpool fans to gain
access to the terrace55
. This led to pens 3 and 4 becoming 'grossly overcrowded' and this increased
pressure ultimately caused the crush56
.
During the mid 1980's many stands in stadiums such as Hillsborough had been divided into pens
and barriers had been put in place to stop violence amongst fans and to quell the possibility of fans
invading the pitch. Taylor stated in his report that these pens also played a part in Hillsborough
because not only did they limit the fans' movement on the stands but they also encouraged more
fans to try and gain access to these smaller more discreet areas without tickets57
. The pens led to
crowds cramming into stadiums which were 'ill-designed to cope' with such large numbers in such
small spaces58
. Taylor also concludes that the police took a laissez-faire attitude towards their role
as stewards of the Leppings Lane terrace on the day and that this attitude was 'both bad in theory
and in practice'59
. The police after the disaster claimed that they let the fans 'find their own level'
meaning that they didn't encourage them to go to the less crowded areas of the stand but instead
they let them go where they wanted. This approach contrasted with the tough crackdown on football
hooliganism in the years prior to Hillsborough. You would think that the police would want to keep
55
1. Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'-
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P. 13 Date Accessed- March
25th
2014
56
IBID P.20
57
IBID P.23
58
James Walvin 'The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited' – Mainstream Publishing 1994 P.187
59
2. Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'-
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P.P 30-31 Date Accessed-
March 25th
2014
19
a high level of control over the fans rather than to just let them do what they want whilst on the
terrace. In the interim report Taylor also addressed the rumours that had been circulating about the
Liverpool fans in the months between the disaster and the publishing of his report. He found that
although some Liverpool fans were drunk the vast majority were 'not drunk or even the worse for
drink'. Taylor believed that many officers simply overestimated the level of drunkenness of the
Liverpool fans due to the severity of the situation at Hillsborough60
. Although Taylor noted that
some Liverpool fans had drank enough to 'affect their mood' this wasn't conclusive enough to say
that a majority had been drunk. Taylor also addressed the allegations that many Liverpool fans
turned up to the stadium without tickets. Taylor noted that although some fans were seen asking
around the stadium for tickets this wasn't a significant number of the Liverpool support. He states
that although there may have been some fans without tickets this did not play any part in the crush.
The drunken and ticket-less fans may not have made the police's job easier on the day but they
ultimately did not cause the crush on the terrace61
. Furthermore Taylor dismisses the theories found
in the press about Liverpool fans urinating on and stealing from the dead. Taylor could find no
credible sources to back up such claims62
. Ultimately Taylor comes to the conclusion that the fault
at Hillsborough had to be given to the police and not to the Liverpool fans. It is stated by Taylor that
putting David Duckenfield in charge of the event just three weeks before it went ahead was a costly
mistake63
. Duckenfield along with his officers at Hillsborough were unprepared for the huge influx
of fans through the turnstiles and they simply panicked and misinterpreted the situation on the stand
as a pitch invasion rather than a crush. He states that there was a lack of communication between
Duckenfield and his fellow officers which led to the overcrowding on the stand. Taylor believed
60
IBID P.34
61
IBID P.36
62
IBID P.44
63
IBID P.49
20
that Duckenfield lied to the media about Liverpool fans breaking down a gate because he could not
bear to face up to the situation that he had failed to deal with adequately64
. Although Duckenfield at
the time did apologize for blaming the Liverpool fans he failed to admit that it was the police's fault.
This admittance of guilt was not expressed by Duckenfield until 2015 in the aftermath of the
Independent Panel's reopening of the Hillsborough case65
. Regarding the fear of hooliganism Taylor
stated that there was an 'imbalance' between the police's desire to 'quell troublemakers' and their
duty to 'secure the safety and comfort of the majority'66
. Despite Taylor placing a huge amount of
blame onto the police he also states that the outside of the stadium was poorly signposted and that
there had been doubts about the stadium being an appropriate venue for such a big match67
.
Although Taylor was critical of the police's role at Hillsborough he only had glowing praise for the
other emergency services and their role in the aftermath of the disaster. He expressed that St John's
Ambulances reacted swiftly to the situation and nothing more could have been done to save the
lives of the 96 at Hillsborough68
.
Taylor's interim report was met by a huge wave of contrasting emotions and reactions. Many
Liverpool fans were happy that Taylor had placed the blame on the police and not on the Liverpool
fans themselves69
. However there were some criticisms of Taylor many of which in regards to his
64
IBID P.50
65
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-31850599 Date Accessed 12/03/2015
66
3. Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'-
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P.31 Date Accessed- March
25th
2014
67
4. IBID P.52
68
P.53
69
Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 124
21
praise of the emergency services. Taylor stated that although defibrillators could have been used to
save lives they could have also been a threat to the people around them70
. Several family members
of the victims at Hillsborough were shocked by this revelation and were appalled that Taylor simply
brushed over the fact that lives could have been saved71
. There was also some criticism towards
Taylor in regards to his attitude towards the grieving families after the event. The majority of the
bodies of those who died were moved to the gymnasium located within the stadium so family
members could go there and identify their loved ones. A remark Taylor made in his report caused
much upset amongst Liverpool supporters 'There was intense distress amongst the injured and the
bereaved; relatives were reluctant to be parted from the dead and sought to revive them...there were
scuffles. Some of these involved those who were the worse for drink' This was seen as hugely
insensitive on Taylor's part because he may have overlooked the obvious reason for this distress
which was grief rather than drunkenness72
. However on the whole the families of the victims were
satisfied with Taylor's findings and they hoped they'd get justice in the inquests in the following
years. However the Thatcher government were far from happy with Taylor's conclusions. They
presumed that Taylor would follow the government's line in blaming drunken hooligans for the
disaster rather than taking an independent view on the disaster73
. Similarly the South Yorkshire
police were outraged by Taylor's claims and they felt his comments had been 'savage' and 'harsh'.
They just like the families of the victims hoped that they would too get justice in the inquests
70
5. Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'-
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P.53 Date Accessed- March
25th
2014
71
Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 127
72
IBID P.128
73
James Walvin-The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited – (Mainstream Publishing 1994) P.197
22
following the Taylor report74
. In the next chapter I will discuss the years following the Taylor report
and will look at the inquests and the eventual reopening of the case and the subsequent report that
followed in 2012.
Chapter 3- The aftermath of the Taylor Report, 'Justice for the 96' and the 2012
Independent Panel's report
The aftermath of the Taylor Report
In the immediate aftermath of the release of the Taylor Report inquests were opened into the deaths
74
Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 131
23
of the 95 who had died at Hillsborough(The 96th
victim Tony Bland was on life support until March
1993 until he succumbed to his injuries). The families of the victims hoped that justice would
finally be done and charges would be brought against the South Yorkshire Police force. Despite the
Taylor Report concluding that no blame could be placed upon Liverpool fans the myth about the
fans being drunk at Hillsborough came to the forefront once again during these inquests. Tests at the
inquest concluded that 51 of the 96 who died at Hillsborough had been drinking and one sixth of the
fans were too drunk to drive. Once again The Sun newspaper was heavily involved in the coverage
of the inquests and led with the headline '15 Hillsborough Dead Too Drunk for Driving'75
. Once
again the officers at the inquest continued to claim that a large number of the Liverpool fans were
drunk 'One officer had never seen such a quantity of a crowd in possession of drink'. The families of
several of the victims felt cheated at the inquest because they felt that having individual inquests
regarding each victim of Hillsborough would be far fairer than by just having one big investigation.
One of the most controversial aspects of the inquests was that the coroner refused to listen to any
evidence that referred to events after 3.15 PM on the day of the disaster. Despite much of the
evidence pointing to the fact that many of the victims died after this time the coroner refused to
listen. He argued that the damage had already been done prior to this time so even if some of the
victims had not died it was only a matter of time. This decision by the coroner Dr Stefan Popper did
not allow families to raise any questions about when and why their loved ones died76
. Ultimately no
charges were brought again David Duckenfield nor the South Yorkshire Police at the inquest and a
verdict of 'accidental death' was decided regarding the Hillsborough disaster77
.
75
IBID P.140
76
IBID P.P 145-146
77
IBID P.152
24
The Fight for Justice
For the families of the deceased at Hillsborough the results of the inquest were highly upsetting and
disheartening. The inquests had done nothing to provide answers and obtain justice instead they
merely opened up more questions78
. During the 1990's there were numerous attempts by the
families of the Hillsborough victims to reopen the case in order to get justice. In 1993 six families
opened an application for a judicial review into the inquests on the grounds of 'irregularity of
proceedings, insufficiency of inquiry and the emergence of new facts and evidence'. However once
again the judge Lord Justice McCowan ruled in favour of the coroner and the police and he refused
to reopen the investigation. Lord McCowan stated that Popper had made a full inquiry and that
nothing could be gained by reopening the case79
. The issue of the 3.15 cut off point was something
that was very controversial within the media during the 1990's. It was felt by the families of the
victims that the cut off point did not allow individual cases to be considered. Despite the findings of
the Taylor Report and the apparent innocence of the Liverpool fans there were still accusations from
important public figures placing blame on those in the Leppings Lane end. The manager of
Nottingham Forest on the day of the disaster, Brian Clough stated in the Daily Mail in 1994 that he
would always 'remain convinced' that the 96 who died at Hillsborough were killed by Liverpool
fans. The remark from Clough once again brought accusations against Liverpool fans to the
forefront80
. The air of uncertainty regarding Hillsborough continued throughout the 1990's whilst
the families of the 96 attempted to get justice for the ones they loved. Despite numerous attempts to
78
Sara Williams and Dan Kay Anne Williams- With Hope in Her Heart (Trinity Mirror Sport Media 2013)
79
Phil Scraton Hillsborough The Truth- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P.P 154-155
80
Ibid P.157
25
reopen the investigation ultimately no charge was brought against the South Yorkshire Police and a
large amount of evidence regarding the case was kept hidden. Even as recently as 2004 there were
comments made that once again suggested that Liverpool fans had played a part in the deaths of the
96. Conservative MP and current Mayor of London, Boris Johnson stated in an interview in 2004
that all Liverpudlians 'See themselves whenever possible as victims' and that they 'wallow' in self
pity and they are 'hooked on grief'81
. It wasn't until 2009 when Andy Burnham, the Secretary of
State for Culture, Media and Sport announced that the government had intentions to publicly
disclose those documents that had previously been hidden82
.
The Media, Government and Social reaction to the Hillsborough Independent Panel
It is interesting to compare the reactions of the media and the government to the Hillsborough
Independent Panel to the reactions that were made in the light of the disaster itself. Just like in 1989
Britain had a Conservative Government this time led by David Cameron rather than Margaret
Thatcher. Despite generally being a rather outspoken politician Thatcher never gave her opinion on
Hillsborough publicly. In comparison David Cameron was very sympathetic towards the families of
the 96 at Hillsborough and he released a full government apology in regards to the injustice faced.
He stated that 'On behalf of the government - and indeed our country - I am profoundly sorry for
this double injustice that has been left uncorrected for so long'83
. The media reaction to the
reopening of the case was also very different to the reaction in 1989. Infamously The Sun
81
IBID P.252
82
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ Date Accessed 12/01/2015
83
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19574108- Date Accessed 01/03/2015
26
newspaper published the headline 'The Truth' which accused Liverpool fans of all sorts of crimes at
Hillsborough. However in 2012 The Sun produced a headline entitled 'The Real Truth' in which
they apologised for the false accusations they levelled against Liverpool fans back in 198984
.
Despite the apology given by the newspaper it is still universally despised on Merseyside. The Sun
had previously apologised for their reporting of the disaster in July 2004 when they stated that their
coverage had been 'the most terrible mistake in its history'85
. Another interesting comparison to
make is that of Liverpool as a city and its reputation in 2012 compared to 1989. During the 1980's
Liverpool had a wave of huge unemployment with an estimated 20% of the city out of work. By the
late 2000's unemployment in the city was at just 5%86
. There are still fundamental issues within the
city in areas such as child poverty and poor housing but on the whole Liverpool is certainly on the
upturn87
. In fact in 2008 Liverpool was named as the European Capital of Culture for that year so it
is easy to see that the city has definitely improved and grown since the 1980's88
. When you combine
the reactions from the media and the government with the improving image of Liverpool as a city it
is fair to say that the 2012 independent panel's report into Hillsborough was published at a time
where there was certainly more sympathy towards Liverpool fans in regards to the disaster. In 1989
the families of the victims were faced with a Prime Minister who was very private regarding her
feelings and a group of newspapers who were intent on blaming the disaster on the Liverpool fans.
Whilst in 2012 the families of the 96 faced their best opportunity at getting justice.
The 2012 Hillsborough Independent Panel
84
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4535743/23-years-after-Hillsborough-the-real-truth.html Date
Accessed 16/04/2015
85
Phil Scraton Hillsborough The Truth- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 253
86
Peter Aughton Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008)- P.P 294
87
IBID P.297
88
http://www.liverpool08.com/ Date Accessed 16/04/2015
27
For twenty years the families of the 96 at Hillsborough had been fighting for justice for their loved
ones. They believed that the 'true context' regarding what happened in Sheffield had never truly
been established. They felt that a large amount of evidence had remained hidden and that it was
only fair and just that these sources should be released publicly and a report should be published
which truly established what happened at Hillsborough89
. The panel was led by Reverend James
Jones the Bishop of Liverpool who has played a large role in the regeneration of the city90
. After
almost three years of investigation the Independent Panel's report was published on September 12
2012. During the construction of the report the panel reviewed over 450,000 pages of evidence and
there were 85 contributors to the process91
. The report was split into three parts, the first
establishing what was already known about Hillsborough, the second discusses the new evidence
that had been released and how this affects 'public understanding' of the disaster and the third part
which discusses creating an archive in which all these documents can be stored for public viewing.
The new evidence that was introduced to public attention by the panel was very enlightening and
ultimately proved to be extremely critical in regards to the police, the ambulance service and the
management of the Hillsborough stadium. In regards to the management of the stadium the new
evidence disclosed to the panel showed that the 'safety of the crowd admitted to the terrace was
compromised at every level'. The deficiencies were 'well known' to the management of the stadium
but despite this they did very little to stop the increasingly common problem of overcrowding in the
Leppings Lane end92
. The panel also pointed out that there had been several disputes in the years
prior to the disaster between the stadium staff and the South Yorkshire Police in regards to the
89
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 4- Date Accessed 12/01/2015
90
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/the-independent-panel/james-jones/ Date Accessed 22/04/2015
91
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/ Date Accessed 22/04/2015
92
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 6- Date Accessed 12/01/2015
28
maximum capacity of the Leppings Lane end. The police felt that the estimated maximum capacity
of 10,100 people was far too high but the staff at Hillsborough thought this was very acceptable. In
the Taylor Report it is suggested that there were no issues of crushing in the Leppings Lane end
during the previous year's FA Cup Semi-Final. However the new evidence in 2012 suggests that
there were incidents of crushing in 1988 and some fans 'actually collapsed or fainted'93
. Despite this
there were no qualms in regards to holding the 1989 semi-final at Hillsborough once again. In
regards to the South Yorkshire Police the new evidence built upon the Taylor Report which also
criticised the police's role at Hillsborough. Shortly before the FA Cup Semi-Final Chief
Superintendent David Duckenfield held a meeting in order to brief officers about the importance of
crowd safety but this meaning 'contained no reference to the crowd safety issues from the previous
year'94
. However in other meetings held by other senior officers they put the biggest emphasis for
the day on crowd control and how to deal with violent or drunken fans. The documents collectively
show that the South Yorkshire Police's main aim for Hillsborough was to prioritise crowd control
over the safety of the fans95
. The new evidence also showed that the police's decision making on the
day was affected by poor communication and leadership96
. In regards to the aftermath of the
disaster the report confirms Lord Taylor's assessment that the police intended to blame the disaster
on the Liverpool fans. Duckenfield allegedly stated to his force that 'the gates had been stormed'
when in reality he had called for them to be opened which ultimately led to the crush97
. After the
disaster every member of the South Yorkshire Police at Hillsborough were told to make statements
regarding what they had experienced. However if any of the force used the word 'crushing' they
93
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/report/HIP_report.pdf P.82 Date Accessed 08/11/2014
94
IBID P.89
95
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 8- Date Accessed 12/01/2015
96
IBID P.9
97
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/report/HIP_report.pdf P.99 Date Accessed 08/11/2014
29
were told by the police's solicitors, Hammond Suddards to change their statement98
. The report also
discusses the police's obsession with Liverpool fans allegedly being drunk at Hillsborough. One of
the documents shows that the police carried out national computer checks on the deceased who
were found not to have any alcohol in their systems in order to destroy their reputation. Each of the
96 who died had samples taken from them by the coroner to test their blood alcohol levels. This was
something that was highly criticised by the families of the victims due to over a third of them being
under the legal drinking age and the youngest being only ten years old99
. Despite the attempts by the
police to blame alcohol as the major cause of the disaster the panel found that the level of alcohol
found in the blood of many of the victims was 'unremarkable'. The new evidence also confirmed
beliefs by the families of the 96 that the police set out to paint the picture of Liverpool fans as
aggressive drunks, many of which were ticketless and forced their way into the stadium. This was
also disputed by the panel who claimed that these allegations were false100
. Despite the Taylor
Report being highly critical of the police it failed to address the role of the other emergency services
at Hillsborough. One of the new pieces of evidence discovered by the panel shows that neither the
South Yorkshire fire service nor the ambulance service attended a meeting regarding the FA Cup
Semi Final just a month before it was due to take place and they found no evidence as to why101
.
This lack of organisation between the emergency services could explain their slow reaction on the
day of the disaster. The Independent Panel discussed the ambulance service in great detail and they
widely criticised their role in the immediate aftermath of the crush. The panel concluded that the
recovery effort by the emergency services was affected by a 'lack of leadership and coordination'102
.
98
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 10- Date Accessed 12/01/2015
99
IBID P.15
100
IBID P.16
101
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/report/HIP_report.pdf P. 100 Date Accessed 08/11/2014
102
IBID P.11
30
Many of the hospitals were 'unprepared' for a major incident and there was a unanimous lack of
basic equipment. It was expressed by the panel that if the emergency services had acted quicker
they may have been able to save the lives of an estimated 31 of the 96 at Hillsborough103
. Just like
in the Taylor Report the panel also placed the blame for the disaster on the shoulders of the police
and that the Liverpool fans played no role in the cause of the disaster104
.
The Aftermath of the Independent Panel's report and the ongoing inquests
After the publishing of the report it was felt necessary to once again open an inquest into the
disaster. These inquests are currently ongoing and they are expected to conclude in early 2016. So
far they have proved to very revealing and for the families of the 96 it seems possible that they will
finally get justice for their loved ones. One of the most important revelations at the inquests thus far
was that of Chief Superintendent Duckenfield. Despite refusing to acknowledge his guilt for the
disaster for a number of years during these inquests he finally claimed responsibility. He stated that
his lack of leadership on the day and his failure to close the tunnel to the Leppings Lane end was the
direct cause of the disaster105
. There have also been some other important revelations that have been
expressed during the inquest thus far. John Cutlack who is being used as the inquest's structural
engineer believes that the third pen in the Leppings Lane end held twice as many fans than was safe
which obviously played a huge part in the crush. Despite Duckenfield taking the blame for the
103
IBID P.14
104
IBID P.26
105
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31928476 Date Accessed 17/03/2015
31
disaster a number of officers giving evidence at the inquests still maintain that Liverpool fans were
to blame and many of them 'stopped officers from doing their jobs'. The jury in the inquests will
make their decision early next year and there could be criminal charges brought against David
Duckenfield and several other members of the South Yorkshire Police106
.
Conclusion
Both the Taylor Report and the 2012 Independent Panel's Report will leave lasting legacies. The
2012 report has finally answered many of the questions that the families of the 96 have been asking
for over two decades. The panel were able to uncover much of the information about the disaster
that the police and the government had wanted to keep hidden. As the inquests continue the full
legacy of the 2012 report will become apparent. If criminal charges are finally brought against those
who are seen as responsible at Hillsborough then for the families the report would have helped
bring justice for their loved ones. Although the Taylor Report did bring a level of justice for those
who died at Hillsborough its main legacy is still felt in football to this day. In his final report Taylor
106
http://www.channel4.com/news/hillsborough-inquests-the-key-moments-so-far Date Accessed 01/04/2015
32
put forward a plan to modernise football grounds across the country in order to make them safe and
to stop an incident like Hillsborough happening again. Taylor proposed all seater stadiums, a green
guide to highlight the appropriate levels of safety at grounds and for clubs to discourage the
drinking of alcohol within the stadium107
. Every football club in the top two divisions of English
football had all seater stadiums by 1994 and the trend of all-seater stadiums continues until the
current day. However there have been attempts in recent years to bring back the standing terraces108
.
Ultimately Taylor's Final Report helped eradicate the ever decreasing problem of football
hooliganism in England. In 2014 the arrest rate at football stadiums across England and Wales fell
to 2273 which is the lowest number in history109
. Compare this figure with the number of arrests
during the 1988/1989 season(In which the Hillsborough Disaster occurred) in which there were
6185 arrests largely due to hooliganism110
. The propositions put forward by Taylor certainly have
left a lasting legacy on British football. Overall it is fair to say that both the 2012 report and the
Taylor Report are each very important in their own way. As for the city of Liverpool, its image and
reputation has been improved in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster. The passion and the
solidarity shown by the people of the city in their support of the families of the 96 has been truly
astounding. Although there are still problems within the city in regards to unemployment and poor
housing, on the whole it is an area which is slowly being repaired and restored.
107
The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th
April 1989, Final Report'
P.P 94-95
108
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25269939 Date Accessed 22/04/2015
109
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/352864/FootballRelatedArrestsB
anningOrderSeason201314.pdf Date Accessed 22/04/2015
110
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2009/aug/26/west-ham-millwall-hooliganism-
history-violence Date Accessed 22/04/2015
33
Bibliography
1. Aughton Peter Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008)
2. Bakx Keith Newcombe Russell and Parker Howard- Living With Heroin (Open University
Press 1988)
3. Darby Paul, Johnes Martin and Mellor Gavin Soccer and Disaster- International
Perspectives (Routledge Publishing 2005)
4. Dunning Eric, Murphy Patrick and Williams John The Roots of Football Hooliganism- an
Historical and Sociological study- (Routledge & Kegan Paul Publishing 1988)
34
5. Jenkins Peter Mrs Thatcher's Revolution (Pan Books LTD 1989)
6. Kay Dan and Williams Sara Anne Williams- With Hope in Her Heart (Trinity Mirror Sport
Media 2013)
7. Newburn Tim, Taylor Rogan and Ward Andrew, The Day of the Hillsborough Disaster
(Liverpool University Press 1995)-
8. Rowland Chris From Where I Was Standing- A Liverpool Supporters View of the Heysel
Tragedy- (GPRF Publishing 2009)
9. Russell Dave- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997)
10. Scraton Phil Hillsborough The Truth- Mainstream Publishing 2009-
11. The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th
April 1989, Final
Report'
12. Walvin James-The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited – (Mainstream
Publishing 1994)
13. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31928476 Date Accessed 17/03/2015
14. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-27761336 Date Accessed 17/02/2015
15. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-31850599 Date Accessed 12/03/2015
16. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25269939 Date Accessed 22/04/2015
17. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19574108- Date Accessed 01/03/2015
18. http://www.channel4.com/news/hillsborough-inquests-the-key-moments-so-far Date
Accessed 01/04/2015
19. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/352864/Footb
allRelatedArrestsBanningOrderSeason201314.pdf Date Accessed 22/04/2015
20. http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1983/jul/04/liverpool-unemployment- Date
Accessed 23/02/2015
21. http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/ Date Accessed 22/04/2015
35
22. http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ Date Accessed
12/01/2015
23. Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'-
http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P. 13 Date
Accessed- March 25th
2014
24. http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 6- Date Accessed
12/01/2015
25. http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/the-independent-panel/james-jones/ Date Accessed
22/04/2015
26. http://www.liverpool08.com/ Date Accessed 16/04/2015
27. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/margaret-thatcher-role-aftermath-
hillsborough-3416839- Date Accessed 23/02/2015
28. http://www.theguardian.com/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2009/aug/26/west-ham-
millwall-hooliganism-history-violence Date Accessed 22/04/2015
29. http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/mar/13/michael-heseltine-liverpool-
freeman-margaret-thatcher- Date Accessed 18/02/2015
30. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4535743/23-years-after-Hillsborough-the-real-
truth.html Date Accessed 16/04/2015

Contenu connexe

Tendances (7)

Regeneration in sponges, paramecia, planaria, etc.
Regeneration in sponges, paramecia, planaria, etc.Regeneration in sponges, paramecia, planaria, etc.
Regeneration in sponges, paramecia, planaria, etc.
 
Animal Kingdom phylum Detail
Animal Kingdom phylum DetailAnimal Kingdom phylum Detail
Animal Kingdom phylum Detail
 
Time management
Time managementTime management
Time management
 
Annelida(segmented worms)
Annelida(segmented worms)Annelida(segmented worms)
Annelida(segmented worms)
 
13. class hydrozoa with clear explanation only on slide share free
13. class hydrozoa with clear explanation only on slide share free 13. class hydrozoa with clear explanation only on slide share free
13. class hydrozoa with clear explanation only on slide share free
 
Animal like protist the protozoa
Animal like protist the protozoaAnimal like protist the protozoa
Animal like protist the protozoa
 
Context in Literature
Context in LiteratureContext in Literature
Context in Literature
 

En vedette

HILLSBOROUGH DISASTER ESSAY
HILLSBOROUGH DISASTER ESSAYHILLSBOROUGH DISASTER ESSAY
HILLSBOROUGH DISASTER ESSAY
Michael Owen
 
Hillsborough January 08 Presentation
Hillsborough January 08 PresentationHillsborough January 08 Presentation
Hillsborough January 08 Presentation
Alliance
 
CSI Essay - Football Hooliganism
CSI Essay - Football Hooliganism CSI Essay - Football Hooliganism
CSI Essay - Football Hooliganism
Harry Dunford
 
Dissertation Tim Kanters; “An exploratory study of football tourists; the cas...
Dissertation Tim Kanters; “An exploratory study of football tourists; the cas...Dissertation Tim Kanters; “An exploratory study of football tourists; the cas...
Dissertation Tim Kanters; “An exploratory study of football tourists; the cas...
Tim Kanters
 
A study of consumer behaviour among football supporters; how evident is brand...
A study of consumer behaviour among football supporters; how evident is brand...A study of consumer behaviour among football supporters; how evident is brand...
A study of consumer behaviour among football supporters; how evident is brand...
Nick Sargent
 
Sports Fan Study
Sports Fan Study Sports Fan Study
Sports Fan Study
InStadium
 

En vedette (14)

The hillsborough disaster
The hillsborough disasterThe hillsborough disaster
The hillsborough disaster
 
Hillsborough: the tangled web
Hillsborough: the tangled webHillsborough: the tangled web
Hillsborough: the tangled web
 
HILLSBOROUGH DISASTER ESSAY
HILLSBOROUGH DISASTER ESSAYHILLSBOROUGH DISASTER ESSAY
HILLSBOROUGH DISASTER ESSAY
 
Dissertation document
Dissertation documentDissertation document
Dissertation document
 
The Dissertation (2)
The Dissertation (2)The Dissertation (2)
The Dissertation (2)
 
Hillsborough January 08 Presentation
Hillsborough January 08 PresentationHillsborough January 08 Presentation
Hillsborough January 08 Presentation
 
CSI Essay - Football Hooliganism
CSI Essay - Football Hooliganism CSI Essay - Football Hooliganism
CSI Essay - Football Hooliganism
 
Dissertation Tim Kanters; “An exploratory study of football tourists; the cas...
Dissertation Tim Kanters; “An exploratory study of football tourists; the cas...Dissertation Tim Kanters; “An exploratory study of football tourists; the cas...
Dissertation Tim Kanters; “An exploratory study of football tourists; the cas...
 
A study of consumer behaviour among football supporters; how evident is brand...
A study of consumer behaviour among football supporters; how evident is brand...A study of consumer behaviour among football supporters; how evident is brand...
A study of consumer behaviour among football supporters; how evident is brand...
 
Sports Fan Study
Sports Fan Study Sports Fan Study
Sports Fan Study
 
Dissertation PDF
Dissertation PDFDissertation PDF
Dissertation PDF
 
Spanish Football Fans' Perception of Competitive Balance in the Spanish Footb...
Spanish Football Fans' Perception of Competitive Balance in the Spanish Footb...Spanish Football Fans' Perception of Competitive Balance in the Spanish Footb...
Spanish Football Fans' Perception of Competitive Balance in the Spanish Footb...
 
Natural law theory (kpearson v1)
Natural law theory (kpearson v1)Natural law theory (kpearson v1)
Natural law theory (kpearson v1)
 
Ethics AS OCR
Ethics AS OCREthics AS OCR
Ethics AS OCR
 

Similaire à Dissertation-_Callum.doc

Hooliganss
HooliganssHooliganss
Hooliganss
Salau
 
Hooligan Presentation
Hooligan PresentationHooligan Presentation
Hooligan Presentation
Andrew
 
Mass communications and its effects on society[2]
Mass communications and its effects on society[2]Mass communications and its effects on society[2]
Mass communications and its effects on society[2]
arthompson10
 
Essay research finished!
Essay research finished!Essay research finished!
Essay research finished!
DanielFirth4
 
113JPTV 1 (1) pp. 113–120 Intellect Limited 2013Journ.docx
113JPTV 1 (1) pp. 113–120  Intellect Limited 2013Journ.docx113JPTV 1 (1) pp. 113–120  Intellect Limited 2013Journ.docx
113JPTV 1 (1) pp. 113–120 Intellect Limited 2013Journ.docx
hyacinthshackley2629
 
Football Politics
Football PoliticsFootball Politics
Football Politics
Ashay Kapse
 

Similaire à Dissertation-_Callum.doc (20)

Hooliganss
HooliganssHooliganss
Hooliganss
 
Hooligan Presentation
Hooligan PresentationHooligan Presentation
Hooligan Presentation
 
Wasserman Media Group Presents: Hispanic Influence in the U.S.
Wasserman Media Group Presents: Hispanic Influence in the U.S.Wasserman Media Group Presents: Hispanic Influence in the U.S.
Wasserman Media Group Presents: Hispanic Influence in the U.S.
 
The 1920s decade project
The 1920s decade projectThe 1920s decade project
The 1920s decade project
 
Dissertation - BA (Hons) Media
Dissertation - BA (Hons) MediaDissertation - BA (Hons) Media
Dissertation - BA (Hons) Media
 
Corporate Responsibility History, Modern Times and the Media, in Pictures 2013
Corporate Responsibility History, Modern Times and the Media, in Pictures 2013Corporate Responsibility History, Modern Times and the Media, in Pictures 2013
Corporate Responsibility History, Modern Times and the Media, in Pictures 2013
 
Research project - The Global Football Industry
Research project - The Global Football IndustryResearch project - The Global Football Industry
Research project - The Global Football Industry
 
رواية 4
رواية 4رواية 4
رواية 4
 
Writing A Character Sketch Examples Related Posts
Writing A Character Sketch Examples Related PostsWriting A Character Sketch Examples Related Posts
Writing A Character Sketch Examples Related Posts
 
Mass communications and its effects on society[2]
Mass communications and its effects on society[2]Mass communications and its effects on society[2]
Mass communications and its effects on society[2]
 
Essay On Football History
Essay On Football HistoryEssay On Football History
Essay On Football History
 
2 YEARS ON EPQ 6
2 YEARS ON EPQ 62 YEARS ON EPQ 6
2 YEARS ON EPQ 6
 
dean r berry America 1920 to 1950 Challenges part one
dean r berry America 1920 to 1950 Challenges part onedean r berry America 1920 to 1950 Challenges part one
dean r berry America 1920 to 1950 Challenges part one
 
Dean r berry america 1920 1950 challenges part one revised 6-10-18
Dean r berry america 1920 1950 challenges part one revised 6-10-18Dean r berry america 1920 1950 challenges part one revised 6-10-18
Dean r berry america 1920 1950 challenges part one revised 6-10-18
 
Essay research finished!
Essay research finished!Essay research finished!
Essay research finished!
 
research paper
research paperresearch paper
research paper
 
Unit 9: A Bird's Eye View: Acceleration and Global Chaos in the Twentieth Cen...
Unit 9: A Bird's Eye View: Acceleration and Global Chaos in the Twentieth Cen...Unit 9: A Bird's Eye View: Acceleration and Global Chaos in the Twentieth Cen...
Unit 9: A Bird's Eye View: Acceleration and Global Chaos in the Twentieth Cen...
 
America 1920 1950 challenges part one revised 6-10-18
America 1920 1950 challenges part one revised 6-10-18America 1920 1950 challenges part one revised 6-10-18
America 1920 1950 challenges part one revised 6-10-18
 
113JPTV 1 (1) pp. 113–120 Intellect Limited 2013Journ.docx
113JPTV 1 (1) pp. 113–120  Intellect Limited 2013Journ.docx113JPTV 1 (1) pp. 113–120  Intellect Limited 2013Journ.docx
113JPTV 1 (1) pp. 113–120 Intellect Limited 2013Journ.docx
 
Football Politics
Football PoliticsFootball Politics
Football Politics
 

Dissertation-_Callum.doc

  • 1. The Hillsborough Disaster: A critical analysis of the 1989 Taylor Report, the 2012 Independent Panel's report and a discussion of the political and cultural issues that surrounded each investigation. Callum Hillier 12026611 University of South Wales Faculty of Business and Society B.A History HS3D001 Supervisor- Sharif Gemie
  • 2. 2 Contents Page Number Introduction 3. Chapter 1- The Hillsborough disaster and its social and political context 5. Chapter 2- The media, the government, social issues and the Taylor Report 10. Chapter 3- The aftermath of the Taylor Report, 'Justice for the 96' and the 2012 Independent Panel's report 22. Conclusion 31. Bibliography 33
  • 3. 3 The Hillsborough Disaster: A critical analysis of the 1989 Taylor Report, the 2012 Independent Panel's report and a discussion of the political and cultural issues that surrounded each investigation. Introduction On 15 April 1989, 96 people lost their lives in one single calamitous event. This was not as a result of a natural disaster or a terrorist attack but instead this happened at a simple football match. During the FA Cup Semi-Final between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death in the Leppings Lane end of the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield. In the 26 years that have followed the disaster there have been a number of investigations, debates and reports into what exactly happened at Hillsborough and who was to blame. In this essay I will conduct a comparative study into two of the most significant reports on the disaster namely: the 1989 Taylor Report and the 2012 Independent Panel's report. I will carefully study both investigations and explain the reasoning behind them, what they found out, what evidence was available, how they compare and contrast and what events came after their reports. As well as a detailed study of the reports I will also discuss the political and cultural issues that surrounded them. The media has had a huge role in the discussion of the Hillsborough disaster with newspapers such as The Sun having an infamous part to play across the last two decades. Another important issue that surrounded the reports was the political climate at the time. Despite there being a Conservative government in both 1989 and 2012 the reactions from both are very different. As well as probing the political and media correspondence that surround the reports I will also look at the social situation that surrounded the investigations. It is interesting to see just how much Liverpool as a city
  • 4. 4 has developed and grown in the time between the two reports and whether these developments have influenced the media's reporting of the disaster. It is important to remember when studying these reports and the ongoing social political and cultural issues at that time that ultimately 96 people lost their lives in tragic and avoidable circumstances. The Hillsborough disaster had a lasting effect on a wide range of people whether they be a football fan, a member of the media or a figure in authority.
  • 5. 5 Chapter 1- The Hillsborough disaster and its social and political context 50,000 eager football fans travelled to the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield on April 15 1989 to witness the FA Cup Semi-Final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest1 . This number of fans was not uncommon for an FA Cup Semi-Final and coincidentally both Liverpool and Nottingham Forest had contested the same match at the same stage of the competition at Hillsborough just a year previously. At the semi-final a year prior to the disaster there had been no reports of crowd trouble and the directors at the stadium were confident that the 1989 semi-final would be as uneventful as the previous year2 . This was a period in which fans, the police and the government all feared the spectre of 'football hooliganism'. The idea of the football hooligan is something that is widely discussed in both the 1989/1990 Taylor Report and in the 2012 Independent Panel's report in regards to Hillsborough and the Liverpool fans. In the years preceding the Hillsborough disaster the spectre of the 'young, violent and often working-class' hooligan haunted the footballing world3 . It became an idea not only associated with football but also with working-class areas like Liverpool. British football fans were slowly becoming the 'face' of world hooliganism and many in the foreign media suggested that hooliganism was intrinsically linked with British football fans4 . There were several incidents during the 1970's and 1980's which convinced the foreign media that hooliganism was an 'English disease'. There were incidents of hooliganism by British football fans during the 1974 UEFA Cup final between Feyernoord and Tottenham Hotspur as well as during the 1975 European Cup final contested by Leeds United and Bayern Munich. Although no fans died during 1 Rogan Taylor, Andrew Ward, Tim Newburn The Day of the Hillsborough Disaster (Liverpool University Press 1995)- Taken from the Introduction 2 The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th April 1989, Final Report' P.P 4-5 3 Dave Russell- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997)- P.191 4 John Williams and Stephen Wagg- British Football and Social Change- (Leicester University Press 1991)- P.8
  • 6. 6 these incidents these acts by English football fans convinced the foreign media that hooliganism was most definitely a British problem5 . During the 1960's and beyond, many working-class people were drawn to the freedom and excitement that live football attendance brings. Many of these 'Working-class' males were stuck in mundane and uninteresting jobs so the opportunity to go to the football on the weekend was the most exciting part of their week6 . Football was becoming ever more popular with those under 20, many of whom were seen as some of the most problematic fans7 . s As the years went on and the Hillsborough loomed ever closer the issue of hooliganism in British football was seemingly getting worse. Between 1978 and 1986 when hooliganism was seen to be becoming ever more rife over 9.7 million supporters 'abandoned' attending football matches in Britain8 . This increase in behaviour of a violent nature led to attendances at matches across the country falling( total league attendance in 1960-61 was 28,619,754 compared with just 16,488,577 in 1985-86)9 . Many spectators already thought that football attendance was too expensive and inconvenient and when combined with the fear of the hooligan this explains the drop in attendance10 . Although hooliganism did contribute to the falling levels of attendance at matches there are other factors that have to be considered including other forms of Saturday entertainment as well as the increased coverage of football on the television. For example in 1964 the BBC launched 'Match of the Day' which provided football fans with concise highlights of each game on a Saturday. At its launch in 1964 the programme drew an audience of 75,000 but by the early 1970's 5 Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge Publishing 2005) P.85 6 IBID P.9 7 Dave Russell- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997)- P.181 8 IBID P.182 9 IBID 10 James Walvin-The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited – (Mainstream Publishing 1994) P.185
  • 7. 7 the viewing figures for the show had reached an audience of 12-13 million people each week11 . Even before the Hillsborough Disaster there were several other stadium disasters that were believed to have been caused by hooliganism. In 1971 66 people were crushed to death on a stairwell at the Ibrox stadium in Glasgow. The events at Ibrox led to a demand for safer stands at football grounds across the UK but this did not happen until after the Taylor report in 199012 . Instead of actually doing something about the unsafe stands at stadiums blame was shifted onto football 'hooligans'. Similarly in 1985 a fire broke out at the Valley Parade ground in Bradford killing 56 people. The fire was unable to be put out due to stewards at the ground removing fire extinguishers from the stand to prevent football hooligans from using them13 . The disasters in Glasgow and Bradford go to show that although football hooligans were not always at fault they are often blamed for causing such catastrophes. As football hooliganism was seen to be increasing so to was the media backlash towards the offenders with many outlets attempting to dehumanise these fans by describing them as 'animals' and 'savages'14 . It is important to note that although the media continually published articles that claimed that football hooliganism was on the rise in fact during the 1980's the arrest rate at football matches was decreasing. During the 1984/1985 season there was an arrest rate of 0.34 per every 1000 spectators attending football matches. However during the following season arrest rates dropped by a staggering 51 percent showing that the problem was decreasing and not in fact getting worse15 . However despite the figures showing that football hooliganism and arrest rates 11 Dave Russell- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997)- P.195 12 Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge Publishing 2005) P.17 13 IBID P.18 14 Eric Dunning, Patrick Murphy and John Williams The Roots of Football Hooliganism- an Historical and Sociological study- (Routledge & Kegan Paul Publishing 1988) P.8 15 Phil Scraton-Hillsborough The Truth - (Mainstream Publishing 2009)- P.33
  • 8. 8 at matches were declining the media seemed determined to continually perpetuate the idea of an air of 'hooligan hysteria' surrounding football during the years prior to Hillsborough. For example in 1975 there were rumours that there could be clashes between West Ham Manchester United fans outside the Upton Park stadium in London. Due to these rumours an extra police presence was brought in and over 100 fans were arrested. Despite there being little actual trouble The Sun went with the headline 'The Day The Terrace Terrors Were Hunted Like Animals and Hammered'16 . The headline shows that despite there being very little hooligan related activity the media were often very quick to suggest that there was. The media's obsession with the football hooligan is something that would play a vital role in their reporting of the Hillsborough Disaster in the aftermath of the event. One of the groups of football fans that were particularly targeted by the media during the 1980's were Liverpool fans. In May 1985 the European Cup final was contested between Italian footballing giants Juventus and Liverpool at the Heysel stadium in Belgium. On the streets of Brussels before the match there were several incidents of violence that sparked the issues that led to the disaster in the stadium. A Liverpool supporter was stabbed by a group of Juventus fans, a jewellery shop was robbed by a group of Liverpool fans and the two sides exchanged in the throwing of bottles and stones at one another17 . As the match kicked off several Liverpool fans attempted to enter the stand containing the Juventus fans which led to violence and a subsequent crush which killed 38 members of the Italian support. This was a disaster that affected the entire spectrum of English football with all British clubs being banned from European competition for a number of years18 . The disaster led to much criticism of Liverpool fans from the press which would play a vital role in the coverage of the Hillsborough disaster. For example in the News on Sunday 16 Eric Dunning, Patrick Murphy and John Williams The Roots of Football Hooliganism- an Historical and Sociological study- (Routledge & Kegan Paul Publishing 1988) P.P 176-177 17 Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge Publishing 2005) P.78 18 Phil Scraton-Hillsborough The Truth - (Mainstream Publishing 2009)- P.30
  • 9. 9 newspaper in 1987 an article was published which described Liverpool fans as 'evil scum'19 . The Heysel disaster and the aftermath surrounding it sets the scene well for the Hillsborough disaster. The media attempted to make connections between the incidents in Brussels and Sheffield in order to create a highly sensationalist feeling of controversy in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster. In the next section of this piece I will discuss in the depth the Taylor Report and the role the media, the government and the police played in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. 19 Chris Rowland From Where I Was Standing- A Liverpool Supporters View of the Heysel Tragedy- (GPRF Publishing 2009)- http://tomkinstimes.com/2013/05/heysel-25-years-on-book-extract/
  • 10. 10 Chapter 2-The media, the government, social issues and the Taylor Report The Hillsborough disaster will go down as one of the worst disasters in modern British history. In fact Hillsborough is still to this day the most deadly football stadium disaster in terms of the number of deaths20 . Since the first stadium disaster in Glasgow in 1902 there have been a total of 251 deaths and 96 of these deaths occurred at Hillsborough making it the most deadly stadium disaster in history21 . A disaster at this scale was bound to create a large amount of different reactions whether they be of grief, blame or anger. In this chapter I will explore these reactions including those of the media, the Thatcher government, the families of the deceased and the official report into the disaster conducted by Lord Justice Taylor in 1989. The immediate reaction to the disaster was conveyed across all forms of media. As soon as the disaster occurred the police immediately placed the blame on the Liverpool fans themselves. Rumours of 'a door being broken down' were quickly conveyed by the police and reported by the 20 John Williams and Stephen Wagg- British Football and Social Change- (Leicester University Press 1991)- P.4 21 Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge Publishing 2005) P.2
  • 11. 11 BBC as early as 3.40 p.m. on the day of the disaster(less than an hour after it had occurred)22 . The police had sent suggestions to the press that Liverpool fans had broken down a door to the Leppings Lane stand in order to take their place on the already crowded terrace. This influx of fans onto the stand subsequently increased the pressure on the already over capacity stand which led to the fatal crush. This was one of the many lies perpetuated by the police in the aftermath of the disaster. This early lie presented by the officer in charge of the event, David Duckenfield would set the tone for the media's reporting of the disaster for the next few months. The role of Duckenfield in the Hillsborough disaster cannot be underestimated. As had been the norm for several years the F.A Cup was supposed to be commanded by experienced official Chief Superintendent Brian Mole. However just weeks before the game was due to be played Mole was transferred from the Sheffield force to Barnsley. This lead to Duckenfield being put in charge of the match despite his 'minimal appropriate professional experience'23 . Duckenfield's lack of experience and his lack of urgency to relieve the pressure at the Leppings Lane end has led to him becoming the scapegoat for the disaster amongst the families of the victims. He is also widely despised for the numerous lies he told to the media in the aftermath of the disaster. Duckenfield simply created these myths about Hillsborough in order to deflect blame away from himself and his officers and place it onto the shoulders of the Liverpool fans24 . His role at Hillsborough is something that is covered in detail in the Taylor Report. Duckenfield's lie about Liverpool fans 'breaking down a gate' led to huge media speculation about the role of the Liverpool fans in the disaster. There soon became a 'mass hysteria' in the press which accused Liverpool fans of being 'drunk, ticketless' and wanting to cause trouble at the match. In the Sunday Mirror it was reported that between 3000 and 4000 Liverpool fans arrived at the 22 Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P.115 23 IBID P.19 24 IBID P.115
  • 12. 12 match without tickets and they attempted to 'force through the turnstiles'25 . Other newspapers like the Liverpool Daily Post accused fans of 'yobbism' and that they had in fact crushed to death their fellow scousers26 . In the local newspapers in Sheffield the blame was placed solely on the shoulders of Liverpool fans. In the Sheffield Star there were reports that Liverpool fans had 'mounted a fatal charge' into the stadium and had 'forced their way into the ground'. However these allegations against Liverpool fans slowly became more and more extreme. The Sheffield Star reported on the 18th of April that Liverpool fans had 'stolen from the dead', 'drunkenly attacked and urinated on the police' and they had allegedly threatened the emergency personnel who were attending to the victims of the disaster27 . These views presented by the Sheffield Star started to become shared widespread across all major news platforms including the BBC and eventually The Sun. The headline infamously used by The Sun was 'The Truth' however originally the editor of the newspaper Kelvin Mackenzie wanted to use a far more controversial headline 'You Scum'. The newspaper had echoed the statements used in the Sheffield Star with accusations of violence, yobbery, pickpocketing and urination all included28 . The Sun is still despised today all across Merseyside despite their attempts to make amends and apologise in recent years. In fact as recently as last year there were notable issues between Merseyside and the newspaper. As part of the publications' 50th anniversary they planned on delivering free copies of the paper all across the UK. However several postal workers across Merseyside refused to deliver this service and subsequently The Sun decided not to send these free newspapers to Liverpool at all29 . Another idea to consider when studying the Hillsborough disaster is the role the city of Liverpool played. 25 IBID P.116 26 IBID P.117 27 IBID P.117 28 IBID P.118 29 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-27761336 Date Accessed 17/02/2015
  • 13. 13 During the 1980's Liverpool and indeed Merseyside was a city in the midst of change. Under the Thatcher government Liverpool went through a long period of economic depression. The city faced the biggest wave of unemployment since the great depression of the 1930's and it soon became a place associated with crime and violence. In 1983 88,000 people in Liverpool alone were registered as unemployed. Across the city poverty and joblessness were far too common. In 1983 one in five people in Liverpool were on the dole. Nationally the problem of unemployment was hugely significant and Liverpool was one of the worst affected areas30 . One of the biggest causes of unemployment in Liverpool was the decline of the port in the city. The port had been in decline for a number of years due to in large part the loss of the British empire. 'It is certain that world economics as a whole did to Liverpool what the abolition of the slave trade and ship canal were unable to do- it deprived the port of its shipping'31 . It was as a city filled with 'depressed and unattractive housing' which made it difficult to attract workers from other parts of the country to come and earn a living there. It was estimated that during the early 1980's over one third of the inner-city population of Liverpool lived in high-rise estates which were often described as 'wastelands'32 . Liverpool was seen to be the 'flagship' of urban decay across Britain33 . Many people left the inner city and moved to areas outside the centre which many felt had ripped out the heart of Liverpool. During this period the government attempted to improve housing in the city centre of Liverpool by tearing down the areas they felt were 'slum-like' and to replace them with new council estates instead. However this involved moving thousands of people out of their homes whilst the new structures were being built. Liverpudlian writer Beryl Bainbridge described these new estates 30 http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1983/jul/04/liverpool-unemployment- Date Accessed 23/02/2015 31 Peter Aughton Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008)- P.P 283 32 IBID P.285 33 James Walvin-The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited – (Mainstream Publishing 1994) P.188
  • 14. 14 as being similar to 'concentration camps' in appearance34 . These new unattractive houses coupled with the unemployment issues in Liverpool led to many people leaving the city altogether(an estimated 12,000 people were leaving the city each year during the 1980's)35 . There were also several riots across Merseyside in this era with the most significant being the Toxteth riots of 1981. It led to 500 arrests, 468 injured police officers and £11 million worth of damage36 . Furthermore during the 1980's Liverpool started to develop a link with drugs and specifically heroin. In one of the area's biggest towns the Wirral heroin use was at its peak during the eighties. It was estimated by local radio that 50 percent of people in the Wirral between 14 and 25 were using or had used heroin at some point37 . There is also a link between the number of people unemployed in an area during the 1980's and the amount of heroin being used. For example in areas where unemployment figures were at their highest in Liverpool(2000 out of 10,000 men unemployed) 0.7% of the population were heroin users. However in contrast in areas where unemployment was comparatively lower (only 6% out of 1300 men unemployed) there were no known users of the drug38 . The media quickly jumped on these accusations about Merseyside and the area was dubbed 'Smack City' in several newspapers including The Observer. Just like during their reporting of the Hillsborough there were also ludicrous headlines published about the heroin problem in Liverpool. It was even reported in The Times that there had been heroin found in school dinners across Liverpool and even that heroin was available outside of schools hidden in ice cream cones39 . As 34 IBID P.285 35 http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1983/jul/04/liverpool-unemployment- Date Accessed 23/02/2015 36 Peter Aughton Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008)- P.P 283-286 37 Howard Parker, Keith Bakx and Russell Newcombe- Living With Heroin (Open University Press 1988) P.7 38 IBID P.19 39 IBID P.7
  • 15. 15 James Walvin puts it 'Football was seen as a symptom of Britain's problems'40 . Due to the media associating football with working class people and consequently a working class area such as Liverpool with drug use and other crimes it is easy to see why a link was made between football and Britain's problems. The government's reaction to Hillsborough was also quite interesting. It is well known that the majority of the population of Liverpool disliked Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher due to her role in the decline of the city during her tenure. In fact by 1986 there were only 2 conservative councillors out of 99 on the city council in Liverpool41 . During the eighties there had been some attempts by government ministers to improve life in the city. One of the most famous politicians who attempted to help Liverpool in the eighties was Michael Heseltine. After the riots in Toxteth in 1981 Heseltine spent three weeks in Liverpool in an attempt to see just what was wrong with the city. He once remarked that during this period he saw 'some of the worst housing conditions in Western Europe'. He attempted under Thatcher to get enough money from the treasury to help rebuild Liverpool but unfortunately for him he was unsuccessful at this time42 . However in the thirty years since then Heseltine has worked tirelessly to help regenerate Liverpool. In fact he was so successful that he was given the prestigious honour of having the 'freedom of Liverpool' in 201243 . It is interesting to note that Margaret Thatcher never actually conveyed her opinion on Hillsborough publically. However it is believed that Thatcher 'despised' football and that she would not allow anyone who was interested in football to be a part of her cabinet44 . Thatcher attended the 40 James Walvin The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited- (Mainstream Publishing 1994) P.189 41 Peter Aughton Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008)- P.P 284 42 Peter Jenkins Mrs Thatcher's Revolution (Pan Books LTD 1989) P.P 193-194 43 http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/mar/13/michael-heseltine-liverpool-freeman-margaret- thatcher- Date Accessed 18/02/2015 44
  • 16. 16 stadium the day after the disaster occurred and was informed by her press secretary Sir Bernard Ingham that 'there would have been no Hillsborough if a mob who were clearly tanked up had not tried to force their way into the ground'45 . Ingham truly believed that Liverpool fans caused the tragedy at Hillsborough. He was sent a letter by Dolores Steele(her son Philip died at Hillsborough) shortly after the disaster and in his reply he stated that 'a tanked up mob caused your son's death' and that 'they are the guilty ones'46 . Thatcher had been highly critical of football hooliganism in the years prior to Hillsborough. In some cases such as in Luton in the 1986-1987 season, away fans were banned from the stadium altogether in a bid to curb Hooliganism. This measure led to there being no arrests in that season and the costs of employing police went down by twenty-five percent. This was a measure highly supported by Thatcher who intervened when the Football Association attempted to ban Luton from playing in the League Cup47 . Thatcher attempted to get the Football Association to change their decision and allow Luton into the cup but they refused. Although the views that Thatcher held personally about Hillsborough are unclear it is well known that she was critical of the Taylor report and his criticisms of the police. During the Independent Panel's investigation into Hillsborough a hand written note by Thatcher was discovered in which she expressed concern about the Taylor Report's criticisms of police. Thatcher did not want to give the government's full backing towards the report because it gave a 'devastating criticism of the police'48 . The Taylor Report 1989/1990 Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge Publishing 2005) P.19 45 IBID P.60 46 Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P.P 119-120 47 Dave Russell- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997) P.227 48 http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/margaret-thatcher-role-aftermath-hillsborough-3416839- Date Accessed 23/02/2015
  • 17. 17 In the immediate aftermath of the disaster it was decided that a full governmental investigation into the disaster would be opened. The enquiry led by Taylor intended to 'Inquire into the events at Sheffield Wednesday Football Ground on 15 April 1989 and to make recommendations about the needs of crowd control and safety at sports events'49 . Taylor as well as being a well-respected judge was also a man with a 'well-known personal interest in football'50 . In the early days of his investigation Taylor made it clear that he merely wanted to discover the facts about Hillsborough and he did not want to place unequivocal blame on any party51 . Taylor was able to create his report with the help of 174 witnesses at public hearings held throughout May and June of 198952 . There was also a telephone number set up for the public to call in with any other relevant information which yielded 2666 calls53 . There were also 3,776 statements made by various members of the public and the police force as well as 1,550 letters sent to Taylor himself. Taylor stated that 'From this mass it was essential to select only sufficient good and reliable evidence necessary to establish the facts and causes of the disaster'54 . Taylor then published his findings across two reports the first(the Interim Report) dealing with the Hillsborough disaster itself and the second which aimed to assist all British football grounds into creating a safer experience for fans at live matches. The report that is of immediate interest to me is the interim report which was published on 1 August 49 The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th April 1989, Final Report' P.1 50 Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 122 51 IBID P.123 52 The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th April 1989, Final Report' P.1 53 Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 122 54 IBID
  • 18. 18 1989. Taylor's first main conclusion was that the reason the crush occurred on the Leppings Lane terrace was due to gate C being opened which allowed over 2000 more Liverpool fans to gain access to the terrace55 . This led to pens 3 and 4 becoming 'grossly overcrowded' and this increased pressure ultimately caused the crush56 . During the mid 1980's many stands in stadiums such as Hillsborough had been divided into pens and barriers had been put in place to stop violence amongst fans and to quell the possibility of fans invading the pitch. Taylor stated in his report that these pens also played a part in Hillsborough because not only did they limit the fans' movement on the stands but they also encouraged more fans to try and gain access to these smaller more discreet areas without tickets57 . The pens led to crowds cramming into stadiums which were 'ill-designed to cope' with such large numbers in such small spaces58 . Taylor also concludes that the police took a laissez-faire attitude towards their role as stewards of the Leppings Lane terrace on the day and that this attitude was 'both bad in theory and in practice'59 . The police after the disaster claimed that they let the fans 'find their own level' meaning that they didn't encourage them to go to the less crowded areas of the stand but instead they let them go where they wanted. This approach contrasted with the tough crackdown on football hooliganism in the years prior to Hillsborough. You would think that the police would want to keep 55 1. Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'- http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P. 13 Date Accessed- March 25th 2014 56 IBID P.20 57 IBID P.23 58 James Walvin 'The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited' – Mainstream Publishing 1994 P.187 59 2. Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'- http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P.P 30-31 Date Accessed- March 25th 2014
  • 19. 19 a high level of control over the fans rather than to just let them do what they want whilst on the terrace. In the interim report Taylor also addressed the rumours that had been circulating about the Liverpool fans in the months between the disaster and the publishing of his report. He found that although some Liverpool fans were drunk the vast majority were 'not drunk or even the worse for drink'. Taylor believed that many officers simply overestimated the level of drunkenness of the Liverpool fans due to the severity of the situation at Hillsborough60 . Although Taylor noted that some Liverpool fans had drank enough to 'affect their mood' this wasn't conclusive enough to say that a majority had been drunk. Taylor also addressed the allegations that many Liverpool fans turned up to the stadium without tickets. Taylor noted that although some fans were seen asking around the stadium for tickets this wasn't a significant number of the Liverpool support. He states that although there may have been some fans without tickets this did not play any part in the crush. The drunken and ticket-less fans may not have made the police's job easier on the day but they ultimately did not cause the crush on the terrace61 . Furthermore Taylor dismisses the theories found in the press about Liverpool fans urinating on and stealing from the dead. Taylor could find no credible sources to back up such claims62 . Ultimately Taylor comes to the conclusion that the fault at Hillsborough had to be given to the police and not to the Liverpool fans. It is stated by Taylor that putting David Duckenfield in charge of the event just three weeks before it went ahead was a costly mistake63 . Duckenfield along with his officers at Hillsborough were unprepared for the huge influx of fans through the turnstiles and they simply panicked and misinterpreted the situation on the stand as a pitch invasion rather than a crush. He states that there was a lack of communication between Duckenfield and his fellow officers which led to the overcrowding on the stand. Taylor believed 60 IBID P.34 61 IBID P.36 62 IBID P.44 63 IBID P.49
  • 20. 20 that Duckenfield lied to the media about Liverpool fans breaking down a gate because he could not bear to face up to the situation that he had failed to deal with adequately64 . Although Duckenfield at the time did apologize for blaming the Liverpool fans he failed to admit that it was the police's fault. This admittance of guilt was not expressed by Duckenfield until 2015 in the aftermath of the Independent Panel's reopening of the Hillsborough case65 . Regarding the fear of hooliganism Taylor stated that there was an 'imbalance' between the police's desire to 'quell troublemakers' and their duty to 'secure the safety and comfort of the majority'66 . Despite Taylor placing a huge amount of blame onto the police he also states that the outside of the stadium was poorly signposted and that there had been doubts about the stadium being an appropriate venue for such a big match67 . Although Taylor was critical of the police's role at Hillsborough he only had glowing praise for the other emergency services and their role in the aftermath of the disaster. He expressed that St John's Ambulances reacted swiftly to the situation and nothing more could have been done to save the lives of the 96 at Hillsborough68 . Taylor's interim report was met by a huge wave of contrasting emotions and reactions. Many Liverpool fans were happy that Taylor had placed the blame on the police and not on the Liverpool fans themselves69 . However there were some criticisms of Taylor many of which in regards to his 64 IBID P.50 65 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-31850599 Date Accessed 12/03/2015 66 3. Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'- http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P.31 Date Accessed- March 25th 2014 67 4. IBID P.52 68 P.53 69 Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 124
  • 21. 21 praise of the emergency services. Taylor stated that although defibrillators could have been used to save lives they could have also been a threat to the people around them70 . Several family members of the victims at Hillsborough were shocked by this revelation and were appalled that Taylor simply brushed over the fact that lives could have been saved71 . There was also some criticism towards Taylor in regards to his attitude towards the grieving families after the event. The majority of the bodies of those who died were moved to the gymnasium located within the stadium so family members could go there and identify their loved ones. A remark Taylor made in his report caused much upset amongst Liverpool supporters 'There was intense distress amongst the injured and the bereaved; relatives were reluctant to be parted from the dead and sought to revive them...there were scuffles. Some of these involved those who were the worse for drink' This was seen as hugely insensitive on Taylor's part because he may have overlooked the obvious reason for this distress which was grief rather than drunkenness72 . However on the whole the families of the victims were satisfied with Taylor's findings and they hoped they'd get justice in the inquests in the following years. However the Thatcher government were far from happy with Taylor's conclusions. They presumed that Taylor would follow the government's line in blaming drunken hooligans for the disaster rather than taking an independent view on the disaster73 . Similarly the South Yorkshire police were outraged by Taylor's claims and they felt his comments had been 'savage' and 'harsh'. They just like the families of the victims hoped that they would too get justice in the inquests 70 5. Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'- http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P.53 Date Accessed- March 25th 2014 71 Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 127 72 IBID P.128 73 James Walvin-The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited – (Mainstream Publishing 1994) P.197
  • 22. 22 following the Taylor report74 . In the next chapter I will discuss the years following the Taylor report and will look at the inquests and the eventual reopening of the case and the subsequent report that followed in 2012. Chapter 3- The aftermath of the Taylor Report, 'Justice for the 96' and the 2012 Independent Panel's report The aftermath of the Taylor Report In the immediate aftermath of the release of the Taylor Report inquests were opened into the deaths 74 Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 131
  • 23. 23 of the 95 who had died at Hillsborough(The 96th victim Tony Bland was on life support until March 1993 until he succumbed to his injuries). The families of the victims hoped that justice would finally be done and charges would be brought against the South Yorkshire Police force. Despite the Taylor Report concluding that no blame could be placed upon Liverpool fans the myth about the fans being drunk at Hillsborough came to the forefront once again during these inquests. Tests at the inquest concluded that 51 of the 96 who died at Hillsborough had been drinking and one sixth of the fans were too drunk to drive. Once again The Sun newspaper was heavily involved in the coverage of the inquests and led with the headline '15 Hillsborough Dead Too Drunk for Driving'75 . Once again the officers at the inquest continued to claim that a large number of the Liverpool fans were drunk 'One officer had never seen such a quantity of a crowd in possession of drink'. The families of several of the victims felt cheated at the inquest because they felt that having individual inquests regarding each victim of Hillsborough would be far fairer than by just having one big investigation. One of the most controversial aspects of the inquests was that the coroner refused to listen to any evidence that referred to events after 3.15 PM on the day of the disaster. Despite much of the evidence pointing to the fact that many of the victims died after this time the coroner refused to listen. He argued that the damage had already been done prior to this time so even if some of the victims had not died it was only a matter of time. This decision by the coroner Dr Stefan Popper did not allow families to raise any questions about when and why their loved ones died76 . Ultimately no charges were brought again David Duckenfield nor the South Yorkshire Police at the inquest and a verdict of 'accidental death' was decided regarding the Hillsborough disaster77 . 75 IBID P.140 76 IBID P.P 145-146 77 IBID P.152
  • 24. 24 The Fight for Justice For the families of the deceased at Hillsborough the results of the inquest were highly upsetting and disheartening. The inquests had done nothing to provide answers and obtain justice instead they merely opened up more questions78 . During the 1990's there were numerous attempts by the families of the Hillsborough victims to reopen the case in order to get justice. In 1993 six families opened an application for a judicial review into the inquests on the grounds of 'irregularity of proceedings, insufficiency of inquiry and the emergence of new facts and evidence'. However once again the judge Lord Justice McCowan ruled in favour of the coroner and the police and he refused to reopen the investigation. Lord McCowan stated that Popper had made a full inquiry and that nothing could be gained by reopening the case79 . The issue of the 3.15 cut off point was something that was very controversial within the media during the 1990's. It was felt by the families of the victims that the cut off point did not allow individual cases to be considered. Despite the findings of the Taylor Report and the apparent innocence of the Liverpool fans there were still accusations from important public figures placing blame on those in the Leppings Lane end. The manager of Nottingham Forest on the day of the disaster, Brian Clough stated in the Daily Mail in 1994 that he would always 'remain convinced' that the 96 who died at Hillsborough were killed by Liverpool fans. The remark from Clough once again brought accusations against Liverpool fans to the forefront80 . The air of uncertainty regarding Hillsborough continued throughout the 1990's whilst the families of the 96 attempted to get justice for the ones they loved. Despite numerous attempts to 78 Sara Williams and Dan Kay Anne Williams- With Hope in Her Heart (Trinity Mirror Sport Media 2013) 79 Phil Scraton Hillsborough The Truth- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P.P 154-155 80 Ibid P.157
  • 25. 25 reopen the investigation ultimately no charge was brought against the South Yorkshire Police and a large amount of evidence regarding the case was kept hidden. Even as recently as 2004 there were comments made that once again suggested that Liverpool fans had played a part in the deaths of the 96. Conservative MP and current Mayor of London, Boris Johnson stated in an interview in 2004 that all Liverpudlians 'See themselves whenever possible as victims' and that they 'wallow' in self pity and they are 'hooked on grief'81 . It wasn't until 2009 when Andy Burnham, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport announced that the government had intentions to publicly disclose those documents that had previously been hidden82 . The Media, Government and Social reaction to the Hillsborough Independent Panel It is interesting to compare the reactions of the media and the government to the Hillsborough Independent Panel to the reactions that were made in the light of the disaster itself. Just like in 1989 Britain had a Conservative Government this time led by David Cameron rather than Margaret Thatcher. Despite generally being a rather outspoken politician Thatcher never gave her opinion on Hillsborough publicly. In comparison David Cameron was very sympathetic towards the families of the 96 at Hillsborough and he released a full government apology in regards to the injustice faced. He stated that 'On behalf of the government - and indeed our country - I am profoundly sorry for this double injustice that has been left uncorrected for so long'83 . The media reaction to the reopening of the case was also very different to the reaction in 1989. Infamously The Sun 81 IBID P.252 82 http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ Date Accessed 12/01/2015 83 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19574108- Date Accessed 01/03/2015
  • 26. 26 newspaper published the headline 'The Truth' which accused Liverpool fans of all sorts of crimes at Hillsborough. However in 2012 The Sun produced a headline entitled 'The Real Truth' in which they apologised for the false accusations they levelled against Liverpool fans back in 198984 . Despite the apology given by the newspaper it is still universally despised on Merseyside. The Sun had previously apologised for their reporting of the disaster in July 2004 when they stated that their coverage had been 'the most terrible mistake in its history'85 . Another interesting comparison to make is that of Liverpool as a city and its reputation in 2012 compared to 1989. During the 1980's Liverpool had a wave of huge unemployment with an estimated 20% of the city out of work. By the late 2000's unemployment in the city was at just 5%86 . There are still fundamental issues within the city in areas such as child poverty and poor housing but on the whole Liverpool is certainly on the upturn87 . In fact in 2008 Liverpool was named as the European Capital of Culture for that year so it is easy to see that the city has definitely improved and grown since the 1980's88 . When you combine the reactions from the media and the government with the improving image of Liverpool as a city it is fair to say that the 2012 independent panel's report into Hillsborough was published at a time where there was certainly more sympathy towards Liverpool fans in regards to the disaster. In 1989 the families of the victims were faced with a Prime Minister who was very private regarding her feelings and a group of newspapers who were intent on blaming the disaster on the Liverpool fans. Whilst in 2012 the families of the 96 faced their best opportunity at getting justice. The 2012 Hillsborough Independent Panel 84 http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4535743/23-years-after-Hillsborough-the-real-truth.html Date Accessed 16/04/2015 85 Phil Scraton Hillsborough The Truth- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 253 86 Peter Aughton Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008)- P.P 294 87 IBID P.297 88 http://www.liverpool08.com/ Date Accessed 16/04/2015
  • 27. 27 For twenty years the families of the 96 at Hillsborough had been fighting for justice for their loved ones. They believed that the 'true context' regarding what happened in Sheffield had never truly been established. They felt that a large amount of evidence had remained hidden and that it was only fair and just that these sources should be released publicly and a report should be published which truly established what happened at Hillsborough89 . The panel was led by Reverend James Jones the Bishop of Liverpool who has played a large role in the regeneration of the city90 . After almost three years of investigation the Independent Panel's report was published on September 12 2012. During the construction of the report the panel reviewed over 450,000 pages of evidence and there were 85 contributors to the process91 . The report was split into three parts, the first establishing what was already known about Hillsborough, the second discusses the new evidence that had been released and how this affects 'public understanding' of the disaster and the third part which discusses creating an archive in which all these documents can be stored for public viewing. The new evidence that was introduced to public attention by the panel was very enlightening and ultimately proved to be extremely critical in regards to the police, the ambulance service and the management of the Hillsborough stadium. In regards to the management of the stadium the new evidence disclosed to the panel showed that the 'safety of the crowd admitted to the terrace was compromised at every level'. The deficiencies were 'well known' to the management of the stadium but despite this they did very little to stop the increasingly common problem of overcrowding in the Leppings Lane end92 . The panel also pointed out that there had been several disputes in the years prior to the disaster between the stadium staff and the South Yorkshire Police in regards to the 89 http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 4- Date Accessed 12/01/2015 90 http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/the-independent-panel/james-jones/ Date Accessed 22/04/2015 91 http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/ Date Accessed 22/04/2015 92 http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 6- Date Accessed 12/01/2015
  • 28. 28 maximum capacity of the Leppings Lane end. The police felt that the estimated maximum capacity of 10,100 people was far too high but the staff at Hillsborough thought this was very acceptable. In the Taylor Report it is suggested that there were no issues of crushing in the Leppings Lane end during the previous year's FA Cup Semi-Final. However the new evidence in 2012 suggests that there were incidents of crushing in 1988 and some fans 'actually collapsed or fainted'93 . Despite this there were no qualms in regards to holding the 1989 semi-final at Hillsborough once again. In regards to the South Yorkshire Police the new evidence built upon the Taylor Report which also criticised the police's role at Hillsborough. Shortly before the FA Cup Semi-Final Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield held a meeting in order to brief officers about the importance of crowd safety but this meaning 'contained no reference to the crowd safety issues from the previous year'94 . However in other meetings held by other senior officers they put the biggest emphasis for the day on crowd control and how to deal with violent or drunken fans. The documents collectively show that the South Yorkshire Police's main aim for Hillsborough was to prioritise crowd control over the safety of the fans95 . The new evidence also showed that the police's decision making on the day was affected by poor communication and leadership96 . In regards to the aftermath of the disaster the report confirms Lord Taylor's assessment that the police intended to blame the disaster on the Liverpool fans. Duckenfield allegedly stated to his force that 'the gates had been stormed' when in reality he had called for them to be opened which ultimately led to the crush97 . After the disaster every member of the South Yorkshire Police at Hillsborough were told to make statements regarding what they had experienced. However if any of the force used the word 'crushing' they 93 http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/report/HIP_report.pdf P.82 Date Accessed 08/11/2014 94 IBID P.89 95 http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 8- Date Accessed 12/01/2015 96 IBID P.9 97 http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/report/HIP_report.pdf P.99 Date Accessed 08/11/2014
  • 29. 29 were told by the police's solicitors, Hammond Suddards to change their statement98 . The report also discusses the police's obsession with Liverpool fans allegedly being drunk at Hillsborough. One of the documents shows that the police carried out national computer checks on the deceased who were found not to have any alcohol in their systems in order to destroy their reputation. Each of the 96 who died had samples taken from them by the coroner to test their blood alcohol levels. This was something that was highly criticised by the families of the victims due to over a third of them being under the legal drinking age and the youngest being only ten years old99 . Despite the attempts by the police to blame alcohol as the major cause of the disaster the panel found that the level of alcohol found in the blood of many of the victims was 'unremarkable'. The new evidence also confirmed beliefs by the families of the 96 that the police set out to paint the picture of Liverpool fans as aggressive drunks, many of which were ticketless and forced their way into the stadium. This was also disputed by the panel who claimed that these allegations were false100 . Despite the Taylor Report being highly critical of the police it failed to address the role of the other emergency services at Hillsborough. One of the new pieces of evidence discovered by the panel shows that neither the South Yorkshire fire service nor the ambulance service attended a meeting regarding the FA Cup Semi Final just a month before it was due to take place and they found no evidence as to why101 . This lack of organisation between the emergency services could explain their slow reaction on the day of the disaster. The Independent Panel discussed the ambulance service in great detail and they widely criticised their role in the immediate aftermath of the crush. The panel concluded that the recovery effort by the emergency services was affected by a 'lack of leadership and coordination'102 . 98 http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 10- Date Accessed 12/01/2015 99 IBID P.15 100 IBID P.16 101 http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/report/HIP_report.pdf P. 100 Date Accessed 08/11/2014 102 IBID P.11
  • 30. 30 Many of the hospitals were 'unprepared' for a major incident and there was a unanimous lack of basic equipment. It was expressed by the panel that if the emergency services had acted quicker they may have been able to save the lives of an estimated 31 of the 96 at Hillsborough103 . Just like in the Taylor Report the panel also placed the blame for the disaster on the shoulders of the police and that the Liverpool fans played no role in the cause of the disaster104 . The Aftermath of the Independent Panel's report and the ongoing inquests After the publishing of the report it was felt necessary to once again open an inquest into the disaster. These inquests are currently ongoing and they are expected to conclude in early 2016. So far they have proved to very revealing and for the families of the 96 it seems possible that they will finally get justice for their loved ones. One of the most important revelations at the inquests thus far was that of Chief Superintendent Duckenfield. Despite refusing to acknowledge his guilt for the disaster for a number of years during these inquests he finally claimed responsibility. He stated that his lack of leadership on the day and his failure to close the tunnel to the Leppings Lane end was the direct cause of the disaster105 . There have also been some other important revelations that have been expressed during the inquest thus far. John Cutlack who is being used as the inquest's structural engineer believes that the third pen in the Leppings Lane end held twice as many fans than was safe which obviously played a huge part in the crush. Despite Duckenfield taking the blame for the 103 IBID P.14 104 IBID P.26 105 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31928476 Date Accessed 17/03/2015
  • 31. 31 disaster a number of officers giving evidence at the inquests still maintain that Liverpool fans were to blame and many of them 'stopped officers from doing their jobs'. The jury in the inquests will make their decision early next year and there could be criminal charges brought against David Duckenfield and several other members of the South Yorkshire Police106 . Conclusion Both the Taylor Report and the 2012 Independent Panel's Report will leave lasting legacies. The 2012 report has finally answered many of the questions that the families of the 96 have been asking for over two decades. The panel were able to uncover much of the information about the disaster that the police and the government had wanted to keep hidden. As the inquests continue the full legacy of the 2012 report will become apparent. If criminal charges are finally brought against those who are seen as responsible at Hillsborough then for the families the report would have helped bring justice for their loved ones. Although the Taylor Report did bring a level of justice for those who died at Hillsborough its main legacy is still felt in football to this day. In his final report Taylor 106 http://www.channel4.com/news/hillsborough-inquests-the-key-moments-so-far Date Accessed 01/04/2015
  • 32. 32 put forward a plan to modernise football grounds across the country in order to make them safe and to stop an incident like Hillsborough happening again. Taylor proposed all seater stadiums, a green guide to highlight the appropriate levels of safety at grounds and for clubs to discourage the drinking of alcohol within the stadium107 . Every football club in the top two divisions of English football had all seater stadiums by 1994 and the trend of all-seater stadiums continues until the current day. However there have been attempts in recent years to bring back the standing terraces108 . Ultimately Taylor's Final Report helped eradicate the ever decreasing problem of football hooliganism in England. In 2014 the arrest rate at football stadiums across England and Wales fell to 2273 which is the lowest number in history109 . Compare this figure with the number of arrests during the 1988/1989 season(In which the Hillsborough Disaster occurred) in which there were 6185 arrests largely due to hooliganism110 . The propositions put forward by Taylor certainly have left a lasting legacy on British football. Overall it is fair to say that both the 2012 report and the Taylor Report are each very important in their own way. As for the city of Liverpool, its image and reputation has been improved in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster. The passion and the solidarity shown by the people of the city in their support of the families of the 96 has been truly astounding. Although there are still problems within the city in regards to unemployment and poor housing, on the whole it is an area which is slowly being repaired and restored. 107 The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th April 1989, Final Report' P.P 94-95 108 http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25269939 Date Accessed 22/04/2015 109 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/352864/FootballRelatedArrestsB anningOrderSeason201314.pdf Date Accessed 22/04/2015 110 http://www.theguardian.com/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2009/aug/26/west-ham-millwall-hooliganism- history-violence Date Accessed 22/04/2015
  • 33. 33 Bibliography 1. Aughton Peter Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008) 2. Bakx Keith Newcombe Russell and Parker Howard- Living With Heroin (Open University Press 1988) 3. Darby Paul, Johnes Martin and Mellor Gavin Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge Publishing 2005) 4. Dunning Eric, Murphy Patrick and Williams John The Roots of Football Hooliganism- an Historical and Sociological study- (Routledge & Kegan Paul Publishing 1988)
  • 34. 34 5. Jenkins Peter Mrs Thatcher's Revolution (Pan Books LTD 1989) 6. Kay Dan and Williams Sara Anne Williams- With Hope in Her Heart (Trinity Mirror Sport Media 2013) 7. Newburn Tim, Taylor Rogan and Ward Andrew, The Day of the Hillsborough Disaster (Liverpool University Press 1995)- 8. Rowland Chris From Where I Was Standing- A Liverpool Supporters View of the Heysel Tragedy- (GPRF Publishing 2009) 9. Russell Dave- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997) 10. Scraton Phil Hillsborough The Truth- Mainstream Publishing 2009- 11. The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th April 1989, Final Report' 12. Walvin James-The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited – (Mainstream Publishing 1994) 13. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31928476 Date Accessed 17/03/2015 14. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-27761336 Date Accessed 17/02/2015 15. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-31850599 Date Accessed 12/03/2015 16. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25269939 Date Accessed 22/04/2015 17. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19574108- Date Accessed 01/03/2015 18. http://www.channel4.com/news/hillsborough-inquests-the-key-moments-so-far Date Accessed 01/04/2015 19. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/352864/Footb allRelatedArrestsBanningOrderSeason201314.pdf Date Accessed 22/04/2015 20. http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1983/jul/04/liverpool-unemployment- Date Accessed 23/02/2015 21. http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/ Date Accessed 22/04/2015
  • 35. 35 22. http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ Date Accessed 12/01/2015 23. Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'- http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P. 13 Date Accessed- March 25th 2014 24. http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 6- Date Accessed 12/01/2015 25. http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/the-independent-panel/james-jones/ Date Accessed 22/04/2015 26. http://www.liverpool08.com/ Date Accessed 16/04/2015 27. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/margaret-thatcher-role-aftermath- hillsborough-3416839- Date Accessed 23/02/2015 28. http://www.theguardian.com/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2009/aug/26/west-ham- millwall-hooliganism-history-violence Date Accessed 22/04/2015 29. http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/mar/13/michael-heseltine-liverpool- freeman-margaret-thatcher- Date Accessed 18/02/2015 30. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4535743/23-years-after-Hillsborough-the-real- truth.html Date Accessed 16/04/2015