Bob The Badger Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 In the thread about being in the home end of an away game I was at Old Trafford that day. Bought tickets outside for less than face value. The news broke at half time and the United fans were loving it. Of course nobody knew the scale at that point but we knew there were multiple deaths and it was sickening. For the Bradford fire, it was the last game of the season away at Newport. A car load of us went down (I think we won 3-0m in a meaningless game) and Derby fans ran the pitch like muppets and for no reason I can think of. One of the crash barriers got bent over, I tripped and fell backwards landing on my lower back. I can remember a copper trying to move me and I was in so much pain I screamed duck off at him and he actually did. I wasn't popular driving home because I wasn't prepared to stop for drinks. Then as soon as I got out of the car in Matlock I passed out and woke up in Chesterfield hospital. I never even knew of what had happened at Bradford until the Monday. I think Bradford affected me worse than Hillsborough because that ground with it's wooden stands and paper littered under them everywhere could have been the BBG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean (hick) Saunders Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 I was at my grandparents in Kent when Hillsboro happened. I can remember my Nana giving verbals to all them “hooligans” when it was clear that something terrible was occurring. (From memory excellent Derby result from Derby that day with Goddard scoring). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Brolly Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 21 minutes ago, Bob The Badger said: In the thread about being in the home end of an away game I was at Old Trafford that day. Bought tickets outside for less than face value. The news broke at half time and the United fans were loving it. Of course nobody knew the scale at that point but we knew there were multiple deaths and it was sickening. For the Bradford fire, it was the last game of the season away at Newport. A car load of us went down (I think we won 3-0m in a meaningless game) and Derby fans ran the pitch like muppets and for no reason I can think of. One of the crash barriers got bent over, I tripped and fell backwards landing on my lower back. I can remember a copper trying to move me and I was in so much pain I screamed duck off at him and he actually did. I wasn't popular driving home because I wasn't prepared to stop for drinks. Then as soon as I got out of the car in Matlock I passed out and woke up in Chesterfield hospital. I never even knew of what had happened at Bradford until the Monday. I think Bradford affected me worse than Hillsborough because that ground with it's wooden stands and paper littered under them everywhere could have been the BBG. Same here at old Trafford during the Hillsborough disaster, at home watching the TV which showed some horrific live pictures during the Bradford fire which I'm not sure they'd broadcast live nowadays ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrswood Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 Was at both games. Great win at Old Trafford. I was in the away and and remember United fans in the executive boxes behind us watching the coverage from Hillsborough on the TV screens. At Newport I remember Derby 'fan's' ripping the panels off the back of the stand and throwing them onto the car park below. On the bus back to Newport train station a brick flew through the window and hit me. The train back to Derby then stopped at Birmingham and some Birmingham fans told us that Leeds fans had knocked over a wall and someone had been killed. When I got home I heard about the Bradford fire. To be honest, watching football was a dangerous business in those days and you can see why it was seen as a niche interest rather than the huge money spinner it has now become. Anyway,Up the Rams and could anyone confirm the death at the Birmingham game was on the same day as the Bradford fire? Not heard it mentioned since but I'm sure it was the same day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nishfan Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 We were buying a washing machine in Reliants on Babbington Lane - every TV had footage from Hillsborough. It was clear what was happening & was completely horrific. I was proud that our club was the first to take down the fencing between the terraces & the pitch, think on the Monday after the tragedy. We can never forget these tragedies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipley Ram Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 I was in the away end at Old Trafford Hillsborough day. Man U fans were cheering at half time at the report of trouble but we had no real idea of what happened until we got back to the car and put the radio. It was very sobering, we were feeling great from a fantastic win but put the radio on and quickly had an o poo reaction. For the Bradford fire game I'd gone on the football special, it was bedlam. The ground was away from the station so they had put double deckers on to take us, some of the lad were ripping the seats out and throwing them out of the window and the motorcycle coppers. This lead to a great comedy monemt as a copper charged upstairs, truncheon out and shouted any more of that and you'll all be going down the civic, boyo's. Any authority he had disapeared as he said boyo's in his thick Welsh accent everone turn and laughed in hid face. We got to the graound and they must have given us more than the usual away end so segregation was a line of copper and a wire fence. They did fancy themselves as hard, there was grafiti all over their bogs, Newport hardest mob in wales. They probably were hard, but there was far more of us than them, they did goad us all game but legged it when some Derby went over the fence. There was another comedy moment when one of their boy stepped through the line of copper and shouted come on then and gesticulated. The neaest cop grabbed him by the collar, marched him right nest to the Derby fans and invited him to have a go. He was hauled off by the cop to many jeers when he declined to have a go. We heard about the fire from someones radio on the train. The Birmingham incident was the same day I think, and you are right football could be very dicey back then, I didn't look for trouble but had a few near misses. Having been to Hillsborough so many times I can imagine how it happened and how you would have no chance of moving out of the crush, The fire footage was terrifying, from a bit of smoke to an inferno was only seconds, I could walk to Vally Parade from where I live now so it's a bit closer to home. A few years ago (well 25 or so) i got talking football to a Bradford lad in a nightclub in Leeds. After he while started talking about the fire, and he was clearly still disturbed and a bit unhinged by it so I bourght him a pint. Every so often I'm reminded of him, I hope he's found some peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamNut Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Bob The Badger said: I think Bradford affected me worse than Hillsborough because that ground with it's wooden stands and paper littered under them everywhere could have been the BBG. Too true. I remember going to watch a reserve match at the BBG in B Stand not long after and this bloke chucked his fag on the floor intending to stamp it out, and it rolled away glowing and disappeared through a crack in the timbers into some concealed void. I said something about “ bloody hell remember Bradford”. “It’ll be alright” he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elgin_Ram Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 I remember going to Bradford earlier in the season, before the fire and fans throwing concrete from the Broken terraces at each other. The big fences were up, a Derby fan got knocked out in front of me and he had to be lifted over them. Madness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admira Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 I remember watching the Hillsborough disaster unfold on TV with my two week old daughter in my arms. This week she’s due to deliver my first grandchild. I don’t recall where I was for Bradford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irobinson Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 I was in Liverpool - doing my University finals - never forget that night - a City stunned So saw the full after affects. Stood on the centre circle at Anfield a week later with some flowers (with my housemates) - stared at the Kop and its scarves for ages Such a poignant moment and a moment I won't forget Bradford - was at home. - saw the full thing unfold on TV - devastating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mucker1884 Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 I was out... probably shopping or some such crap... but with full intention of being home in time for the cup semi final (was it the first to be shown live?) Anyway, my timing was perfect, and I took my seat on the sofa in time for kick off. At 3:08 I began to get excited about "The trouble" behind the goal. Scousers and/or Red Dogs in fisty-cuffs! Win win! ...Then I got quieter, and quieter, as realisation oh so slowly began to sink in. The longer the afternoon went on, the more I thought "There but for the grace of God..." (I still feel for Des Lynam, trying to do his job with all that going on!) How many times had the likes of me and you been squashed against the barriers? I know I've lost count! Imagine that never stopping, only getting more and more powerful! It beggars belief. I have absolutely no love for scousers in general, but my thoughts and prayers are never far away from those 96. RIP xxx I don't recall where I was for The Bradford Fire, but I'm pretty certain I was in front of a telly as the newsflashes started to filter through. I reckon I've seen pretty much every documentary on it since. After 1 minute of those first flames appearing, I'd have bet my house on everyone getting out safe. It just seemed so innocuous! I got the impression that the vast majority inside the ground were thinking the same. There was almost a party atmosphere at that stage, as folk first started heading for the pitch. Nobody accounted for the rapid spread. Nobody accounted for gates at the back being firmly locked! As above, those 56 are often and regularly in my thoughts. RIP xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gritstone Ram Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 I was at old Trafford and I had heard some rumours about the unfolding disaster at Hillborough but it was only when I got back on the bus that the real scale of the disaster. It really ruined an excellent result for us in probably the best season we have had since 1975. I saw the Bradford fire on the TV yet another disaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Ramage 4 EVA Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Bradford fire - Went to Derby station to get on the football special to Newport but we could not get a space (the train was full) so four of us went in the car to South Wales and parked outside a corner shop like Arkwrights about 1/2 hour walk from Newports ground .Once we got on the main drag (we had to cross a bridge over a river or train line ?) on the way to the ground fights were breaking out ,inside Derby fans were behind one of the goals and due to lack of segregation it was "kicking off "throughout the game .Derby won 3-1 and the walk back to the car was an adventure too (In those days football hooliganism was an occupational hazard for the supporters you certainly needed to have your wits about you).We went into the Open all hours for some cans for the journey home to be informed by the shop keeper of the Bradford fire she told us it was due to fans fighting, it was on the way home tuning in on the radio that the truth came out .I remember watching Look North and Calendar seeing the horrific footage of a poor man walking on the pitch ablaze ,and the stand an inferno . Hillsborough disaster _In Chicago on holiday, on the hotel room T. V all the news was about football hooligans in England ,and the real truth came out much later . Derby had played at Hillsborough in December and we took a lot of fans making the away end packed and I recall thinking and saying how dangerous the tunnel at Leppings Lane was .It slopped downwards so anyone getting a push would not be able stop going forward onto the terracing, the roof was low and it was NOT very wide .So it,s not difficult to imagine how events unfolded . BOTH Very sad days !! too many FANS died hoping to watch a football match . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G STAR RAM Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 I was at Old Trafford. As a 10 year old I had played for a Derby representative team against a Man United team in the morning, then had a tour of the ground and met a few players. Obviously heard what was happening in the ground but the scale of the tragedy was not fully known until later on that evening. The front pages of the newspapers the following morning were horrific. What should have been one of my most memorable football days unfortunately was memorable for all the wrong reasons. Remember watching the Bradford fire on Grandstand, a wheelchair bound fan left their burning to death is something that will live with me for the rest of my life. A friend of a friends dad died in the fire that day and he has gone on to write a book about it, some very interesting theories on what happened that day. Both horrific tragedies and you just thank your lucky stars that you didnt support one of the teams involved in the matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mucker1884 Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 7 minutes ago, Alan Ramage 4 EVA said: I remember watching Look North and Calendar seeing the horrific footage of a poor man walking on the pitch ablaze... Arguably the most horrific and stomach churning clip of any event relating to football... certainly for this fans eyes! Still turns my stomach just thinking about it! The (live) commo doesn't help... "That poor man", or words to that effect. My eyes are watering... I'm out of here! xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoetheRam Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 13 hours ago, Parrswood said: Was at both games. Great win at Old Trafford. I was in the away and and remember United fans in the executive boxes behind us watching the coverage from Hillsborough on the TV screens. At Newport I remember Derby 'fan's' ripping the panels off the back of the stand and throwing them onto the car park below. On the bus back to Newport train station a brick flew through the window and hit me. The train back to Derby then stopped at Birmingham and some Birmingham fans told us that Leeds fans had knocked over a wall and someone had been killed. When I got home I heard about the Bradford fire. To be honest, watching football was a dangerous business in those days and you can see why it was seen as a niche interest rather than the huge money spinner it has now become. Anyway,Up the Rams and could anyone confirm the death at the Birmingham game was on the same day as the Bradford fire? Not heard it mentioned since but I'm sure it was the same day. RE: the last bit - are you referring to the Birmingham v Leeds game at St. Andrews where there was massive trouble/rioting and a wall collapsed on a young fan who wasn't involved? That was the same day as the Bradford Fire, yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dethorn Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 I was playing when Hillsborough happened got home to find my little Brother had taped coverage on to VHS because he thought I would be interested - not sure if that was inspired or a little sick or both. Do not remember where I was for Bradford - but what seemed like days later I was stacking up skittles for my pocket money when I became aware of crowd trouble at Heysal - and I cheered cos I thought I might get home to see the game if it was held up much longer, still feel really bad about that to this day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuespachRam Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Hillsbrough, I was at the game as we spanked Man utd, no one knew how bad it was, everyone just thought it was hooligans, wasn't until I got home and mum and dad were watching the TV (they both hated football) that I realized something serious had gone down. Found out at school on Monday morning that a kid from the year above us had died there. Bradford, I remember watching it on TV, with all the fans on the pitch and was amazed at the magnitude of the fire....I went to the first game back at Valley Parade after the fire, I think we won 1-0, John Gregory penalty(?) not sure though. No mentions of Heysel on this thread...… I was camping with my mate in Scotland, we watched the game in some tiny Scottish pub in the middle of Glencoe and then bought all the papers the next day to read all about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ossieram Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 I was at Old Trafford when it happened at Hillsbrough and also remember the cheers from the Man u fans when it was confirmed that it was happening in the Liverpool end of the ground. We had a copper stood by us in the away end and he was getting messages over his radio and kept telling us what was going off. We were on the lash on the day of the Bradford fire and had been in the pub all afternoon and went home to get changed for the night session when we saw it on the news. The way that fire spread so quickly in the stand was shocking and really made you think about how safe the wooden stands at the BBG were. Both were really bad days for football and made it obvious that changes were needed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeytennis12345 Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Old Trafford again. Heard about it on my little trannie radio and only found out the real horror as we were driving home. It was a very quiet journey back I can tell you. Bradford, I was at home watching World of Sport and they cut live to the game. Just horrific. That night we were at a pub in Repton and a minibus load of Leeds fans turned up. Very loud and pretty nasty. The locals told them in no uncertain terms to get back on their minibus and piss off back to Leeds. Horrible times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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