Wings Over Liverpool

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

For many of us the refusal of Wings Over Scotland, aka Rev. Stuart Campbell, to accept the truth or facts is nothing new. However his continued apportioning of blame for the Hillsborough disaster on Liverpool fans themselves - despite the ruling of the Hillsborough inquest jury only last week – marks a new low, even by his normally low standards.

It has taken 27 years of courageous fighting by the families of those who lost loved ones to establish those truths and facts. And it was a brutal fight where for most of it they were very much the underdog. They had to scale a mountain where every step of their climb was hindered by a Police Force lying as a collective, a press fabricating stories and politicians briefing against their loved ones.

But they never lost sight of their objective, never gave up in their quest for the truth, though tragically, some who started the journey never saw its completion.

It is almost impossible to imagine what those families and countless other families in Liverpool went through that fateful day of 15th April, 1989. But let me try as best as I can.

The 2nd January 1971 started off like any normal Saturday in our household. My parents, despite their judgement being hindered following the traditional Hogmanay celebrations, were sober enough of mind to steadfastly refuse my requests to accompany my elder brother and his best mate Chubb, to the Old Firm game. “Too Young” was the often repeated mantra. I suspect I was not the only 9 year old in Glasgow that day who concluded that “life was just not fair”.

Instead I was to be placated with a trip to the Hillhead Cinema (The Salon) to watch the blockbuster disaster movie Airport. In these days of live satellite broadcasts, mobile phones and social media it must be hard to imagine how slow and archaic communication was back in 1971.  As the audience sat glued to the disaster plot unfolding on the screens they were totally oblivious to the disaster unfolding right on our doorstep. But a quiet whisper in the cinema quickly became a nervous chatter as rumours spread something had gone wrong at Ibrox and total strangers enquired of one another in the quest for more information. I will never forget the look of abject horror and desperation on my mother’s face.

We, like many others, left the cinema before the end of the film and I watched my father search frantically for a phone box. We stood huddled as a family unit in a small phone box, as my father, his hands visibly shaking, tried to get the coins into the phone. We were lucky, our loved ones returned home that day. For 66 families there was to be no such relief. One of them was the McGhee family who lived in the next street to us – their son David, aged 14 years, perished along with 65 others.

It left our whole community in mourning, God only knows how the people of Markinch in Fife, got through it.

For 25 minutes or so my parent’s lives were tuned inside out with uncertainty, panic and worry. And what they experienced that day was nothing to what those Liverpool families have had to undergo. Imagine having to endure 27 years to get that most precious of all things – the truth – and to have to battle every step of the way to get it.

The whole football community owes these Liverpool families a huge debt of thanks. The truth which they have uncovered speaks volumes about how football fans are viewed and treated by many. It was eloquently espoused by Rangers blogger JohnMc in his must read article for Gersnet:

http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/news-category/current-affairs/622-will-scottish-society-learn-from-the-hillsborough-disaster

Thankfully MSM, courtesy of Gordon Waddell at the Daily Record, have also picked up the mantle:

http://www.<No links to this website>/sport/football/football-news/gordon-waddell-legacy-hillsborough-should-7868069#4tCVtxORTmMdrQ6M.97

Generations of football fans can testify to the almost sub-human levels of treatment. Rangers fans alighting from a train at Dundee in the 80’s will recall being “ordered” onto a bus by Police and being ferried directly to Tannadice. Refusal was not an option. And for those of us who made that journey, the enclosure at Tannadice provided ample of evidence of ticket sales revenue taking greater priority than crowd safety.

As John Mc so succinctly put it:

“After all, we were only football fans.”

Hillsborough and the courageous fight of the families for truth and justice has left a legacy which the normally tribal football community must unite as one to ensure is carried on. Football fans, whatever colours they wear, should not only expect but demand the same level of treatment as spectators at other sporting events.

If God is apportioning wings, then Liverpool seems an appropriate place to start.

 

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

As a Rangers fan first and Liverpool second thanks for that D'art. 

[The Godfather 71,718]

Was tragic what happened to those fans and the lies that the police and parliament fed the country.

I have no time for Liverpool as a football club or fan base but as a human being it's horrible that this took place and what happened afterwards.

[TMB 14,167]

Guy's a cunt.  Never knew he was a priest. 

[crombie1873 142]

Great read as always D'art, the guy is an absolute tit.

[centenarystand 2,227]

Wings over Scotland is a racist, bigoted site full of bile. Through the internet these people bring shame on Scotland  and this latest article takes a bit of beating.

 

[sandyinroyalblue 16,478]

The 66 who died in 1971 lost their lives at a football match but their legacy is our magnificent stadium we have today which Mr Waddell was determined to build to ensure all our safety to this day.

Sadly Mr Waddell's vision was not shared by the football authorities or government and subsequent events at Hillsborough,Heysel and Bradford meant whatever the circumstances surrounding these tragedies an opportunity was missed.

What happened at Hillsborough was a tragedy but a tragedy then compounded by lies,smears and cover ups which prevented grieving families the most basic human right of knowing how their loved ones died.

What a moron like Campbell fails to recognise (apart from the truth of Hillsborough) is that those tragic events could have befallen any of us at a football game in the 1980s and by the truth finally coming out we all gain by knowing that the police,media and government can't always be trusted to tell the truth about football fans.

 

[scottyscott1963 18,208]

Saw a wee headline in a paper or online last week and read a fraction of his piece,saw his angle and switched off. Just seemed like a scum bag to me. I know you shouldn't criticise something unless you read about it or at least know something about it or them. Something about that cunt just didn't sit right with me. Sorry about it but I took him to be a naztionalist and that is enough for me to form an opinion on someone without knowing that person and I know that is wrong.
Seems as if you were not spared from anything that day D'artagnan as it involved members of your family and your community. It is a day none of us will forget.
When I see fans on fans pages complaining about people leaving early, they maybe have never thought deeply enough as to why would they leave early.
Have never relayed this story to many people before now. On that fateful day I was one of the people on the stairs and heard the roar when Colin Stein scored and actually turned to go back up but something in me said "just go" as there were too many people and it was not a frightened feeling,but more of you missed it so just go. The next thing I know is we are all in The Central Station and the talk is about something has happened out at Ibrox. As you said D'art that communications at the time were nil. Wasn't even sure if my family knew where I was but when I returned home I knew that the look of relief on my Mothers face said it all. Going to Ibrox was always a mix of supporters bus,train then the underground or car but always left a couple of minutes early. So guys if people are leaving early there might be another reason. And wings over Scotland does not speak for me or my kind.

[reallyruff 622]

1 hour ago, Courtyard Bear said:

As a Rangers fan first and Liverpool second thanks for that D'art. 

Ditto.

Also I too remember the anxious wait and fear of my Mother as we sought the return of my Father. TV on in the living room, radios tuned to different stations on in the kitchen and bedroom, phone ringing off the hook as concerned family called for news of him and those accompanying him. Immense relief when he staggered in the door that night oblivious to the consternation he caused.

[keithgersbear 3,225]

RIP. What a disgrace that it was covered up. 

[GrizzlyBear72 261]

Some very poignant recollections on here....none more so than the OP! Great, all round piece of writing....Lest We Forget!!!

[Bris Koyd 50]

The guy is quite simply a sheep shagging cunt.

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,638]

What do you expect from a mentally retarded follower of this cuntin crackpot !

[Malvern 11,329]

2 hours ago, BLUEDIGNITY said:

What do you expect from a mentally retarded follower of this cuntin crackpot !

 

She is a rancid fucker so I cut the picture out mate, nothing would shame her for a indi vote.

Great read as usual D'Art (and the accompanied articles) and also glad another couple of Bears are like me with an eye on Liverpool as well. 

[Sparkle 53,529]

I thought it was worth pointing out what the Wings bastard actually said

"the fans were to blame because they, alone, were the ones who pushed and thereby caused the crush"

and in response to a tweet

"Why? Liverpool fans killed them, not me."

— Wings Over Scotland (@WingsScotland) April 27, 2016

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,638]

[The Famous Rangers 7]

He's an evil bastard that for some reason all the Indy supports relentlessly follow

[Sam English Loyal 945]

Fantastic post. Outta likes unfortunately. 

[Bobby Hume 12,985]

Great post D'art, sobering times never to be forgotten.

Some people, like this clown, do not deserve to breathe the same air as we do.

No dignity even in death, seems to be the mantra of this lunatic.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

7 hours ago, Sparkle said:

I thought it was worth pointing out what the Wings bastard actually said

"the fans were to blame because they, alone, were the ones who pushed and thereby caused the crush"

and in response to a tweet

"Why? Liverpool fans killed them, not me."

— Wings Over Scotland (@WingsScotland) April 27, 2016

Im obliged Sparkle. Horrible comments from a horrible individual

[ZZed 4,510]

This rapid man shows up what is wrong with the UK.