Guardian article about 50th anniversary of Ibrox disaster

[JimBHibees]

Just read this frankly amazing article in the Guardian an eye witness harrowing account of what happened on that day but also a much wider look at the backdrop and criminal negligence both before and after it happened. Journalism at its finest.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/dec/03/rangers-football-forgotten-tragedy-ibrox-stadium-disaster-glasgow

[Scorrie]

I read this. Couple of days ago. Really good (but horrifying) article

[JimBHibees]

I read this. Couple of days ago. Really good (but horrifying) article

Agree totally very harrowing account.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Anyone involved in a “sway” will know the potential - first Hogmanay down on Princes Street could have been nasty.

[jacomo]

It’s an amazing account of an awful incident that happened 50 years ago and really feels like a different era.

The attitudes seem really callous today, but this was a time when, for example, horrific workplace injuries in the docks or steel works were a regular occurrence and accepted fact of life.

Still hard to comprehend though.

[The Count]

Annfield 1977 could of been another disaster.Scotland end was frightingly overcrowded with many many fans with no ticket present.You just think back and wonder how close you were to a possible disaster.It could easily of been a Hillsborough.

[Col L]

Annfield 1977 could of been another disaster.Scotland end was frightingly overcrowded with many many fans with no ticket present.You just think back and wonder how close you were to a possible disaster.It could easily of been a Hillsborough.

My Dad says the same about Ninian Park in 1985, which was obviously overshadowed by the death of Jock Stein.

The ‘CS Gas’ game against Celtic at Easter Road in 1987 was another very lucky escape. Scores were taken to hospital, crush barriers buckled, and it was just merciful that no-one died that day.


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[superfurryhibby]

Jesus Christ, that was harrowing reading.

The tragedy could have been avoided, given the near misses in previous years on the same exit. Rangers and the establishment collude in covering up their culpability, when in fact there was gross negligence on the part of the board by failing to implement findings from engineers who looked at the same exit and made recommendations which were ignored.

[hibsbollah]

Really well written. ‘When my tearful mum arrived, she washed my face and unhappily let me smoke a squashed Kensitas’ is a lovely wee passage.

[hibsbollah]

My Dad says the same about Ninian Park in 1985, which was obviously overshadowed by the death of Jock Stein.

The ‘CS Gas’ game against Celtic at Easter Road in 1987 was another very lucky escape. Scores were taken to hospital, crush barriers buckled, and it was just merciful that no-one died that day.


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Hornbys’Fever Pitch’ points out many similar moments where as an Arsenal fan he looked back at a crush and a sway on the terraces and thought ‘that could have been another Hillsborough’. Same at Hibs, being held up by the combined force of thousands of drunk bodies was commonplace on a Saturday afternoon in the 70s and 80s, that will never come back again.

[ACLeith]

Anyone involved in a “sway” will know the potential - first Hogmanay down on Princes Street could have been nasty.

My son and his then girlfriend were caught up in that. They grabbed a lamppost and held on. He said that if someone had tripped and fallen it could have been disaster on a major scale. Even though it’s controlled nowadays he has never gone near it again.

[where'stheslope]

Lost my school friend Robert Cairns in this tragedy, at the time he lived in Earl Grey Street, I never found out until the Monday.
I was devastated at the time, but every time I get to Ibrox, I look for his name on the plaque.

[Brizo]

A truly horrifying and sobering account of the disaster.

Those of us of a certain age will have experienced crushing but thankfully for most of us without such tragic consequences.

I remember going to a full house Scotland vs England U21 game at Pittodrie probably late 70s and being carried along, unable to move, as part of a mass of bodies trying to get into the only two turnstiles open at the Beach End. Scary stuff and something from the old days I don't miss at all.

[Jones28]

Genuinely harrowing stuff, a real window for people of my generation into that era. I would love to go back in time to watch Hibs in 70's, but I definitely wouldn't safe doing so.

Maddening to think that 3 incidents worth reporting all happened within 10 years of each other and nothing was done.

[speedy_gonzales]

Anyone involved in a “sway” will know the potential - first Hogmanay down on Princes Street could have been nasty.

Would that have been '98, Ocean Colour Scene on the stage?
A good friend of mines was in that melee, he thought he was safe by standing next to a crush/crash barrier. Unfortunately, with the force of the crowd, the barrier gave way. My mate somehow got his leg trapped in it and burst his knee, snapping his cruciates!
Again, that could easily have been fatal for some in the crowd.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Really well written. ‘When my tearful mum arrived, she washed my face and unhappily let me smoke a squashed Kensitas’ is a lovely wee passage.
Probably being really thick here but I couldn’t fit the life of me find who wrote the article?

[JimBHibees]

Probably being really thick here but I couldn’t fit the life of me find who wrote the article?

A guy called John Hodgman says in the heading to the article.

[superfurryhibby]

Probably being really thick here but I couldn’t fit the life of me find who wrote the article?

John Hodgman wrote the article. He was at the game as a fan.

When you consider what went before it, the warning signs were all there before 1.1.71. There should have been prosecutions and maybe if the authorities here had the bawz to take the decision makers at Rangers (and Glasgow Council- who no doubt carried on issuing safety certificates, despite knowing that stair access wasn't safe) to task, then just maybe we could have avoided the tragedies that happened at the likes of Hillsborough and Bradford in years to come?

Reading that article took me back to Tynecastle in September 1973. I was aged 9 and attending my first derby. Unbelievably, I was with my pals from Fountainbridge (where my auld Nana stayed). Going into the Gorgie Road end, there was a tremendous crush. I remember men pushing and me being lifted into the air and passed forward to the turnstile by folk around us. It was terrifying and has stayed with me all these years. I remember being very feart and trapped amongst all the coats of the people around us. It wasn't pleasant and thinking back, the men around us would have been well aware of what had happened at Ibrox, where many of the dead were youngsters.

[JimBHibees]

John Hodgman wrote the article. He was at the game as a fan.

When you consider what went before it, the warning signs were all there before 1.1.71. There should have been prosecutions and maybe if the authorities here had the bawz to take the decision makers at Rangers (and Glasgow Council- who no doubt carried on issuing safety certificates, despite knowing that stair access wasn't safe) to task, then just maybe we could have avoided the tragedies that happened at the likes of Hillsborough and Bradford in years to come?

Reading that article took me back to Tynecastle in September 1973. I was aged 9 and attending my first derby. Unbelievably, I was with my pals from Fountainbridge (where my auld Nana stayed). Going into the Gorgie Road end, there was a tremendous crush. I remember men pushing and me being lifted into the air and passed forward to the turnstile by folk around us. It was terrifying and has stayed with me all these years. I remember being very feart and trapped amongst all the coats of the people around us. It wasn't pleasant and thinking back, the men around us would have been well aware of what had happened at Ibrox, where many of the dead were youngsters.

Can also remember a real crush at a Derby at Gorgie road end probably later in the 70s where you went through into a horrible concrete passage before getting onto the terracing the place was ridiculously over full with people. Very scary indeed.

[JeMeSouviens]

Can also remember a real crush at a Derby at Gorgie road end probably later in the 70s where you went through into a horrible concrete passage before getting onto the terracing the place was ridiculously over full with people. Very scary indeed.

It was still like that until the early 90s when they put the bus shelters in. I remember being in a squash going through there a couple of years after Hillsborough. The game had kicked off and folk were understandably keen to get in so there was a lot of pressure pushing you in but nowhere to go until it slowly eased from in front. Not being able to move in that situation was, as you say, scary.

[JeMeSouviens]

John Hodgman wrote the article. He was at the game as a fan.

When you consider what went before it, the warning signs were all there before 1.1.71. There should have been prosecutions and maybe if the authorities here had the bawz to take the decision makers at Rangers (and Glasgow Council- who no doubt carried on issuing safety certificates, despite knowing that stair access wasn't safe) to task, then just maybe we could have avoided the tragedies that happened at the likes of Hillsborough and Bradford in years to come?

Reading that article took me back to Tynecastle in September 1973. I was aged 9 and attending my first derby. Unbelievably, I was with my pals from Fountainbridge (where my auld Nana stayed). Going into the Gorgie Road end, there was a tremendous crush. I remember men pushing and me being lifted into the air and passed forward to the turnstile by folk around us. It was terrifying and has stayed with me all these years. I remember being very feart and trapped amongst all the coats of the people around us. It wasn't pleasant and thinking back, the men around us would have been well aware of what had happened at Ibrox, where many of the dead were youngsters.

It wasn't just warning signs. I'm sure people had actually died in previous crushes on the same stairway. The Old Huns were totally negligent and these days would surely have been in the dock for corporate manslaughter.

[Keith_M]

It's a sad fact that clubs have only ever* improved football stadiums for the comfort and safety of supporters when they were forced to by some disaster.

The rebuild of Ibrox in the late 70s to early 80s was as a result of the 1971 disaster and then all clubs were forced into rebuilds due to Hillsborough.

I dread to think what some of the stadiums would have looked like today if it wasn't for the Taylor Report




* There are some exceptions to this, e.g. Pittodrie, but few and far between.

[jakedance]

Excellent article. Thanks for sharing.

[ancient hibee]

The one thing missing from the article is that in those days of big crowds anyone of us who knew what they were doing never left at the final whistle but always waited for the crowd to disperse .After all particularly with a 2.00 kick off you were out of the ground before 4.00 and the pubs didn't open until 5.00. There was never any stewarding inside.Joining 135,000 going to Hampden even an hour before kick off it would look as it there was no room on the terracing and you just burrowed your way into the crowd.The trick was to get away from the passageway and make sure you had a stanchion behind you so the sway stopped short of you.I don't think it ever occurred to the clubs that they had any duty of care to the paying customers.There were always police outside controlling the numbers going in but I bet the clubs weren't too keen on that. The only time I failed to get into a game at Easter Road was a cup replay against Celtic in 1961.It was a night match and it was chaotic at the St.Clair end.Eventually the police forced their horses in between the crowd and the turnstiles and ordered them closed.People hung around but they didn't reopen. According to the papers next day there was less than 40,000 in so there should have been room but the lack of inside stewarding worried the police. Celtic won 1-0 with a rare(very)goal from John Clark.

[hibsbollah]

It wasn't just warning signs. I'm sure people had actually died in previous crushes on the same stairway. The Old Huns were totally negligent and these days would surely have been in the dock for corporate manslaughter.

:agree: The article describes his own serious injury in the earlier 1961 incident in which there were deaths. He was then interviewed about it four years later by the legal team, he described the dangerous stairway to the legal team, his evidence was never used at the hearing, he clearly suspects because it would have been inconvenient to OldCo, and the stairs were never repaired until the 1971 tragedy. Fairly clear what went on, just another reason to despise that club.

[Victor]

Experienced being lifted off my feet on the steep steps at the rear of the old East stand, sometime in the 60’s. My Dad always waited until the crowds thinned, but I had wanted to go. Got to the top of the steps and was separated from my Dad by the crowd pushing down the steps. Next thing I knew I was off my feet and swept down by the crowd. Truly frightening experience and I never asked to leave early again! Also remember the huge crowds squeezing across the Bothwell Bridge after matches, surprised no one was injured there.


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[HiBremian]

Hornbys’Fever Pitch’ points out many similar moments where as an Arsenal fan he looked back at a crush and a sway on the terraces and thought ‘that could have been another Hillsborough’. Same at Hibs, being held up by the combined force of thousands of drunk bodies was commonplace on a Saturday afternoon in the 70s and 80s, that will never come back again.


The one thing missing from the article is that in those days of big crowds anyone of us who knew what they were doing never left at the final whistle but always waited for the crowd to disperse .After all particularly with a 2.00 kick off you were out of the ground before 4.00 and the pubs didn't open until 5.00. There was never any stewarding inside.Joining 135,000 going to Hampden even an hour before kick off it would look as it there was no room on the terracing and you just burrowed your way into the crowd.The trick was to get away from the passageway and make sure you had a stanchion behind you so the sway stopped short of you.I don't think it ever occurred to the clubs that they had any duty of care to the paying customers.There were always police outside controlling the numbers going in but I bet the clubs weren't too keen on that. The only time I failed to get into a game at Easter Road was a cup replay against Celtic in 1961.It was a night match and it was chaotic at the St.Clair end.Eventually the police forced their horses in between the crowd and the turnstiles and ordered them closed.People hung around but they didn't reopen. According to the papers next day there was less than 40,000 in so there should have been room but the lack of inside stewarding worried the police. Celtic won 1-0 with a rare(very)goal from John Clark.

Pretty sure I was at that game as a wee laddie. What I remember is sitting on the track besides the goals because of the size of the crowd.

[brog]

It's a sad fact that clubs have only ever* improved football stadiums for the comfort and safety of supporters when they were forced to by some disaster.

The rebuild of Ibrox in the late 70s to early 80s was as a result of the 1971 disaster and then all clubs were forced into rebuilds due to Hillsborough.

I dread to think what some of the stadiums would have looked like today if it wasn't for the Taylor Report




* There are some exceptions to this, e.g. Pittodrie, but few and far between.


Unfortunately it's not just a football problem. Virtually every modern disaster has it's seeds in negligence, shortcuts being taken or inferior materials/workmanship. Money always seems to supersede safety! (See Grenfell)

[Keith_M]

Unfortunately it's not just a football problem. Virtually every modern disaster has it's seeds in negligence, shortcuts being taken or inferior materials/workmanship. Money always seems to supersede safety! (See Grenfell)


Very true, Brog.

[brog]

The one thing missing from the article is that in those days of big crowds anyone of us who knew what they were doing never left at the final whistle but always waited for the crowd to disperse .After all particularly with a 2.00 kick off you were out of the ground before 4.00 and the pubs didn't open until 5.00. There was never any stewarding inside.Joining 135,000 going to Hampden even an hour before kick off it would look as it there was no room on the terracing and you just burrowed your way into the crowd.The trick was to get away from the passageway and make sure you had a stanchion behind you so the sway stopped short of you.I don't think it ever occurred to the clubs that they had any duty of care to the paying customers.There were always police outside controlling the numbers going in but I bet the clubs weren't too keen on that. The only time I failed to get into a game at Easter Road was a cup replay against Celtic in 1961.It was a night match and it was chaotic at the St.Clair end.Eventually the police forced their horses in between the crowd and the turnstiles and ordered them closed.People hung around but they didn't reopen. According to the papers next day there was less than 40,000 in so there should have been room but the lack of inside stewarding worried the police. Celtic won 1-0 with a rare(very)goal from John Clark.

I was also at the Celtc replay game. It came soon after the Barcelona game which was at the time reported as a 54k crowd but is now commonly shown as "only" 45k! Similarly the Celtc game was also shown as over 50k at the time so under 40k seems strange. One possible explanation is everyone at ER for the Barcelona game was supporting Hibs whereas of course there was a huge Celtc support at the cup game with all the attendant problems. My memory is of Celtc fans being continually on the pitch at the Dunbar end, of about 30 Celtc fans arriving covered in soot on a coal lorry & a huge fight in Albert St after the game with about 50 of the world's greatest fans fighting each other. Different times.

[JohnMcM]

There was a near escape in 1975 that never reached the media.

Home Championship, England 5 v Scotland 1. Thousands of us wanted to leave after their 5th but the police for whatever reason refused to open the little gates at the end the low narrow tunnel we were in.

The crush was horrendous and terrifying with most of those near the front actually lifted of their feet towards the low ceiling. We were trying to push back to get them down but it was futile. The cops at the gate could hear people shouting what was happening and must have seen people fainting but refused to open the gates until more cops arrived outside.

When they did open the gates the surge was as dangerous as the crush had been.

Too say it was a near escape is an understatement.

[BSEJVT]

I think anyone of my age and older will have had moments in large crowds when they looked back after it and thought bloody hell that was dangerous

Absolutely exhilarating being carried in that sea of humanity but one slip from disaster.

Older guys always looked out for the young buys and held them up but dearie me, feet never touched the ground.

The old Hampden was a disaster waiting to happen which thankfully didn't.

It says everything about the tribalism of football that even after disaster's like this and on a smaller scale guys getting killed in accidents on the way to games that after a few days of sympathy, old enmities resurface.

I am as guilty as anyone but when you read stuff like that it truly is only a game, the high's are wonderful but the lows should be viewed with a bit more perspective.

[CropleyisGod]

Can also remember a real crush at a Derby at Gorgie road end probably later in the 70s where you went through into a horrible concrete passage before getting onto the terracing the place was ridiculously over full with people. Very scary indeed.

Saw a post of the old Gorgie Road end terracing on facebook last week with someone saying how brilliant it was. That tunnel was a shocker. Been squished in it more than once.

[Victor]

Can also remember a real crush at a Derby at Gorgie road end probably later in the 70s where you went through into a horrible concrete passage before getting onto the terracing the place was ridiculously over full with people. Very scary indeed.

That was a real poor design. If I remember correctly there was a toilet block straight after the turnstiles which meant you had to turn sharp right. Apart from the tight squeeze the ground was usually awash with p**h from the toilets. Then in the 80’s they would tape of the central section of the terracing to fill the side’s first. This meant that you were penalised for arriving early!


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[JimBHibees]

It wasn't just warning signs. I'm sure people had actually died in previous crushes on the same stairway. The Old Huns were totally negligent and these days would surely have been in the dock for corporate manslaughter.

2 fans died ten years before it on the exact same stairway. The guardian article mentions it.

[Hibernia&Alba]

Unfortunately it's not just a football problem. Virtually every modern disaster has it's seeds in negligence, shortcuts being taken or inferior materials/workmanship. Money always seems to supersede safety! (See Grenfell)

Correct. The Ibrox disaster was before my time. I vaguely remember Heysel and the Bradford fire, and I vividly remember Hillsborough.

That's a very moving article of a terrible tragedy.

[Peevemor]

My Dad didn't take my to Easter Road until I was "big" (12 years old) because my brother, who is 7 years older than me, had his collar bone broken in a crush on Bothwell bridge after a Hibs v Celtic match.

I can remember pretty mental sways at Tynecastle but the worse was in the old North enclosure at ER for a match against Celtic. I went in there regularly for a couple of seasons in the mid-late 80s but this match in particular was mental (I think it may have been one of the 2 cup games we won against them in the same season). It wasn't a panic attack, but the sheer number of bodies squeezed in meant I had trouble breathing and I wasn't far from passing out.

In saying that, the introduction of all seated stadiums definitely lessened my enjoy of going to matches.

[Renfrew_Hibby]

Unfortunately it's not just a football problem. Virtually every modern disaster has it's seeds in negligence, shortcuts being taken or inferior materials/workmanship. Money always seems to supersede safety! (See Grenfell)

Exactly this, accidents like this generally aren't accidents as Ibrox wasn't.
Grenfell is the modern day example of what is bassically corruption on all levels for financial gain. There was a similar example 4 or 5 years ago in a Siberian city where a fairly new shopping mall burned down. Builders cut corners and used cheap/banned materials and local officials recieved nice back handers, but the main reason so many died? all the emergency exits were padlocked!

[gbhibby]

My mum and dad were at the game at Ibrox in the 50s when there were over 100000 in the ground.They mentioned that it was hell getting out the ground because of the steepness of the exit steps. After that experience my dad always let the crowds disperse then would leave. I experienced the Cs gas game and was at the front of the terracing close to where the canister went off. I can say that the panic and crush was frightening especially being pinned against the fence and shouting at the police to open the gates which seemed to take them an eternity to do. I ended up on the pitch holding onto a girl who was struggling. I walked out the ground at that point. There was no enquiry into the incident as there was no deaths. It took Hillsborough to bring stadium safety into the 20th century.

[greenlex]

The thing that I remember the most was as a paper laddie the pictures in the papers with bodies covered in white blankets lined up along from the corner flag. Haunted me for years.

[Smartie]

The thing that I remember the most was as a paper laddie the pictures in the papers with bodies covered in white blankets lined up along from the corner flag. Haunted me for years.

There was a horrific photo on the front page of the Scotsman after Hillsborough taken through the fence at the front of the paddock.

That one haunted me for years.

As an adult I don't really know what they were playing at as it wasn't an appropriate image on any level.

[greenlex]

There was a horrific photo on the front page of the Scotsman after Hillsborough taken through the fence at the front of the paddock.

That one haunted me for years.

As an adult I don't really know what they were playing at as it wasn't an appropriate image on any level.

I remember that one too Smartie. There were kids in that shot that were quite obviously dead but still squashed up against the fence.

[pollution]

Anyone involved in a “sway” will know the potential - first Hogmanay down on Princes Street could have been nasty.


An absolute near disaster that night in 1997.

From about mid afternoon football sized groups passed Haymarket, where I lived, with carry outs under the arm.

350,000 was the police estimate in Princes Street. If things had turned nasty the looting and rioting would have been unchecked.

The police had no control over numbers that big, it had to be controlled there after.

The Infirmary had 1139 emergency admissions in 72 hours, mostly drunk. Iron railings buckled on top of a policeman as crowds swarmed over him unaware.

Dr K Little, the medic in charge, said it was the worst day of his life !

A very narrow escape: I stopped going after that.

[Lago]

My brother and I were at a Scotland v England game in the 1960s can't remember exactly when, over a 120000 attended, couldn't move, was it scary, you bet it was.

[CMurdoch]

Just read this frankly amazing article in the Guardian an eye witness harrowing account of what happened on that day but also a much wider look at the backdrop and criminal negligence both before and after it happened. Journalism at its finest.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/dec/03/rangers-football-forgotten-tragedy-ibrox-stadium-disaster-glasgow

Wow!. A beautifully written tragedy.

Hillsborough in 1989 and the subsequent Taylor report finally forced football clubs, including Hibs, to spend money on their crumbling piss perfumed grounds. 1990 and most still consisted of crash barrier terrace, wooden hut stand and enclosure structures with a topping of piss running uncontrollably about the small brick structures which laughingly passed for toilets.

Massive crowds and gate receipts at matches for 30 years after the war were *****ed away.
Where did the money go? Players wages were small so it didn't go there. One thing is for sure, the last place they spent it was on the stadiums.
I suspect the money was divided between transfer fees as they chased the unattainable and directors being very good to themselves.
Predictably the pigeons eventually came home to roost with the disasters at Ibrox, Valley Parade, Heysal and Hillsborough. A fitting testimony to football club directors and football clubs folly and lack of respect for the safety and comfort of supporters.

Guys like our own Rod Petrie then had to put right those decades of neglect and amazingly in Rod's case he got vast fan grief for it.

[SteveHFC]

I remember that one too Smartie. There were kids in that shot that were quite obviously dead but still squashed up against the fence.

That photo is horrific.

[CentreLine]

The pathway through the old east terrace at ER could be a dangerous place when we all wanted to change ends at half time in the big games. I remember a derby game, must have been 1968 or 9. My father, brother and me were grateful to be hauled up the wall, by fans above, to the second tier to get us out of the crush. It really was frightening. I also remember well the crush outside Annfield in 1977, someone already mentioned that experience above.

[brog]

Excellent article but sadly unsurprising that it was published in an English based journal.

[hibsbollah]

Excellent article but sadly unsurprising that it was published in an English based journal.

Ewan Murray is the Guardians Scottish hack but he’s very much from the succulent lamb school and spends a lot of his column inches on belittling the game up here. I just can’t read his pish anymore.

[1 8 7 5]

My Dad says the same about Ninian Park in 1985, which was obviously overshadowed by the death of Jock Stein.

The ‘CS Gas’ game against Celtic at Easter Road in 1987 was another very lucky escape. Scores were taken to hospital, crush barriers buckled, and it was just merciful that no-one died that day.


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I was there... cannae mind any crush barriers being buckled?

[1 8 7 5]

Saw a post of the old Gorgie Road end terracing on facebook last week with someone saying how brilliant it was. That tunnel was a shocker. Been squished in it more than once.

many times as a young lad coming out of that dump, I hardly touched the ground!

[Peevemor]

I was there... cannae mind any crush barriers being buckled?

I can't remember that either.

To be fair to the police & stewards they were quick to open the gates and encourage people to go on to the pitch once they realised what had happened. I was on the East that day, roughly in line with the down the slope 18 yd box and it took a wee while for the gas to work it's way along to us.

I think there was something like 30 minutes left to play and when the ref brought the players back out they really did just go through the motions - they didn't look interested at all (probably disgusted).

[1 8 7 5]

I can't remember that either.

To be fair to the police & stewards they were quick to open the gates and encourage people to go on to the pitch once they realised what had happened. I was on the East that day, roughly in line with the down the slope 18 yd box and it took a wee while for the gas to work it's way along to us.

I think there was something like 30 minutes left to play and when the ref brought the players back out they really did just go through the motions - they didn't look interested at all (probably disgusted).

yep... thats pretty much accurate... though I was much closer. The CSC did it.... I was a teenager and it was all very exciting!

[tamig]

I can't remember that either.

To be fair to the police & stewards they were quick to open the gates and encourage people to go on to the pitch once they realised what had happened. I was on the East that day, roughly in line with the down the slope 18 yd box and it took a wee while for the gas to work it's way along to us.

I think there was something like 30 minutes left to play and when the ref brought the players back out they really did just go through the motions - they didn't look interested at all (probably disgusted).
There were no crush barriers damaged that day. A bit of artistic licence from the earlier poster. That was a scary episode as nobody really knew what was happening but there were far more dangerous instances of crushing and near misses at many big games I went to in the late 70s and throughout the 80s.

[KingPat4]

Great article and I remember the day well. I think we drew at home with Cowdenbeath.

Within days the jokes started to appear from Celtic fans. "What would you like to drink"? "Another orange squash please". And there was worse, much worse. It was back to normal within days.

Still disgusts me.

[KingPat4]

I think anyone of my age and older will have had moments in large crowds when they looked back after it and thought bloody hell that was dangerous

Absolutely exhilarating being carried in that sea of humanity but one slip from disaster.

Older guys always looked out for the young buys and held them up but dearie me, feet never touched the ground.

The old Hampden was a disaster waiting to happen which thankfully didn't.

It says everything about the tribalism of football that even after disaster's like this and on a smaller scale guys getting killed in accidents on the way to games that after a few days of sympathy, old enmities resurface.

I am as guilty as anyone but when you read stuff like that it truly is only a game, the high's are wonderful but the lows should be viewed with a bit more perspective.


Hampden was a death trap. I had a few narrow escapes. The 6-1 Cup Final comes to mind especially, an awful day in more ways than one.

[gbhibby]

yep... thats pretty much accurate... though I was much closer. The CSC did it.... I was a teenager and it was all very exciting!

What a stupid comment to make. I was close to the incident and the crush and can assure you that it was frightening. If If that is your idea of excitement you need to see somebody pronto.

[gbhibby]

I can't remember that either.

To be fair to the police & stewards they were quick to open the gates and encourage people to go on to the pitch once they realised what had happened. I was on the East that day, roughly in line with the down the slope 18 yd box and it took a wee while for the gas to work it's way along to us.

I think there was something like 30 minutes left to play and when the ref brought the players back out they really did just go through the motions - they didn't look interested at all (probably disgusted).

So you were 60 yards away from the incident. There was newspaper reports of a damaged crush barrier.

[Peevemor]

So you were 60 yards away from the incident. There was newspaper reports of a damaged crush barrier.

I said "I can't remember that".

Give me peace.

[gbhibby]

I said "I can't remember that".

Give me peace.
Check out the newspaper headlines and images from the incident that may jog the memory of the day. I am not being critical of you but this was a serious incident which caused 48 people to be taken to hospital.

[Peevemor]

Check out the newspaper headlines and images from the incident that may jog the memory of the day. I am not being critical of you but this was a serious incident which caused 48 people to be taken to hospital.

I never said otherwise. I simply told it as I remember it.

[CropleyWasGod]

What a stupid comment to make. I was close to the incident and the crush and can assure you that it was frightening. If If that is your idea of excitement you need to see somebody pronto.

He was a teenager. Of course that's going to feel exciting for some.

[gbhibby]

He was a teenager. Of course that's going to feel exciting for some.
Shouldn't be "exciting" at any age teenager or not.

[superfurryhibby]

Ewan Murray is the Guardians Scottish hack but he’s very much from the succulent lamb school and spends a lot of his column inches on belittling the game up here. I just can’t read his pish anymore.

He didn’t write the article though. Worth reading.

[wookie70]

Would that have been '98, Ocean Colour Scene on the stage?
A good friend of mines was in that melee, he thought he was safe by standing next to a crush/crash barrier. Unfortunately, with the force of the crowd, the barrier gave way. My mate somehow got his leg trapped in it and burst his knee, snapping his cruciates!
Again, that could easily have been fatal for some in the crowd.I was at Donnington when 2 were killed in the crush. I think Guns and Roses were on stage at the time. My mate got hit with a bottle and went down earlier that day. If it had been half an hour later he may well have never got up.

I loved the sways bit as a dad I am so glad we have seated stadiums and proper health and safety.

The article is a fantastic bit of journalism. It makes me loathe The Rangers even more and likewise their ugly sisters. It also makes me despair that the stadiums may be fixed but the sectarianism, while normt as terrible, is still a big part of supporting the Uglies and both companies like that

[Keith_M]

Shouldn't be "exciting" at any age teenager or not.


Probably, but you do tend to view things much differently when you're young.

I thought battling with opposition fans at the top of Leith Walk after home games was exciting when I was in my teens, but people (mostly) mature and change their opinion on these type of things.

[hibsbollah]

He didn’t write the article though. Worth reading.

Oh I know, I read it and commentated favourably earlier in the thread. I was just pointing out that standard of writing is beyond that particular hearts **** :greengrin

[jacomo]

Shouldn't be "exciting" at any age teenager or not.



FFS... we’ve all done stupid things as teenagers or revelled in someone else’s stupidity. It’s all part of growing up.

[Andy74]

Away to Anderlecht was probably worst for potential crushing I can remember. It was terrace bottom tier and seating upper. Most folk with seating tickets unsurprisingly wanted to stand instead and there were no turnstiles really. Couldn’t move my arms for most of the game and at times the feet weren’t touching the ground.

[superfurryhibby]

Oh I know, I read it and commentated favourably earlier in the thread. I was just pointing out that standard of writing is beyond that particular hearts **** :greengrin

Sorry HB, I hadn’t noticed your earlier comment and assumed you hadn’t read it because you thought it was written by that fanny Murray:aok:

[gbhibby]

FFS... we’ve all done stupid things as teenagers or revelled in someone else’s stupidity. It’s all part of growing up.
He must have found Hillsborough exciting then.

[Alfred E Newman]

The worst crushing I've experienced was at the 1972 Cup final when hundreds of mostly Hibs fans were trying to leave the west terracing via the alleyway at the rear of the cover late in the game during serious crowd trouble. The exit from the alley was blocked by fighting at the top of the exit stairs and the crushing was caused by more and more fans trying to leave via the alleyway unaware the exit was blocked. As panic started to set we eventually managed to escape by climbing over the corogated iron fence and jumping down onto the banking below.

[gbhibby]

The worst crushing I've experienced was at the 1972 Cup final when hundreds of mostly Hibs fans were trying to leave the west terracing via the alleyway at the rear of the cover late in the game during serious crowd trouble. The exit from the alley was blocked by fighting at the top of the exit stairs and the crushing was caused by more and more fans trying to leave via the alleyway unaware the exit was blocked. As panic started to set we eventually managed to escape by climbing over the corogated iron fence and jumping down onto the banking below.
That area was a nightmare experienced a crush when trying to get out after the Scotland V England game in 1970 when there was 137000 in the ground.

[Peevemor]

He must have found Hillsborough exciting then.Dearie me!

[Stonewall]

Terrific article spoilt by the fact he needed to nail his colours to the mast by re-iterating the big lie at the end which was totally out of the context of the piece.

[Iggy Pope]

Just picked up on this. Great piece of writing. I remember reading (or looking at) the papers as a kid and vividly recall seeing that photo of the nurse rushing to assist the casualties. Even as an 8 year old I couldn’t comprehend that I was reading about something that could have happened at a football match.
To think that 50 years later these cretins continue to attempt to score points over each other around anything but football.

[gbhibby]

Dearie me!
Suggest you Google the news reports of the incident. If somebody finds that "exciting" so be it. I had a young girl collapse in front of me on the pitch and I was gasping for air and my eyes streaming. So you can understand my point of view when somebody thinks the incident was "exciting" teenager or not. You were fortunate to be 60 yards away from the incident.

[hibsbollah]

Sorry HB, I hadn’t noticed your earlier comment and assumed you hadn’t read it because you thought it was written by that fanny Murray:aok:

Yeah I should have been clearer. It’d be nice to get that standard of writing on Scottish football more regularly in the Guardian, we’re very much an afterthought. :agree:

[Peevemor]

Suggest you Google the news reports of the incident. If somebody finds that "exciting" so be it. I had a young girl collapse in front of me on the pitch and I was gasping for air and my eyes streaming. So you can understand my point of view when somebody thinks the incident was "exciting" teenager or not. You were fortunate to be 60 yards away from the incident.I have no need to google anything. I was there. I too suffered the effects of the gas though obviously not as severely as those closer to the canister.

But I find comparing the events at ER that day to what happened at Hillsborough totally ridiculous.

[gbhibby]

I have no need to google anything. I was there. I too suffered the effects of the gas though obviously not as severely as those closer to the canister.

But I find comparing the events at ER that day to what happened at Hillsborough totally ridiculous.
I still suggest you Google the newspaper reports. Maybe I made a bad choice comparing it to Hillsborough but the events that day if you were in the thick of it were frightening being crushed against a fence is not a pleasant experience.

[leithsansiro]

Would that have been '98, Ocean Colour Scene on the stage?
A good friend of mines was in that melee, he thought he was safe by standing next to a crush/crash barrier. Unfortunately, with the force of the crowd, the barrier gave way. My mate somehow got his leg trapped in it and burst his knee, snapping his cruciates!
Again, that could easily have been fatal for some in the crowd.

Obviously not football related, but I remember being right in the middle of that as a somewhat naive 16 year old. Seemed slightly exciting for about five seconds to be swept along but then horrendously terrifying thereafter. I’ve hated big crowds every since and still think back to how close to a disaster that could’ve been. What’s more ridiculous, it wasn’t actually that long ago, when you would’ve thought that lessons would’ve been learned from actual disasters.

[Moulin Yarns]

Great article and I remember the day well. I think we drew at home with Cowdenbeath.

Within days the jokes started to appear from Celtic fans. "What would you like to drink"? "Another orange squash please". And there was worse, much worse. It was back to normal within days.

Still disgusts me.

New years day, 0-0 draw at Tynecastle. My memory is of the subdued atmospher that evening, not much of a party mood.

This was also in the days before 24 hour rolling news which meant details were very sketchy at the time.

[JimBHibees]

Terrific article spoilt by the fact he needed to nail his colours to the mast by re-iterating the big lie at the end which was totally out of the context of the piece.

What is the big lie you are referring to?