144-649: The Hillsborough disaster was a fatal crowd crush at a football match at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield , South Yorkshire , England, on 15 April 1989. It occurred during an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in the two standing-only central pens within the Leppings Lane stand allocated to Liverpool supporters. Shortly before kick-off, police match commander David Duckenfield ordered exit gate C to be opened in an attempt to ease crowding, which led to an influx of supporters entering
288-473: A crush barrier near the access tunnel was removed in 1986 to improve the flow of fans entering and exiting the central enclosure. After the crush in 1981, Hillsborough was not selected to host an FA Cup semi-final again until 1987. Significant overcrowding was observed at the ground during that year's quarter-final between Sheffield Wednesday and Coventry City , and again during the semi-final between Coventry City and Leeds United . The Leeds fans were assigned
432-506: A fluid , with individuals moved about by the pressure of those around them, and shockwaves can pass through the crowd as pressures within the crowd change. This can be highly dangerous, although some people actively seek this experience, such as at rock concerts or football matches, where the excitement, camaraderie, and literally "going with the flow" is for some an essential part of the experience, and activities like dancing and moshing are common. The danger inherent in these conditions
576-519: A persistent vegetative state showing no sign of improvement. This followed a legal challenge in the High Court by his family to have his treatment withdrawn, a landmark challenge which succeeded in November 1992. Andrew Devine, aged 22 at the time of the disaster, suffered similar injuries to Tony Bland and was also diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state. In March 1997 – just before
720-564: A requiem mass attended by 3,000 people was held by the Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool , Derek Worlock . The first reading was read by Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar. Liverpool players Ronnie Whelan , Steve Nicol , and former manager Joe Fagan carried the communion bread and wine. The FA chief executive Graham Kelly , who had attended the match, said the FA would conduct an inquiry into what had happened. Speaking after
864-551: A 30-minute postponement. The people still trapped in the pens were packed so tightly that many victims died of compressive asphyxia while standing. Meanwhile, on the pitch, police, stewards and members of the St John Ambulance service were overwhelmed. Many uninjured fans were assisting the injured; several attempted CPR and others tore down advertising hoardings to use as makeshift stretchers. SYP chief superintendent John Nesbit later briefed Michael Shersby MP, at
1008-660: A Police Federation meeting in October 1989, that allowing the fans to help with the rescue effort was a deliberate strategy "otherwise they might have turned their frustration on the police." The agreed protocol for the South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service (SYMAS) was that ambulances were to queue at the entrance to the gymnasium under the North Stand, termed the casualty reception point , or CRP. Any individuals within
1152-762: A charity version of the Gerry and the Pacemakers song " Ferry Cross the Mersey " was released in aid of those affected. The record was produced by Stock Aitken Waterman and featured Liverpool musicians Paul McCartney , Gerry Marsden (of the Pacemakers), Holly Johnson , and The Christians . It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 1 on 20 May, and remained at the top of the chart for three weeks. Despite having stronger ties to Liverpool F.C., Gerry and
1296-480: A congregation area for the police and stewards, and has not held fans since the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. The Owls Megastore is the official Sheffield Wednesday club shop, underneath the North Stand. It sells all the merchandise, and also the tickets for matchdays. It and the neighbouring ticket office were severely damaged in the Hillsborough Flood. The wall separating the ticket office and club shop
1440-407: A crowd can become so packed that people are crushed together to such an extent they can no longer breathe and are asphyxiated. Such crowd crushes can occur when a moving crowd is funneled into a smaller and smaller space, when it meets an obstacle (such as a dead end, or a locked door), or when an already densely packed crowd has an influx of people, causing a pressure wave toward those at the front of
1584-479: A crowd has swept over them where they have lain. It is believed that most major crowd disasters can be prevented by simple crowd management strategies. Crushes can be prevented by organization and traffic control, such as barriers. On the other hand, barriers in some cases may funnel the crowd toward an already-packed area, such as in the Hillsborough disaster. Hence barriers can be a solution in preventing or
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#17327932890931728-403: A crush is inexperienced security officers who assume that people's behaviour in a dense crowd is voluntary and dangerous, and start applying force or preventing people from moving in certain directions. In the 1989 Hillsborough disaster , some police and stewards were so concerned with what they saw as possible hooliganism that they took actions that actually made matters worse. There is risk of
1872-416: A crush when crowd density exceeds about five people per square meter. For a person in a crowd a signal of danger, and a warning to get out of the crowd if possible, is the sensation of being touched on all four sides. A later, more serious, warning is when one feels shock waves travelling through the crowd, due to people at the back pushing forward against people at the front with nowhere to go. Keith Still of
2016-433: A cult icon of Hillsborough Stadium and Sheffield Wednesday as a whole, loved by the fans for its retro looks and "T-fault", where a series of lights making a T shape light up between animations due to a wiring fault, which had not been fixed on purpose by the club both as a joke and also because of its love by the fans. One of the most popular "T-fault" situations was when announcing the score of fierce rivals Sheffield United –
2160-522: A design by Archibald Leitch . The stand had 5,600 seats as well as room for 11,000 standing fans. The clock was salvaged from the old stand and put on the new one. The modern stand has seen a series of improvements, the first being a conversion to an all-seated stand in 1965 ahead of the 1966 FIFA World Cup and latest being a major £7 million re-development for the Euro 1996 international competition when an upper tier ( Grandstand ) of 3,077 extra seats,
2304-481: A former Wednesday player. It was a Chesterfield player, Herbert Munday, who scored the first goal at the new stadium but Wednesday came back to win the game 5–1. Despite the location of the ground several miles outside the city boundaries and a poor public transport service the new ground averaged 3,000 supporters for the first three months. The ground was known as the Owlerton Stadium until 1914, when it
2448-504: A further seven turnstiles (lettered A to G) gave access to 10,100 standing places in the lower tier of the West Stand. Although a greater number of Liverpool supporters were expected to attend the match, Nottingham had been allocated the larger spectator area, to avoid the approach routes of rival fans crossing. As a result of the stadium layout and the segregation policy, the additional turnstiles that would normally have allowed access to
2592-578: A gesture of respect to the victims. During the final match of the 1988–89 English Football League season, contested on 26 May 1989 between Liverpool and second-place Arsenal , the Arsenal players presented flowers to fans in different parts of Anfield in memory of those who had died in the Hillsborough disaster. A disaster appeal fund was set up with donations of £500,000 from the UK Government , £100,000 from Liverpool F.C. and £25,000 each from
2736-471: A hill that was the scene of a battle in the Second Boer War . The Spion Kop is built into a natural hill at the east end of the ground and houses the most vocal of Wednesday's supporters. It is usually simply referred to by fans as The Kop. In 1914 concrete terracing was installed on the bank, which was further extended in 1927. The final expansion of the hill came in 1954. The stand remained open to
2880-478: A key factor in causing a crush. One problem is lack of feedback from people being crushed to the crowd pressing behind—feedback can instead be provided by police, organizers, or other observers, particularly raised observers, such as on platforms or horseback, who can survey the crowd and use loudspeakers to communicate and direct a crowd. In some cases it may be possible to take simple measures such as spreading movements out over time. A factor that may contribute to
3024-844: A large group of people all try to get away from a perceived risk to life. One study has calculated that there were 232 deaths and over 66,000 injuries in the ten years between 1992 and 2002 as a result of such incidents, but crowd scientists believe that such casualties are both vastly under-reported and increasing in frequency. One estimate is that only one in ten crowd injuries occurring in doorbuster sales are reported, while many, if not most, injuries at rock concerts go unreported. The average individual occupies an oval floorspace approximately 30 by 60 cm (1 by 2 ft), or 0.18 square metres (2 sq ft) and at densities of one to two per square metre (0.1 to 0.2/sq ft) individuals can move freely without contact. Even if people are moving quickly, at this density one can avoid obstacles, and
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#17327932890933168-432: A match. Two more gates (A and B) were subsequently opened to further relieve the pressure. After an initial rush, thousands of supporters entered the stadium "steadily at a fast walk". When the gates were opened, thousands of fans entered a narrow tunnel leading from the rear of the terrace into two overcrowded central pens (pens 3 and 4), creating pressure at the front. Hundreds of people were pressed against one another and
3312-402: A new roof, 30 executive boxes, two conference suites, a bar, a restaurant and a range of office space were added. Again, the clock was saved and put on the new stand. The South Stand still bears the original clock face and finial from the very first stand, which was brought from Olive Grove. The stand houses the main reception, media and hospitality boxes, Press box, Television gantry, as well as
3456-514: A new £150,000 stand. The new stand, designed by local firm Husband & Co, was 360 feet (110 m) in length. It was only the second stand in the country, after one at Scunthorpe United 's Old Showground , to be built with a cantilever roof and the first to run the full length of the pitch. It was opened on 23 August 1961 by Stanley Rous , secretary of the Football Association. The 10,008 capacity all-seater stand almost doubled
3600-439: A review of this event. The original South Stand was built in 1899–1903 and the current stand was built in 1913–15 and extended in 1995. The total stand capacity is 11,352 (all-seater). The largest stand at Hillsborough situated on the banks of the river Don. It has a large lower tier with 8,275 seats (including the directors box) and an upper tier known as the 'Grand Stand' with 3,077 seats. The nearest four blocks of seating to
3744-463: A safety certificate for the stadium in 1978 concluded that although it failed to meet the recommendations of the Green Guide , a guide to safety at sports grounds, the consequences were minor. It emphasised the general situation at Hillsborough was satisfactory compared with most grounds. Sheffield Wednesday were later criticised for neglecting safety in the stadium, especially after an incident in
3888-541: A similar capacity, with the South Stand being the largest and the West Stand (usually housing the away supporters) being the smallest. The ground was the scene of the Hillsborough disaster on 15 April 1989, in which 97 Liverpool fans were crushed to death at an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest . The subsequent Taylor Report into the disaster led to a series of long-overdue safety improvements at
4032-521: A stampede. People don't die because they panic. They panic because they are dying". Paul Torrens, a professor at the Center for Geospatial Information Science at the University of Maryland , remarks that "the idea of the hysterical mass is a myth". Incidents involving crowds are often reported by media as the results of panic. However, the scientific literature has explained how panic is a myth which
4176-462: A £22 million upgrade of the stadium and an increase in capacity to 44,825 from the current 39,732 with no viewing restrictions. These plans were to be completed by 2013 and would bring the stadium up to FIFA standards for hosting World Cup matches. Work has not started as of November 2018 with no confirmation on when, or even if, it will start. Planning permission was granted for the entire scheme on 20 October 2009 but due to England not winning
4320-470: Is a football stadium in the area of Owlerton , Sheffield , South Yorkshire , England. With a total capacity of 39,732, it has been the home of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club since opening in 1899. The ground has been substantially re-developed, with new stands on each side and the original South Stand re-built for UEFA Euro 1996 . It has two large two-tiered stands and two large single-tiered stands, all of which are covered. All four stands are of
4464-554: Is a loaded word as it apportions blame to the victims for behaving in an irrational, self-destructive, unthinking and uncaring manner, it's pure ignorance, and laziness ... It gives the impression that it was a mindless crowd only caring about themselves, and they were prepared to crush people. In virtually all situations it is usually the authorities to blame for poor planning, poor design, poor control, poor policing and mismanagement. Edwin Galea, professor of fire safety engineering at
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4608-400: Is continuing to restore its maximum capacity. During the 1898–99 season Sheffield Wednesday were told that the land rented at Olive Grove would be needed for railway expansions. They were allowed to remain there for the rest of that season but had to find a new ground for the next season. Several locations were considered but fell through for various reasons. An alternative was offered by
4752-607: Is included in the overall Spion Kop capacity of 11,210). The Kop Corner is a small filling section which is adjoined to the Main Spion Kop. It is the second largest area of the ground to remain uncovered, after the North West Corner. This corner is usually just referred to as part of the Spion Kop, as is its capacity, and it is rare to see it referred to as a separate area. The Kop Corner was a lot larger before
4896-421: Is mainly residential with a number of shops and a shopping centre located at nearby Hillsborough Corner. Views of the area can be enjoyed from hills located to the west. The stadium is sandwiched between Hillsborough Park to the south and terrace housing to the north. The River Don also runs alongside the stadium to the south. The Spion Kop backs straight onto Penistone Road, a major dual carriageway leading to
5040-427: Is still unable to gain a safety certificate and remains unused by fans. Television company Sky use the corner for their temporary studios and technical area for televised games. Prior to the start of the 2021–22 season, the club removed the seats from the terrace, suggesting that the club have officially mothballed the corner for the foreseeable future. Kop Corner was built in 1986 with a capacity of 400 (though this 400
5184-467: Is that the crowd will collapse in on itself or become so densely packed that individuals are crushed and asphyxiated. A crowd collapse occurs when a crowd is so dense that each individual is touching others all around and is, to an extent, supported by those around. This can occur whether the crowd is moving or stationary. If a person then falls, the support to those around is lost, while the pressure from those further out remains, causing people to fall into
5328-541: Is the Kop Corner). The original North West Terrace was built between 1919 and 1920 to adjoin both the North Stand and West Stand, but was demolished in early 1965 and replaced in mid 1966, in time for the 1966 World Cup . The terrace was not in use for two years, and seats were installed in 1991 along with the Leppings Lane terrace. The stand failed to gain a safety certificate for the 2007–08 season. In recent years it had only been used as overspill for away fans when both
5472-453: Is used to mislead the attention of the public from the real causes of crowd incidents, such as a crowd crush. In crowd collapse and crush incidents the most common cause of death is asphyxiation , caused either by vertical stacking, as people fall on top of one another, or by horizontal stacking, where people are crushed together or against an unyielding barrier. Victims can also exhibit fractures due to pressure, or trampling injuries, when
5616-678: Is well known amongst Wednesdayites as the location of Paul Gregory, aka 'Tango Man' on match days, along with his 'Wolverhampton Owls' flag and is often referred to as 'Tango's corner' by the Wednesdayites. The stadium control area is in the southwest area of the ground, between the South and West stands. The most dominant feature is the video scoreboard. The current scoreboard was installed in May 2015 and replaced an older electronic dot-matrix style electronic scoreboard. The old electronic scoreboard
5760-538: The Heysel Stadium disaster ) amongst many others. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Home Secretary Douglas Hurd visited Hillsborough the day after the disaster and met survivors. Anfield stadium was opened on the Sunday to allow fans to pay tribute to the dead. Thousands of fans visited and the stadium filled with flowers, scarves and other tributes. In the following days more than 200,000 people visited
5904-505: The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) to examine actions by police in the aftermath. The second coroner's inquests were held from 1 April 2014 to 26 April 2016. They ruled that the supporters were unlawfully killed owing to grossly negligent failures by police and ambulance services to fulfil their duty of care . The inquests also found that the design of the stadium contributed to
Hillsborough disaster - Misplaced Pages Continue
6048-498: The M62 motorway which resulted in minor traffic congestion. Between 2:30 pm and 2:40 pm, there was a build-up of supporters outside the turnstiles facing Leppings Lane, eager to enter the stadium before the game started. At 2:46 pm, the BBC's football commentator John Motson had already noticed the uneven distribution of people in the Leppings Lane pens, and while rehearsing for
6192-721: The Midland Railway Company but it did not meet the requirements of the club. Finally James Willis Dixon of Hillsborough House , owner of the Silversmiths James Dixon & Sons, offered a 10-acre (4.0 ha) site at Owlerton, a sparsely populated area of land to the northwest of the city. The land was part of the Hillsborough House estate which was being sold off by the Dixons. It was successfully bought for £5,000 plus costs. The soil
6336-462: The Panel explained in their report: The equipment was no use on the ambulance vehicle when critical early resuscitation was taking place some distance away on the pitch, behind the Leppings Lane end and in the gymnasium. Some ambulance crew did take equipment when they left their vehicle, but there was no systematic direction to do so, not all did, and none initially had been given any information about
6480-406: The University of Greenwich , England The term " stampede " is usually used in reference to animals that are fleeing a threat. Stampede events that involve humans are extremely rare and are unlikely to be fatal. According to Keith Still, professor of crowd science at Manchester Metropolitan University , "If you look at the analysis, I've not seen any instances of the cause of mass fatalities being
6624-428: The seating capacity of Hillsborough from 9,000 to 16,000. The ground held its first national cup final in 1977 when it played host to Everton and Aston Villa for a Football League Cup final replay. A crowd of 52,135 watched a 1–1 draw leading to another replay. At the end of the 1980s, the ground held three successive FA Cup semi-finals, ending with the events that changed the nature of football grounds throughout
6768-494: The "shrine" inside the stadium. The following Sunday, a link of football scarves spanning the 1 mile (1.6 km) distance across Stanley Park from Goodison Park to Anfield was created, with the final scarf in position at 3:06 pm. Elsewhere on the same day, a silence – opened with an air-raid siren at three o'clock – was held in central Nottingham with the colours of Forest, Liverpool and Wednesday adorning Nottingham Council House . At Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral ,
6912-457: The 'lens of hooliganism'. Three chartered trains had transported Liverpool supporters to Sheffield for the 1988 semi-final, but only one such train was provided in 1989. The 350 passengers arrived at the ground at about 2:20 pm. Many of the supporters wished to enjoy the day and were in no hurry to enter the stadium too early. Some were delayed by roadworks while crossing the Pennines on
7056-642: The 1883 crush known as the Victoria Hall disaster in Sunderland, England which killed 183 children, a law was passed in England which required all public entertainment venues to be equipped with doors that open outwards—for example, using crash bar latches that open when pushed. Crash bars are required by various building codes . Hillsborough Stadium UEFA [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Hillsborough Stadium
7200-401: The 1990–91 season. The lower tier terrace was converted to 2,294 seats and was re-opened prior to the start of the 1991–92 season. The North West Corner was the last section of the stand to be made all seated, adding another 1,337 seats to the existing structure. The old wooden seats in the upper tier were replaced with bigger plastic ones in 1997. During the 2012–13 season the first row of seats
7344-467: The 2012 2–0 win over Wycombe Wanderers, and most recently has been used as a base for Sky Sports when matches are broadcast The original stand, built at the turn of the 20th century, was a covered terrace housing up to 3,000 fans. In the 1920s this was joined by the North West terrace, before the Leppings Lane stand was replaced by a 12,000 capacity partially covered terrace. Before the 1966 World Cup
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#17327932890937488-501: The Bradford City stadium fire, Bradford City and Lincoln City , met for the first time since the 1985 disaster in a game that raised £25,000 for the Hillsborough fund. By the time the appeal closed in 1990, it had raised more than £12 million. Much of the money went to victims and relatives of those involved in the disaster and provided funds for a college course to improve the hospital phase of emergency care. In May 1989,
7632-513: The Fire Safety Engineering Group, University of Greenwich, said "Be aware of your surroundings. Look ahead. Listen to the crowd noise. If you start finding yourself in a crowd surge, wait for the surge to come, go with it, and move sideways. Keep moving with it and sideways, with it and sideways." Other recommendations include trying to remain upright, and keeping away from walls and other obstructions if possible. After
7776-455: The Leppings Lane end for the semi-final; one fan described disorganisation at the turnstiles and no steward or police direction inside the stadium, resulting in the crowd in one enclosure becoming so compressed that he was at times unable to raise and clap his hands. Other accounts told of fans having to be pulled to safety from above. Liverpool and Nottingham Forest met in the semi-final at Hillsborough in 1988, and fans again reported crushing at
7920-642: The Leppings Lane end. Liverpool lodged a complaint before the match in 1989. One supporter wrote to the Football Association and the Minister for Sport : "The whole area was packed solid to the point where it was impossible to move and where I, and others around me, felt considerable concern for personal safety." South Yorkshire Police (SYP) presence at the previous year's FA Cup semi-final (also between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest and also at Hillsborough Stadium) had been overseen by Chief Superintendent Brian L. Mole. Mole had supervised numerous police deployments at
8064-456: The North Stand from the east were not being used, and the Liverpool fans were forced to converge on the single entrance at Leppings Lane. On the day of the match, radio and television broadcasters were advising anyone without a ticket not to attend. Rather than establishing crowd safety as their top priority, the clubs, local authorities and police viewed their roles and responsibilities through
8208-438: The Pacemakers' earlier hit " You'll Never Walk Alone " was not used because it had recently been re-recorded for the Bradford City stadium fire appeal. By the disaster's 10th anniversary in 1999, at least three people who survived were known to have taken their own lives. Another survivor had spent eight years in psychiatric care. There were cases of alcoholism, drug abuse, and collapsed marriages involving people who had witnessed
8352-518: The Sheffield area were advised to seek treatment for their injuries at hospitals nearer to their homes. On 19 April, the death toll reached 95 when 14-year-old Lee Nicol died in hospital after being taken off life support. The death toll reached 96 in March 1993, when artificial feeding and hydration were withdrawn from 22-year-old Tony Bland after nearly four years, during which time he had remained in
8496-525: The Taylor Report. Crowd collapses and crushes Crowd collapses and crowd crushes are catastrophic incidents that can occur when a body of people becomes dangerously overcrowded. When numbers are up to about five people per square meter, the environment may feel cramped but manageable; when numbers reach between eight and ten people per square meter, individuals become pressed against each other and may be swept along against their will by
8640-450: The West Stand was demolished again and completely replaced by a two-tiered structure with 4,471 seats in the upper tier and retaining a standing terrace in the lower tier. After the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 the lower tier terrace was closed for two years and its fencing covered with blue tarp for the remainder of the 1988–89 season. The terrace remained closed and out of use for 1989–90, and its fences were removed entirely prior to
8784-469: The accuracy of that initial opinion." Popper had excluded the witness evidence of two qualified Merseyside doctors (Drs Ashton and Phillips) who had been inside the stadium on the day and who had been critical of the chaotic emergency response. The views of both were dismissed by the Taylor report. They both gave evidence at the 2016 Warrington inquests . Phillips stated that the exclusion of their evidence
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#17327932890938928-584: The aim of hosting World Cup matches. The playing surface was upgraded in 2015 to the Desso GrassMaster system, including a complete replacement of the under-soil heating and drainage systems, while the scoreboard was replaced by a modern 'big screen' prior to the 2015–16 season. The stadium previously played host to World Cup and European Championship football in 1966 and 1996 , respectively. The stadium's capacity has currently been temporarily reduced to 34,835 on safety grounds, although work
9072-402: The back wall, and more recently a large 'My Sheffield Jobs' seat covering appearing alongside their sponsorship of the North Stand. It is sponsored by Handley Brown. This corner is to be roofed, under the Hillsborough stadium Upgrade plans, yet no work has yet been done, due to owners of the nearby terraces complaining. This corner is commonly nicknamed the 'Crows Nest' by Wednesdayites. The corner
9216-407: The cantilever stand "interesting and unexpected". This is the only mention of a football ground in his Buildings of England series of architectural guides. The opinion of Simon Inglis , an historian of sports and architecture, is: "There is not a misplaced line in this remarkable stand. From any angle (it) is quite breathtaking. It is like an architect’s model from the 1950s of the dream stand of
9360-531: The centre of the pitch. Following the formal opening of the stand in August 1961, a celebration match was played on 22 October 1961 when Wednesday met Santos of Brazil with their new star Pele in the team. Pele's goal helped Santos to a 4–2 win. When opened, the stand held 10,000 but the capacity has been reduced more recently to make room for spectators with disabilities and also to widen the exit aisles for safety. The architectural critic Sir Nikolaus Pevsner called
9504-404: The chance of a crowd-related incident is minimal. Even at three or four people per square meter, the risk is low; however, at densities of five per square meter, it becomes more difficult for individuals to move, and at higher densities of six to seven per square meter, individuals become pressed against each other and can be unable to move voluntarily. At this point a crowd can begin to act like
9648-484: The circumstances of individual cases. Families believed that Popper was 'too close' to the police. After the verdicts Barry Devonside, who had lost his son, witnessed Popper hosting a celebration party with police officers. One of the individual cases where the circumstances of death were not fully resolved was that of Kevin Williams, the fifteen-year-old son of Anne Williams . Anne Williams, who died in 2013, rejected
9792-456: The cities of Liverpool, Sheffield, and Nottingham. The Liverpool F.C. donation was the amount the club would have received (as its share of the match income) had the semi-final gone ahead as planned. Within days, donations had passed £1 million, swelled by donations from individuals, schools and businesses. Other fundraising activities included a Factory Records benefit concert and several fundraising football matches. The two teams involved in
9936-519: The city centre, while there is some space between the West Stand and Leppings Lane. Sheffield Wednesday did not secure promotion to the Premier League in the 2015–16 season, and so some of the long-term upgrade plans have been delayed. However, in July 2017 some upgrade and improvement works commenced with completion before the first league home game in August 2017. Upgrades include an increase in
10080-473: The congregation area at the rear of the Kop and installation of a new bar at the rear of the Kop. A new printed banner was added over the Leppings Lane face of the West Stand. A new fire suppression systems in all concourse Kiosk. Addition of LED Perimeter boards. During the 2015–16 season the club installed a completely new EPOS system on the concourses. Sheffield Wednesday announced in the summer of 2009 plans for
10224-534: The coroner's decision that the Hillsborough victims, including her son, had died before 3:15 pm, citing witness statements that described him showing signs of life at 4:00 pm. She unsuccessfully appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in 2009. The Hillsborough Independent Panel considered the available evidence and stated that "the initial pathologist's opinion appeared definitive, but further authoritative opinions raised significant doubts about
10368-548: The countless people whose lives were changed forever. FA Cup semi-final Liverpool v Nottingham Forest. 15 April 1989. "You’ll never walk alone." The memorial suffered minor damage in the Hillsborough Flood ; however, it was easily and swiftly repaired. In 1996, Hillsborough was host to several fixtures at the Euro 96 competition and in particular was host to the Danish squad . The Danish fans endeared themselves to
10512-512: The country. On 15 April 1989, the ground was the scene of the worst tragedy in English sporting history when Liverpool faced Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi-final. During the match, 97 Liverpool fans were crushed to death. Official investigations criticised Sheffield Wednesday for not acting upon previous incidents (especially the 1981 FA Cup semi-final) that had shown the potential for crushing at Hillsborough. The Leppings Lane end of
10656-809: The crowd. In this situation those entering may be unaware of the effect on those in front and continue to press in. Examples of crushes are the Hillsborough disaster in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England in 1989, the Love Parade disaster in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany in 2010, the Astroworld Festival crowd crush in Houston, Texas, and the Itaewon Halloween crowd crush in Itaewon, Seoul, South Korea in 2022. Stampede
10800-492: The crush, and that supporters were not to blame for the dangerous conditions. Public anger over the actions of their force during the second inquests led to the suspension of the SYP chief constable , David Crompton, following the verdict. In June 2017, six people were charged with offences including manslaughter by gross negligence , misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice for their actions during and after
10944-568: The deceased. Families disputed the findings, and fought to have the case re-opened. In 1997 Lord Justice Stuart-Smith concluded that there was no justification for a new inquiry. Private prosecutions brought by the Hillsborough Family Support Group against Duckenfield and his deputy Bernard Murray failed in 2000. In 2009 a Hillsborough Independent Panel was formed to review the evidence. Reporting in 2012, it confirmed Taylor's 1990 criticisms and revealed details about
11088-499: The disaster inspired him to lead the team he supported as a boy and become a top professional football player. The oldest person to die at Hillsborough was 67-year-old Gerard Baron, an older brother of former Liverpool player Kevin Baron . Stephen Whittle is considered by some to be another victim of Hillsborough, as due to work commitments, he had sold his ticket to a friend (whom he and his family chose not to identify), who then died in
11232-469: The disaster, Kelly backed all-seater stadiums, saying "We must move fans away from the ritual of standing on terraces". Standing on terraces and the use of perimeter fencing around the pitch, the use of CCTV , the timing of football matches and policing of sporting events were factors for a subsequent inquiry to consider. UEFA President Jacques Georges caused controversy by describing the Liverpool supporters as "beasts", wrongly suggesting that hooliganism
11376-537: The disaster. The Crown Prosecution Service subsequently dropped all charges against one of the defendants. Hillsborough Stadium had been constructed in 1899 to house Sheffield Wednesday . It was selected by the Football Association (FA) as a neutral venue to host the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest football clubs. Kick-off was scheduled for 3:00 pm on 15 April 1989, and fans were advised to take up positions 15 minutes beforehand. At
11520-602: The disaster; the resulting feeling of survivor guilt is believed to be the main reason he took his own life at age 50 in February 2011. The majority of victims who died were from Liverpool (38) and Greater Merseyside (20). A further 20 were from counties adjacent to Merseyside. An additional three victims came from Sheffield with two more living in counties adjacent to South Yorkshire. The remaining 14 victims lived in other parts of England. Of those who died, 79 were aged under 30, 38 of whom were under 20, and all but three of
11664-453: The east on the Upper tier are used as the club's Family enclosure. The first South Stand was first built at Olive Grove , but moved with the club in the summer of 1899 to the new site at Owlerton where it was rebuilt brick by brick. The clock was also moved to Hillsborough. The modern stand, the oldest remaining stand at the ground, was built between 1913 and 1915 for a fee exceeding £17,000 to
11808-405: The eighth anniversary of the disaster – it was reported he had emerged from the condition and was able to communicate using a touch-sensitive pad, and he had been showing signs of awareness of his surroundings for up to three years before. Devine died in 2021, as a consequence of the injuries sustained at Hillsborough, with his death being ruled by the coroner to have been an unlawful killing, raising
11952-406: The elements until a roof was added in 1986 after fans raised money to contribute to the cost. When the roof was added, the stand was 'squared' off to make it symmetrical so that the roof was used fully. Due to this, the Kop was extended, so the capacity rose from 16,000 to 22,000. After the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, the stand's blue fences were at first retained. However, for the 1989–90 season,
12096-488: The emergency response appeared in the media. Their views were not "a maverick view from a disaffected minority but the considered opinion of the majority of professionals present from the outset." Condolences flooded in from across the world, led by the Queen . Other messages came from Pope John Paul II , US President George H. W. Bush , and the chief executive of Juventus (fans of Liverpool and Juventus had been involved in
12240-504: The events. The lingering effects of the disaster were seen as a cause, or contributory factor, in all of these. In total, ninety-seven people died as a result of injuries incurred during the disaster. Ninety-four people, aged from 10 to 67 years old, died on the day, either at the stadium, in the ambulances, or shortly after arrival at hospital. A total of 766 people were reported to have suffered injuries, among whom 300 were hospitalised. The less seriously injured survivors who did not live in
12384-404: The extent of police efforts to shift blame onto fans, the role of other emergency services and the error of the first coroner's inquests. The panel's report resulted in the previous findings of accidental death being quashed, and the creation of new coroner's inquests. It also produced two criminal investigations led by police in 2012: Operation Resolve to look into the causes of the disaster, and by
12528-493: The fencing by the weight of the crowd behind them. People entering were unaware of the problems at the front of the pens; police or stewards would normally stand at the entrance to the tunnel and, if the central pens reached capacity, they would direct people to the side pens, but that did not happen on this occasion, for reasons not fully explained. The match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest started at 3:00 pm, as scheduled. Fans were still streaming into pens 3 and 4 from
12672-404: The field to gain the attention of referee Ray Lewis , who stopped the match at 3:05:30. At this point, people were climbing the fence at the front of the pens in an effort to escape the crush and get to the pitchside. A small gate in the fence had been forced open and some fans managed to escape via this route, while others continued to climb over the fencing. Some were pulled to safety by people at
12816-421: The floods occurred in the close season. A memorial to the floods was unveiled on 25 June 2008 under the South Stand. The original North Stand was built in 1899–1903 and the current stand was built in 1960–61. It has a capacity of 9,255 seated. The current sponsor for 2018–19 is Chansiri. The North Stand is the third largest stand at the ground, running along the north side of the pitch. The original North Stand
12960-534: The following days and weeks, South Yorkshire Police (SYP) fed the press false stories suggesting that football hooliganism and drunkenness by Liverpool supporters had caused the disaster. Blaming Liverpool fans persisted even after the Taylor Report of 1990, which found that the main cause was a failure of crowd control by SYP. Following the Taylor Report, the Director of Public Prosecutions ruled there
13104-476: The front of the upper tier of the West Stand above the Leppings Lane terrace. The intensity of the crush broke more crush barriers on the terrace. Holes were made in the perimeter fencing by fans desperately attempting to rescue others. The crowd in the Leppings Lane terrace spilled onto the pitch, where the many injured and traumatised fans who had climbed to safety congregated. The football players were ushered to their dressing rooms and informed that there would be
13248-490: The front. New offices, dressing rooms, refreshment rooms and a billiard room were also part of the new stand. The second round tie went to a replay on 4 February 1914, which was held in front of a record home crowd of 43,000. However the match was remembered for the collapse of the new retaining wall at the Penistone Road end. It caused 70 injuries and caused the match to be suspended while the casualties were taken to
13392-493: The future, a space age stand." The original west stand was built around 1900 and the current stand was built in 1961–65 with a capacity of 6,658 seated. The West stand houses the visiting supporters at Hillsborough on match days. It is a two tier structure with 2,494 seats in the lower half, and 4,164 seats in the upper enclosure. The stand is adjoined to the North West Corner which has now had its seats removed and covered with tarpaulin. This stand has not been used for fans since
13536-533: The gates allowing egress to the pitch were painted white and kept open throughout all matches, including the Steel City derby on 21 November 1989. The Kop was the last part of the Wednesday ground to be converted to all-seater accommodation, the change finally coming in 1993 to comply with new FA Premier League regulations following the Taylor Report . The capacity was hence halved, but the Kop remains one of
13680-420: The ground and other large stadiums around the country, including the requirement for clubs in the top two divisions in England to have all-seater stadiums and the withdrawal of perimeter fencing around the pitch ; the latter had only been installed a few years prior to the disaster. The club's plans to renovate the stadium and expand the capacity to 44,825 have been approved by Sheffield City Council with
13824-477: The ground did not hold a valid safety certificate; it had not been updated since 1979. The recommendations of the Taylor Report led to a series of improvements to safety at grounds across the United Kingdom. The terraces at Hillsborough were converted to all seated accommodation over the following four years, and the fences around the pitch were replaced with low safety-barricades to allow incursion onto
13968-705: The ground was made all-seated was on 2 February 2000 in a Premier League game against Manchester United watched by 39,640 fans. In recent years, average attendances at Hillsborough have remained high relative to the lower leagues they have participated in: On 25 June 2007, the River Don burst its banks during a period of severe weather in the area and the whole ground was flooded with several feet of water. Changing rooms, restaurants and kitchens, offices and superstore were all affected, with repairs costing millions of pounds . The clean-up effort took months, although Sheffield Wednesday fixtures were only slightly affected as
14112-430: The ground's family enclosure, five modern refreshment kiosks and four bars. It also features concourse television sets relaying live coverage of the match as well as highlights at half-time . The team changing room and dug-outs are also situated here. Spion Kop was built in 1914 with a capacity of 11,210 (seated). In common with several large terraces at English football grounds, it was given this name by supporters, after
14256-501: The infirmary. During the postwar era, Hillsborough rose to be one of the top stadia in the country. It hosted 27 FA Cup semi-finals. In 1966, the stadium was one of the venues for the Football World Cup , hosting first-round matches involving West Germany , Argentina , Switzerland , and Spain , as well as a quarterfinal in which West Germany beat Uruguay 4–0. Demolition of the North Stand began in 1960 and work began on
14400-479: The installation of the Spion Kop roof in 1986, but a crane was needed to lift the roof, and the Kop Corner was destroyed so the crane could get in. Part of the corner was rebuilt, which is the present day area. Seats were installed in 1993 to correspond with the Taylor report, as was the rest of the Kop. This area was to be extended, and fully filled in under Sheffield Wednesday's ground renovation plans. The corner
14544-593: The largest single tier stands in Britain. A large concourse area was added in 2004, partially funded by the Owls Trust . North West Corner was originally built in 1919–20 and the current stand was built in January 1965 – May 1966. The North West Corner, or North West terrace as it is sometimes still referred to, despite now being all seated is the only major section of the stadium to remain uncovered (the other area
14688-463: The late 1950s when the club decided to build a brand new stand. The current North Stand was opened in 1961. It is only the second football stand in Britain to have a cantilever roof. Hence some fans know it as 'the cantilever'. It was the first stand in the country to run the entire length of the pitch. The first cantilever stand in English football at Scunthorpe United's Old Show Ground only covered
14832-472: The layout at the Leppings Lane end, dividing the terrace into three separate pens to restrict sideways movement. This particular change, and other later alterations to the stadium, invalidated the stadium's safety certificate which was not renewed, and the stated capacity of the stadium was never changed. The terrace was divided into five pens when the club was promoted to the First Division in 1984, and
14976-575: The local population with their fanatical support and exemplary behaviour, and were particularly popular amongst local landlords—a number of Sheffield public houses had to order emergency supplies of beer and cigarettes. In 1997 Hillsborough hosted the League Cup Final replay between Leicester City and Middlesbrough , won by Leicester 1–0. Later the same year Middlesbrough returned to Hillsborough for an FA Cup semi-final replay, in which they beat Chesterfield 3–0. The record attendance since
15120-442: The match off-air he had suggested a nearby cameraman look as well. "There's gaps, you know, in parts of the ground. Well, if you look at the Liverpool end, to the right of the goal, there's hardly anybody on those steps... that's it. Look down there." A bottleneck developed outside the stadium, with more fans arriving than could be safely filtered through the turnstiles before the 3:00 pm kick-off . People presenting tickets at
15264-401: The motion of the crowd. Under these conditions, the crowd may undergo a progressive collapse where the pressure pushes people off their feet, resulting in people being trampled or crushed by the weight of other people falling on top of them. At even higher densities, the pressure on each individual can cause them to be crushed or asphyxiated while still upright. Such incidents are invariably
15408-531: The officers who had been present at the disaster. Trevor Hicks, whose two daughters had been killed, described the verdicts as 'lawful' but 'immoral'. Popper's decision regarding the cut-off time was subsequently endorsed by the Divisional Court who considered it to have been justified in the light of the medical evidence available to him. Relatives later failed to have the inquests reopened to allow more scrutiny of police actions and closer examination of
15552-404: The pens, some believing this to be a pitch invasion. At approximately 3:04 pm, a shot from Liverpool's Peter Beardsley hit the crossbar ; possibly connected to the excitement, a surge in pen 3 caused one of its metal crush barriers to give way. Police superintendent Roger Greenwood (the most senior SYP officer in command inside the ground on the day) realised the situation, and ran onto
15696-610: The pens. This resulted in overcrowding of those pens and the fatal crush; with a total of 97 fatalities and 766 injuries, the disaster is the deadliest in British sporting history. Ninety-four people died on the day; one more died in hospital days later, another in 1993, and in 2021, a 97th who had suffered irreversible brain damage on the day. The match was abandoned and restaged at Old Trafford in Manchester on 7 May 1989; Liverpool won and went on to win that season's FA Cup . In
15840-457: The pitch. This indecision migrated to the first responders waiting in ambulances at the CRP, which quickly deteriorated into an ambulance car park . Some crews were hesitant to leave their vehicles, unsure of whether patients were coming to them, or vice versa. Others who did leave their vehicles were then faced with the obstacles inherent in placing distance between themselves and their equipment. As
15984-480: The playing surface in case of emergency. Outside the ground, near the main entrance on Parkside Road, is a memorial to the 96 fans that lost their lives at Hillsborough in 1989, during the FA Cup Semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. The memorial was unveiled on the tenth anniversary of the tragedy, 15 April 1999. It reads: In memory of the 96 men, women, and children who tragically died and
16128-418: The product of organizational failures, and most major crowd disasters could have been prevented by simple crowd management strategies. Such incidents can occur at large gatherings such as sporting, commercial, social, and religious events. The critical factor is crowd density rather than crowd size. Crowd collapses and crushes are often reported incorrectly as human stampedes , which typically occur when
16272-420: The rear entrance tunnel as the match began. For some time, problems at the front of the Liverpool central goal pens went largely unnoticed except by those inside the pens and a few police at that end of the pitch. Liverpool's goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar later reported that fans behind him were pleading to him for help as the situation worsened. At first, the police made attempts to stop people from spilling out of
16416-402: The safe passage of supporters into the ground, but the request to delay the kick-off by 20 minutes was declined. By this time, an estimated 5,000 fans were trying to enter through the turnstiles. Amid increasing safety concerns, and to avoid fatalities outside the ground, the police opened a large exit gate (Gate C) that ordinarily permitted the free flow of supporters departing the stadium after
16560-448: The safety of crowds penned within fences, including that "all exit gates should be manned at all times ... and capable of being opened immediately from the inside by anyone in an emergency". Hillsborough hosted five FA Cup semi-finals in the 1980s. During the 1981 semi-final between Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers , a crush occurred at the Leppings Lane end of the ground after hundreds more spectators were permitted to enter
16704-404: The scoreboard displayed "Shhhhhhhh...", then, after a brief pause, "T", and only then did it announce the score. Below the scoreboard is the stadium control building, where all the technical aspects of the stadium are controlled (e.g. lighting, announcements, CCTV). At the base of the area is a very small section of disused terrace, which has still not been converted to seating. It is only used as
16848-456: The semi-final match to Duckenfield, who had never commanded a sell-out football match before, and who had "very little, if any" training or personal experience in how to do so. As is common practice at domestic football matches in England, opposing supporters were segregated in and around the stadium. Nottingham Forest were allocated the South Stand and Spion Kop , with a combined capacity of 29,800 spectators, reached by 60 turnstiles spaced along
16992-587: The semi-final of the 1981 FA Cup. The Leppings Lane end of the ground did not hold a valid safety certificate at the time of the disaster; it had not been updated since 1979. Risks associated with confining fans in pens were highlighted by the Committee of Inquiry into Crowd Safety at Sports Grounds (the Popplewell inquiry) after the Bradford City stadium fire in May 1985. It made recommendations on
17136-551: The situation inside the stadium. A total of 42 ambulances arrived at the stadium. Two ambulances managed to make their way onto the pitch of their own accord, and a third entered the field at the direction of deputy chief ambulance officer Alan Hopkins, who felt its visibility might allay crowd concerns. The remaining 39 ambulances were collectively able to transport approximately 149 people to either Northern General Hospital , Royal Hallamshire Hospital , or Barnsley Hospital for treatment. The adverse comments of two doctors regarding
17280-403: The south and east sides of the ground. Liverpool were allocated the North Stand and West Stand, with a combined capacity of 24,256 spectators, reached by 23 turnstiles from a narrow concourse off Leppings Lane. Ten turnstiles (numbered 1 to 10) provided access to 9,700 seats in the North Stand, six turnstiles (numbered 11 to 16) provided access to 4,456 seats in the upper tier of the West Stand, and
17424-583: The stadium in the past. In October 1988 a probationary PC in Mole's F division, South Yorkshire was handcuffed, photographed, and stripped by fellow officers in a fake robbery, as a hazing prank. Four officers resigned and seven were disciplined over the incident. Chief Superintendent Mole himself was to be transferred to the Barnsley division for "career development reasons". The transfer was to be done with immediate effect on 27 March 1989. Meanwhile, Hillsborough
17568-425: The stadium that were seriously injured were to be delivered expeditiously by police and paramedics to the CRP to receive medical attention. The system of ferrying injured from any location within the stadium to the CRP required a formal declaration to be made by those in charge for it to take effect. As this declaration was not immediately performed, there was confusion among those attempting to administer aid on
17712-560: The stadium was a replay between West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers on 3 April 1912. A crowd of 20,050 saw an extra time goal give West Brom the win. This was followed by its first international on 10 April 1920. A match between England and Scotland was watched by 25,536. The game ended with England winning 5–4. The following two seasons saw Hillsborough host two more FA Cup semi-finals, both between Preston North End and Tottenham Hotspur . The crowds for these matches were 43,320 and 49,282 respectively. The highest ever attendance
17856-475: The surrounding area to the main entrance to Hillsborough Stadium. Several restaurants, such as Dooley's and the Sheridan Suite, are under the South Stand. Other areas include the 1867 Lounge, various bars, and a wide range of office space. Board rooms, meeting halls and business suites are also here. The stadium is located in the north west of the city roughly three miles from the city centre. The area
18000-469: The terrace than could safely be accommodated, resulting in 38 injuries, including broken arms, legs and ribs. Police believed there would have been a real chance of fatalities had swift action not been taken, and recommended that the club reduce its capacity. In a post-match briefing to discuss the incident, Sheffield Wednesday chairman Bert McGee remarked: "Bollocks – no one would have been killed". The incident nonetheless prompted Sheffield Wednesday to alter
18144-399: The time of the disaster most English football stadiums had high steel fencing between the spectators and the playing field in response to pitch invasions . Hooliganism had affected the sport for some years and was particularly virulent in England. From 1974, when these security standards were put in place, crushes occurred in several English stadiums. A report by Eastwood & Partners for
18288-438: The total death toll of the disaster to 97. Two sisters, three pairs of brothers, and a father and son were among those who died, as were two men about to become fathers for the first time: 25-year-old Steven Brown of Wrexham and 30-year-old Peter Thompson of Widnes . Jon-Paul Gilhooley, aged 10, was the youngest person to die. His cousin, Steven Gerrard , then aged 8, went on to become Liverpool F.C.'s captain. Gerrard has said
18432-495: The upper and lower tiers of the West Stand have been filled, however in the 2011–12 season, with Wednesday needing to better or match the result of their neighbours to gain promotion on the final day of the season, the Corner was opened to visiting Wycombe Wanderers fans, with the West Stand used by home supporters. Whilst not being used for seating, the Corner has recently been used as extra advertising space, with advertising boards on
18576-409: The victims were aged under 50. Inquests into the deaths were opened and adjourned immediately after the disaster. Resumed on 19 November 1990, they proved to be controversial. South Yorkshire coroner Stefan Popper limited the main inquests to events up to 3:15 pm on the day of the disaster – nine minutes after the match was halted and the crowd spilt onto the pitch. Popper said this was because
18720-465: The victims were either dead, or brain dead, by 3:15 pm. The decision angered the families, many of whom felt the inquests were unable to consider the response of the police and other emergency services after that time. The inquests returned verdicts of accidental death on 26 March 1991, much to the dismay of the bereaved families, who had been hoping for a verdict of unlawful killing or an open verdict, and for manslaughter charges to be brought against
18864-602: The void. This process is then repeated, causing a bigger void, and will progress until the pressure eases; meanwhile, those who have fallen are at risk of being smothered by the weight of bodies on top or being trampled as the crowd is swept over them. An example of a progressive crowd collapse was the 2015 Mina stampede in Mecca, Saudi Arabia during the Hajj when over 2,400 people were reported to have died. At even higher densities (up to ten people per square metre (0.93/sq ft))
19008-435: The wrong turnstiles, and those who had been refused entry, were blocked from leaving because of the crowd behind them and remained as an obstruction. Fans outside the ground could hear cheering as the teams came onto the pitch ten minutes before the start of the match, and as the match kicked off, but could not gain entrance. A police constable radioed control requesting that the game be delayed, as had happened in 1987, to ensure
19152-566: Was 72,841 on 17 February 1934 for an FA Cup 5th-round game against Manchester City . After the end of the 1912–13 season a record profit was announced by the club. The money was invested in a replacement for the Olive Grove stand on the south side of the stadium. The banking on the Spion Kop was also increased in size. The new south stand was completed in time for the first round of the FA Cup on 1 October 1913 against Notts County . It cost £18,000 and included 5,600 seats plus terracing at
19296-452: Was a 'serious error of judgement' by Popper. He said that he 'could not fathom why he didn't call us, other than he specifically did not want to hear our evidence, in which case the first inquests were coloured and flawed before they even started'. Ashton and Phillips were not the only doctors present at the disaster not to be called to give evidence to the Popper inquests. The only one called
19440-421: Was accepted as the FA Cup semi-final venue on 20 March 1989 by the Football Association. The first planning meeting for the semi-final took place on 22 March and was attended by newly promoted Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield, not by Mole. No known minutes exist of this meeting. Although Mole could have been assigned the semi-final match's planning despite his transfer, that was not done. This left planning for
19584-406: Was built between 1899 and 1903. It was unique at the time, as it had facilities for both men and women, and a slight semicircle which gave a good view of the pitch at any angle (though the supporting pillars did cause some obstruction). The area at the front of the stand was a grass bank until the early 1900s when it was made into a terrace. The stand was joined to the original North West Terrace until
19728-502: Was dumped at both ends of the ground to level out the ground which was initially meadowland covered with dandelions . The 2,000 capacity stand at Olive Grove was then transported to the new site and was joined by a newly built 3,000 capacity stand for the start of the next season. The first match to be played was on 2 September 1899 against Chesterfield . The match was kicked off by the Lord Mayor of Sheffield William Clegg , himself
19872-446: Was no evidence to justify prosecution of any individuals or institutions. The disaster led to a number of safety improvements in the largest English football grounds, notably the elimination of fenced standing terraces in favour of all-seater stadiums in the top two tiers of English football. The first coroner's inquests into the Hillsborough disaster, completed in 1991, concluded with verdicts of " accidental death " in respect of all
20016-404: Was one of the first electric scoreboards in an English football ground, installed in 1991 in time for the 1991–92 season. For the majority of the match, this showed the score and time, but as of the 2011–12 season, the board showed advertisements every few minutes. Before and after the match, information like team line-ups, fixtures, and other results were shown. The scoreboard had become somewhat of
20160-411: Was removed from the lower tier, after an incident involving Leeds United supporters when a minor pitch invasion took place. In the summer of 2013 small gates were installed at the front of the gangways for emergency access to the pitch. On 7 January 2023, an FA Cup tie with Newcastle United was marred by a failure of crowd management. The council announced a further reduction in capacity following
20304-430: Was renamed Hillsborough to coincide with a series of ground improvements. The ground took its new name from the newly created parliamentary constituency. The ground proved to be lucky for Wednesday with the first 8 years proving to be their most successful so far. They included their first league wins in the 1902–03 and 1903–04 . This was followed by a second FA Cup in 1907. The first FA Cup semi-final to be held at
20448-463: Was subsequently demolished, and a much larger Owls Megastore opened a few months later, with the ticket office now in one of the corners of the shop. Before the re-development, the Owls Megastore was two-storey, but it has now been changed to one. A bridge was built across the River Don in 1996, to provide access to the refurbished South Stand, ahead of Euro 96. It connects Parkside Road and
20592-586: Was the Sheffield Wednesday club doctor. After the disaster, Lord Justice Taylor was appointed to conduct an inquiry into the events. The Taylor Inquiry sat for a total of 31 days (between 15 May and 29 June 1989) and published two reports: an interim report (1 August 1989) which laid out the events of the day and immediate conclusions; and a final report (19 January 1990) which outlined general recommendations on football ground safety. The two publications together became known as
20736-492: Was the cause of the disaster, which had occurred less than four years after the Heysel Stadium disaster. His remarks led to Liverpool F.C. calling for his resignation, but he apologised on discovering hooliganism was not the cause. At the 1989 FA Cup Final between Liverpool and local rivals Everton , held just five weeks after the Hillsborough disaster, the players from both participating teams wore black armbands as
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