The Hillsborough Disaster: A critical analysis of the 1989 Taylor Report,

the 2012 Independent Panel's report and a discussion of the political and

cultural issues that surrounded each investigation.

Callum Hillier

12026611

University of South Wales

Faculty of Business and Society

B.A History HS3D001

Supervisor- Sharif Gemie

2

Contents

Page Number

Introduction 3.

Chapter 1- The Hillsborough disaster and its social and political context 5.

Chapter 2- The media, the government, social issues and the Taylor Report 10.

Chapter 3- The aftermath of the Taylor Report, 'Justice for the 96' and the 2012

Independent Panel's report 22.

Conclusion 31.

Bibliography 33

3

The Hillsborough Disaster: A critical analysis of the 1989 Taylor Report, the

2012 Independent Panel's report and a discussion of the political and cultural

issues that surrounded each investigation.

Introduction

On 15 April 1989, 96 people lost their lives in one single calamitous event. This was not as a result

of a natural disaster or a terrorist attack but instead this happened at a simple football match. During

the FA Cup Semi-Final between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, 96 Liverpool fans were crushed

to death in the Leppings Lane end of the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield. In the 26 years that

have followed the disaster there have been a number of investigations, debates and reports into what

exactly happened at Hillsborough and who was to blame. In this essay I will conduct a comparative

study into two of the most significant reports on the disaster namely: the 1989 Taylor Report and the

2012 Independent Panel's report. I will carefully study both investigations and explain the reasoning

behind them, what they found out, what evidence was available, how they compare and contrast and

what events came after their reports. As well as a detailed study of the reports I will also discuss the

political and cultural issues that surrounded them.

The media has had a huge role in the discussion of the Hillsborough disaster with newspapers such

as The Sun having an infamous part to play across the last two decades. Another important issue that

surrounded the reports was the political climate at the time. Despite there being a Conservative

government in both 1989 and 2012 the reactions from both are very different. As well as probing

the political and media correspondence that surround the reports I will also look at the social

situation that surrounded the investigations. It is interesting to see just how much Liverpool as a city

4

has developed and grown in the time between the two reports and whether these developments have

influenced the media's reporting of the disaster. It is important to remember when studying these

reports and the ongoing social political and cultural issues at that time that ultimately 96 people lost

their lives in tragic and avoidable circumstances. The Hillsborough disaster had a lasting effect on a

wide range of people whether they be a football fan, a member of the media or a figure in authority.

5

Chapter 1- The Hillsborough disaster and its social and political context

50,000 eager football fans travelled to the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield on April 15 1989 to

witness the FA Cup Semi-Final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest1. This number of fans

was not uncommon for an FA Cup Semi-Final and coincidentally both Liverpool and Nottingham

Forest had contested the same match at the same stage of the competition at Hillsborough just a

year previously. At the semi-final a year prior to the disaster there had been no reports of crowd

trouble and the directors at the stadium were confident that the 1989 semi-final would be as

uneventful as the previous year2. This was a period in which fans, the police and the government all

feared the spectre of 'football hooliganism'. The idea of the football hooligan is something that is

widely discussed in both the 1989/1990 Taylor Report and in the 2012 Independent Panel's report in

regards to Hillsborough and the Liverpool fans. In the years preceding the Hillsborough disaster the

spectre of the 'young, violent and often working-class' hooligan haunted the footballing world3. It

became an idea not only associated with football but also with working-class areas like Liverpool.

British football fans were slowly becoming the 'face' of world hooliganism and many in the foreign

media suggested that hooliganism was intrinsically linked with British football fans4. There were

several incidents during the 1970's and 1980's which convinced the foreign media that hooliganism

was an 'English disease'. There were incidents of hooliganism by British football fans during the

1974 UEFA Cup final between Feyernoord and Tottenham Hotspur as well as during the 1975

European Cup final contested by Leeds United and Bayern Munich. Although no fans died during

1 � Rogan Taylor, Andrew Ward, Tim Newburn The Day of the Hillsborough Disaster (Liverpool University Press

1995)- Taken from the Introduction

2 � The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th April 1989, Final Report'

P.P 4-5

3 � Dave Russell- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997)- P.191

4 � John Williams and Stephen Wagg- British Football and Social Change- (Leicester University Press 1991)- P.8

6

these incidents these acts by English football fans convinced the foreign media that hooliganism

was most definitely a British problem5. During the 1960's and beyond, many working-class people

were drawn to the freedom and excitement that live football attendance brings. Many of these

'Working-class' males were stuck in mundane and uninteresting jobs so the opportunity to go to the

football on the weekend was the most exciting part of their week6. Football was becoming ever

more popular with those under 20, many of whom were seen as some of the most problematic fans7.

s As the years went on and the Hillsborough loomed ever closer the issue of hooliganism in British

football was seemingly getting worse. Between 1978 and 1986 when hooliganism was seen to be

becoming ever more rife over 9.7 million supporters 'abandoned' attending football matches in

Britain8. This increase in behaviour of a violent nature led to attendances at matches across the

country falling( total league attendance in 1960-61 was 28,619,754 compared with just 16,488,577

in 1985-86)9. Many spectators already thought that football attendance was too expensive and

inconvenient and when combined with the fear of the hooligan this explains the drop in

attendance10

. Although hooliganism did contribute to the falling levels of attendance at matches

there are other factors that have to be considered including other forms of Saturday entertainment as

well as the increased coverage of football on the television. For example in 1964 the BBC launched

'Match of the Day' which provided football fans with concise highlights of each game on a

Saturday. At its launch in 1964 the programme drew an audience of 75,000 but by the early 1970's

5 � Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge

Publishing 2005) P.85

6 � IBID P.9

7 � Dave Russell- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997)- P.181

8 � IBID P.182

9 � IBID

10 � James Walvin-The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited – (Mainstream Publishing 1994) P.185

7

the viewing figures for the show had reached an audience of 12-13 million people each week11

.

Even before the Hillsborough Disaster there were several other stadium disasters that were believed

to have been caused by hooliganism. In 1971 66 people were crushed to death on a stairwell at the

Ibrox stadium in Glasgow. The events at Ibrox led to a demand for safer stands at football grounds

across the UK but this did not happen until after the Taylor report in 199012

. Instead of actually

doing something about the unsafe stands at stadiums blame was shifted onto football 'hooligans'.

Similarly in 1985 a fire broke out at the Valley Parade ground in Bradford killing 56 people. The

fire was unable to be put out due to stewards at the ground removing fire extinguishers from the

stand to prevent football hooligans from using them13

. The disasters in Glasgow and Bradford go to

show that although football hooligans were not always at fault they are often blamed for causing

such catastrophes. As football hooliganism was seen to be increasing so to was the media backlash

towards the offenders with many outlets attempting to dehumanise these fans by describing them as

'animals' and 'savages'14

. It is important to note that although the media continually published

articles that claimed that football hooliganism was on the rise in fact during the 1980's the arrest

rate at football matches was decreasing. During the 1984/1985 season there was an arrest rate of

0.34 per every 1000 spectators attending football matches. However during the following season

arrest rates dropped by a staggering 51 percent showing that the problem was decreasing and not in

fact getting worse15

. However despite the figures showing that football hooliganism and arrest rates

11 � Dave Russell- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997)- P.195

12 � Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge

Publishing 2005) P.17

13 � IBID P.18

14 � Eric Dunning, Patrick Murphy and John Williams The Roots of Football Hooliganism- an Historical and

Sociological study- (Routledge & Kegan Paul Publishing 1988) P.8

15 � Phil Scraton-Hillsborough The Truth - (Mainstream Publishing 2009)- P.33

8

at matches were declining the media seemed determined to continually perpetuate the idea of an air

of 'hooligan hysteria' surrounding football during the years prior to Hillsborough. For example in

1975 there were rumours that there could be clashes between West Ham Manchester United fans

outside the Upton Park stadium in London. Due to these rumours an extra police presence was

brought in and over 100 fans were arrested. Despite there being little actual trouble The Sun went

with the headline 'The Day The Terrace Terrors Were Hunted Like Animals and Hammered'16

. The

headline shows that despite there being very little hooligan related activity the media were often

very quick to suggest that there was. The media's obsession with the football hooligan is something

that would play a vital role in their reporting of the Hillsborough Disaster in the aftermath of the

event. One of the groups of football fans that were particularly targeted by the media during the

1980's were Liverpool fans. In May 1985 the European Cup final was contested between Italian

footballing giants Juventus and Liverpool at the Heysel stadium in Belgium. On the streets of

Brussels before the match there were several incidents of violence that sparked the issues that led to

the disaster in the stadium. A Liverpool supporter was stabbed by a group of Juventus fans, a

jewellery shop was robbed by a group of Liverpool fans and the two sides exchanged in the

throwing of bottles and stones at one another17

. As the match kicked off several Liverpool fans

attempted to enter the stand containing the Juventus fans which led to violence and a subsequent

crush which killed 38 members of the Italian support. This was a disaster that affected the entire

spectrum of English football with all British clubs being banned from European competition for a

number of years18

. The disaster led to much criticism of Liverpool fans from the press which would

play a vital role in the coverage of the Hillsborough disaster. For example in the News on Sunday

16 � Eric Dunning, Patrick Murphy and John Williams The Roots of Football Hooliganism- an Historical and

Sociological study- (Routledge & Kegan Paul Publishing 1988) P.P 176-177

17 � Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge

Publishing 2005) P.78

18 � Phil Scraton-Hillsborough The Truth - (Mainstream Publishing 2009)- P.30

9

newspaper in 1987 an article was published which described Liverpool fans as 'evil scum'19

. The

Heysel disaster and the aftermath surrounding it sets the scene well for the Hillsborough disaster.

The media attempted to make connections between the incidents in Brussels and Sheffield in order

to create a highly sensationalist feeling of controversy in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster.

In the next section of this piece I will discuss in the depth the Taylor Report and the role the media,

the government and the police played in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.

19 � Chris Rowland From Where I Was Standing- A Liverpool Supporters View of the Heysel Tragedy- (GPRF

Publishing 2009)- http://tomkinstimes.com/2013/05/heysel-25-years-on-book-extract/

10

Chapter 2-The media, the government, social issues and the Taylor Report

The Hillsborough disaster will go down as one of the worst disasters in modern British history. In

fact Hillsborough is still to this day the most deadly football stadium disaster in terms of the number

of deaths20

. Since the first stadium disaster in Glasgow in 1902 there have been a total of 251 deaths

and 96 of these deaths occurred at Hillsborough making it the most deadly stadium disaster in

history21

. A disaster at this scale was bound to create a large amount of different reactions whether

they be of grief, blame or anger. In this chapter I will explore these reactions including those of the

media, the Thatcher government, the families of the deceased and the official report into the disaster

conducted by Lord Justice Taylor in 1989.

The immediate reaction to the disaster was conveyed across all forms of media. As soon as the

disaster occurred the police immediately placed the blame on the Liverpool fans themselves.

Rumours of 'a door being broken down' were quickly conveyed by the police and reported by the

20 � John Williams and Stephen Wagg- British Football and Social Change- (Leicester University Press 1991)- P.4

21 � Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge

Publishing 2005) P.2

11

BBC as early as 3.40 p.m. on the day of the disaster(less than an hour after it had occurred)22

. The

police had sent suggestions to the press that Liverpool fans had broken down a door to the Leppings

Lane stand in order to take their place on the already crowded terrace. This influx of fans onto the

stand subsequently increased the pressure on the already over capacity stand which led to the fatal

crush. This was one of the many lies perpetuated by the police in the aftermath of the disaster. This

early lie presented by the officer in charge of the event, David Duckenfield would set the tone for

the media's reporting of the disaster for the next few months. The role of Duckenfield in the

Hillsborough disaster cannot be underestimated. As had been the norm for several years the F.A

Cup was supposed to be commanded by experienced official Chief Superintendent Brian Mole.

However just weeks before the game was due to be played Mole was transferred from the Sheffield

force to Barnsley. This lead to Duckenfield being put in charge of the match despite his 'minimal

appropriate professional experience'23

. Duckenfield's lack of experience and his lack of urgency to

relieve the pressure at the Leppings Lane end has led to him becoming the scapegoat for the disaster

amongst the families of the victims. He is also widely despised for the numerous lies he told to the

media in the aftermath of the disaster. Duckenfield simply created these myths about Hillsborough

in order to deflect blame away from himself and his officers and place it onto the shoulders of the

Liverpool fans24

. His role at Hillsborough is something that is covered in detail in the Taylor

Report. Duckenfield's lie about Liverpool fans 'breaking down a gate' led to huge media speculation

about the role of the Liverpool fans in the disaster. There soon became a 'mass hysteria' in the press

which accused Liverpool fans of being 'drunk, ticketless' and wanting to cause trouble at the match.

In the Sunday Mirror it was reported that between 3000 and 4000 Liverpool fans arrived at the

22 � Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P.115

23 � IBID P.19

24 � IBID P.115

12

match without tickets and they attempted to 'force through the turnstiles'25

. Other newspapers like

the Liverpool Daily Post accused fans of 'yobbism' and that they had in fact crushed to death their

fellow scousers26

. In the local newspapers in Sheffield the blame was placed solely on the shoulders

of Liverpool fans. In the Sheffield Star there were reports that Liverpool fans had 'mounted a fatal

charge' into the stadium and had 'forced their way into the ground'. However these allegations

against Liverpool fans slowly became more and more extreme. The Sheffield Star reported on the

18th

of April that Liverpool fans had 'stolen from the dead', 'drunkenly attacked and urinated on the

police' and they had allegedly threatened the emergency personnel who were attending to the

victims of the disaster27

. These views presented by the Sheffield Star started to become shared

widespread across all major news platforms including the BBC and eventually The Sun. The

headline infamously used by The Sun was 'The Truth' however originally the editor of the

newspaper Kelvin Mackenzie wanted to use a far more controversial headline 'You Scum'. The

newspaper had echoed the statements used in the Sheffield Star with accusations of violence,

yobbery, pickpocketing and urination all included28

. The Sun is still despised today all across

Merseyside despite their attempts to make amends and apologise in recent years. In fact as recently

as last year there were notable issues between Merseyside and the newspaper. As part of the

publications' 50th

anniversary they planned on delivering free copies of the paper all across the UK.

However several postal workers across Merseyside refused to deliver this service and subsequently

The Sun decided not to send these free newspapers to Liverpool at all29

. Another idea to consider

when studying the Hillsborough disaster is the role the city of Liverpool played.

25 � IBID P.116

26 � IBID P.117

27 � IBID P.117

28 � IBID P.118

29 � http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-27761336 Date Accessed 17/02/2015

13

During the 1980's Liverpool and indeed Merseyside was a city in the midst of change. Under the

Thatcher government Liverpool went through a long period of economic depression. The city faced

the biggest wave of unemployment since the great depression of the 1930's and it soon became a

place associated with crime and violence. In 1983 88,000 people in Liverpool alone were registered

as unemployed. Across the city poverty and joblessness were far too common. In 1983 one in five

people in Liverpool were on the dole. Nationally the problem of unemployment was hugely

significant and Liverpool was one of the worst affected areas30

. One of the biggest causes of

unemployment in Liverpool was the decline of the port in the city. The port had been in decline for

a number of years due to in large part the loss of the British empire. 'It is certain that world

economics as a whole did to Liverpool what the abolition of the slave trade and ship canal were

unable to do- it deprived the port of its shipping'31

. It was as a city filled with 'depressed and

unattractive housing' which made it difficult to attract workers from other parts of the country to

come and earn a living there. It was estimated that during the early 1980's over one third of the

inner-city population of Liverpool lived in high-rise estates which were often described as

'wastelands'32

. Liverpool was seen to be the 'flagship' of urban decay across Britain33

. Many people

left the inner city and moved to areas outside the centre which many felt had ripped out the heart of

Liverpool. During this period the government attempted to improve housing in the city centre of

Liverpool by tearing down the areas they felt were 'slum-like' and to replace them with new council

estates instead. However this involved moving thousands of people out of their homes whilst the

new structures were being built. Liverpudlian writer Beryl Bainbridge described these new estates

30 � http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1983/jul/04/liverpool-unemployment- Date Accessed

23/02/2015

31 � Peter Aughton Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008)- P.P 283

32 � IBID P.285

33 � James Walvin-The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited – (Mainstream Publishing 1994) P.188

14

as being similar to 'concentration camps' in appearance34

. These new unattractive houses coupled

with the unemployment issues in Liverpool led to many people leaving the city altogether(an

estimated 12,000 people were leaving the city each year during the 1980's)35

. There were also

several riots across Merseyside in this era with the most significant being the Toxteth riots of 1981.

It led to 500 arrests, 468 injured police officers and £11 million worth of damage36

. Furthermore

during the 1980's Liverpool started to develop a link with drugs and specifically heroin. In one of

the area's biggest towns the Wirral heroin use was at its peak during the eighties. It was estimated

by local radio that 50 percent of people in the Wirral between 14 and 25 were using or had used

heroin at some point37

. There is also a link between the number of people unemployed in an area

during the 1980's and the amount of heroin being used. For example in areas where unemployment

figures were at their highest in Liverpool(2000 out of 10,000 men unemployed) 0.7% of the

population were heroin users. However in contrast in areas where unemployment was

comparatively lower (only 6% out of 1300 men unemployed) there were no known users of the

drug38

. The media quickly jumped on these accusations about Merseyside and the area was dubbed

'Smack City' in several newspapers including The Observer. Just like during their reporting of the

Hillsborough there were also ludicrous headlines published about the heroin problem in Liverpool.

It was even reported in The Times that there had been heroin found in school dinners across

Liverpool and even that heroin was available outside of schools hidden in ice cream cones39

. As

34 � IBID P.285

35 � http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1983/jul/04/liverpool-unemployment- Date Accessed

23/02/2015

36 � Peter Aughton Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008)- P.P 283-286

37 � Howard Parker, Keith Bakx and Russell Newcombe- Living With Heroin (Open University Press 1988) P.7

38 � IBID P.19

39 � IBID P.7

15

James Walvin puts it 'Football was seen as a symptom of Britain's problems'40

. Due to the media

associating football with working class people and consequently a working class area such as

Liverpool with drug use and other crimes it is easy to see why a link was made between football

and Britain's problems.

The government's reaction to Hillsborough was also quite interesting. It is well known that the

majority of the population of Liverpool disliked Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher due to her role

in the decline of the city during her tenure. In fact by 1986 there were only 2 conservative

councillors out of 99 on the city council in Liverpool41

. During the eighties there had been some

attempts by government ministers to improve life in the city. One of the most famous politicians

who attempted to help Liverpool in the eighties was Michael Heseltine. After the riots in Toxteth in

1981 Heseltine spent three weeks in Liverpool in an attempt to see just what was wrong with the

city. He once remarked that during this period he saw 'some of the worst housing conditions in

Western Europe'. He attempted under Thatcher to get enough money from the treasury to help

rebuild Liverpool but unfortunately for him he was unsuccessful at this time42

. However in the

thirty years since then Heseltine has worked tirelessly to help regenerate Liverpool. In fact he was

so successful that he was given the prestigious honour of having the 'freedom of Liverpool' in

201243

. It is interesting to note that Margaret Thatcher never actually conveyed her opinion on

Hillsborough publically. However it is believed that Thatcher 'despised' football and that she would

not allow anyone who was interested in football to be a part of her cabinet44

. Thatcher attended the

40 � James Walvin The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited- (Mainstream Publishing 1994) P.189

41 � Peter Aughton Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008)- P.P 284

42 � Peter Jenkins Mrs Thatcher's Revolution (Pan Books LTD 1989) P.P 193-194

43 � http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/mar/13/michael-heseltine-liverpool-freeman-margaret-

thatcher- Date Accessed 18/02/2015

44

16

stadium the day after the disaster occurred and was informed by her press secretary Sir Bernard

Ingham that 'there would have been no Hillsborough if a mob who were clearly tanked up had not

tried to force their way into the ground'45

. Ingham truly believed that Liverpool fans caused the

tragedy at Hillsborough. He was sent a letter by Dolores Steele(her son Philip died at Hillsborough)

shortly after the disaster and in his reply he stated that 'a tanked up mob caused your son's death'

and that 'they are the guilty ones'46

. Thatcher had been highly critical of football hooliganism in the

years prior to Hillsborough. In some cases such as in Luton in the 1986-1987 season, away fans

were banned from the stadium altogether in a bid to curb Hooliganism. This measure led to there

being no arrests in that season and the costs of employing police went down by twenty-five percent.

This was a measure highly supported by Thatcher who intervened when the Football Association

attempted to ban Luton from playing in the League Cup47

. Thatcher attempted to get the Football

Association to change their decision and allow Luton into the cup but they refused. Although the

views that Thatcher held personally about Hillsborough are unclear it is well known that she was

critical of the Taylor report and his criticisms of the police. During the Independent Panel's

investigation into Hillsborough a hand written note by Thatcher was discovered in which she

expressed concern about the Taylor Report's criticisms of police. Thatcher did not want to give the

government's full backing towards the report because it gave a 'devastating criticism of the police'48

.

The Taylor Report 1989/1990

� Paul Darby, Martin Johnes and Gavin Mellor Soccer and Disaster- International Perspectives (Routledge

Publishing 2005) P.19

45 � IBID P.60

46 � Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P.P 119-120

47 � Dave Russell- Football and the English- (Carnegie Publishing 1997) P.227

48 � http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/margaret-thatcher-role-aftermath-hillsborough-3416839-

Date Accessed 23/02/2015

17

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster it was decided that a full governmental investigation into

the disaster would be opened. The enquiry led by Taylor intended to 'Inquire into the events at

Sheffield Wednesday Football Ground on 15 April 1989 and to make recommendations about the

needs of crowd control and safety at sports events'49

. Taylor as well as being a well-respected judge

was also a man with a 'well-known personal interest in football'50

. In the early days of his

investigation Taylor made it clear that he merely wanted to discover the facts about Hillsborough

and he did not want to place unequivocal blame on any party51

. Taylor was able to create his report

with the help of 174 witnesses at public hearings held throughout May and June of 198952

. There

was also a telephone number set up for the public to call in with any other relevant information

which yielded 2666 calls53

. There were also 3,776 statements made by various members of the

public and the police force as well as 1,550 letters sent to Taylor himself. Taylor stated that 'From

this mass it was essential to select only sufficient good and reliable evidence necessary to establish

the facts and causes of the disaster'54

. Taylor then published his findings across two reports the

first(the Interim Report) dealing with the Hillsborough disaster itself and the second which aimed to

assist all British football grounds into creating a safer experience for fans at live matches. The

report that is of immediate interest to me is the interim report which was published on 1 August

49 � The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th April 1989, Final Report'

P.1

50 � Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 122

51 � IBID P.123

52 � The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th April 1989, Final Report'

P.1

53 � Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 122

54 � IBID

18

1989. Taylor's first main conclusion was that the reason the crush occurred on the Leppings Lane

terrace was due to gate C being opened which allowed over 2000 more Liverpool fans to gain

access to the terrace55

. This led to pens 3 and 4 becoming 'grossly overcrowded' and this increased

pressure ultimately caused the crush56

.

During the mid 1980's many stands in stadiums such as Hillsborough had been divided into pens

and barriers had been put in place to stop violence amongst fans and to quell the possibility of fans

invading the pitch. Taylor stated in his report that these pens also played a part in Hillsborough

because not only did they limit the fans' movement on the stands but they also encouraged more

fans to try and gain access to these smaller more discreet areas without tickets57

. The pens led to

crowds cramming into stadiums which were 'ill-designed to cope' with such large numbers in such

small spaces58

. Taylor also concludes that the police took a laissez-faire attitude towards their role

as stewards of the Leppings Lane terrace on the day and that this attitude was 'both bad in theory

and in practice'59

. The police after the disaster claimed that they let the fans 'find their own level'

meaning that they didn't encourage them to go to the less crowded areas of the stand but instead

they let them go where they wanted. This approach contrasted with the tough crackdown on football

hooliganism in the years prior to Hillsborough. You would think that the police would want to keep

55

1. � Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'-

http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P. 13 Date Accessed- March

25th 2014

56 � IBID P.20

57 � IBID P.23

58 � James Walvin 'The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited' – Mainstream Publishing 1994 P.187

59

2. � Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'-

http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P.P 30-31 Date Accessed-

March 25th 2014

19

a high level of control over the fans rather than to just let them do what they want whilst on the

terrace. In the interim report Taylor also addressed the rumours that had been circulating about the

Liverpool fans in the months between the disaster and the publishing of his report. He found that

although some Liverpool fans were drunk the vast majority were 'not drunk or even the worse for

drink'. Taylor believed that many officers simply overestimated the level of drunkenness of the

Liverpool fans due to the severity of the situation at Hillsborough60

. Although Taylor noted that

some Liverpool fans had drank enough to 'affect their mood' this wasn't conclusive enough to say

that a majority had been drunk. Taylor also addressed the allegations that many Liverpool fans

turned up to the stadium without tickets. Taylor noted that although some fans were seen asking

around the stadium for tickets this wasn't a significant number of the Liverpool support. He states

that although there may have been some fans without tickets this did not play any part in the crush.

The drunken and ticket-less fans may not have made the police's job easier on the day but they

ultimately did not cause the crush on the terrace61

. Furthermore Taylor dismisses the theories found

in the press about Liverpool fans urinating on and stealing from the dead. Taylor could find no

credible sources to back up such claims62

. Ultimately Taylor comes to the conclusion that the fault

at Hillsborough had to be given to the police and not to the Liverpool fans. It is stated by Taylor that

putting David Duckenfield in charge of the event just three weeks before it went ahead was a costly

mistake63

. Duckenfield along with his officers at Hillsborough were unprepared for the huge influx

of fans through the turnstiles and they simply panicked and misinterpreted the situation on the stand

as a pitch invasion rather than a crush. He states that there was a lack of communication between

Duckenfield and his fellow officers which led to the overcrowding on the stand. Taylor believed

60 � IBID P.34

61 � IBID P.36

62 � IBID P.44

63 � IBID P.49

20

that Duckenfield lied to the media about Liverpool fans breaking down a gate because he could not

bear to face up to the situation that he had failed to deal with adequately64

. Although Duckenfield at

the time did apologize for blaming the Liverpool fans he failed to admit that it was the police's fault.

This admittance of guilt was not expressed by Duckenfield until 2015 in the aftermath of the

Independent Panel's reopening of the Hillsborough case65

. Regarding the fear of hooliganism Taylor

stated that there was an 'imbalance' between the police's desire to 'quell troublemakers' and their

duty to 'secure the safety and comfort of the majority'66

. Despite Taylor placing a huge amount of

blame onto the police he also states that the outside of the stadium was poorly signposted and that

there had been doubts about the stadium being an appropriate venue for such a big match67

.

Although Taylor was critical of the police's role at Hillsborough he only had glowing praise for the

other emergency services and their role in the aftermath of the disaster. He expressed that St John's

Ambulances reacted swiftly to the situation and nothing more could have been done to save the

lives of the 96 at Hillsborough68

.

Taylor's interim report was met by a huge wave of contrasting emotions and reactions. Many

Liverpool fans were happy that Taylor had placed the blame on the police and not on the Liverpool

fans themselves69

. However there were some criticisms of Taylor many of which in regards to his

64 � IBID P.50

65 � http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-31850599 Date Accessed 12/03/2015

66

3. � Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'-

http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P.31 Date Accessed- March

25th 2014

67

4. � IBID P.52

68 � P.53

69 � Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 124

21

praise of the emergency services. Taylor stated that although defibrillators could have been used to

save lives they could have also been a threat to the people around them70

. Several family members

of the victims at Hillsborough were shocked by this revelation and were appalled that Taylor simply

brushed over the fact that lives could have been saved71

. There was also some criticism towards

Taylor in regards to his attitude towards the grieving families after the event. The majority of the

bodies of those who died were moved to the gymnasium located within the stadium so family

members could go there and identify their loved ones. A remark Taylor made in his report caused

much upset amongst Liverpool supporters 'There was intense distress amongst the injured and the

bereaved; relatives were reluctant to be parted from the dead and sought to revive them...there were

scuffles. Some of these involved those who were the worse for drink' This was seen as hugely

insensitive on Taylor's part because he may have overlooked the obvious reason for this distress

which was grief rather than drunkenness72

. However on the whole the families of the victims were

satisfied with Taylor's findings and they hoped they'd get justice in the inquests in the following

years. However the Thatcher government were far from happy with Taylor's conclusions. They

presumed that Taylor would follow the government's line in blaming drunken hooligans for the

disaster rather than taking an independent view on the disaster73

. Similarly the South Yorkshire

police were outraged by Taylor's claims and they felt his comments had been 'savage' and 'harsh'.

They just like the families of the victims hoped that they would too get justice in the inquests

70

5. � Lord Justice Taylor 'Hillsborough the Interim Report'-

http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/docs/HWP000000180001.pdf P.53 Date Accessed- March

25th 2014

71 � Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 127

72 � IBID P.128

73 � James Walvin-The People's Game- The History of Football Revisited – (Mainstream Publishing 1994) P.197

22

following the Taylor report74

. In the next chapter I will discuss the years following the Taylor report

and will look at the inquests and the eventual reopening of the case and the subsequent report that

followed in 2012.

Chapter 3- The aftermath of the Taylor Report, 'Justice for the 96' and the 2012

Independent Panel's report

The aftermath of the Taylor Report

In the immediate aftermath of the release of the Taylor Report inquests were opened into the deaths

74 � Phil Scraton 'Hillsborough The Truth'- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 131

23

of the 95 who had died at Hillsborough(The 96th

victim Tony Bland was on life support until March

1993 until he succumbed to his injuries). The families of the victims hoped that justice would

finally be done and charges would be brought against the South Yorkshire Police force. Despite the

Taylor Report concluding that no blame could be placed upon Liverpool fans the myth about the

fans being drunk at Hillsborough came to the forefront once again during these inquests. Tests at the

inquest concluded that 51 of the 96 who died at Hillsborough had been drinking and one sixth of the

fans were too drunk to drive. Once again The Sun newspaper was heavily involved in the coverage

of the inquests and led with the headline '15 Hillsborough Dead Too Drunk for Driving'75

. Once

again the officers at the inquest continued to claim that a large number of the Liverpool fans were

drunk 'One officer had never seen such a quantity of a crowd in possession of drink'. The families of

several of the victims felt cheated at the inquest because they felt that having individual inquests

regarding each victim of Hillsborough would be far fairer than by just having one big investigation.

One of the most controversial aspects of the inquests was that the coroner refused to listen to any

evidence that referred to events after 3.15 PM on the day of the disaster. Despite much of the

evidence pointing to the fact that many of the victims died after this time the coroner refused to

listen. He argued that the damage had already been done prior to this time so even if some of the

victims had not died it was only a matter of time. This decision by the coroner Dr Stefan Popper did

not allow families to raise any questions about when and why their loved ones died76

. Ultimately no

charges were brought again David Duckenfield nor the South Yorkshire Police at the inquest and a

verdict of 'accidental death' was decided regarding the Hillsborough disaster77

.

75 � IBID P.140

76 � IBID P.P 145-146

77 � IBID P.152

24

The Fight for Justice

For the families of the deceased at Hillsborough the results of the inquest were highly upsetting and

disheartening. The inquests had done nothing to provide answers and obtain justice instead they

merely opened up more questions78

. During the 1990's there were numerous attempts by the

families of the Hillsborough victims to reopen the case in order to get justice. In 1993 six families

opened an application for a judicial review into the inquests on the grounds of 'irregularity of

proceedings, insufficiency of inquiry and the emergence of new facts and evidence'. However once

again the judge Lord Justice McCowan ruled in favour of the coroner and the police and he refused

to reopen the investigation. Lord McCowan stated that Popper had made a full inquiry and that

nothing could be gained by reopening the case79

. The issue of the 3.15 cut off point was something

that was very controversial within the media during the 1990's. It was felt by the families of the

victims that the cut off point did not allow individual cases to be considered. Despite the findings of

the Taylor Report and the apparent innocence of the Liverpool fans there were still accusations from

important public figures placing blame on those in the Leppings Lane end. The manager of

Nottingham Forest on the day of the disaster, Brian Clough stated in the Daily Mail in 1994 that he

would always 'remain convinced' that the 96 who died at Hillsborough were killed by Liverpool

fans. The remark from Clough once again brought accusations against Liverpool fans to the

forefront80

. The air of uncertainty regarding Hillsborough continued throughout the 1990's whilst

the families of the 96 attempted to get justice for the ones they loved. Despite numerous attempts to

78 � Sara Williams and Dan Kay Anne Williams- With Hope in Her Heart (Trinity Mirror Sport Media 2013)

79 � Phil Scraton Hillsborough The Truth- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P.P 154-155

80 � Ibid P.157

25

reopen the investigation ultimately no charge was brought against the South Yorkshire Police and a

large amount of evidence regarding the case was kept hidden. Even as recently as 2004 there were

comments made that once again suggested that Liverpool fans had played a part in the deaths of the

96. Conservative MP and current Mayor of London, Boris Johnson stated in an interview in 2004

that all Liverpudlians 'See themselves whenever possible as victims' and that they 'wallow' in self

pity and they are 'hooked on grief'81

. It wasn't until 2009 when Andy Burnham, the Secretary of

State for Culture, Media and Sport announced that the government had intentions to publicly

disclose those documents that had previously been hidden82

.

The Media, Government and Social reaction to the Hillsborough Independent Panel

It is interesting to compare the reactions of the media and the government to the Hillsborough

Independent Panel to the reactions that were made in the light of the disaster itself. Just like in 1989

Britain had a Conservative Government this time led by David Cameron rather than Margaret

Thatcher. Despite generally being a rather outspoken politician Thatcher never gave her opinion on

Hillsborough publicly. In comparison David Cameron was very sympathetic towards the families of

the 96 at Hillsborough and he released a full government apology in regards to the injustice faced.

He stated that 'On behalf of the government - and indeed our country - I am profoundly sorry for

this double injustice that has been left uncorrected for so long'83

. The media reaction to the

reopening of the case was also very different to the reaction in 1989. Infamously The Sun

81 � IBID P.252

82 � http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ Date Accessed 12/01/2015

83 � http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19574108- Date Accessed 01/03/2015

26

newspaper published the headline 'The Truth' which accused Liverpool fans of all sorts of crimes at

Hillsborough. However in 2012 The Sun produced a headline entitled 'The Real Truth' in which

they apologised for the false accusations they levelled against Liverpool fans back in 198984

.

Despite the apology given by the newspaper it is still universally despised on Merseyside. The Sun

had previously apologised for their reporting of the disaster in July 2004 when they stated that their

coverage had been 'the most terrible mistake in its history'85

. Another interesting comparison to

make is that of Liverpool as a city and its reputation in 2012 compared to 1989. During the 1980's

Liverpool had a wave of huge unemployment with an estimated 20% of the city out of work. By the

late 2000's unemployment in the city was at just 5%86

. There are still fundamental issues within the

city in areas such as child poverty and poor housing but on the whole Liverpool is certainly on the

upturn87

. In fact in 2008 Liverpool was named as the European Capital of Culture for that year so it

is easy to see that the city has definitely improved and grown since the 1980's88

. When you combine

the reactions from the media and the government with the improving image of Liverpool as a city it

is fair to say that the 2012 independent panel's report into Hillsborough was published at a time

where there was certainly more sympathy towards Liverpool fans in regards to the disaster. In 1989

the families of the victims were faced with a Prime Minister who was very private regarding her

feelings and a group of newspapers who were intent on blaming the disaster on the Liverpool fans.

Whilst in 2012 the families of the 96 faced their best opportunity at getting justice.

The 2012 Hillsborough Independent Panel

84 � http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4535743/23-years-after-Hillsborough-the-real-truth.html Date

Accessed 16/04/2015

85 � Phil Scraton Hillsborough The Truth- Mainstream Publishing 2009- P. 253

86 � Peter Aughton Liverpool A People's History (Carnegie Publishing 2008)- P.P 294

87 � IBID P.297

88 � http://www.liverpool08.com/ Date Accessed 16/04/2015

27

For twenty years the families of the 96 at Hillsborough had been fighting for justice for their loved

ones. They believed that the 'true context' regarding what happened in Sheffield had never truly

been established. They felt that a large amount of evidence had remained hidden and that it was

only fair and just that these sources should be released publicly and a report should be published

which truly established what happened at Hillsborough89

. The panel was led by Reverend James

Jones the Bishop of Liverpool who has played a large role in the regeneration of the city90

. After

almost three years of investigation the Independent Panel's report was published on September 12

2012. During the construction of the report the panel reviewed over 450,000 pages of evidence and

there were 85 contributors to the process91

. The report was split into three parts, the first

establishing what was already known about Hillsborough, the second discusses the new evidence

that had been released and how this affects 'public understanding' of the disaster and the third part

which discusses creating an archive in which all these documents can be stored for public viewing.

The new evidence that was introduced to public attention by the panel was very enlightening and

ultimately proved to be extremely critical in regards to the police, the ambulance service and the

management of the Hillsborough stadium. In regards to the management of the stadium the new

evidence disclosed to the panel showed that the 'safety of the crowd admitted to the terrace was

compromised at every level'. The deficiencies were 'well known' to the management of the stadium

but despite this they did very little to stop the increasingly common problem of overcrowding in the

Leppings Lane end92

. The panel also pointed out that there had been several disputes in the years

prior to the disaster between the stadium staff and the South Yorkshire Police in regards to the

89 � http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 4- Date Accessed 12/01/2015

90 � http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/the-independent-panel/james-jones/ Date Accessed 22/04/2015

91 � http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/ Date Accessed 22/04/2015

92 � http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 6- Date Accessed 12/01/2015

28

maximum capacity of the Leppings Lane end. The police felt that the estimated maximum capacity

of 10,100 people was far too high but the staff at Hillsborough thought this was very acceptable. In

the Taylor Report it is suggested that there were no issues of crushing in the Leppings Lane end

during the previous year's FA Cup Semi-Final. However the new evidence in 2012 suggests that

there were incidents of crushing in 1988 and some fans 'actually collapsed or fainted'93

. Despite this

there were no qualms in regards to holding the 1989 semi-final at Hillsborough once again. In

regards to the South Yorkshire Police the new evidence built upon the Taylor Report which also

criticised the police's role at Hillsborough. Shortly before the FA Cup Semi-Final Chief

Superintendent David Duckenfield held a meeting in order to brief officers about the importance of

crowd safety but this meaning 'contained no reference to the crowd safety issues from the previous

year'94

. However in other meetings held by other senior officers they put the biggest emphasis for

the day on crowd control and how to deal with violent or drunken fans. The documents collectively

show that the South Yorkshire Police's main aim for Hillsborough was to prioritise crowd control

over the safety of the fans95

. The new evidence also showed that the police's decision making on the

day was affected by poor communication and leadership96

. In regards to the aftermath of the

disaster the report confirms Lord Taylor's assessment that the police intended to blame the disaster

on the Liverpool fans. Duckenfield allegedly stated to his force that 'the gates had been stormed'

when in reality he had called for them to be opened which ultimately led to the crush97

. After the

disaster every member of the South Yorkshire Police at Hillsborough were told to make statements

regarding what they had experienced. However if any of the force used the word 'crushing' they

93 � http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/report/HIP_report.pdf P.82 Date Accessed 08/11/2014

94 � IBID P.89

95 � http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 8- Date Accessed 12/01/2015

96 � IBID P.9

97 � http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/report/HIP_report.pdf P.99 Date Accessed 08/11/2014

29

were told by the police's solicitors, Hammond Suddards to change their statement98

. The report also

discusses the police's obsession with Liverpool fans allegedly being drunk at Hillsborough. One of

the documents shows that the police carried out national computer checks on the deceased who

were found not to have any alcohol in their systems in order to destroy their reputation. Each of the

96 who died had samples taken from them by the coroner to test their blood alcohol levels. This was

something that was highly criticised by the families of the victims due to over a third of them being

under the legal drinking age and the youngest being only ten years old99

. Despite the attempts by the

police to blame alcohol as the major cause of the disaster the panel found that the level of alcohol

found in the blood of many of the victims was 'unremarkable'. The new evidence also confirmed

beliefs by the families of the 96 that the police set out to paint the picture of Liverpool fans as

aggressive drunks, many of which were ticketless and forced their way into the stadium. This was

also disputed by the panel who claimed that these allegations were false100

. Despite the Taylor

Report being highly critical of the police it failed to address the role of the other emergency services

at Hillsborough. One of the new pieces of evidence discovered by the panel shows that neither the

South Yorkshire fire service nor the ambulance service attended a meeting regarding the FA Cup

Semi Final just a month before it was due to take place and they found no evidence as to why101

.

This lack of organisation between the emergency services could explain their slow reaction on the

day of the disaster. The Independent Panel discussed the ambulance service in great detail and they

widely criticised their role in the immediate aftermath of the crush. The panel concluded that the

recovery effort by the emergency services was affected by a 'lack of leadership and coordination'102

.

98 � http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/report/Section-1/summary/ P. 10- Date Accessed 12/01/2015

99 � IBID P.15

100 � IBID P.16

101 � http://hillsborough.independent.gov.uk/repository/report/HIP_report.pdf P. 100 Date Accessed 08/11/2014

102 � IBID P.11

30

Many of the hospitals were 'unprepared' for a major incident and there was a unanimous lack of

basic equipment. It was expressed by the panel that if the emergency services had acted quicker

they may have been able to save the lives of an estimated 31 of the 96 at Hillsborough103

. Just like

in the Taylor Report the panel also placed the blame for the disaster on the shoulders of the police

and that the Liverpool fans played no role in the cause of the disaster104

.

The Aftermath of the Independent Panel's report and the ongoing inquests

After the publishing of the report it was felt necessary to once again open an inquest into the

disaster. These inquests are currently ongoing and they are expected to conclude in early 2016. So

far they have proved to very revealing and for the families of the 96 it seems possible that they will

finally get justice for their loved ones. One of the most important revelations at the inquests thus far

was that of Chief Superintendent Duckenfield. Despite refusing to acknowledge his guilt for the

disaster for a number of years during these inquests he finally claimed responsibility. He stated that

his lack of leadership on the day and his failure to close the tunnel to the Leppings Lane end was the

direct cause of the disaster105

. There have also been some other important revelations that have been

expressed during the inquest thus far. John Cutlack who is being used as the inquest's structural

engineer believes that the third pen in the Leppings Lane end held twice as many fans than was safe

which obviously played a huge part in the crush. Despite Duckenfield taking the blame for the

103 � IBID P.14

104 � IBID P.26

105 � http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31928476 Date Accessed 17/03/2015

31

disaster a number of officers giving evidence at the inquests still maintain that Liverpool fans were

to blame and many of them 'stopped officers from doing their jobs'. The jury in the inquests will

make their decision early next year and there could be criminal charges brought against David

Duckenfield and several other members of the South Yorkshire Police106

.

Conclusion

Both the Taylor Report and the 2012 Independent Panel's Report will leave lasting legacies. The

2012 report has finally answered many of the questions that the families of the 96 have been asking

for over two decades. The panel were able to uncover much of the information about the disaster

that the police and the government had wanted to keep hidden. As the inquests continue the full

legacy of the 2012 report will become apparent. If criminal charges are finally brought against those

who are seen as responsible at Hillsborough then for the families the report would have helped

bring justice for their loved ones. Although the Taylor Report did bring a level of justice for those

who died at Hillsborough its main legacy is still felt in football to this day. In his final report Taylor

106 � http://www.channel4.com/news/hillsborough-inquests-the-key-moments-so-far Date Accessed 01/04/2015

32

put forward a plan to modernise football grounds across the country in order to make them safe and

to stop an incident like Hillsborough happening again. Taylor proposed all seater stadiums, a green

guide to highlight the appropriate levels of safety at grounds and for clubs to discourage the

drinking of alcohol within the stadium107

. Every football club in the top two divisions of English

football had all seater stadiums by 1994 and the trend of all-seater stadiums continues until the

current day. However there have been attempts in recent years to bring back the standing terraces108

.

Ultimately Taylor's Final Report helped eradicate the ever decreasing problem of football

hooliganism in England. In 2014 the arrest rate at football stadiums across England and Wales fell

to 2273 which is the lowest number in history109

. Compare this figure with the number of arrests

during the 1988/1989 season(In which the Hillsborough Disaster occurred) in which there were

6185 arrests largely due to hooliganism110

. The propositions put forward by Taylor certainly have

left a lasting legacy on British football. Overall it is fair to say that both the 2012 report and the

Taylor Report are each very important in their own way. As for the city of Liverpool, its image and

reputation has been improved in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster. The passion and the

solidarity shown by the people of the city in their support of the families of the 96 has been truly

astounding. Although there are still problems within the city in regards to unemployment and poor

housing, on the whole it is an area which is slowly being repaired and restored.

107 � The RT Hon Lord Justice Taylor- 'The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster- 15th April 1989, Final Report'

P.P 94-95

108 � http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25269939 Date Accessed 22/04/2015

109 �

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/352864/FootballRelatedArrestsB

anningOrderSeason201314.pdf Date Accessed 22/04/2015

110 � http://www.theguardian.com/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2009/aug/26/west-ham-millwall-hooliganism-

history-violence Date Accessed 22/04/2015

33

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