Topic: Hillsborough - Inquest Verdicts - Tuesday 26th April

[NigelManx]

Leave Owen for another day..
Once again it shows what a wonderful city Liverpool is and how special the people living there are. Respect to all involved in this fight ,you took on the establishment and wouldn't give up or let them of with such a massive cover up and lies....To the 96. Your families fought so you could sleep peacefully.

[Gerry Attrick]

Special bloke is Rafa. Always publicly supported the campaign, giving both time and money towards the cause.

Agreed, absolutely love the bloke to bits.

[Keita Success]

27 years too late.

May they rest in peace and hopefully the families can rest easier. Finally, justice for the 96.

[klobutruck]

Nothing that happens next will ever bring the 96 back. I only hope that today's rulings will help their loved ones in their search for justice for the unlawful killings that day.

My upmost respect to all those that fought to get to this important day. 27 years is way too long.

Justice for the 96.

[wemmick]

Finally, justice for the 96.

[MrGrumpy]

I am so happy for the families and friends of the 96 that this day has arrived.

[Shepnois]

Its taken 27 years and the establishment never wanted this day to happen but thanks to those people who never stopped fighting for Justice this day has come. A strong message to the world to never give up, keep fighting for justice & eventually you'll break the powers that be. Amazing day.

JFT96

[CHOPPER]

Women of one of the families on the beeb - "we are behind the people who have been making all the noise, supporting them and these people who have got us here, who are those voices - they are ordinary people, doing an extraordinary thing"


*I'm proud to say I've burst out crying(again)*




Words don't cover what these people have done for so, so many. I love you and salute you all.

[soxfan]

[FOOT]

The FA still have a lot of questions to answer , can't believe they were not investigated for their part in this .

Insisting it still went ahead at Hillsborough despite the previous year's problems and going along with the SYP's lies .

Said this all along. The stadium wasn't fit to host the game but they still went ahead. Just as guilty as SYMM in my book.

[Ski]

Justice at long, long last!

So happy for the families and proud of how they've conducted themselves throughout these really tough and terrible years. The 96 can finally rest in peace.

[Billy1561]

"I want you to rest in peace now, without seeing your Mum's anger"

Devastating.

Absolutely. So hard to watch that

[Gerry Attrick]

"I want you to rest in peace now, without seeing your Mum's anger"

Devastating.

Yep, teared up watching that.

[Carlito Roberto]

Fantastic news, lost for words. Went to my first Hillsborough Memorial Service the other week and hearing Trevor Hicks and Margaret Aspinall speak so courageously reallly hit home what themselves and the rest of the families have been through. The truth has come out at last and it's all down to the inner strength of the families who refused to let people believe the disgraceful lies of the establishment.

[thew]

At last. 27 years. My heart is with the families and survivors. Hopefully with justice, there can be peace.

[Barneylfc∗]

An older article, but another moron proved wrong

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1343886-liverpool-supporters-can-never-forgive-brian-clough-over-hillsborough-slur

Some things are impossible to forget; others are even harder to forgive. The late Brian Clough wasn’t all bad. As a manager he straddled the categories of genius/egomaniac, but he was never the charming character some posthumous revisionism would suggest.

When his death was announced over the tannoy at the meeting of Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, eight years ago this weekend (September 20), a vast number of visiting supporters booed.

The reason? They remembered this heartless, callous contention in Clough’s eponymous 1994 memoir: “I will always remain convinced that those Liverpool fans who died were killed by Liverpool people.”

Hillsborough was a despicable disaster. Few ever accepted it was an accident waiting to happen, regardless of the dilapidated state of the Sheffield Wednesday stadium and the infamous fencing in of supporters.

But only a cretin—or Kelvin McKenzie—could have believed it was the cold-blooded manslaughter Clough made it out to be, adding a credibility of sorts to claims made by The Sun, establishment spin doctors and the police.

Everyone knew long before the recent damning revelations by the British Government that Liverpool supporters weren’t to blame.

As well as traducing the deceased in his book, “Old Big ’Ead” (Clough’s pet name for himself) again blamed allegedly inebriated fans during a book-plugging appearance on Clive Anderson’s BBC chat show.

“They were drunk. They killed their own,” Clough maintained, cold as ice. How hypocritical was that given what we knew, and know, of his struggle with alcoholism?; an addiction that precipitated his passing at the age of 69.

What made it worse, of course, is that Clough was manager of fellow FA Cup semi-finalists Nottingham Forrest, whom Liverpool were playing that day.

His views gave credence to pro-police sentiment and damaged the campaign for justice.

A statement at the time by three local councillors, who were members of the Hillsborough Working Group, unreservedly condemned Clough’s comments, which they branded a cynical attempt by the publishers to exploit the catastrophe.

They added that the remarks in question revealed Clough’s “total and pitiful factual ignorance of the real causes of the disaster.”

These, they said, were “the comprehensive failure of the Police control operation on the day, allied to the winder organisational failures.”

Unfortunately, it took another 18 years to have that version declared as fact.

In late 2001, after years of bereaved families begging him to say sorry and support their search for justice, Clough said he’d been “misinformed … I wasn’t trying to be vindictive or unsympathetic, but my opinion has altered over the years. It was never my intention to hurt anyone.”

Yet this belated retraction was only forthcoming after a threatened cross-Liverpool boycott of UK soccer magazine Four-Four-Two, which had just signed Clough as a star columnist.

Under intense pressure, its editor requested he publicly apologise; hence his printed desire to “make peace” with the Liverpool fans, stating: “I now accept that I went too far in giving my opinions about Hillsborough.”

Most Reds followers regarded his words as worthless. John Aldridge, the Merseyside-born Liverpool striker who contemplated quitting the game following the calamity, responded in the Liverpool Echo:

“Brian Clough waited far too long before apologising for his outrageous comments…Not only was it a scandalous, sickening suggestion, he also managed to cause further unnecessary pain and hurt.”

Aldridge added: “The pain his comments caused was magnified because of his stature in the game. He should have kept his mouth shut. Instead, he demonstrated a shocking lack of compassion and a complete failure to understand what really happened that day.

“He plummeted in my estimation after those comments. He may have apologised now, but it is far too late,” Aldridge asserted.

Indeed, it tells you a lot about the man—of whom former Spurs chief, Lord Alan Sugar of The Apprentice fame, said in court: “Cloughie likes a bung”—that he eventually bowed to professional pressures, rather than the heartfelt pleas on behalf of 96 utterly innocent victims.

Admittedly, he can’t defend himself. But Brian Clough didn’t spare Liverpool’s dead when it suited him.

[NigelManx]

Just been watching and listening to Steph Conin? on BBC . She was there and lost her brother and his g/f that day...What dignity and how well she has just shown in speaking about that day and what it means to her and her family...So many stories are going to come out now but the dignity that so many have shown and the inner strength and fight that's been shown over so long just humbles me and makes me believe even more how special are scousers !! Never take on the city and people of Liverpool...

[redk84]

I'm glad all questions today were answered in the right way, it's the least the families deserved.

27 years...

Too many years. Finally some peace now for what little it can do after so long

YNWA

[stockdam]

An absolutely unbelievable person is Rafa. I can't speak highly enough of him.

He's a star and so is Kenny.

Delighted for the families. They have suffered far, far too long.

JFT96

[mersey_paradiso]

Irvine Welsh ‏@IrvineWelsh  2m2 minutes ago

The real horror of Hillsborough is that it's a microcosm of how the elites of the British state will treat it's citizens.

[S]

Irvine Welsh
"Hillsborough about more than establishment cover up of tragic deaths. Also about a state-led cultural vilification of a city & its people."
"The real horror of Hillsborough is that it's a microcosm of how the elites of the British state will treat it's citizens."
"If you think that last tweet is fanciful, think about those last 27 years and think about what has happened to citizens in that timeframe."

[jason67]

Made up for all the families.

JFT96

[richmond-red]

Justice at last. Kudos to the families and their refusal to give up.

A real shame that we still have to deal with twats like this one:-

 "1867News ‏@1867News 4m4 minutes ago

Does answering no to question 7 mean that everyone inside and outside the ground had a valid ticket? And that nobody was there without one?"

[Igor Tripod Biscan]

Irvine Welsh: "Hillsborough about  more than an establishment cover up of tragic deaths. Also about a state led cultural vilification of a city and it's people."


Fucking bang on that.

Read his book 'Filth' - Not so glowing about the city or its people (albeit vicariously through a fictitious character) so he can keep it buttoned

[XabiAlonsosBeard]

Barry Devonside just interviewed on Sky and he was spot on.

He refused to accept the SYP apology from today and made it clear that it was too little, too late. He also said it was an empty gesture, as up until last week SYP were still in the court room peddling the same lies and myths. He then highlighted that the statement today, when read in the context of their conduct in the inquests, clearly points towards an attempt to pervert the course of justice up until the end.

[mersey_paradiso]

 Good article from When Saturday Comes fanzine :

http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/1209-april-2016/13230-hillsborough-disaster-a-27-year-campaign-for-justice

[Gerry Attrick]

He's a star and so is Kenny.

Delighted for the families. They have suffered far, far too long.

JFT96

Summed up how I feel perfectly.

[JustDan]

Justice, at last.

Can't even begin to imagine the pain the friends and families of the 96 had to endure, waiting 27 years for this.

It's obviously way to little, way too late & won't bring them back.. but I hope it can at least give the friends & family some peace of mind finally.

[kennedy81]

Justice at last. Kudos to the families and their refusal to give up.

A real shame that we still have to deal with twats like this one:-

Twats like that will always exist and are best ignored. All the facts are out now and the jury has spoken. If anyone wants to remain ignorant and ill-informed at this point, that's their problem.

[moondog]

This feels like our greatest ever victory, finally the world gets the truth we have known all along.
We will never forget that day or the 96 but today is like a huge weight lifted from our collective shoulders. We have shown such togetherness and strength throughout that proves what special people we all are. Letting the tears flow in relief and satisfaction here. Thoughts are with those who cannot be with us to see the deserved justice we waited a quarter of a century for.
You'll NEVER walk alone.

[Higgins79]

Feelings of joy, sadness, pride, anger and deep sorrow. God love those families, those friends and supporters, whose strength and courage I can only imagine.

[Igor Tripod Biscan]

That's a work of fiction, and I respectfully disagree, but this isn't the place for any further discussion. There's a LOT of other people against the wall before Irvine Welsh.

Agreed but hopefully on a day like today, there will be a lot of people questioning their previously held beliefs (voiced as a piece of fiction or not) - Those who have perpetuated the lies, its not just the big ones like we all know who, but the constant smaller ones who keep the lies firmly within the zeitgeist

Today is a day of relief and celebration on one hand but with that also comes frustration and anger

[elbow]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/0o8noRdKUFw&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/0o8noRdKUFw&amp;feature=youtu.be</a>

Oh god, that is devastating. 

[darcy171]

Barry Devonside just interviewed on Sky and he was spot on.

He refused to accept the SYP apology from today and made it clear that it was too little, too late. He also said it was an empty gesture, as up until last week SYP were still in the court room peddling the same lies and myths. He then highlighted that the statement today, when read in the context of their conduct in the inquests, clearly points towards an attempt to pervert the course of justice up until the end.

SY Police and their legal team still trying to apportion blame onto the victims, even throughout the inquest was just a slap in the face. This apology is pathetic. It's not like we can look back and say "oh that's what they were like in the 80's" when they are doing the same thing today. Hopefully the CPS and IPCC take proper action.

Putting those horrible people aside. What an incredible and moving day for all the families, campaigners and the City of Liverpool. What they have all done is remarkable. I can't even imagine, or find the words to describe what they must have gone through for the past 27 years. They are heroes.

[RedJim]

Thankfully the verdicts reflect what we have known and fought for for all these years. A disgrace that it took so long but hopefully it gives the families, friends and survivors a bit of peace after a long, hard fight. Don't really know how to put into words how I'm feeling so cannot imagine what it must be like for the brave folks who've fought the cause for 27 years.

The truth we've known all along is finally out there in black and white for the world to see. Hopefully this isn't the end of our justice, but the beginning of the end.

Sadly there are some utter nutcases out there who think their opinions are worth more than those jury members who've sat through hundreds of thousands of pieces of evidence and 2 years of their lives to come to the correct conclusion. A legacy of the smear attempts from corners of the media that have unfortunately stuck.

Very, very happy for the families who've fought tirelessly for this day. Could barely watch the footage of them outside the court and had to switch off when YNWA burst out - couldn't handle that. The raw emotion incredibly powerful. Very proud of each and every single person who has helped get us to this point.

Saw this earlier which always gets me teary eyed - a city that will fight for each other and never give up


<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/tTDiyX3fEQs?fs=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/tTDiyX3fEQs?fs=1</a>
(EDIT:fixed embed)

JFT96

[4pool]

The fight for the Truth may finally be over.

The fight for Justice remains.

[Ray K]

So relieved this morning. Was so worried that the jury wouldn't bring the verdict we wanted and that the families would be let done again.
So angered reading that David Conn piece and video.
So emotional at seeing the Margaret Aspinall interview.

Justice For The 96 at long last. My love to those incredible families. YNWA.

[4pool]

Anne Williams 'kept Hillsborough fight going', says brother

Posted at 14:03


One of the most high-profile campaigners in securing the new inquests was Anne Williams, who lost her son Kevin. She died in 2013, at the age of 62, of cancer.



Her brother Danny Gordon, who blames her illness on the disaster, says she was an amazing woman. He said: "She couldn't leave it alone, she had to... We lost 96 but there are others who died prematurely because of Hillsborough."

"She kept digging, she kept digging and digging and digging," he added. "Every avenue she went to it was closed off and she found another avenue.

"There's time when I am sure she felt like giving up. Without Anne really there would be no case, there would be no fight. It would've gone away. Anne kept it going".

[TipTopKop]

At long last.

[John C]

Julie Fallon's video diary from various points throughout the inquest is on BBC News now. I don't have the words to describe the emotion it conjures up. Anger, sadness, sympathy, frustration, admiration?

You're right Rhi, I couldn't comprehend how they remained so dignified. I know I couldn't.