Hillsborough - The fight for justice continues

The Hillsborough memorial outside Anfield for the 'Unforgotten 96'

IT IS FA Cup semi-final weekend and fans of Manchester City, Manchester United, Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City will be looking forward to a day out at Wembley.  However, it is time to remember the past and the fight for justice that still continues.  

     On Saturday April 15, 1989, and a sunny Saturday afternoon turned into the biggest catastrophe seen in sporting history.  96 Liverpool supporters were crushed to death on the terraces of Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium.  They were meant to be going to watch a football match, seeing the all-conquering Liverpool side take on Brian Clough's entertaining Nottingham Forest outfit in an FA Cup semi-final.  The match was stopped at 3.06pm, when it became evident that problems had arisen from the Leppings Lane stand, where the Liverpool fans were located.  Blunders of the first magnitude by Yorkshire police were criticised in the Taylor report, which ended the debacle of stadium disasters in the 80s.  After Bradford and Heysel, this was the last thing football needed.  The Taylor report pushed for all-seater stadiums at all football grounds across the country and it has certainly made things safer.  Sadly, it took the deaths of 96 innocent people for it to happen.  

     22 years on and accusations have been pointed at some.  On Merseyside, there is still a outcry for justice against those responsible for Hillsborough and against a certain daily newspaper, for their front pages in the aftermath that have led to a boycott of this paper on Merseyside.  22 years on and the pain and grief of Hillsborough still hurts these families and many others who lost friends, relatives or even grow up with the personal affections towards Hillsborough.  Being a Liverpool fan myself, I am fully with the campaign to bring the people responsible to justice and it is a campaign that won't go away, no matter what others may think.  

     This afternoon, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, the current first-team squad, players from the fateful day at Hillsborough and some 10,000 Liverpool supporters will gather at Anfield for the traditional Hillsborough Memorial Service.  The fight for justice continues and a message to the 96 is, You'll Never Walk Alone!

Below is a poem I initially wrote for the 20th anniversary in 2009, as my moving tribute to the 'Unforgotten 96.'

UNFORGOTTEN 96

In the middle of April, the sky is blossomed by the sun

FA Cup semi-final day is meant to be full of drama and fun

Families are brought together by an amazing cup run

The reality is a day out at Wembley’s twin towers is only a dream.

For some, they say football is a beautiful game

Other sports like golf and cricket are in comparison, so tame

Players can in an instant go from mediocrity to fame

Whatever happens, we all feel the same.

When fans go to a massive game, they will arrive in a flock

And very quickly, the stadium will be filled block-by-block

Come 3pm, the gates will be locked

So the unpredictable begins, like the roughness of a jagged rock.

Sometimes, mistakes take place

As fans, we feel like tripping over our own shoe lace

The pain and agony streams down our face

Realising the dream is over; our team has felt the pace.

However, football means nothing when disaster rips out

A fateful crush means 96 lives are tragically cut

The pain can be felt through anyone’s gut

And now, we must stick together in an oblivious hut.

Enquiries and appeals have meant we can’t dismiss the pain

The results have meant there can be no gain

And as the sunshine is replaced by the April pouring rain

The gloom around the place feels like we live down the drain.

Twenty-two years on, and justice is still being chased

Hopes of the unforgotten being rested have been dashed

Consequently, we will fight till the bitter end

Waiting for someone under pressure to crack and bend.

For many, we can get on with our lives

But for the 96 families, the grief will remain forever

Nevertheless, support will be there for all, ever and ever

As a community, we stick together, side-by-side.

Now it is time to hold hands and show our united front

Not just Merseyside, but the passionate game we all love

Man and woman, hand-in hand, heading for the move

Anfield waits, to remember the unforgotten heroes

We remember those who Liverpool lost

The game has improved, but at 96’s cost

From the deceased, no e-mails, no calls, no post

Whatever happens though, their unconditional love will remain

THE UNFORGOTTEN 96, You’ll Never Walk Alone!

HILLSBOROUGH VICTIMS

John ALFRED Anderson (62)                                

Colin MARK Ashcroft (19)                                       

James GARY Aspinall (18)                                        

Kester ROGER MARCUS Ball (16)                       

Gerald BERNARD PATRICK Baron (67)             

Simon BELL (17)                                                        

Barry SIDNEY Bennett (26)                                     

David JOHN Benson (22)                                         

David WILLIAM Birtle (22)                                    

Tony Bland (22)                                                          

Paul DAVID Brady (21)                                            

Andrew MARK Brookes (26)                               

Carl Brown (18)                                                         

David STEVEN Brown (25)                                      

Henry THOMAS Burke (47)

Peter ANDREW Burkett (24)                                    

Paul WILLIAM Carlile (19)                                       

Raymond THOMAS Chapman (50)                     

Gary CHRISTOPHER Church (19)                         

Joseph Clark (29)                                                       

Paul Clark (18)                                                             

Gary Collins (22)                                                         

Stephen PETER Copoc (20)                                      

Tracey ELIZABETH Cox (23)                                 

James PHILIP Delaney (19)                                      

Christopher BARRY Devonside (18)                      

Christopher Edwards (29)                                          

Vincent MICHAEL Fitzsimmons (34)                     

Thomas STEVEN Fox (21)                                       

Jon-Paul Gilhooley (10)                                            

Barry Glover (27)                                                         

Ian THOMAS Glover 20)                                         

Derrick GEORGE Godwin (24)                  

Roy HARRY Hamilton (34)                                     

Philip Hammond (14)                                                 

Eric Hankin (33)                                                          

Gary Harrison (27)                                                      

Peter ANDREW Harrison (15)                                   

Stephen FRANCIS Harrison (31)                             

David Hawley (39)                                                    

James ROBERT Hennessy (29)                                               

Paul ANTHONY Hewitson (26)                               

Carl DARREN Hewitt (17)                                        

Nicholas MICHAEL Hewitt (16)                             

Sarah LOUISE Hicks (19)                                         

Victoria JANE Hicks (15)                                                  

Gordon RODNEY Horn (20)                                     

Arthur Horrocks (41)                                                          

Thomas ANTHONY Howard (14)                         

Thomas Howard (39)                                                

Eric GEORGE Hughes (42)

Alan Johnston (29)                                                     

Christine ANNE Jones (27)                                       

Gary PHILIP Jones (18)                                             

Richard Jones (25)                                                       

Nicholas PETER Joynes (27)                                    

Anthony PETER Kelly (29)                                       

Michael DAVID Kelly (38)                                        

Carl DAVID Lewis (18)                                              

David WILLIAM Mather (19)                                  

Brian CHRISTOPHER Mathews (38)                     

Francis JOSEPH McAllister (27)                               

John McBrien (18)                                                       

Marion HAZEL McCabe (21)                                   

Joseph DANIEL McCarthy (21)                               

Peter McDonnell (21)                                                  

Alan McGlone (28)                                                      

Keith McGrath (17)                                                     

Paul BRIAN Murray (14)                                           

Lee NICOL (14)                                                           

Stephen FRANCIS O’Neil (17)                                 

Jonathan Owens (18)                                                 

William ROY Pemberton (23)                                   

Carl WILLIAM Rimmer (21)                                    

David GEORGE Rimmer (38)                                   

Graham JOHN Roberts (24)                                     

Steven JOSEPH Robinson (17)                               

Henry CHARLES Rogers (17)                                 

Colin ANDREW HUGH WILLIAM Sefton (23)

Inger Shah (38)                                                            

Paula ANN Smith (26)                                                

Adam EDWARD Spearritt (14)                                 

Philip JOHN Steele (15)                                              

David LEONARD Thomas (23)                                

Patrik JOHN Thompson (35)                                     

Peter REUBEN Thompson (30)                                

Stuart PAUL WILLIAM Thompson (17)                

Peter FRANCIS Tootle (21)                                       

Christopher JAMES Traynor (26)                            

Martin KEVIN Traynor (16)                                      

Kevin Tyrrell (15)                                                         

Colin Wafer (19)                                                          

Ian DAVID Whelan (19)                                            

Martin KENNETH Wild (22)                                     

Kevin DANIEL Williams (15)                                    

Graham JOHN Wright (17)                                        

JUSTICE FOR THE 96

R.I.P: YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE

Briton amongst those killed in Moscow blast

A BRITON due to get married later this year was killed on Monday in a terrorist attack on Moscow’s largest international airport.  Gordon Campbell Cousland, 39, was amongst the 35 people killed, with more than 150 injured when a suicide bomber blew up a suitcase in the baggage lounge area.  Cousland had a baby daughter and was due to marry in April.

CARNAGE: One of the injured is taken away

Chaos and confusing spread after the explosion ripped through the International Arrivals department at the Domodedevo airport.  Unlike previous terrorist atrocities to have hit the country, such as the Beslam school siege in 2004, this wasn’t a Russian aimed attack.  Security staff confirmed that it was a suicide bomb shortly after the blast.  Eyewitnesses who managed to escape unscathed told worldwide media that bolts, screws and shrapnel were spread across a wide range of floor.  One told Russian agencies; “I saw a bag on fire, people dead on the floor and in the luggage trolleys.  It was carnage.”

Russia president Dmitry Medvedev expressed his sadness and has vowed that those terrorists responsible for the attack will be caught and punished.  He also confirmed that extra security has been put in place at all of Russia’s airports and transport networks.  The airport continued to function despite the destruction, with people still landing at Domodedevo airport only hours after the attack. 

The search is now on for the perpetrators of this attack and the implications could be severe for those responsible, especially if any previous history is to go by.  Thoughts go out to the families of the dead and especially to the family of Gordon Campbell Cousland, who was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

Sony ends the cassette Walkman era

JAPANESE electronics giant Sony has closed a prestigious chapter in technological history, as it recently finished production of its groundbreaking Walkman.  It is now likely to be stored into museums as precious exhibits.

Sony has confirmed that the last models of the Walkman in Japan were shipped out in April this year, and no more will made.  To meet the required orders from Europe and Asia, the final productions will be made from a factory in China, though this is only thought to be a short-term measure.

The Walkman stepped upto the global scene in 1979, and has been a major success for Sony, with only the PlayStation’s birth in 1995 has come anywhere close to being a major sales figure for the giant.  Worldwide, over 200million walkmans have been sold, but as time and technology has gone on, so the Walkman has begun to age.  First, it was overtaken by the portable CD player, then the mini-disc player and lastly the MP3/I-Pod generation, which hit the headlines back in 2001.

It may look bulky to many now, but the Walkman was a pioneering piece of electronic kit, at a time when technological advances were far slower than what they are in today’s world.  Some ‘vintage’ editions have been sold on for thousands of pounds, and despite lacking the features of today’s music players; the Walkman has made its impact and with it, provided many fans and memories.

It may be out-of-date and soon to be out of production, but the Walkman’s legacy on our technology world will never be forgotten.

Kiss Flights Demise Add To The Growing Travel Pain

Last week saw more misery for those passengers who wanted to get away before autumn sets in.  Kiss Flights became the third travel operator to go bust, following the after effects of the recession and the eruption of the Icelandic volcano back in April.

More than 70,000 people have been affected by the collapse of the travel operator last Tuesday, which specialised in sending travellers off to the Canary Islands, Egypt, Greece and Turkey.  Around 13,000 customers are abroad with the company, although all are set to return home under the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority).  However, delays maybe expected.  Refunds will be accepted for those who had booked flights with the doomed operator, though not for accommodation. 

The chief executive of Flight Options, the owner of Kiss Flights is devastated by the collapse, blaming the demise on late bookings, as well as the fallout from the volcanic ash disruption.  Kiss Flights catered for many of the same routes as the recently collapsed Goldtrail Holidays.  This means that some holidaymakers may be affected for a second time this summer.  Last Friday, Sun4u also collapsed, leaving 16,000 customers stuck abroad.  With these latest demises, I would expect more independent companies to go bust in the near future.

Although the Unite Union and BAA recently agreed a deal, preventing a potentially horrendous Bank Holiday strike which would have seen the shutdown of six British airports, including Stanstead and Heathrow, the aviation industry has taken a significant battering in 2010.  The effects from the Icelandic volcano are hitting hard and the fallout may only just be beginning for many in insecure jobs, and many more thousands of holidaymakers who must be feeling the pain.  

Rail Strike Looms - More Easter Misery On The Way

Yesterday, it was announced that a national rail strike would take place after the Easter weekend, which would cause more travel chaos for families planning to get away for a break, and for commuters who will be working through the mess.  The first national rail stoppage since 1994 will begin on Tuesday 6^th April, and run for four days, unless talks are successful between Union leaders and the government in preventing more headaches for many…

This stems from the members of the RMT union, all maintenance workers and signallers, with 54% voting in favour of a strike.  Although yesterday’s news was slightly better, as initial signs had been that a strike would begin on April 1^st, which is scant consolation for the mayhem is set for cause.  The leader of the RMT, Bob Crow announced the strike yesterday and has urged the government to start talking to and to take this threat seriously. 

For Gordon Brown, this threatens to be a complete disaster, compounded by the recent British Airways cabin crew strikes, with more planned this week.  The April 6^th strike date is exactly the same day it is expected that Brown will see the Queen to call a General Election for May 6^th.  Consequently, this is the last thing he needs and if I was a major player in Mr. Brown’s affairs, I would try to get him to delay the date, especially with this latest crisis set to emerge.

Like the BA situation, it’s a cutting issue that has led to the trouble.  The company’s regulator wants efficiency savings of 21%.  Network Rail’s cost-cutting measures could have significant impact, as 1,500 maintenance jobs are set to be lost and signallers could be asked to do some of the jobs that maintenance workers do now, which could be seen as inadequate to say the least.  The dangers of slipping back to the bad times of the 1990’s, with the demise of InterCity, the nationalisation of British Rail and the doomed Railtrack era loom very large indeed.   

The Highways Agency is prepared for the upcoming strike and has announced plans to lift as many roadwork’s as possible, in an attempt to ease congestion.  Network Rail is confident of running a solid timetable during the strike, though I think this more of an optimistic and positive prediction, than a realistic one.  It is now up to the Unions and the Transport secretary Lord Adonis to bang their heads together and prevent this strike from happening; otherwise the losers once again will be the tens of thousands of travellers, whose Easter business and leisure time look set to be disrupted even further.