UNFORGOTTEN : BRADFORD CITY FIRE

Many of us contributes to whip rounds. I once gave a weeks wage , although I think it was one in the 70’s.

 

Once seen, you can never unsee what we witnessed that day.

 

They were in the stand. There was no segregation in the stand , other than small pockets of ticket numbering from memory .

 

I disagree, I felt the balance was about right. There is far more graphic footage which had been left out and they made it clear at the start about potentially distressing footage and thats why it was on after the 9pm watershed. If you want some of these people who go off lighting flares and smoke bombs in the ground to realise why people find it so distressing then you can't go round sanitising everything. Mrs Greenwood who lost more than any of us can ever imagine put her name and time to the programme so if she finds it an acceptable balance as well as the many others who took part in the programme then thats good enough with me.

The worst part of it all which many people in those days just took for granted is the fact they rolled off multiple fires that had taken place before this happened but because no one died it was seen as acceptable (I think Brentford, Bristol and Norwich were mentioned all in the 80s to name just a few, and many grounds had grounds effectively condemned afterwards). Sweeping rubbish under a stand is bonkers if you look back at it, but it was at a time when the Woolworths fire and Kings Cross both happened either side of this disaster and the overall legacy is that no one has had to suffer from this kind of incident since.

It was the same with Hillsbrough, multiple instances of near tragedy was ignored because no one died, and it was seen as an acceptable risk. I know someone who was at the Leeds v Coventry semi final in a few years before who said it was pretty much the scared he had ever been at a game standing on Leppings Lane but it was just seen as normal at the time.

When you walk into a modern stadium to spend your Saturday afternoon enjoying the football up and down the country, you do so safety because of the lessons learned of the past.

 

Very well put.

 

If anyone requires to see the footage, to understand why pyros are not welcome in Valley Parade?

They're far too stupid to educate.


You can have your opinion & I'll have mine.
They differ greatly.

 

I wasn’t going to watch, but my son and wife wanted to I think it brought home to them what I witnessed that day and why the club and fans are so dear to me
I thought the documentary was very respectful and well presented
On a side note, the photographer, I worked at his house and his studio in Saltaire several years ago
Didn’t like the man at all, quite an abrasive manner right from the off and he did not know me from Adam

 

Anyone who hasn't seen the footage would find it difficult to understand how quickly the fire took hold. less than 4 minutes from a barely visible fire to an entire stand burning down. It's almost impossible to imagine how within the space of 240 seconds there was little danger to a disaster never seen before. So yes some people do need educating to know what happened because prior to 1985 this was all seen as acceptable and many of the people who attend games today have little to no idea what it was like back in the 80s and before, they literally can not imagine what other people just accepted as the norm back then.

 

The disaster happened 2 generations ago, a lot of young uns won't even know what happened that day. If they haven't seen the footage how would they know the enormity of that day?

 

I found it very moving but also a tough watch and I had to turn it off. Too many bad memories that do not get easier over time.
I have done trauma training in my work and I think there must have been so many affected by that day that have carried that trauma around with them since. I know I still do.
A few points from the programme that I took from it until I had to switch off:
I know Bradford was run down but I I do not remember it being that run down? All major cities have their poorer areas but was it that bad (worse than now??).
Also, part of me is still affected by that day, but one of the main feelings is guilt. You look at what the average supporter did that day to save lives. The coppers that went in to save the unsavable. So many unsung heroes.
They did more than I did. I still feel guilty to this day that I just stood on the pitch shielding my face from the heat and not doing anything about the ones that needed my help. I was only 16 but I could have helped.
RIP to all of the lost.

 

Prior to 1985, this was most certainly not acceptable.

 

I share that feeling of guilt with you. I have replayed the events of that day over and over in my head over the years and saw the heroism of so many people I had my eight year old son with me which I used as an excuse but in truth the heat and fear factors held me back. Thank god for peoples courage

 

Again.

You're confusing my point.

If the documentary was supposed to be about the people? It didn't require the footage.
Just the personal accounts.

If the documentary was supposed to be about how the disaster happened?
Then it was lacking immensely.

And IF any "new generation" supporter, doesn't understand what took place by being told and shown the memorial?

Do they only posses picture books too?

 

Football fans were treated like animals back in the day. There was more focus on managing Crowd Trouble than Crowd Safety. It was the fire which forced many clubs to close and condemn similar stands which were used up and down the country.

Like Hillsbrough, many football fans know that this could have happened at any time, anywhere prior to when it actually did happen (and in both cases near misses have been well documented in various documentaries about the two) Wolves for example had to close and condemn two sides of their ground in the year after the Bradford fire because it was a disaster waiting to happen, where as prior to the disaster they had be used as if there were no issue.

 

I've just realised who you are. I guess no one is talking to you on twitter....

 

Absolutely no reason at all to feel guilty.
Don't confuse protection of your son, with fear that everyone had.
It's a natural reaction.
It simply shows you're a parent & human.

 

The flaunting of fire regulations, was not acceptable in 1985.

 

Actually, my inbox is brimming.
Yes. Surprised even myself.
That will all continue in good time.
And in full.