UNFORGOTTEN : BRADFORD CITY FIRE

I'm sure Mrs Greenwood would appreciate some donations -
PGMTrust | Peter Greenwood Memorial Trust - Helping Deaf Students

 

Dear all, I'm a West Bromwich Albion fan and last night I watched this documentary, which I thought was much better than the one for the 30th Anniversary (I think). It was informative and well handled. Not interested in conspiracy theories and I have read the book by MF , but the better one was by the late Paul Firth. I've seen the footage, both at the time and since. I won't dwell. In Sept 1986, me and my folks went on holiday to Salou in Spain. We met some Bradford people there. They said how everyone had been affected in the City (some in Lincoln too).

I post as an Albion supporting mate of mine was at the game (in the Kop). He was at the University in Bradford and saw a lot of home games that season (and the season prior) . He doesn't have much to say about it as he and his mates left early once it was obvious the game would be abandoned, and went straight into town to the pubs.

He has spoken about lot about the team of 84/85. Goodman's hat trick v Tow Law Town. Trouble v Derby. A 2-5 v Reading. How it lifted the City. The away fans were housed at the end of the Kop I think, and like on 11 May, he always stood there. Of course we had Goodman and Singleton off you a few years later too. I was well into football, in the 80s, and kept abreast of all leagues, plus bought the Rothman's book every year and read the leagues records of all clubs to a point of obsession. I recall you losing at Telford in the FA Cup - this was on Sportsnight, I think. My Uncle, a Walsall fan, went there with the Saddlers that season too.

I remember going to the last game you played at Odsal v us on a cold and wet Friday and being dumbstruck by the size of the terrace we stood on. The wind was howling and helped us score a couple. And I'll never forget the 2002 1-0 win with that late penalty from Igor Balis, which virtually sent us up. I was in the new main stand that day.

Despite my Uncle was happy you went up. Great scenes v Fleetwood.

RIP the 56.

 

You were indeed fortunate, one way or another it’s always in one’s mind …..

 

I just wish the conspiracy theorists would just fook right off. They are boiling my wee. 99.9% weren’t even at the game. Amazing how many claim to have been there, amazing how many claim to know about fire regs FORTY years ago, let alone in 2025, whilst in the largest 11-12k crowd known to man.

Let it rest along with those who never went home…….please.

 

Thank you for posting this. What a positive thing for Mrs Greenwood to have set up as a memorial.

 

Even after 40 years I've found it difficult to watch actual coverage of that day, but after recieving the text from a friend I decided it was time to face my nightmares.
I watched the full documentary alone with tears in my eyes from almost start to finish, I personally thought it was one of the better documentaries about that day, but what really choked me was some of the messages I've received from friends family, fellow forum members etc asking about my wellbeing after watching it.
The most heart wrenching text from my grandson who has never asked about that day although he's been to many Memorial days saying "I love you Grandad" that set me off blubbering again.
God bless the 56 I believe our younger fans will never allow you to be forgotten even when some of us oldies are gone.

 

Indeed it should. Funnily enough I recall the graffiti in the away toilets at Hull 's old ground. Not many will recall this, but SH was accused as far back as then. People need to let that rest. It's bonkers.

 

I recall 2 places in Bradford, with spray painted statements.

 

1 of 2 owners, was extremely wealthy.
So one could surmise that the Club should've had available funds to rectify.

 

You have been asked rather politely . @Administrative

 

People keep men

Asked what?

 

Lol."people keep men"
Literally No idea what I'd ceased typing.
....bit suspicious tho.

 

I was only a few months old when it happened and hear the stories of family members who were present and luckily unharmed from a physical perspective.

Too young to be aware and help at the time, I have done several fundraising events for the burns unit over the last 10 years and would like to help in a different way now...

Several people have posted on here about feeling guilty and suffering with PTSD. I'm a trained mindset coach and help people with these symptoms all the time. If anyone would like help, free of charge, for however long it's needed, please don't hesitate to message me.

 

I could have done with you around 4:55 a week last Saturday my friend .

 

I wasn't going to watch it, however, my wife wanted to see it seeing as 40th anniversary.

My wife, then my fiance, was at her Grandads funeral in Ireland that awful day, and didn't hear about it until Saturday night, no mobile phones then!

My wife was obviously aware of what I saw that day when she returned home from Ireland but had never actually been able to bring herself to watch any footage.

My wife, although not a football fan, said she would attend her first ever football match that day if we could sit in the stand. Although I had terracing season ticket, I agreed to sit in the stand for the first time ever.

Fate would have it that her Grandad died a few days before the game and travelled to Ireland thus missing the match. I took my normal vantage point in the Midland Road shed for the match.

40 years later, she watched footage for the first time and she was so shocked at the images and was in tears throughout the programme.

My daughter, who wasn't born then but has been attending matches since 1997, still cannot bring herself to watch any footage.

RIP the 56

 

Let him be.

 

That’s one way of putting it .

 

Said this last night to my son when the documentary touched on it. No way on earth he was doing it on promotion day, or full of people. He had all summer to do it.