1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 1: Disgraceland as a production of Double Elvis. 2 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 2: This is a. 3 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: Story about football, or should I say soccer for all 4 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 1: the Americans out there, and it's a story about one 5 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 1: of the deadliest tragedies in the history of sports, the 6 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: Hillsborough Disaster. It's a story about not just death and destruction, 7 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 1: but also about the press, and about hooligans, and about 8 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:39,519 Speaker 1: justice and community, about fighting for what is right, about 9 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: screaming out at the top of your lungs as you, 10 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: in tens of thousands engage in the ritual of singing 11 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: your club's fight song and in the process making great music. 12 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: Unlike that music I played for you at the top 13 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 1: of the show. That wasn't great music. That was a 14 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: preset loop from my Melotron spaghetti standoff MK one. I 15 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: played you that loop because I can't afford the rights 16 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 1: to She Drives Me Crazy by the Fine Young Cannibals. 17 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: And why would I play you that specific slice of 18 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: snare drum pop cheese? Could I afford it? Because that 19 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: was the number one song in America on April fifteenth, 20 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty nine, And that was the day that a 21 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: soccer stadium was transformed into Hell on Earth and A 22 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: smear campaign against the game's most loyal supporters was hatched 23 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: on this episode. A fatal human crush, cooliking culture, a 24 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 1: war between the establishment and the people, and the memory 25 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: of the ninety seven those who lost their lives in 26 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: the Hillsborough disaster. 27 00:01:53,200 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 3: I'm Jake Brennan and this is disgraceland. They say it 28 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 3: started when King Edward was on the throne. It was 29 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 3: thirteen forty nine. They didn't even use a ball, they 30 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 3: used the pigs bladder, and they didn't kick the pigs 31 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 3: bladder into a goal. They kicked it over the opposing 32 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 3: team's church. But this isn't about the origins of soccer. 33 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 3: This is about the origins of violence. 34 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 1: Yes, even way back when Eddie was on the throne 35 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,640 Speaker 1: watching those inflated organs sale over church steeples, there were fights, 36 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: organized fights, so many fights that the monarchy had to 37 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: ban the game. Hooliganism was born. Fast forward five hundred years, 38 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,359 Speaker 1: a new century, new monarch on the throne. Soccer was 39 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,799 Speaker 1: no longer banned because time heals all wounds right wrong. 40 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: In eighteen eighty five, Preston defeated Aston Villa five No, 41 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 1: the Villa fans stormed the pitch and a full riot 42 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: broke out. One Villa fan threw a stone at the 43 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,799 Speaker 1: head of a Preston player point blank whack that was 44 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: unconscious for the rest of the riot. Nineteen oh nine 45 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 1: saw the legendary stadium Hampton Park smashed half to pieces 46 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: after a match between rivals Glasgow and Celtic FC. By 47 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: the nineteen eighties, things were really out of control. Liverpool 48 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: and Juventus matched up in a European Cup final that 49 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: has since gone down in infamy. A mob charged the 50 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: field in the middle of the game. Why it didn't 51 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: have to be a specific reason. It was just part 52 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: of the whole hooligan thing, both sides winding each other 53 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: up and tearing each other down. On this occasion they 54 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: tore down more than each other. An entire stadium wall 55 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 1: collapsed on Italian fans. Thirty nine people died that night. 56 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 1: But perhaps the most violent moment in the history of 57 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: rowdy rioting unlawful crowds at soccer matches aka hoolianism, wasn't 58 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 1: thrown with a paunch, or tossed with a mall top 59 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: cocktail or even stabbed with a knife. It was a 60 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: smear campaign against the innocent, and it all started on 61 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: April fifteenth, nineteen eighty nine. The morning sun drew a 62 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 1: huge shadow across the grass. Roger Marshall sat in one 63 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 1: of the hard plastic seats in the west stand of 64 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: Hillsboro Stadium. He shuffled his ass to and fro. He 65 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: didn't know what was more uncomfortable the seat of the 66 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,280 Speaker 1: scratchy South Yorkshire Police uniform he was wearing. In front 67 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 1: of where Marshall and the rest of the officer sat. 68 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield walked back and forth like a 69 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: Roman emperor, his gait pompous and slow, his head held high. 70 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 1: You must take a firm hand in situations like this one. 71 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: A firm hand, he said to it was crue and 72 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: then paused for a moment before adding, and a fair one. 73 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 1: He was serious as hell. He needed each and every officer, 74 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: Marshall included, to understand what lay ahead of them. Some 75 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,679 Speaker 1: of them weren't used to a situation like this. Soon 76 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: the stadium would be full capacity. Crowd. With a crowd 77 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: that large comes risk, and you have to be wise 78 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: to every In any situation, people will be drunk, people 79 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: will fight hoolianism is very real. Duckingfield assured them. He 80 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: stopped like he was trying to remember something, and then 81 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:35,280 Speaker 1: continued his speech. I myself am experienced in this type 82 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:39,280 Speaker 1: of policing. And the Duckingfield's voice drifted away, and then 83 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: his mind drifted along with it, back to another game, 84 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 1: into another time. The Hillsboro Stadium disappeared, and so did 85 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: the fresh Yorkshire air. Duckinfield was back at brahml Lane, 86 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: home of Sheffield United. It was hot, people everywhere. Next 87 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: to Duckinfield stood a senior office Sir Thorpe. In front 88 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,280 Speaker 1: of them was a sea of blue. Chelsea was in town. 89 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: Chelsea fans came with a reputation violent, rabbit, fucking, ruthless. 90 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 1: Duckingfield and Thorpe could already feel it in the air. 91 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:17,040 Speaker 1: Thorpe called it invisible violence. First you see it in 92 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 1: the eyeballs. Glances are tossed around. Then it's a quick 93 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: exchange of words, what are you looking at, you fucking cunt? 94 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: A bottle gets thrown and then it's on Duckingfield and 95 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:30,799 Speaker 1: Thorpe watched it unfold in real time. Some Sheffield United 96 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 1: fans came around the corner, dressed in their trademark red 97 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 1: and white, and they taunted the Chelsea boys. Arms were 98 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 1: thrown up against chests, heads cocked, hands curled into fists 99 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 1: so tight the fingernails dug into skin. Suddenly, all that 100 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: red and white was tangled up and blue. Thorpe didn't 101 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: miss a beat. He dove headfirst into the scrum. Duckingfield, meanwhile, 102 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: was shoved from behind. He turned a man with a 103 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:55,840 Speaker 1: buzz cut dressed all in blue screen filth, half an 104 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:58,480 Speaker 1: inch from his face. Duck and Field began to speak, 105 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:00,159 Speaker 1: but not before the man sh shut him up with 106 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,119 Speaker 1: a huge wad of spit, howked up good and gooey 107 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 1: in his mouth, and then shockingly dispensed on the officer's face. 108 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: The muke is settled across Duckingfield's eyelids. Duckingfield had no 109 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 1: choice but to react. He drew back his truncheon, but 110 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: before he could use it, the scrum that contained Thorpe 111 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: crashed into him. Both officers fell to the ground, and 112 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: Ducanfield heard something crack, and then a splatter of blood 113 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 1: painted the asphalt red. Where he laid. He watched a 114 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: bottle with a rag sticking out from the neck drop 115 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 1: from the heavens. It hit the ground and burst into flames, 116 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: and there was a clopping noise hoofs. A horse entered 117 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: his line of vision. He managed to pull himself up 118 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: to a sitting position, blood all over his hands. Wasn't 119 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 1: his blood? Well, at least he thought it wasn't his, 120 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 1: And the officer on top of the horse was swinging 121 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 1: his truncheon violently into the sea of fans below him. 122 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 1: A Chelsea boy broke free from the crowd and raised 123 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 1: something above his head. The fuck was that a gun? 124 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: A knife? Ducnfeld caught a proper glimpse. The kid had 125 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 1: a fucking butcher's hook in his hands. He brought the 126 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: hook down through the air and quickly carved a long 127 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: slash into the horse's side. The beast cried out and 128 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,559 Speaker 1: rose up, tossing the cop to the ground, and another 129 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: bottle smashed into the road. Flames licked the air, the 130 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: stench of smoke and booze washed over everything. Thorpe emerged 131 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: from the rockets, screaming, his truncheon meeting one head, then another, 132 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 1: then another, and then he saw Chelsea fans sitting in shock, 133 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 1: leeding from the head, his face burnt black on one side, 134 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 1: his eyes vacant, Thorpe made a beeline for him. At first, 135 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 1: Stuckenfield thought his colleague was going to help the fan. 136 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 1: Thorpe thrust his hand into his police uniform pocket and 137 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 1: produced a white cloth. But Thorpe didn't use the white 138 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:43,080 Speaker 1: cloth as a bandage or a compress. Instead, he used 139 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:46,319 Speaker 1: it to wipe his bloody truncheon clean, and then he 140 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,200 Speaker 1: drew it back into the thick, smoky air and brought 141 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: it down as hard as he could onto the head 142 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: of the stunned Chelsea fan. Duckingfield watched the fan's limp 143 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:58,680 Speaker 1: body fall over onto the ground, and then he watched 144 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 1: his Thorpe screamed out out loud and delight. The memory faded. 145 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,079 Speaker 1: Duckingfield was back in the present, standing in front of 146 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,199 Speaker 1: a group of officers at Hillsborough Stadium. What had he 147 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 1: been saying? Oh? Yes, he began to speak again, and 148 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: hope that the men wouldn't detect the quiver in his voice. 149 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 1: I was seeing games like this before. He said. We 150 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: must be on top of things. We must be firm. 151 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 1: Roger Marshall watched as David Duckinfield emphasized the word firm 152 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 1: and saw something in the Chief Superintendent's eyes. At first 153 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: he thought it was anger, but then he realized it 154 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 1: wasn't anger at all. It was fear. It was the 155 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:42,559 Speaker 1: first time he saw that look on this day about 156 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 1: It wouldn't be the last, and it wouldn't be the 157 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,320 Speaker 1: only look. Soon it'd all be making faces, and not 158 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:54,679 Speaker 1: just faces of fear, something even worse than fear, horror. 159 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: On the morning of April fifteenth, nineteen eighty nine, Margaret 160 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 1: Aspinall stood in the kitchen of her home in the 161 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: suburbs of Liverpool. She watched as her son, James, walked 162 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 1: down the stairs with a familiar sight in his hands, 163 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 1: a gold chain necklace his pride and enjoyed. James struggled 164 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:36,319 Speaker 1: to put the chain on. Why don't you just leave 165 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 1: it on when you sleep, his mother asked him. I 166 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 1: wanted to stay as clean as possible, he said. Margaret 167 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 1: rolled her eyes, helped clip the chain around her son's 168 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: neck and said, your mom won't always be around to 169 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:50,319 Speaker 1: do that for you. A few hours later, James arrived 170 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:53,280 Speaker 1: at Hillsboro Stadium in Yorkshire to watch his favorite team, 171 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 1: Liverpool FC, take on Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semifinal. 172 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:00,839 Speaker 1: Like all FA Cup games near the and of competition, 173 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 1: this one was being played at a neutral stadium, hence 174 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 1: the reason they were here at Hillsboro. James stood outside 175 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: the arena and there was no trouble, no aggravation, no hooligans. 176 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 1: He chatted up a friend. His chain dangled from his neck. 177 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:18,079 Speaker 1: John Barnes, midfielder for Liverpool, also wore a chain around 178 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 1: his neck. It bounced as he stepped off the team 179 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 1: bus and out into the Yorkshire air. He felt like pacing. 180 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: The butterflies of game day were already fluttering in his stomach. 181 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 1: From high above the control box, South Yorkshire Police officer 182 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:36,199 Speaker 1: Roger Marshall couldn't tell that Liverpool's midfielder was nervous. All 183 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 1: he knew was that he had the best seat in 184 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 1: the house. He and the other officers had just survived 185 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 1: Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield's speech, and now he looked out 186 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 1: over the pitch. He also had a front row seat 187 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: to a bank of CCTV sets with live images of 188 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:54,959 Speaker 1: almost every corner of the stadium. On those screens, Marshall 189 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:58,080 Speaker 1: saw nothing but faces outside the stadium, and there were 190 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: people everywhere. One thing was off. They weren't getting enough 191 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: of those people into the stadium entrances. Something was wrong. 192 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 1: Marshall cleared his throat Chief Superintendent Ducanfield. His voice broke 193 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:14,559 Speaker 1: slightly as he spoke downstairs. James Aspinall and his friend 194 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 1: finally made it into the ground, but it was a 195 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 1: hell of a squeeze to get in. You see, the 196 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 1: way the ground was set up that day at Hillsborough 197 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: meant that over ten thousand Liverpool fans with standing tickets 198 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:30,440 Speaker 1: had to enter through just seven turnstiles seven. Strangely, the 199 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: smaller number of Nottingham Forest fans were allocated a larger 200 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:37,840 Speaker 1: area and why. Apparently this was done to avoid rival 201 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 1: fans crossing paths from the jump. The authorities weren't planning 202 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 1: for crowd safety, That were planning for hooliganism. Once inside, 203 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: the standing room only section or the terrace was divided 204 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: into pens, and I do mean pens. The pens were 205 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 1: nothing more than gated zones with high fences separating the 206 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: standing room only section from the pitch itself. Once you 207 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: shuffle your way into the terrace and into those pens, 208 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:05,079 Speaker 1: like Sheep heard it, into cages, he'd have a hard 209 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: time getting out again. Control being the idea, James, like 210 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: most of the Liverpool fans with standing tickets, was directed 211 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: into just two pens behind the goal, Pens three and four. 212 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,679 Speaker 1: The atmosphere was electric. In front of him, he saw 213 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: a huge blue fence, and then he heard a loud 214 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 1: voice on the PA. We could all the Liverpool fans 215 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 1: and Pens three and four moved forward as much as 216 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 1: pot of all and so along with everyone around him. 217 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 1: James took a step, and then another and another, closer 218 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: and closer to that huge blue fence. Up in the 219 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: control box, Roger Marshall was half shouting. Now, sir, He said, 220 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 1: it's two packed out there. There aren't enough turnstiles to 221 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: handle the people. We have to open. The emergence of 222 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 1: duckingfield cut him off. Don't you think I know that? 223 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 1: He snapped. He looked at the images on the CCTV 224 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 1: screens of fans falling over one another outside. Marshall suggested 225 00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:00,199 Speaker 1: they delay the kickoff to accommodate the unprecedented crowd. He 226 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 1: got a one word answer in response. 227 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 3: No. 228 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 1: James Aspinall saw the problem almost right away. The pen 229 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:09,679 Speaker 1: was too packed, but the gates were at the back, 230 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: making it nearly impossible to get out if you were 231 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,559 Speaker 1: at the front. But James, like many others, assumed the 232 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 1: problem would be temporary, and the minutes ticked down. Game 233 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: time approached. In the tunnel the lead from the locker 234 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 1: rooms to the field, John Barnes walked with his shoulders 235 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 1: back and his chest out fucked the butterflies. He was 236 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 1: ready up in the control box. Duckingfield was growing agitated 237 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 1: as he watched the CCTV feed. Maybe Marshall was right 238 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 1: after all. He thought about it for a second, and 239 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: then he spoke, do it, he said. Marshall gave the 240 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 1: sign and two of his men sprinted down to the 241 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: levns Land stand, where the Liverpool fans were congregated. Duckingfield 242 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: and Marshall watched on the TV screen as the huge 243 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 1: structure of Gates Sea opened. People bolted into the stadium. 244 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: Some were running, others fell over people in front of them, 245 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 1: and Marshall felt a horrible feeling bubble up in the 246 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 1: pit of his stomach. The gate was open, bodies poured 247 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: into the already packed pens, and there was only one 248 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 1: place they could go inside the pen. James aspin All 249 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 1: thought his friend was tapping him on the back, but 250 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: it was actually two or three arms from strangers, and 251 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 1: they were packed in so tight that the bodies moved 252 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 1: as one hulking mass, not as individuals. And then James 253 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: heard a huge noise. It was deafening, and it was 254 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 1: the sound of the crowd screaming as the teams walked 255 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: onto the pitch. John Barnes was on the field with 256 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 1: the rest of the Liverpool team now and he waved 257 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 1: and smiled at the crowd. Roger Marshall wasn't watching the 258 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: teams on the field, though, he was staring in horror 259 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 1: at the sea of bodies moving erratically on the CCTV screen. 260 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 1: It must be the camera making it look worse, he 261 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:48,040 Speaker 1: thought to himself, and so he looked up through the 262 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 1: glass of the control box that he immediately wished he hadn't. 263 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: What he saw was even worse than the images on 264 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: the screen. The referees whistle rang out, then the leather 265 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: hit leather. John Barnes sprinted forward as the crowd roared. 266 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 1: James Aspenall threw both his hands in the air and 267 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 1: shouted in frustration. The game was starting and he wasn't 268 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 1: even out of the fucking pen It was then that 269 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 1: Roger Marshall began to really panic. Suddenly there was a 270 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 1: huge thrust in the leppings laying stand. James Aspenall was 271 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: catapulted forward by a great force. From behind him. A 272 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 1: man to his left went down, lost in the tide 273 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 1: of clothes and skin. James looked for him, but he 274 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 1: was gone, swallowed by the sweaty mass. He tried to shout, 275 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 1: but the air was knocked out of him in another surge. 276 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 1: Only then did James Aspenall realize that he had no control. 277 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 1: It was like he was surfing a wave in a 278 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: violent storm. Roger Marshall was running. He could see the 279 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 1: full horror of what was happening now, and the entire 280 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 1: stand of people moving forward and then back, and then 281 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 1: forward and then backed uncontrollably. He saw one of the 282 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: barriers at the front, only a few meters from the 283 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: main fence. It was being bent forward, almost to its 284 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 1: breaking point. More and more bodies piled against it, forward, back, forward, back, 285 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: and the barrier finally gave way. It snapped. Men, women, children. 286 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:05,440 Speaker 1: They all fell forward, crashing into the large blue fence ahead. 287 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 1: Bodies piled upon bodies piled upon bodies. James Aspinall felt 288 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:12,919 Speaker 1: like he was in a dream and there was a 289 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,439 Speaker 1: second of silence, and then the bottom of the world 290 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: fell out. Everyone, no, everything around him fell forward and 291 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 1: crashed hard into the metal fence. He felt his gold 292 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 1: chain necklace loosen, he grabbed it before it fell, and 293 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:28,400 Speaker 1: then he hit the ground. Just as the game was stopped. 294 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 1: Roger Marshall was screaming now, yelling at the fans who 295 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,280 Speaker 1: weren't injured to help get their friends and family members 296 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,800 Speaker 1: over the fence. All he could see were people on 297 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 1: the ground, motionless, So many people motionless. Back in Liverpool, 298 00:17:43,119 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 1: Margaret Aspinall's phone rang. Her sister in law was on 299 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 1: the other end, Margaret. She said, there's trouble at Hillsborough. 300 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 1: Margaret ran to her TV set and turned it on, 301 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,119 Speaker 1: and as soon as the screen flicked to life, the 302 00:17:55,240 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: chaos greeted her like a gunshot. Years later, she swore 303 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 1: that she saw her son, James. She swore she saw 304 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 1: him on the pitch, just lying there. People doubted her claims, 305 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 1: but she knew what she saw in that moment though, 306 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 1: As she watched in terror, while a nightmare unfolded at Yorkshire, 307 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 1: a nightmare that involved her child. She could hardly describe it. 308 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,199 Speaker 1: She just knew that it was unbelievable, It was terrifying, 309 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,399 Speaker 1: and life as she knew it was changing right before 310 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:27,120 Speaker 1: her eyes. Back in Yorkshire, a body was thrust over 311 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:30,159 Speaker 1: the fence and Roger Marshall grabbed him carefully, laid him 312 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,200 Speaker 1: on the pitch and thought about giving him mouth to mouth, 313 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: and then he took a second look. Mouth to mouth 314 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:38,960 Speaker 1: was futile. The kid's life was over. Marshall took off 315 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: his jacket and placed it over the kid's body. He 316 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: covered the head, the torsa, and then the hands, one 317 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 1: of which was clutching a gold chain necklace. Marshall could 318 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:51,679 Speaker 1: feel the tears welling up. He looked up at the 319 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: chaos and thought that this must be what hell looked like. 320 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: But for the Liverpool fans, hell was only just beginning. 321 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:07,679 Speaker 1: We'll be right back after this. 322 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:09,360 Speaker 2: We're we're, we're. 323 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 1: Soho was dark, The sex workers and the drug dealers 324 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:22,680 Speaker 1: were everywhere. Shadows come to life, and the rain hammered hard. 325 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:26,399 Speaker 1: So did his anxiety. He upped his walking piece and 326 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: darted down a little side alley. He was alone. His 327 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:33,639 Speaker 1: footsteps echoed off the cobblestones with a rhythmic click, click, click. 328 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:36,159 Speaker 1: He worried more about the meeting he was headed to. 329 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 1: The sound of his shoes was like a metronome in 330 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: his head. Click, click, click, and then his footsteps were 331 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:46,439 Speaker 1: joined by another set of clicks. These ones, ringing out 332 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 1: in the narrow alley, were out of time with his 333 00:19:49,119 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: like they were walking him, and they were allowed too heavy. 334 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,119 Speaker 1: He pushed on faster now with the clicks behind him, 335 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: kept up the pace. His gaze was fixed ahead. His 336 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 1: neck was stiff. He didn't dare turn around. He was 337 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:07,239 Speaker 1: almost at the hotel. He was almost a safety. Just 338 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 1: a few more seconds, and then his blood ran cold. 339 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: A voice from behind him cut through the rain in 340 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:17,360 Speaker 1: the polyrhythmic footsteps. Excuse me, sir. He didn't reply. Instead, 341 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:20,399 Speaker 1: he broke into a jog. The voice came again, this 342 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 1: time firmer and more direct than before. Excuse me. The 343 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: stone beneath him was wet and slippery. His expensive shoes 344 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 1: made it feel like he was skating on ice, sir. 345 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:33,440 Speaker 1: The voice again, this time even closer than before. Run, 346 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 1: he thought, fucking run. But before we could begin to sprint, 347 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:42,159 Speaker 1: a hand touched his shoulder he spun around was a 348 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:45,400 Speaker 1: young man, well dressed with a kind face. Sorry, sir, 349 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 1: the man said, wasn't sure if you could hear me 350 00:20:47,359 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: from the rain and all that. There was an awkward pause, 351 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:52,159 Speaker 1: and then the man raised his right hand. You dropped 352 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:56,640 Speaker 1: your wallet. Jesus Christ. That was a relief, he thanked 353 00:20:56,680 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 1: the young man, but he wasn't about to get rid 354 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 1: of his pursuer that fast. The younger man cocked his 355 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:04,480 Speaker 1: head slightly to one side. Do I know you, sir, 356 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: he asked, and then it came to him clear as day, 357 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 1: you're that MP. Of course he was that MP, a 358 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,919 Speaker 1: Conservative member of Parliament with a familiar face, who couldn't 359 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:17,960 Speaker 1: shuffle down an alley to a clandestine meeting without getting made. 360 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:20,439 Speaker 1: He said something in return, something along the lines of 361 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 1: you must be confused, before darting off to the end 362 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:25,640 Speaker 1: of the alley, and it long lasts safely into the hotel. 363 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:29,680 Speaker 1: Seconds later he was inside the bar of the Soho Hotel. 364 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:32,680 Speaker 1: He managed to find the person he was meeting straight away. 365 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: He had always spot a journalist a mile off. He 366 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 1: walked over to the table and without introduction, asked the 367 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 1: man sitting there, are you ready. That night, the Hillsborough 368 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 1: story took a turn for the worse. How could it 369 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 1: get any worse? After the devastation of life that occurred 370 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 1: in the stands that day, a day that ended with 371 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 1: seven hundred and sixty six injured in ninety five dead, 372 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,480 Speaker 1: When the authorities decided to ship the blame away from 373 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 1: themselves and onto the very people who had been devastated 374 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 1: by it, that's how could get worse? All they needed 375 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: was an outlet. Just a few days after the fatal 376 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 1: crush at Hillsboro, Kelvin mackenzie, editor of the Sun newspaper, 377 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,679 Speaker 1: stepped out of his e type jag. He handed the 378 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:15,879 Speaker 1: keys to the valet and walked to the Sun's Fleet 379 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 1: Street offices. As he made his way through the thick 380 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: brass covered doors, a man tried to stop him. No 381 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: one stopped Calvin McKenzie, especially not front desk security. This guy, 382 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:29,120 Speaker 1: this guy was new. This guy was asking to see 383 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 1: mackenzie's pass, trying to speak with authority. Mackenzie walked right 384 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:35,359 Speaker 1: past him. He could feel the anger rising inside. It 385 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 1: was right there in his throat, and the new guy 386 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:41,640 Speaker 1: kept after him, Sir, sir. Finally, McKenzie stopped. He spun 387 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:45,040 Speaker 1: around his shoes, squeaking on the polished marble floor. Your pass, 388 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 1: the security guard said, My face is my fucking pass. 389 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: Mackenzie screamed, I get the fuck out of this building 390 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 1: and never show your fucking face here again. He ripped 391 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: open the door to the main office and marched through, 392 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 1: leaving himself just enough time to scream fucking amateur in 393 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:04,439 Speaker 1: his wake. Upstairs, his anger was still simmering. One of 394 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 1: his writers presented him with some rough copy for an article. 395 00:23:07,359 --> 00:23:09,480 Speaker 1: Seven or eight other journals sat in his office watching 396 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:13,199 Speaker 1: him read. They all puffed on cigarettes. Mackenzie scanned the article. 397 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 1: This all came from the MP, he asked. Phillips nodded 398 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 1: his head and added in some police. Mackenzie read more. 399 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:23,159 Speaker 1: It was the type of silacious front page splash that 400 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: the Sun made his reputation on gutter press, his dad 401 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 1: had called it. But this this was McKenzie's currency. The article, 402 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: following the lead of the Member of Parliament and the police, 403 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:36,160 Speaker 1: blamed the disaster not on the decisions made by Chief 404 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: Superintendent Duckinfield, but on the barbaric behavior of Liverpool hooligans. 405 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: It accused the fans of not just illegally rushing the gates, 406 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:47,200 Speaker 1: but of pissing on police and even pickpocketing the dead. 407 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: Mackenzie paused for a moment and then said, simply scum. 408 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:55,639 Speaker 1: The room fell into silence. The all male writing staff 409 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:57,639 Speaker 1: had been in the spot before, the one where they 410 00:23:57,640 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: weren't sure if their editor was about to scream at 411 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 1: them or aragulate them. After a moment, mackenzie cracked a smile. 412 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: That's the headline, he said, you scum. Silence again. The 413 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 1: writer of the draft took a drag on his cigarette, 414 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:12,480 Speaker 1: giving himself something to do so he didn't have to 415 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:16,400 Speaker 1: reply right away. No, mackenzie asked the room of hushed faces. 416 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:19,199 Speaker 1: The writer blew smoke. He began to say that he 417 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:21,160 Speaker 1: wasn't sure about it, that it felt, you know, maybe 418 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 1: a little too strong. McKenzie didn't let him finish. These 419 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:28,200 Speaker 1: people are pissing on officials, they're stealing from their own dead, 420 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 1: and if they're not scum, what are they? The silence 421 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: returned to a man like McKenzie was clear. Everyone knew 422 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:38,399 Speaker 1: what those hooligans did at soccer matches, the fights, the 423 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:44,200 Speaker 1: drunken brawls. They'd been doing it since thirteen forty nine, thugs, villains, scum. 424 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:47,960 Speaker 1: Finally the writer found some words. People died, A lot 425 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: of people died. They shouldn't all be labeled to scum. 426 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:54,600 Speaker 1: That just wasn't right. Mackenzie quickly snapped back. You don't 427 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:57,439 Speaker 1: have the fucking balls, he said, You Northerners are all 428 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: the fucking same. His voice was just above a whisper, 429 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:03,480 Speaker 1: but it landed as heart as steel. Then he moved 430 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:07,320 Speaker 1: his face right into the writer's face. Are you fucking soft? 431 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: The writer suppressed the panic building inside him while they 432 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:13,720 Speaker 1: stood his ground and made his argument. They couldn't in 433 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:17,240 Speaker 1: good conscience print that. As he went on, Mackenzie's face 434 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:20,160 Speaker 1: elongated into sheer rage. He drew a breath to give 435 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:23,199 Speaker 1: the writer perhaps the biggest fucking beatdown ever dispatched in 436 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:25,200 Speaker 1: his office, but he was stopped before he could begin. 437 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:27,639 Speaker 1: I think he's right, came a voice from the corner 438 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: of the room, the most junior reporter in the place. 439 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 1: Suddenly Mackenzie was the one to panic. He could feel 440 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: the room turning against him. The youth and their fucking principles, 441 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:39,880 Speaker 1: A bunch of fucking softies, all of them, a lot 442 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 1: of them. He desperately tried to maintain his all powerful image. 443 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 1: But what shall we go with? Then the writer grabbed 444 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 1: a pen from the desk and in big letters scrawled 445 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:51,679 Speaker 1: the truth at the top of the page. But he 446 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 1: was wrong. What was written in that article wasn't the truth, 447 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:58,439 Speaker 1: not even close. The story, published in The Sun on 448 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 1: April nineteenth, nineteen eighty nine, just four days after the tragedy, 449 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 1: placed the blame for what happened at Hillsboro squarely on 450 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 1: the shoulders of Liverpool fans, which, of course was one 451 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:13,720 Speaker 1: bullshit didn't matter. Soccer officials, journalists and other members of 452 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:16,880 Speaker 1: parliament followed suit, condemning me innocent victims of the Hillsborough 453 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 1: disaster and one of the worst misinformation wars in British history. 454 00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 1: For his part in that smear campaign, mackenzie gets sacked, right, wow. 455 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 2: No. 456 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:28,440 Speaker 1: He stayed on at The Sun in one form or 457 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: another until the twenty eighth anniversary of the disaster in 458 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen, when he was suspended for a racist comment 459 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 1: about a player from another Merseyside club for the people 460 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 1: of Liverpool, though his dismissal came twenty eight years too late. 461 00:26:55,000 --> 00:27:08,920 Speaker 1: Ser Steve was young when It happened eight years old. 462 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:12,400 Speaker 1: His cousin was only ten. He was the youngest one 463 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 1: that died. The funeral was unbearable, the tears, the awkward conversations, 464 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:23,160 Speaker 1: the sadness. The sadness was never ending. There were little 465 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 1: things he remembered from that time, like when he caught 466 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: a glimpse of his cousin's bedroom, untouched, just as he 467 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 1: had left it. Or when he saw the players in 468 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:35,200 Speaker 1: their black armbands with a line of scarves that stretched 469 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 1: from Liverpool Stadium to the home of their fierce rivals Everton. 470 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 1: He remembered seeing a Liverpool fan hug an Evertonian and 471 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:45,720 Speaker 1: how strange that seemed. You Remember the day they added 472 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:48,399 Speaker 1: the flames to each side of the Liverpool crest, an 473 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:50,760 Speaker 1: eternal flame that burned a memory of those who lost 474 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:54,080 Speaker 1: their lives. He remember the TV and radio shows and 475 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: the headline that read the truth. The burning of the newspapers. 476 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:01,520 Speaker 1: He remembered the hollow apologies the police, the paper and 477 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:05,320 Speaker 1: whoever else perpetuated the lie, like the cops who admitted 478 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:08,399 Speaker 1: during inquest into the tragedy that they had spread false 479 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:12,160 Speaker 1: stories about the fans to cover their own asses. Years later, 480 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 1: even Chief Superintendent David Duckinfield himself would admit that it 481 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:18,439 Speaker 1: had all been a terrible lie, that it was his 482 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:21,720 Speaker 1: actions on that day that directly led to the fatal crush. 483 00:28:22,040 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: Even before this stunning admission, Steve could smell the bullshit. 484 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:30,480 Speaker 1: He remembered Margaret Aspinhaal rallying other victims' families to challenge 485 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:34,159 Speaker 1: the authorities a memory of her son James. He remembered 486 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 1: the trials and how the finger of blame finally turned 487 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 1: away from the fans. He remembered it all so clearly. 488 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: Later he told someone from a newspaper that he thought 489 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 1: about it every day in one way or another. And 490 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: he thought about it one night in Turkey at the 491 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: Atta Turk Olympic Stadium in two thousand and five. You see, 492 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:58,200 Speaker 1: Steve wasn't your average child. The very same year as 493 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 1: the Hillsborough disaster was the year at Steve full named 494 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 1: Stephen Gerrard assigned to Liverpool's academy. As he stood on 495 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:07,280 Speaker 1: the field that night at in Istanbul, during the final 496 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:10,360 Speaker 1: of Europe's biggest club competition, in the Champions League, things 497 00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:13,840 Speaker 1: were looking bleak. His Liverpool team were underdogs and were 498 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 1: currently down three nil to the mighty ac Milan, and 499 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:19,240 Speaker 1: there were fifty four minutes on the clock and the 500 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: ball was coming at him closer and closer. Before long, 501 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: Steve realized he'd found some space between the two defenders. 502 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 1: He left into the evening humidity and connected with the ball. 503 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:30,680 Speaker 1: He pushed hard with his neck and directed it to 504 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 1: the other side of the goal. The Milan keeper was 505 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:35,320 Speaker 1: flat footed as the ball sailed over him and into 506 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:40,000 Speaker 1: the net goal. Steve barely celebrated. He sprinted back to 507 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 1: the center circle, ruling his arms like a windmill. It 508 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 1: was game on. What unfolded that night was one of 509 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 1: the greatest comebacks in soccer history. After the game, Steve 510 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:52,040 Speaker 1: lifted the huge trophy above his head, his captain's arm 511 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 1: band proudly positioned for all to see. In front of 512 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:57,640 Speaker 1: him was the seve of Liverpool fans, dressed in red, 513 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:00,400 Speaker 1: cheering for their club, cheering for their city, Cheering for 514 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:03,920 Speaker 1: the group they now called the ninety seven, cheering for 515 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:10,440 Speaker 1: Adam Edwards spirit fourteen, Alan Johnston twenty nine, Alan mcgloane 516 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 1: twenty eight, Andrew Mark Brooks twenty six, Anthony David Bland 517 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:21,480 Speaker 1: twenty two, Anthony Peter Kelly twenty nine, Arthur Harks forty one, 518 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 1: Barry Glover twenty seven, Barry Sidney Bennett twenty six, Brian 519 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:32,920 Speaker 1: Christopher Matthews thirty eight, Carl William Rimmer twenty one, Carl 520 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:39,840 Speaker 1: Brown eighteen, Carl Darren Hewitt seventeen, Carl David Lewis eighteen, 521 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 1: Christine Ann Jones twenty seven, Christopher James Trainer twenty six, 522 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: Christopher Barry Devinside eighteen, Christopher Edwards twenty nine, Colin Wafer nineteen, 523 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:59,400 Speaker 1: Colin Andrew Hugh, William Sefton twenty three, Colin Mark Ashcroft 524 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 1: nineteen teen, David William Birtle twenty two, David George Rimmer 525 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:09,960 Speaker 1: thirty eight, David Holly thirty nine, David John Benson twenty two, 526 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 1: David Leonard Thomas twenty three, David William Mather nineteen, Derek 527 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:21,400 Speaker 1: George Goodwin twenty four, Eric Hankin thirty three, Eric George 528 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 1: Hughes forty two, Francis Joseph McAllister twenty seven, Gary Christopher 529 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:33,360 Speaker 1: Church nineteen, Gary Collins twenty two, Gary Harrison twenty seven, 530 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:39,280 Speaker 1: Gary Phillip Jones eighteen, Gerard Bernard Patrick Baron sixty seven, 531 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:45,000 Speaker 1: Gordon Rodney Horn twenty, Graham John Roberts twenty four, Graham 532 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:51,040 Speaker 1: John Wright seventeen, Henry Charles Rogers seventeen, Henry Thomas Burke 533 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:57,160 Speaker 1: forty seven, Ian David Whalen nineteen, Ian Thomas Glover twenty, 534 00:31:57,680 --> 00:32:03,200 Speaker 1: Inger Shaw thirty eight, James's Philip Delaney nineteen, James Robert 535 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 1: Hennessy twenty nine, John Alfred Anderson sixty two, John mcbrian eighteen, 536 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:16,720 Speaker 1: Jonathan Owens eighteen, John Paul Gilliley ten, Joseph Clark twenty nine, 537 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 1: Joseph Daniel McCarthy twenty one, Keith McGrath seventeen, Kester Roger, 538 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 1: Marcus Ball sixteen, Kevin Daniel Williams fifteen, Kevin Tyrrell fifteen, 539 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:34,560 Speaker 1: Lee Nichol fourteen, Marion Hazel McCabe twenty one, Martin Kevin 540 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:39,960 Speaker 1: Trainer sixteen, Martin Kenneth Wilde twenty nine, Michael David Kelly 541 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:46,120 Speaker 1: thirty eight, Nicholas Peter Joins twenty seven, Nicholas Mitchell Hewitt sixteen, 542 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:51,560 Speaker 1: Patrick John Thompson thirty five, PAULA Ann Smith twenty six, 543 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:56,920 Speaker 1: Paul Anthony Hewitson twenty six, Paul David Brady twenty one, 544 00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 1: Paul Brian Murray fourteen, Paul Clark eighteen, Paul William Carlisle nineteen, 545 00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:09,320 Speaker 1: Peter Andrew Harrison fifteen, Peter Andrew Burkett twenty four, Peter 546 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:14,280 Speaker 1: Francis Toodle twenty one, Peter McDonell twenty one, Peter Ruben 547 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 1: Thompson thirty, Philip Hammond fourteen, Philip John Steele fifteen, Raymond 548 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:26,040 Speaker 1: Thomas Chapman fifty, Richard Jones twenty five, Roy Harry Hamilton 549 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:32,520 Speaker 1: thirty four, Sarah Louise Hicks nineteen, Simon Bell seventeen, Stephen 550 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:38,120 Speaker 1: Paul Koppick twenty, Stephen Francis Harrison thirty one, Stephen Francis 551 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 1: O'Neill seventeen, Stephen Joseph Robinson seventeen, David Stephen Brown twenty five, Stewart, 552 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:51,600 Speaker 1: Paul William Thompson seventeen, Thomas Howard thirty nine, Thomas Stephen 553 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 1: Fox twenty one, Tracy Elizabeth Cox twenty three, Victoria Jane 554 00:33:57,280 --> 00:34:02,840 Speaker 1: Hicks fifteen, Vincent Michael fitz Simmons thirty four, William Roy 555 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:08,360 Speaker 1: Pemberton twenty three, Andrew Devine fifty two, and James Gary 556 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:17,120 Speaker 1: aspinall just eight I'm Jake Brennan in this This. 557 00:34:17,239 --> 00:34:33,280 Speaker 2: Disgracelam Disgraceland was created by Yours Truly and is produced 558 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:36,719 Speaker 2: in partnership with Double Elvis. 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