1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: Disgraceland as a production of Double Elvis. This is a 2 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 1: story about football, or should I say soccer for all 3 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: the Americans out there, and it's a story about one 4 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: of the deadliest tragedies in the history of sports, the 5 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: Hillsborough Disaster. It's a story about not just death and destruction, 6 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: but also about the press, and about hooligans, and about 7 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: justice and community, about fighting for what is right, about 8 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,639 Speaker 1: screaming out at the top of your lungs as you, 9 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: in tens of thousands engage in the ritual of singing 10 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 1: your club's fight song and in the process making great music. 11 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 1: Unlike that music I played for you at the top 12 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: of the show. That wasn't great music. That was a 13 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: preset loop for my melotron called Speaker Eddy Standoff MK One. 14 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: I played you that loop because I can't afford the 15 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: rights to She Drives Me Crazy by the Fine Young Cannibals. 16 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 1: And why would I play you that specific slice of 17 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: snare drum pop cheese. Could I afford it? Because that 18 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: was the number one song in America on April fifteenth, 19 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty nine, And that was the day that a 20 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 1: soccer stadium was transformed into hell. On Earth and a 21 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 1: smear campaign against the game's most loyal supporters was hatched 22 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:42,479 Speaker 1: on this episode. A fatal human crush, cooliking culture, a 23 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 1: war between the establishment and the people, and the memory 24 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: of the ninety seven those who lost their lives in 25 00:01:50,120 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: the Hillsborough disaster. I'm Jake Brennan and this is disgraceland. 26 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 1: They say it started when King Edward was on the throne. 27 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: It was thirteen forty nine. They didn't even use a ball, 28 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: they used the pigs bladder, and they didn't kick the 29 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: pigs bladder into a goal. They kicked it over the 30 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: opposing team's church. But this isn't about the origins of soccer. 31 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:43,839 Speaker 1: This is about the origins of violence. Yes, even way 32 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:45,639 Speaker 1: back when Eddie was on the throne and watching those 33 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: inflated organs sale over church steeples, there were fights, organized fights, 34 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: so many fights that the monarchy had to ban the game. 35 00:02:54,720 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 1: Hooliganism was born. Fast forward five hundred years cent new 36 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: monarch on the throne. Soccer was no longer banned because 37 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: time heals all wounds right wrong. In eighteen eighty five, 38 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 1: Preston defeated Aston Villa five. No the Villa fans stormed 39 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: the pitch and a full riot broke out. One Villa 40 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: fan threw a stone at the head of a Preston 41 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: player point blank whack. The guy was unconscious for the 42 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: rest of the riot. Nineteen oh nine saw the legendary 43 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 1: stadium Hampton Park smashed half to pieces after a match 44 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: between rivals Glasgow and Celtic f C. By the nineteen eighties, 45 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: things were really out of control. Liverpool would event this 46 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 1: matched up in a European Cup final that has since 47 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: gone down in infamy. A mob charged the field in 48 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: the middle of the game. Why it didn't have to 49 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: be a specific reason. It was just part of the 50 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: whole hooligan thing, both sides winding each other up and 51 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: tearing each other down. On this occasion they tore down 52 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: more than each other. An entire stadium wall collapsed on 53 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: Italian fans. Thirty nine people died that night. But perhaps 54 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: the most violent moment in the history of rowdy riding 55 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: unlawful crowds at soccer matches aka hoolianism, wasn't thrown with 56 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 1: a paunch, or tossed with a mall top cocktail, or 57 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: even stabbed with a knife. It was a smear campaign 58 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: against the innocent, and it all started on April fifteenth, 59 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty nine. The morning sun drew a huge shadow 60 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 1: across the grass. Roger Marshall sat in one of the 61 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,840 Speaker 1: hard plastic seats in the west stand of Hillsboro Stadium. 62 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,919 Speaker 1: He shuffled his ass to and fro. He didn't know 63 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,840 Speaker 1: what was more uncomfortable the seat of the scratchy South 64 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: Yorkshire Police uniform he was wearing in front of where 65 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 1: Marshall and the rest of the officer sat. Chief Superintendent 66 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,239 Speaker 1: David Duckinfield walked back and forth like a Roman emperor, 67 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: his gait pompous and slow, his head held high. You 68 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: must take a firm hand in situations like this one. 69 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 1: A firm hand, he said to his crew, and then 70 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 1: paused for a moment before adding, and a fair one. 71 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: He was serious as hell. He needed each and every officer, 72 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: Marshall included, to understand what lay ahead of them. Some 73 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: of them weren't used to a situation like this. Soon 74 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: the stadium would be full capacity. Crowd. With a crowd 75 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 1: that large comes risk that you have to be wise 76 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 1: to every In any situation, people will be drunk, people 77 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: will fight, hooliganism is very real. Duckingfield assured them. He 78 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 1: stopped like he was trying to remember something, and then 79 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: continued his speech. I myself am experienced in this type 80 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: of policing. And the Duckingfield's voice drifted away, and then 81 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:42,159 Speaker 1: his mind drifted along with it, back to another game, 82 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: into another time. The Hillsboro Stadium disappeared, and so did 83 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: the fresh Yorkshire air. Duckinfield was back at brahml Lane, 84 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 1: home of Sheffield United, was hot. People everywhere. Next to 85 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 1: Duckinfield stood a senior officer Thorpe. In front of them 86 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 1: was a sea of blue. Chelsea was in town. Chelsea 87 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:10,600 Speaker 1: fans came with a reputation violent, rabbit, fucking, ruthless. Duckingfield 88 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:13,279 Speaker 1: and Thorpe could already feel it in the air. Thorpe 89 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: called it invisible violence. First you see it in the eyeballs. 90 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: Glances are tossed around. Then it's a quick exchange of words, 91 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 1: what are you looking at, you fucking cunt? A bottle 92 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: gets thrown and then it's on Duckingfield and Thorpe watched 93 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: it unfold in real time. Some Sheffield United fans came 94 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: around the corner dressed in their trademark red and white, 95 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 1: and they taunted the Chelsea boys. Arms were thrown up 96 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 1: against chests, heads, cock hands curled into fists so tight 97 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 1: the fingernails dug into skin. Suddenly, all that red and 98 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 1: white was tangled up and blue. Thorpe didn't miss a beat. 99 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 1: He dove headfirst into the scrum. Duckingfield, meanwhile, was shoved 100 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 1: from behind. He turned. A man with a buzz cut, 101 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:55,800 Speaker 1: dressed all in blue, screamed filth half an inch from 102 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:58,479 Speaker 1: his face. Duck and Field began to speak, but not 103 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: before the man shou shut him up with a huge, 104 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 1: huge wave of spit, howked up good and gooey in 105 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 1: his mouth, and then shockingly dispensed on the officer's face. 106 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: The muke is settled across Duckingfield's eyelids. Duckingfield had no 107 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: choice but to react. He drew back his truncheon, but 108 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: before we could use it, the scrum that contained Thorpe 109 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: crashed into him. Both officers fell to the ground, and 110 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: Ducanfield heard something crack, and then a splatter of blood 111 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: painted the asphalt red where he laid. He watched a 112 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: bottle with a rag sticking out from the neck drop 113 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: from the heavens. It hit the ground and burst into flames, 114 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: and there was a clopping noise hoofs. A horse entered 115 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 1: his line of vision. He managed to pull himself up 116 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: to a sitting position, blood all over his hands. Wasn't 117 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: his blood? Well, at least he thought it wasn't his, 118 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: And the officer on top of the horse was swinging 119 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 1: his truncheon violently into the sea of fans below him. 120 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 1: A Chelsea boy broke free from the crowd and raised 121 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: something above his head. The fuck was that a gun? 122 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 1: A knife? Ducan fell caught a proper glimpse. The kid 123 00:07:57,160 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: had a fucking butcher's hook in his hands. He brought 124 00:07:59,920 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: the hook down through the air and quickly carved a 125 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: long slash into the horse's side. The beast cried out 126 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: and rose up, tossing the cop to the ground, and 127 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: another bottle smashed into the road. Flames licked the air, 128 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: the stench of smoke and booze washed over everything. Thorpe 129 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: emerged from the ruckets screaming, his truncheon meeting one head, 130 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: then another, then another, and then he saw a Chelsea 131 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: fan sitting in shock, bleeding from the head, his face 132 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: burnt black on one side, his eyes vacant, Thorpe made 133 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 1: a beeline for him. At first, Stuckenfield thought his colleague 134 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:34,559 Speaker 1: was going to help the fan. Thorpe thrust his hand 135 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: into his police uniform pocket and produced a white cloth. 136 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: But Thorpe didn't use the white cloth as a bandage 137 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: or a compress. Instead, he used it to wipe his 138 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: bloody truncheon clean, and then he drew it back into 139 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 1: the thick, smoky air and brought it down as hard 140 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: as he could onto the head of the stunned Chelsea fan. 141 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: Duckingfield watched the fan's limp body fall over onto the ground, 142 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 1: and then he watched as Thorpe screamed out loud in delight. 143 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 1: The memory faded. Duckingfield was back in the present, standing 144 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: in front of a group of officers at Hillsborough Stadium. 145 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 1: What had he been saying? Oh? Yes, he began to 146 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: speak again, and hope that the men wouldn't detect the 147 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: quiver in his voice. I was seeing games like this before. 148 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: He said. We must be on top of things. We 149 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: must be firm. Roger Marshall watched as David Duckinfield emphasized 150 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 1: the word firm and saw something in the Chief Superintendent's eyes. 151 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 1: At first he thought it was anger, but then he 152 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,680 Speaker 1: realized it wasn't anger at all. It was fear. It 153 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: was the first time he saw that look on this day, 154 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: but wouldn't be the last, and it wouldn't be the 155 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: only look. Soon it'd all be making faces, and not 156 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: just faces of fear, something even worse than fear, horror. 157 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: On the morning of April fifteenth, nineteen eighty nine, Margaret 158 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 1: Aspinall stood in the kitchen of her home in the 159 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,760 Speaker 1: suburbs of Liverpool. She watched as her son, James walked 160 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 1: down the stairs with a familiar sight in his hands, 161 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: a gold chain necklace his pride and joy. James struggled 162 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: to put the chain on. Why don't you just leave 163 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: it on when you sleep, his mother asked him. I 164 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: wanted to stay as clean as possible, he said. Margaret 165 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: rolled her eyes, helped clip the chain around her son's 166 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 1: neck and said, your mom won't always be around to 167 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 1: do that for you. A few hours later, James arrived 168 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 1: at Hillsboro Stadium in Yorkshire to watch his favorite team, 169 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 1: Liverpool FC, take on Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semifinal. 170 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:00,439 Speaker 1: Like all FA Cup games near the end of come petition. 171 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 1: This one was being played at a neutral stadium, hence 172 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: the reason they were here at Hillsborough. James stood outside 173 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 1: the arena and there was no trouble, no aggravation, no hooligans. 174 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 1: He chatted up a front His chain dangled from his neck. 175 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,679 Speaker 1: John Barnes, midfielder for Liverpool, also wore a chain around 176 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,199 Speaker 1: his neck. It bounced as he stepped off the team 177 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:23,560 Speaker 1: bus and out into the Yorkshire air. He felt like pacing. 178 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 1: The butterflies of game day were already fluttering in his stomach. 179 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: From high above the control box, South Yorkshire Police officer 180 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: Roger Marshall couldn't tell that Liverpool's midfielder was nervous. All 181 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:37,560 Speaker 1: he knew was that he had the best seat in 182 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: the house. He and the other officers had just survived 183 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 1: Chief Superintendent David Duckinfield's speech and now he looked out 184 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: over the pitch. He also had a front row seat 185 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:50,199 Speaker 1: to a bank of CCTV sets with live images of 186 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:54,559 Speaker 1: almost every corner of the stadium. On those screens, Marshall 187 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 1: saw nothing but faces. Outside the stadium, there were people everywhere, 188 00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: and one thing was obvious. They weren't getting enough of 189 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:05,959 Speaker 1: those people into the stadium entrances. Something was wrong. Marshall 190 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 1: cleared his throat Chief Superintendent Ducanfield. His voice broke slightly 191 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 1: as he spoke downstairs. James Aspinall and his friend finally 192 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: made it into the ground, but it was a hell 193 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: of a squeeze to get in. You see, the way 194 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,959 Speaker 1: the ground was set up that day at Hillsborough meant 195 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: that over ten thousand Liverpool fans with standing tickets had 196 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:30,439 Speaker 1: to empery through just seven turnstiles seven. Strangely, the smaller 197 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: number of Nottingham Forest fans were allocated a larger area 198 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,840 Speaker 1: and why. Apparently this was done to avoid rival fans 199 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 1: crossing paths from the jump. The authorities weren't planning for 200 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: crowd safety, That were planning for hooliganism. Once inside, the 201 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:50,200 Speaker 1: standing room only section or the terrace was divided into pens, 202 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: and I do mean pens. The pens were nothing more 203 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: than gated zones with high fences separating the standing room 204 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: only section from the pitch itself. Once you shuffled your 205 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: way in the terrace and into those pens, like Sheep 206 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 1: heard it into cages, he'd have a hard time getting 207 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: out again. Control being the idea, James, like most of 208 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 1: the Liverpool fans with standing tickets, was directed into just 209 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 1: two pens behind the goal, Pens three and four. The 210 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 1: atmosphere was electric. In front of him, he saw a 211 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:20,959 Speaker 1: huge blue fence, and then he heard a loud voice 212 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: on the PA. Please could all the Liverpool fans and 213 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: Pens three and four moved forward as much as part 214 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: of all and so, along with everyone around him, James 215 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 1: took a step, and then another and another, closer and 216 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 1: closer to that huge blue fence. Up in the control box, 217 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 1: Roger Marshall was half shouting. Now, sir, He said, it's 218 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: two packed out there. There aren't enough turnstiles to handle 219 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 1: the people. We have to open the emergency duckingfield cut 220 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 1: them off. Don't you think I know that? He snapped. 221 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:53,079 Speaker 1: He looked at the images on the CCTV screens of 222 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: fans falling over one another outside. Marshall suggested they delay 223 00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 1: the kickoff to accommodate the unprecedented crowd. One word answer 224 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 1: and response No. James Aspinall saw the problem almost right away. 225 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: The pen was too packed, but the gates were at 226 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 1: the back, making it nearly impossible to get out if 227 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 1: you were at the front, but James, like many others, 228 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 1: assumed the problem would be temporary, and the minutes ticked down. 229 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: Game time approached. In the tunnel that lead from the 230 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 1: locker rooms to the field, John Barnes walked with his 231 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: shoulders back and his chest out fucked the butterflies. He 232 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: was ready up in the control box. Duckingfield was growing 233 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 1: agitated as he watched the CCTV feed. Maybe Marshall was 234 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 1: right after all. He thought about it for a second, 235 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: and then he spoke, do it, he said. Marshall gave 236 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 1: the sign and two of his men sprinted down to 237 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: the Levin's Lane stand, where the Liverpool fans were congregated. 238 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: Duckingfield and Marshall watched on the TV screen as the 239 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 1: huge structure of Gates Sea opened. People bolted into the stadium. 240 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 1: Some were running, others fell over people in front of them, 241 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 1: and Marshall felt a horrible feeling bubble up and the 242 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: pit of his stomach. The gate was open, bodies poured 243 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 1: into the already packed pens, and there was only one 244 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: place they could go inside the pen. James Aspinall thought 245 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 1: his friend was tapping him on the back, but it 246 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 1: was actually two or three arms from strangers, and they 247 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: were packed in so tight that the bodies moved as 248 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: one hulking mass, not as individuals. And then James heard 249 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: a huge noise. It was deafening. It was the sound 250 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 1: of the crowd screaming as the teams walked onto the pitch. 251 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: John Barnes was on the field with the rest of 252 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: the Liverpool team now, and he waved and smiled at 253 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: the crowd. Roger Marshall wasn't watching the teams on the field, though, 254 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: he was staring in horror at the sea of bodies 255 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: moving erratically on the CCTV screen. It must be the 256 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 1: camera making it look worse, he thought to himself. So 257 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 1: he looked up through the glass of the control box 258 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: and he immediately wished he hadn't. What he saw was 259 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: even worse than the images on the screen. The referees 260 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 1: whistle rang out and leather hit leather. John Barnes sprinted 261 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: forward as the crowd roar. James Aspenall threw both his 262 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: hands into the air and shouted in frustration. The game 263 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: was starting and he wasn't even out of the fucking pen. 264 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 1: It was then that Roger Marshall began to really panic. 265 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 1: Suddenly there was a huge thrust in the leppings laying stand, 266 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 1: but James Aspenall was catapulted forward by a great force. 267 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 1: From behind him. A man to his left went down, 268 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: lost in the tide of clothes and skin. James looked 269 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 1: for him, but he was gone, swallowed by the sweaty mass. 270 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: He tried to shout, but the air was knocked out 271 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 1: of him in another surge. Only then did James Aspenall 272 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 1: realize that he had no control. It was like he 273 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: was surfing a wave in a violent storm. Roger Marshall 274 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:38,800 Speaker 1: was running. He could see the full horror of what 275 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 1: was happening now, and the entire stand of people moving 276 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: forward and then back, and then forward and then backed uncontrollably. 277 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 1: He saw one of the barriers at the front, only 278 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 1: a few meters from the main fence. It was being 279 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:52,520 Speaker 1: bent forward, almost to its breaking point. More and more 280 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: bodies piled against it, forward, back, forward, back, and the 281 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 1: barrier finally gave way. Men, women, children. They all fell forward, 282 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: crashing into the large blue fence ahead. Bodies piled upon bodies, 283 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:11,080 Speaker 1: piled upon bodies. James Aspinall felt like he was in 284 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: a dream and there was a second of silence, and 285 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:16,680 Speaker 1: then the bottom of the world fell out. Everyone, no, 286 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 1: everything around him, fell forward and crashed hard into the 287 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:23,919 Speaker 1: metal fence. He felt his gold chain necklace loosen, he 288 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 1: grabbed it before it fell, and then he hit the ground. 289 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 1: Just as the game was stopped. Roger Marshall was screaming now, 290 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: yelling at the fans who weren't injured to help get 291 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 1: their friends and family members over the fence. All he 292 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: could see were people on the ground, motionless, So many 293 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:45,120 Speaker 1: people motionless. Back in Liverpool, Margaret Aspinall's phone rang. Her 294 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 1: sister in law was on the other end, Margaret. She said, 295 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: there's trouble at Hillsborough. Margaret ran to a TV set 296 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 1: and turned it on, and as soon as the screen 297 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 1: flicked to life, the chaos greeted her like a gunshot. 298 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: Years later, she swore that she saw her son James. 299 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: She swore she saw him on the pitch, just lying there. 300 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: People doubted her claims, but she knew what she saw 301 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 1: in that moment though, As she watched in terror while 302 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: a nightmare unfolded at Yorkshire, a nightmare that involved her child, 303 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: she could hardly describe it. She just knew that it 304 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:21,120 Speaker 1: was unbelievable, It was terrifying, and life as she knew 305 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:25,119 Speaker 1: it was changing right before her eyes. Back in Yorkshire, 306 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 1: a body was thrust over the fence and Roger Marshall 307 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 1: grabbed him carefully, laid him on the pitch and thought 308 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: about giving him mouth to mouth, and then he took 309 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:36,240 Speaker 1: a second look. Mouth to mouth was futile. The kid's 310 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 1: life was over. Marshall took off his jacket and placed 311 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:42,680 Speaker 1: it over the kid's body. He covered the head, the torsa, 312 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: and then the hands, one of which was clutching a 313 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:50,119 Speaker 1: gold chain necklace. Marshall could feel the tears welling up. 314 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: He looked up at the chaos and thought that this 315 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 1: must be what hell looked like. But for the Liverpool fans, 316 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 1: hell was only just beginning. We'll be right back after this. 317 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: We're we're, we're soho was dark, The sex workers and 318 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 1: the drug dealers were everywhere. Shadows come to life, and 319 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 1: the rain hammered hard. So did his anxiety. He upped 320 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: his walking pace and darted down a little side alley. 321 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 1: He was alone. His footsteps echoed off the cobblestones with 322 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 1: a rhythmic click, click, click. He worried more about the 323 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 1: meeting he was headed to. The sound of his shoes 324 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 1: was like a metronome in his head. Click, click, click, 325 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: and then his footsteps were joined by another set of clicks. 326 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,360 Speaker 1: These ones, ringing out in the narrow alley, were out 327 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 1: of time with his like they were walking him, and 328 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:55,120 Speaker 1: they were allowed too heavy. He pushed on faster now 329 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 1: with the clicks behind him, kept up the pace. His 330 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: gaze was fixed ahead, His neck was stiff. He didn't 331 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 1: dare turn around. He was almost at the hotel. He 332 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 1: was almost a safety. Just a few more seconds, and 333 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,399 Speaker 1: then his blood ran cold. A voice from behind him 334 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,680 Speaker 1: cut through the rain in the polyrhythmic footsteps. Excuse me, sir. 335 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:18,920 Speaker 1: He didn't reply. Instead, he broke into a jog. The 336 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:21,919 Speaker 1: voice came again, this time firmer and more direct than before. 337 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: Excuse me. The stone beneath him was wet and slippery. 338 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: His expensive shoes made him feel like he was skating 339 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 1: on ice, sir. The voice again, this time even closer 340 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:36,119 Speaker 1: than before. Run, he thought, fucking run. But before he 341 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,680 Speaker 1: could begin in a sprint, a hand touched his shoulder. 342 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:43,199 Speaker 1: He spun around. It was a young man, well dressed 343 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 1: with a kind face. Sorry, sir, the man said, wasn't 344 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:47,520 Speaker 1: sure if you could hear me from the rain and 345 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 1: all that. There was an awkward pause, and then the 346 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 1: man raised his right hand. You dropped your wallet. Jesus Christ. 347 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: That was a relief, he thanked the young man, but 348 00:20:57,400 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 1: he wasn't about to get rid of his pursuer that fast. 349 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 1: The younger man cocked his head slightly to one side. 350 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:05,679 Speaker 1: Do I know you, sir, he asked, and then it 351 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 1: came to him clear as day, you're that MP. Of 352 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:13,160 Speaker 1: course he was that MP, a Conservative member of Parliament 353 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 1: with a familiar face, who couldn't shuffle down an alley 354 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:18,440 Speaker 1: to a clandestine meeting without getting made. He said something 355 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 1: in return, something along the lines of you must be confused, 356 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:23,240 Speaker 1: before darting off to the end of the alley, and 357 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 1: it long lasts safely into the hotel. Seconds later he 358 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 1: was inside the bar of the Soho Hotel. He managed 359 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:32,680 Speaker 1: to find the person he was meeting straight away. He 360 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 1: had always spot a journalist a mile off. He walked 361 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 1: over to the table and without introduction, asked the man 362 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:42,200 Speaker 1: sitting there, are you ready? That night, the Hillsborough story 363 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:44,360 Speaker 1: took a turn for the worse. How could it get 364 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 1: any worse after the devastation of life that occurred in 365 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:49,920 Speaker 1: the stands that day, a day that ended with seven 366 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:53,920 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty six injured in ninety five dead. When 367 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:56,439 Speaker 1: the authorities decided to ship the blame away from themselves 368 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:58,639 Speaker 1: and onto the very people who had been devastated by it, 369 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:01,879 Speaker 1: That's how it could get work. All they needed was 370 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:06,879 Speaker 1: an outlet. Just a few days after the fatal crush 371 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:10,919 Speaker 1: at Hillsboro, Kelvin McKenzie, editor of the Sun newspaper, stepped 372 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: out of his e type jag. He handed the keys 373 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 1: to the valet and walked to the Sun's Fleet Street offices. 374 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:19,159 Speaker 1: As he made his way through the thick brass covered doors, 375 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: a man tried to stop him. No one stopped Calvin McKenzie, 376 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:26,440 Speaker 1: especially not front desk security. But this guy, this guy 377 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:29,679 Speaker 1: was new. This guy was asking to see mackenzie's pass, 378 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:33,160 Speaker 1: trying to speak with authority. Mackenzie walked right past him. 379 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:35,400 Speaker 1: He could feel the anger rising inside. It was right 380 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:38,879 Speaker 1: there in his throat, and the new guy kept after him, Sir, sir. 381 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: Finally McKenzie stopped. He spun around his shoes squeaking on 382 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 1: the polished marble floor. Your pass, the security guard said, 383 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 1: My face is my fucking pass. Mackenzie screamed, I get 384 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:51,280 Speaker 1: the fuck out of this building and never show your 385 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: fucking face here again. He ripped open the door to 386 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:56,880 Speaker 1: the main office and marched through, leaving himself just enough 387 00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:01,919 Speaker 1: time to scream fucking amateur in his wake. Upstairs, his 388 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:05,119 Speaker 1: anger was still simmering. One of his writers presented him 389 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:07,439 Speaker 1: with some rough copy for an article. Seven or eight 390 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:09,879 Speaker 1: other journals sat in his office watching him read. They 391 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:13,440 Speaker 1: all puffed on cigarettes. McKenzie scanned the article. This all 392 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:16,920 Speaker 1: came from the MP, he asked. Phillips nodded his head 393 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:20,720 Speaker 1: and added in some police. Mackenzie read more. It was 394 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:23,120 Speaker 1: the type of silacious front page splash that the Sun 395 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: made his reputation on gutter press, his dad had called it. 396 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 1: But this this was McKenzie's currency. The article, following the 397 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: lead of the Member of Parliament and the police, blamed 398 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:37,119 Speaker 1: the disaster not on the decisions made by Chief Superintendent Duckenfield, 399 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 1: but on the barbaric behavior of Liverpool hooligans. It accused 400 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:43,679 Speaker 1: the fans of not just illegally rushing the gate, but 401 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 1: of pissing on police and even pickpocketing the dead. McKenzie 402 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:52,199 Speaker 1: paused for a moment and then said, simply scum. The 403 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:55,359 Speaker 1: room fell into silence. The all male writing staff had 404 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: been in the spot before, the one where they weren't 405 00:23:57,480 --> 00:23:59,119 Speaker 1: sure if the editor was about to scream at the 406 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 1: em eric and gradually them. After a moment, mackenzie cracked 407 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:07,480 Speaker 1: a smile. That's the headline, he said, you scum. Silence again. 408 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:10,160 Speaker 1: The writer of the draft took a drag on his cigarette, 409 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: giving himself something to do so he didn't have to 410 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 1: reply right away. No, mackenzie asked the room of hushed faces. 411 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 1: The writer blew smoke. He began to say that he 412 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 1: wasn't sure about it, that it felt, you know, maybe 413 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:24,880 Speaker 1: a little too strong. McKenzie didn't let him finish. These 414 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:27,760 Speaker 1: people are pissing on officials, they're stealing from their own dead. 415 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 1: And if they're not scum, what are they? The silence 416 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 1: returned to a man like McKenzie was clear. Everyone knew 417 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,960 Speaker 1: what those hooligans did at soccer matches, the fights, the 418 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 1: drunken brawls. They'd been doing it since thirteen forty nine. 419 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: Thugs villains, scum. Finally, the writer found some words. People died, 420 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 1: A lot of people died. They shouldn't all be labeled 421 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 1: a scum. That just wasn't right. Mackenzie quickly snapped back. 422 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 1: You don't have the fucking balls, he said, You Northerners 423 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 1: are all the fucking same. His voice was just above 424 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 1: a whisper, but it landed as heart as steel. Then 425 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:05,600 Speaker 1: he moved his face right into the writer's face. Are 426 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:10,399 Speaker 1: you fucking soft? The writer suppressed the panic building inside 427 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:12,359 Speaker 1: him while they stood his ground and made his argument. 428 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:15,880 Speaker 1: They couldn't in good conscience print that. As he went on, 429 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:19,480 Speaker 1: Mackenzie's face elongated into sheer rage. He drew a breath 430 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:22,160 Speaker 1: to give the writer perhaps the biggest fucking beatdown ever 431 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:24,359 Speaker 1: dispatched in his office, but he was stopped before he 432 00:25:24,359 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: could begin. I think he's right, came a voice from 433 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: the corner of the room, the most junior reporter in 434 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:33,119 Speaker 1: the place. Suddenly Mackenzie was the one to panic. He 435 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 1: could feel the room turning against him. The youth and 436 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:39,159 Speaker 1: their fucking principles, A bunch of fucking softies, all of them, 437 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 1: a lot of them. He desperately tried to maintain his 438 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:44,520 Speaker 1: all powerful image. But what shall we go with? Then 439 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 1: the writer grabbed a pen from the desk and in 440 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:50,479 Speaker 1: big letters scrawled the truth at the top of the page. 441 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:53,520 Speaker 1: But he was wrong. What was written in that article 442 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:57,520 Speaker 1: wasn't the truth, not even close. The story, published in 443 00:25:57,560 --> 00:26:00,640 Speaker 1: The Sun on April nineteenth, nineteen eighty nine, just four 444 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:03,520 Speaker 1: days after the tragedy, placed the blame for what happened 445 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 1: at Hillsborough squarely on the shoulders of Liverpool fans, which, 446 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:12,680 Speaker 1: of course was one bullshit didn't matter. Soccer officials, journalists 447 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,399 Speaker 1: and other members of parliament followed suit, condemning me innocent 448 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:17,679 Speaker 1: victims of the Hillsborough disaster and one of the worst 449 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:21,119 Speaker 1: misinformation wars in British history. For his part in that 450 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 1: smear campaign, mackenzie gets sacked right well. No, He stayed 451 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 1: on at The Sun in one form or another until 452 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 1: the twenty eighth anniversary of the disaster in twenty seventeen, 453 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:34,680 Speaker 1: when he was suspended for a racist comment about a 454 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 1: player from another Merseyside club for the people of Liverpool, 455 00:26:38,520 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 1: though his dismissal came twenty eight years too late. Steve 456 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:09,480 Speaker 1: was young when it happened, eight years old, his cousin 457 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:12,440 Speaker 1: was only ten. He was the youngest one that died. 458 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:18,639 Speaker 1: The funeral was unbearable. The tears, the awkward conversations, the sadness, 459 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:23,239 Speaker 1: The sadness was never ending. There were little things he 460 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:26,119 Speaker 1: remembered from that time, like when he caught a glimpse 461 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:29,520 Speaker 1: of his cousin's bedroom, untouched, just as he had left it. 462 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:32,480 Speaker 1: Or when he saw the players in their black armbands 463 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:36,080 Speaker 1: with a line of scarves that stretched from Liverpool Stadium 464 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:39,440 Speaker 1: to the home of their fierce rivals Everton. He remembered 465 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 1: seeing a Liverpool fan hug an Evertonian and how strange 466 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 1: that seemed. You remember the day they added the flames 467 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:48,680 Speaker 1: to each side of the Liverpool crest, an eternal flame 468 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:50,919 Speaker 1: that burned, and memory of those who lost their lives. 469 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:54,200 Speaker 1: He remember the TV and radio shows and the headline 470 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:58,040 Speaker 1: that read the truth. The burning of the newspapers. He 471 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:01,080 Speaker 1: remembered the hollow apologies from the police, the paper and 472 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:04,920 Speaker 1: whoever else perpetuated the lie, like the cops who admitted 473 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 1: during inquest into the tragedy that they had spread false 474 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:11,760 Speaker 1: stories about the fans to cover their own asses. Years later, 475 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:15,320 Speaker 1: even Chief Superintendent David Duckinfield himself would admit that it 476 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 1: had all been a terrible lie, that it was his 477 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 1: actions on that day that directly led to the fatal crush. 478 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:25,360 Speaker 1: Even before this stunning admission, Steve could smell the bullshit. 479 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:30,040 Speaker 1: He remembered Margaret Aspinall rallying other victims' families to challenge 480 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:33,760 Speaker 1: the authorities a memory of her son James. He remembered 481 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 1: the trials and how the finger of blame finally turned 482 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:40,480 Speaker 1: away from the fans. He remembered it all so clearly. 483 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:44,280 Speaker 1: Later he told someone from a newspaper that he thought 484 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:46,719 Speaker 1: about it every day, in one way or another. And 485 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 1: he thought about it one night in Turkey at the 486 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 1: Atta Turk Olympic Stadium in two thousand and five. You see, 487 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:57,800 Speaker 1: Steve wasn't your average child. The very same year as 488 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 1: the Hillsborough disaster was the year that Steve full named 489 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 1: Stephen Gerrard assigned to Liverpool's academy. As he stood on 490 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 1: the field that night in Istanbul, during the final of 491 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 1: Europe's biggest club competition, in the Champions League, things were 492 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:13,800 Speaker 1: looking bleak. His Liverpool team were underdogs and were currently 493 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 1: down three nil to the mighty ac Milan, and there 494 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:19,120 Speaker 1: were fifty four minutes on the clock, and the ball 495 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 1: was coming at him closer and closer. Before long, Steve 496 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 1: realized he'd found some space between the two defenders. He 497 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 1: left into the evening humidity and connected with the ball. 498 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:30,240 Speaker 1: He pushed hard with his neck and directed it to 499 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 1: the other side of the goal. The Milan keeper was 500 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:34,920 Speaker 1: flat footed as the ball sailed over him and into 501 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:39,600 Speaker 1: the net goal. Steve barely celebrated. He sprinted back to 502 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:42,360 Speaker 1: the center circle, rueling his arms like a windmill. It 503 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 1: was game on. What unfolded that night was one of 504 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: the greatest comebacks in soccer history. After the game, Steve 505 00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 1: lifted the huge trophy above his head, his captain's armband 506 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 1: proudly positioned for all to see. In front of him 507 00:29:55,280 --> 00:29:57,640 Speaker 1: was the sea of Liverpool fans, dressed in red, cheering 508 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:00,120 Speaker 1: for their club, cheering for their city, Cheering for the 509 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:04,800 Speaker 1: group they now called the ninety seven, cheering for Adam 510 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 1: Edwards spirit fourteen, Alan Johnston twenty ninth, Alan mcgloan twenty eight, 511 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:15,880 Speaker 1: Andrew Mark Brooks twenty six, Anthony David Bland twenty two, 512 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:21,959 Speaker 1: Anthony Peter Kelly twenty nine, Arthur Harks forty one, Barry 513 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: Glover twenty seven, Barry Sidney Bennett twenty six, Brian Christopher 514 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 1: Matthews thirty eight, Carl William Rimmer twenty one, Carl Brown eighteen, 515 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:40,800 Speaker 1: Carl Darren Hewitt seventeen, Carl David Lewis eighteen, Christine Ann 516 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:46,600 Speaker 1: Jones twenty seven, Christopher James Trainer twenty six, Christopher Barry 517 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 1: Devinside eighteen, Christopher Edwards twenty nine, Colin Wafer nineteen, Colin 518 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 1: Andrew Hugh, William Sefton twenty three, Colin Mark Ashcroft nineteen, 519 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:05,040 Speaker 1: David William Birtle twenty two, David George Rimmer thirty eight, 520 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:10,360 Speaker 1: David Holly thirty nine, David John Benson twenty two, David 521 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:15,959 Speaker 1: Leonard Thomas twenty three, David William Mather nineteen, Derek George 522 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 1: Goodwin twenty four, Eric Hankin thirty three, Eric George Hughes 523 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 1: forty two, Francis Joseph McAllister twenty seven, Gary Christopher Church nineteen, 524 00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: Gary Collins twenty two, Gary Harrison twenty seven, Gary Phillip 525 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:40,160 Speaker 1: Jones eighteen, Gerard Bernard Patrick Baron sixty seven, Gordon Rodney 526 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:46,320 Speaker 1: Horn twenty Graham, John Roberts twenty four, Graham John Wright seventeen, 527 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:52,440 Speaker 1: Henry Charles Rogers seventeen, Henry Thomas Burke forty seven, Ian 528 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:58,920 Speaker 1: David Whalen nineteen, Ian Thomas Glover twenty, Inger Shaw thirty eight, 529 00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:05,040 Speaker 1: James Phillip Delaney nineteen, James Robert Hennessy twenty nine, John 530 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:11,960 Speaker 1: Alfred Anderson sixty two, John mcbrian eighteen, Jonathan Owens eighteen, 531 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 1: John Paul Gilliley ten, Joseph Clark twenty nine, Joseph Daniel 532 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:23,720 Speaker 1: McCarthy twenty one, Keith McGrath seventeen, Kester Roger, Marcus Ball sixteen, 533 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:30,240 Speaker 1: Kevin Daniel Williams fifteen, Kevin Tyrrell fifteen, Lee Nicol fourteen, 534 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:36,160 Speaker 1: Marion Hazel McCabe twenty one, Martin Kevin Trainer sixteen, Martin 535 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:41,240 Speaker 1: Kenneth Wilde twenty nine, Michael David Kelly thirty eight, Nicholas 536 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 1: Peter Joins twenty seven, Nicholas Mitchell Hewitt sixteen, Patrick John 537 00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:52,480 Speaker 1: Thompson thirty five, PAULA Ann Smith twenty six, Paul Anthony 538 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 1: Hewitson twenty six, Paul David Brady twenty one, Paul Brian 539 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 1: Murray fourteen, Paul Clark eighteen, Paul William Carlisle nineteen, Peter 540 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 1: Andrew Harrison fifteen, Peter Andrew Burkett twenty four, Peter Francis 541 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:15,120 Speaker 1: Toodle twenty one, Peter McDonell twenty one, Peter Ruben Thompson thirty, 542 00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:21,760 Speaker 1: Philip Hammond fourteen, Philip John Steele fifteen, Raymond Thomas Chapman fifty, 543 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:27,360 Speaker 1: Richard Jones twenty five, Roy Harry Hamilton thirty four, Sarah 544 00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:33,680 Speaker 1: Louise Hicks nineteen, Simon Bell seventeen, Stephen Paul Koppick twenty, 545 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:40,200 Speaker 1: Stephen Francis Harrison thirty one, Stephen Francis O'Neil seventeen, Stephen 546 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:46,000 Speaker 1: Joseph Robinson seventeen, David Stephen Brown twenty five, Stewart Paul, 547 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:51,720 Speaker 1: William Thompson seventeen, Thomas Howard thirty nine, Thomas Stephen Fox 548 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 1: twenty one, Tracy Elizabeth Cox twenty three, Victoria Jane Hicks fifteen, 549 00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 1: Vincent Michael Fitzman's thirty four, William Roy Pemberton twenty three, 550 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 1: Andrew Duvine fifty two, and James Gary aspinall just eight. 551 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:30,360 Speaker 2: I'm Jake Brennan in this This Disgrace Slam. 552 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:33,120 Speaker 1: All right, thanks for checking out another episode of Disgrace Slam, 553 00:34:33,200 --> 00:34:35,239 Speaker 1: the special one here for the World Cup on the 554 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 1: Hillsborough disaster. Question of the week this week, which tragedy 555 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:42,640 Speaker 1: from either sports history or music history, or anything from culture, 556 00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:46,560 Speaker 1: hit even most maybe something you were directly connected with 557 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:49,680 Speaker 1: in some way. Get at me six point seven nine 558 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:52,840 Speaker 1: six six six three eight. Let me know your answer. 559 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:55,279 Speaker 1: You might hear your answer on the after party. And 560 00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:56,880 Speaker 1: also just let me know what you thought of this episode, 561 00:34:56,960 --> 00:34:58,960 Speaker 1: or you can hit me up with recommendations about subjects 562 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:01,080 Speaker 1: you want us to cover into Graceland. That's six one 563 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:03,680 Speaker 1: seven nine oh six six six three eight, leave a voicemail, 564 00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:06,920 Speaker 1: send a text. I'm also available at disgrace lampod on 565 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:12,000 Speaker 1: the socials. Here come some credits. Disgraceland was created by 566 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:15,200 Speaker 1: Yours Truly. It is produced in partnership with Double Elvis, 567 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:19,560 Speaker 1: The Exactly Right Network, and iHeart Podcasts. Credits for this 568 00:35:19,640 --> 00:35:21,920 Speaker 1: episode can be found on the show notes page at 569 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:25,959 Speaker 1: disgracelampod dot com. If you're listening as a Disgracelan All 570 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:28,719 Speaker 1: Access member, thank you for supporting the show. We really 571 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:31,480 Speaker 1: appreciate it. And if not. You can become a member 572 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 1: right now by going to disgracelampod dot com slash Membership 573 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:39,680 Speaker 1: members can listen to every episode of disgracelan ad free, 574 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:43,000 Speaker 1: rate and review the show, and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, 575 00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:47,000 Speaker 1: and Facebook at disgracelampod and on YouTube at YouTube dot 576 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:56,399 Speaker 1: com slash at Disgracelanpod. Rock and roll up, then