Bradford City fire

[Mutchy]

38 years... seems impossible.

Bradford City fire victims remembered at 38th anniversary service

A total of 56 Bradford City and Lincoln City fans lost their lives in the blaze on 11 May 1985.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[WickedWolfie]

38 years... seems impossible.

Bradford City fire victims remembered at 38th anniversary service

A total of 56 Bradford City and Lincoln City fans lost their lives in the blaze on 11 May 1985.

www.bbc.co.uk

Clips still feature in much fire safety training. An object lesson in how not to do it!

 

[SuperGran]

My uncle was a season ticket holder at Bradford but on holiday that week.

 

[WickedWolfie]

My uncle was a season ticket holder at Bradford but on holiday that week.

Lucky, lucky man. My then OH was on the last tube through Kings Cross before the fire really kicked in.....

 

[Netherton Wolf]

Remember sitting watching it unfold in tears,
Awful tragedy which never seems to get in the news, RIP all those who lost their lives x

 

[Ironfistedmonk]

I can remember this as well, was only a youngster but it was a real wtf moment

 

[lets all have a disco]

Remember watching it unfold on TV.....was absolutely dreadful.....god knows how people felt who were there or involved......should never be forgotten.......

It did actually give football the wake up call it desperately needed....

 

[Wonder Boyo]

Like others on here, watched in disbelief as it all unfolded live on TV. It almost seemed surreal. I can still picture some of the individual figures that were caught up in it. Stayed with me for a long time. Can't imagine they would carry on with the live pictures now as they did then (as they did with Hillsborough).

Saw a moving documentary on it recently. Seen interviews with both Terry Yorath (Bradford manager at the time) and Gabby Logan (Terry's daughter) also there at the time to witness it. Yorath openly admits that he has never really coped with the tragedies of that day and also his son dying aged 15 years old a number of years later. RIP to the 56 who lost their lives and love to their friends and family. No one should go to a football match and not come home.

 

[steve vena]

Rip x

 

[Dragonwolf]

I was living in Lincoln back then for a few years and used to go to their home games. My mates persuaded me to go to that game but luckily I had to work instead. The lads who went were sorry they did. RIP

 

[Macman]

I was at Blackburn watching us get thumped 3-0 that day. Couldnt believe it when i heard the news. We had so many football disasters that seemed to happen every few months back then. Tragic.

 

[lostwolf]

I'm a smoker, quitting soon for the last god knows how many years, but I can't believe where we/they used to be able to smoke: wooden stands / stands with combustible material beneath, underground stations etc. Such an awful tragedy, and so avoidable. Arguably more avoidable than the tragic shambles at Hillsborough, not that that particularly matters.

The first edition Simon Inglis football grounds book makes awful reading re ground safety and the state of our grounds at that time, post-Bradford / pre-Hillsborough.

 

[Peszkywolf]

Leeds lad died at St Andrew's riot the same day. Grounds were just left to rot, and the working class treated like scum.

 

[Frank Lincoln]

A terrible day that is still remembered in Bradford and Lincoln. The worst thing is that there had been warnings about the danger in sports stadiums, sadly it took the Bradford tragedy for anything to be done.

 

[Andywolf74]

Yeah it was a truly awful day for football related tragedies. Both the Bradford fire and young Leeds supporter dying were both avoidable for entirely different reasons.
Like night and day comparing the modern day football experience to the 1980’s.
Thoughts go out to anyone connected to either of the above tragedies.

 

[jrpb-3]

I remember switching on the TV to catch up with the scores etc. then cameras going to Bradford and the realization of just what was going on and watching the horror unfold. Terrible tragedy.

 

[AndyY]

Don Goodman was playing in that game, and his ex girlfriend died. He had given her the tickets.
Not sure how you cope with that.
RIP to all.

 

[greco wolf]

Terrible tragedy. Remember it unfolding live. As mentioned it needed these horrible events to make it safe. Like hills borough these events made it safer forever. Seeing that picture and watching videos later on the events really brought it back. RIP to all those who lost their lives - football should never be like that.

 

[SmokeyGB]

The Club I am the Open Age Manager of (Howden Clough FC) have a trophy named after one of the junior managers died that day.
He took his son to the game and his son survived which is a gracious mercy.
Peter Fletcher was his name.
RIP to those that went to a Football match and never came home

 

[lostwolf]

Leeds lad died at St Andrew's riot the same day. Grounds were just left to rot, and the working class treated like scum.

And now largely priced out of the game.

He died because of a surge due to mass trouble, but also because the ground was a crumbling mess.

 

[Howlin’ Wolf]

I will never forget John Helm’s commentary, still haunting now. I seem to remember watching this at home, not sure where Wolves were that day but will never forget being at Aldershot hearing about Hillsborough and then listening to the horror on the radio on our way home.