Cibaman wrote:
The reputation of football fans generally was very low at the time, many people were prepared to believe the worst. But I always found The Sun's accusations too much of a stretch to believe. I really didnt think that fans would act that way to fans of their own club.
I dont think think any anti Liverpool sentiments were fueled by a dislike of scousers as such. But Hillsborough happened just 4 years after Hysel and I do think that tainted peoples reactions. There seemed to be quite a widespead feeling, which I shared, that Liverpool fans had refused to accept responsibility for Hysel, that it was everyone else's fault but theirs. When Hillsborough happened many people were reluctant to accept that Liverpool fans might be largely blameless. It was perceived as Hysel Mark II. The cover up was easier to achieve because of what happened 4 year earlier.
Great post....At that time, there was nothing perceived as lower than a football fan - After her victory over the miners, Thatcher had made it her goal to kill the sport, which would have been another hammer blow to the working classes of the country, who Thatcher was determined to punish for their opposition to her leadership of the country.
Thatcher had actually banned English clubs from Europe in '85, immediately after Heysel, before UEFA had even had chance to think about it, and I know it sounds harsh, but Hillsborough must have been golddust to Thatcher, as it gave her another excuse to smear football fans.
I really hope that any future inquest investigates Thatcher's role in this whole thing....It would not shock me if government's fingerprints were involved in this - Certainly Thatcher's favourite propoganda machine, the Sun, was immersed in this cover-up, so it figures that the Government were not far away during the discussions that thought up such an awful plot to blacken a cities population, and a sport's followers.
