"Families of Hillsborough victims were outraged yesterday by plans for crowd control barriers at the stadium for the first time since the disaster.
Fences were blamed as contributing to the tragedy when 96 Liverpool fans penned into a packed section of terracing were crushed to death at a 1989 FA Cup semi-final.
Now metal barriers will be used to keep rival fans apart outside the ground at the Leppings Lane End where the Reds supporters died – and relatives are accusing police and Sheffield Wednesday of insensitivity for choosing an FA Cup match to use them for the first time.
The barriers will be tested to separate Wednesday and West Ham fans ahead of tomorrow’s third round clash.
Margaret Aspinall, who lost her 18-year-old son James in the tragedy and who chairs the Hillsborough Justice Campaign, said: “It beggars belief that police have chosen an FA Cup match to test barriers.
“They don’t appear to have given any thought whatsoever to the upset this will cause families of those who died in 1989.
“It’s also incredible that they will test them at the Leppings Lane End. Irrespective of whether the barriers are inside or outside the stadium, it is in extremely poor taste."
If the trial is successful, the metal fences will be used at the Sheffield derby between Wednesday and United next month.
South Yorkshire Police announced the trial of the barriers on its website on Thursday. A statement read: “These barriers are to be trialled and then considered for use at the steel city derby in February.
"We do not anticipate any crowd control issues at the match but it is an opportunity to test the barriers in situ at a match."
Liverpool fans reacted on internet forums. One wrote: “My blood ran cold when I read that. I wouldn’t be happy with any barriers, but at the Leppings Lane End of all places!"
But one Reds fan defended the testing of the barriers, previously used at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane stadium.
He wrote: “It is not as bad as it sounds. It is basically them blocking off the road outside the ground. 10/10 for trying to make football safer for the majority of fans – 0/10 for the way they communicated it."
A spokesman for Sheffield Wednesday said: “We’re simply trying to enhance supporter safety. No offence is intended. The barriers were used before the derby at Bramall Lane and South Yorkshire Police want to use them again at Hillsborough.
“The West Ham game is the most high-profile event we have at Hillsborough before the Sheffield derby, so it is the best time to do the trial."
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2012/01/07/hillsborough-victim-families-outraged-at-fa-cup-barrier-plans-115875-23685291/#ixzz1iy7ae5RP
"
So we close a gate and shut a road off for safety trials and suddenly its an insult to the victims of 89? It seems like a poor publicity stunt from Justice for 96 and to have another pop at SY Police.
Bit of controversy for us now...
posted on 9/1/12
This is obviously a very very sensitive subject, and perhaps we would all do well to let it go for today, we are unlikely to convince each other of what we each hold to be facts and angrily typing at each other will only provoke more anger.
What Sheffield Wednesday want to do is to be able to segregate the away end so as to be able to get more home fans in for a local derby. It does not involve the reconstruction of fences at the front, but rather seperates fans from each other in the stands.
posted on 9/1/12
Three of my best friends were there, two got out of the crush, one was nearly killed. They were in a large group that were actually kettled towards the gate by police, they had tickets and were trying to get to the correct gate!
They carried the dead and injured on their backs and listened to the last words of some.
They are life long Liverpool fans, but none of them use football message boards because of all the ignorant fools that tell them they were drunk, they urinated on the dead and they picked their pockets.
They did none of those things. They are heroes!
posted on 9/1/12
comment by SARS in their eyes (SWFC 11) (U7837)
posted 1 minute ago
This is obviously a very very sensitive subject, and perhaps we would all do well to let it go for today, we are unlikely to convince each other of what we each hold to be facts and angrily typing at each other will only provoke more anger.
What Sheffield Wednesday want to do is to be able to segregate the away end so as to be able to get more home fans in for a local derby. It does not involve the reconstruction of fences at the front, but rather seperates fans from each other in the stands.
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Everybody understands this. It is again the papers stirring things up!
posted on 9/1/12
C'mon folks calm down, this could get very unpleasant. No one here has said that Liverpool fans robbed or urinated on the dead, dying or injured and I really think that sort of odious rubbish is best left in the past. Don't stoke each other up to more unpleasant insults.
posted on 9/1/12
SARS is speaking sense
posted on 9/1/12
Don't stoke each other up to more unpleasant insults.
______________________________
YOU are the only one stoking anyone up with your ignorant garbage!
posted on 9/1/12
comment by SnowyMASSIVEOwl (U7119)
posted 1 minute ago
SARS is speaking sense
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It's a shame the same can't be said for you.
posted on 9/1/12
Taggart, i dont think anyone was driving at that.
All we want is to be able to move on from it. The only time our club gets national press is when things like this roll into town.
posted on 9/1/12
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 9/1/12
comment by Taggart3D ⒹⒶⓁⒼⓁⒾⓈⒽ (U1183)
posted 1 second ago
Don't stoke each other up to more unpleasant insults.
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YOU are the only one stoking anyone up with your ignorant garbage!
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In fairness he was the only Wednesday fan on the thread not stoking it up.