Hillsborough families back safe standing introduction
THE family of a highly respected Hillsborough campaigner made a plea for safe standing yesterday at a public meeting which revealed that many bereaved by the 1989 tragedy are now in favour.
A poll of thousands of Liverpool fans by the Spirit of Shankly organisation is this week likely to come out in favour ‘rail seat’ sections and the meeting in the city reflected that, even though some Hillsborough families remain avowedly opposed.
Sara Williams — daughter of Anne Williams, who died in 2013 after fighting to prove her son Kevin was unlawfully killed at the ground — said her mother had wanted supporters to have the right to stand.
‘She always felt safe standing should be allowed and so do I,’ Ms Williams said in a written submission to the meeting. ‘It wasn’t standing that caused the death of our Kev. Stadiums now are totally different to the caged pens of 1989.’
The result of the online ballot — to be revealed next Sunday — is keenly awaited because it was the initial disaster inquiry which led to all-seater stadiums in football’s top two tiers. Persuading ministers to introduce legislation needed for standing will be impossible without huge Liverpool support.
Some families argued that standing sections should not be introduced. Sue Roberts said her brother Graham’s death ‘would not have happened’ had supporters been seated. Another said that standing sections would ‘tarnish the memory’ of those who died.
But supporters argued almost unanimously that they should be entitled to choose between standing and sitting. Some described being injured when standing up in seated areas — including one fan who said he had fractured his skull and been left in a coma after being thrown forward over rows of empty seats in the upper tier at PSV Eindhoven’s stadium.
Senior police officers want more evidence that families, not just male fans, want safe standing and that the diversity seen in grounds since the 1980s will not be threatened.
But Becky Shah, who lost her mother Inger in 1989, said she found the idea that women were opposed to be ‘insulting’.