Remembering Hillsborough: 27 Years On

Today, we remember the tragedy that occurred at Hillsborough on the 15 of April, 1989, when 96 people died. Most of us remembering that day will have never met them, but we can still play a role in making sure that they are never forgotten. They were all Liverpool supporters, but before that they were people, people who left behind families and friends who in turn have continued to fight for their memories for 27 years now.

On that front, recent years have brought real progress. For the past two years, jurors have been considering evidence on whether all those lives lost in worst sporting disaster in Britain's history was due to gross negligence by the police, a decision that could result in manslaughter charges. They will soon deliver a verdict in what has been the longest case heard by a jury in British legal history, and while the impending verdict will not bring back the 96, there is a growing hope that it can find some measure of the justice that has been sought for them, and for the families and friends who still have to endure and relive the pain of having lost loved ones.

It's now clear to almost everyone that the public was deliberately misled by authorities and a political administration intent on avoiding any culpability for the events in Sheffield. By a newspaper that shamefully engaged in spreading disgraceful lies about Liverpool supporters on that day, playing to class prejudice and irresponsibly seeking the cheapest angle possible in the name of sales.

Those terrible lies, and that there are some who continue to trade in them despite their having been disproven, are why we must condemn chants about a real, tragic, and needless loss of life. It's why we as Liverpool fans can never dare take part in such behaviour ourselves. Because life isn't cheap, and the loss of it shouldn't be used as a tool for sales or to further feed the tribalistic tendencies of football fans. And so today we reflect on and remember the lives lost, the injustice, the search for truth, and the fortitude of ordinary people who never gave up, even when their fight for justice dragged on for more than two decades.

For those unfamiliar, the Hillsborough Family Support Group website offers a comprehensive background of the events of that day, as well as the work that's been done over the course of the past 27 years. Multiple documentaries have been produced over the past couple of years, including the BBC's Panorama series and ESPN's 30 for 30 Soccer Stories. Both are informative and wonderfully done, but befitting the subject, both can be difficult to get through as they document the tragedy, the innumerable setbacks, and ultimately the beginnings of the triumphant but ultimately bittersweet victories in preserving the memories of those who lost their lives.

The victims had names. The victims had friends and family. The victims went to a game of football to support their team and never came back. Justice for the 96. Never forget.

1. John Alfred Anderson­ (62)
2. Colin­ Mark Ashcroft (19)
3. James­ Gary Aspinall (18)
4. Kester­ Roger Marcus Ball­ (16)
5. Gerard­ Bernard Patrick Baron­ (67)
6. Simon Bell (17)
7. Barry Sidney­ Bennett (26)
8. David John Benson (22)
9. David William Birtle (22)
10. Tony Bland (22)
11. Paul­ David Brady (21)
12. Andrew­ Mark­ Brookes (26)
13. Carl­ Brown­ (18)
14. David­­ Steven­ Brown (25)
15. Henry­­ Thomas Burke (47)
16. Peter­ Andrew­­ Burkett (24)
17. Paul­ William­­ Carlile (19)
18. Raymond­­ Thomas Chapman (50)
19. Gary­­ Christopher Church (19)
20. Joseph­ Clark­ (29)
21. Paul Clark­ (18)
22. Gary Collins (22)
23. Stephen­ Paul Copoc (20)
24. Tracey Elizabeth Cox (23)
25. James­ Philip Delaney (19)
26. Christopher Barry Devonside (18)
27. Christopher Edwards (29)
28. Vincent Michael Fitzsimmons (34)
29. Thomas Steven Fox (21)
30. Jon-Paul Gilhooley (10)
31. Barry Glover (27)
32. Ian Thomas Glover­ (20)
33. Derrick­ George Godwin (24)
34. Roy Harry­ Hamilton (34)
35. Philip­ Hammond (14)
36. Eric­ Hankin (33)
37. Gary Harrison­ (27)
38. Stephen Francis­ Harrison (31)
39. Peter Andrew Harrison (15)
40. David Hawley (39)
41. James Robert Hennesey (29)
42. Paul Anthony Hewitson (26)
43. Carl Darren Hewitt (17)
44. Nicholas Michael Hewitt (16)
45. Sarah Louise Hicks (19)
46. Victoria Jane Hicks (15)
47. Gordon Rodney Horn (20)
48. Arthur Horrocks (41)
49. Thomas­ Howard (39)
50. Thomas Anthony­ Howard (14)
51. Eric George­ Hughes (42)
52. Alan­ Johnston (29)
53. Christine Anne Jones (27)
54. Gary­ Philip­ Jones (18)
55. Richard­ Jones­ (25)
56. Nicholas Peter­ Joynes­ (27)
57. Anthony Peter­ Kelly­ (29)
58. Michael David­ Kelly (38)
59. Carl David Lewis (18)
60. David William Mather (19)
61. Brian Christopher Mathews (38)
62. Francis Joseph McAllister (27)
63. John McBrien (18)
64. Marion Hazel McCabe (21)
65. Joseph Daniel McCarthy (21)
66. Peter McDonnell (21)
67. Alan McGlone (28)
68. Keith McGrath (17)
69. Paul­ Brian­ Murray (14)
70. Lee­ Nicol (14)
71. Stephen Francis­ O'Neill­ (17)
72. Jonathon­ Owens (18)
73. William Roy­ Pemberton (23)
74. Carl­ William Rimmer­­ (21)
75. David­ George Rimmer­ (38)
76. Graham John­ Roberts­ (24)
77. Steven Joseph­ Robinson­ (17)
78. Henry Charles­ Rogers (17)
79. Colin­ Andrew Hugh­ William Sefton­ (23)
80. Inger Shah­ (38)
81. Paula Ann Smith (26)
82. Adam­ Edward Spearritt (14)
83. Philip­ John Steele (15)
84. David Leonard­ Thomas (23)
85. Patrik­ John Thompson­ (35)
86. Peter Reuben Thompson (30)
87. Stuart Paul William Thompson (17)
88. Peter Francis Tootle (21)
89. Christopher James Traynor (26)
90. Martin Kevin Traynor (16)
91. Kevin Tyrrell (15)
92. Colin Wafer (19)
93. Ian David Whelan (19)
94. Martin Kenneth Wild (29)
95. Kevin Daniel Williams (15)
96. Graham John Wright (17)