Anne

Just finished the 4 parter on ITV on Anne Williams, the mother of the boy tragically killed in the Hillsborough disaster, a really moving docudrama which I’d recommend watching, it certainly brought a tear to my eye.

A can still remember walking to the shop with my mum as a little lad and they were talking about the disaster, obviously rurally unaware of what had happened. Watching that programme really hit home the massive cover up the police and other senior bodies went to to deflect any blame.........whilst the correct verdicts of death were finally heard for the families it’s still appalling that no one was ever prosecuted with the massive failings of that day!!

RIP the 97 x

 

superb series.

 

Watched two episodes yesterday, two today. Outstanding production and Maxine Peake (as ever) was brilliant.

Awful subject, still upsets me just thinking about it.

Not as upsetting as the knowledge that nobody has paid for crimes of that afternoon.

 

I remember we played Birmingham that day at Oakwell.News kept filtering through that the Liverpool fans had kicked off.Little did they know what was unfolding at Hillsborough.

 

THIS. In spades. One of the most extraordinary dramas I’ve ever seen. There but for the grace of God……

 

Had a handful of moments that were particularly harrowing. Where I was watching it and my heart sank and got a little emotional. Where they went into that room with the Polaroids for example. F%#* that right off. That would have ended me right there.

That she practically made getting justice her raison d’être afterwards says a lot about her. Because as we see in this country now, far too many of us are just too compliant.

 

It is brilliantly written, superbly acted and still provides a terrible indictment of the incompetency and institutional corruption that was (is?) S Y Police. The lies and the cover up. What a response by a public body to such events. Shameful and unforgivable in equal measure.

 

It was the most boring 0-0 draw. I was at the bottom of the ponty end right next to the goal post and recall talking to a copper at HT walking round the ground (remember that!) who said they all had to shoot over to Hillsborough after the game because something was going off.

Then we listened to the radio in silence all the way home.

 

I said to my Mrs last night, it makes you wonder if the 25 years of mental and emotional struggles put so much on her body was it enough or a attribute to push on her illness the scene were the Kop stood and applauded her was particularly moving too........

A truly brilliantly written drama which sadly should never have been made had SYP done there jobs properly

 

Same as mate, when got home after match saw it all unfolding on news, terrible

 

I only heard about it after the last episode was aired. So a bit gutted I missed it all.

Presume you've been able to watch it via catch up (or ITV hub)?

 

Yes mate.

 

I've been trying to load it on the hub but it's not having any :-(

 

I've recorded but not watched it yet. My mum was telling me about it a few days ago. At the time her and my dad were on holiday in tenerife with their great friends Ron and Jean Phillips, in the apartment which was owned by Jean's brother Alan Hill. Former goalkeeper and chief scout of forest. Jean was very worried because her son was at the game.

 

Sounds a bit depressing. Think I’ll give it a miss.

 

Some people like a tear jerker. I know Laura takes things to heart watching them.

 

Heartbreaking. Have you watched the follow-up documentary?

How Duckenfield has got away with it is completely beyond me. As for the Sun newspaper - words fail me.

 

I remember a call over the tannoy asking for a Dr who was a neuro surgen that was in attendance to contact the nearest policeman.

 

Maxine Peake was brilliant as usual. I needed a few tissues after watching that too. At the time of the tragedy my first thoughts were that it was the fault of the fans. However the more I thought about it the more I realised that this wasn't the case. I remember before that disaster us playing Wendy at Oakwell in a midweek match. There were 29000 there that night and the visiting end only had 2 sets of turnstiles at that time - totally unsuitable for a match where most of the visiting fans would be arriving at the same time due to work commitments etc. The fans were climbing over the gate and the wall, and there were glass segments concreted into the wall. This was due to the crush outside. The police opened the gate and let the fans in for the sake of safety. Luckily the kop end had just about enough room for them all and there were no tunnels to go down, so there were no serious injuries that I'm aware of. The procedure had been well established before the Hillsborough tragedy which is why they did what they did. Unfortunately nobody bothered to assess what could happen at Hillsborough, and nobody did enough to stop the impending disaster. The worst thing however was that after the event they proceeded to cover up the lack of foresight and the many mistakes of the day - helped in no uncertain terms by the Scum newspaper and the Government of the day.

 

Maxine peake is that her that was in dinner ladies with Victoria wood.