It's 36 years ago today since that dreadful fire at Valley Parade that took the lives of 56 people. A horrible day in English football and thoughts today with Bradford City and all those affected by the disaster.

Just checking the names and ages on the memorial. An absolutely devastating incident. '56', written by Martin Fletcher, a survivor who lost four members of his family, is a truly sobering read of that awful day.

I'm pretty sure that we were driving back from a 3-2 win at Walsall when the news came through on the radio. We had certainly been playing away.
There was a video of the whole disaster unfolding taken from live TV coverage which was one of the most harrowing things I've ever witnessed.
RIP to the 56.

Truly horrific scenes from Bradford that day. I know for many years the footage wasn't available on line, for very good reason. I attended a course run by the Fire Service and they were allowed to show it. Most if not all the other attendees were not aware of the fire and had never seen it before. As it started, i apologised for interrupting and said prepare yourself for what you are about to see and keep an eye on the clock in the corner to see just how quickly the fire spreads. At the end of the showing, there was silence.

I, and i would guess a number of others were at Valley Parade 3 weeks before the fire for our game there, which from memory i think we lost 3-2 en route to relegation to the 4th division. Also on this day a young lad was killed at St Andrews after a wall collapsed amidst extensive trouble between Birmingham and Leeds fans. A dark day in what was a terrible year for English football, with the Heysel disaster following the Bradford fire some 2-3 weeks later.

Thoughts with the Bradford fans today and those who went to watch their side celebrate promotion and didn't return home.

It's said every time an anniversary like this comes around but nobody should ever go to a football match and never return.

A terribly tragic event.

It is beyond comprehension with any modicum of intelligence why people were allowed to go into a bitumin and wood structure with smoking permitted.
Thank goodness such stands no longer exist.

An horrific event.
But ... even today there are tower blocks of housing which have been built using materials which given the right conditions catch fire with the same catastrophic outcomes as the Bradford fire.

cricketfield73 wrote: ↑

Tue May 11, 2021 12:47 pm

I'm pretty sure that we were driving back from a 3-2 win at Walsall when the news came through on the radio

We were - and still didn't have a clue of the enormity of it.

Silkyskills1 wrote: ↑

Tue May 11, 2021 12:33 pm

Just checking the names and ages on the memorial. An absolutely devastating incident. '56', written by Martin Fletcher, a survivor who lost four members of his family, is a truly sobering read of that awful day.

It's the Ormondroyd and Stockman names that always get to me - clearly dad and two sons with both families. Mums waiting at home and three never returning.

The day after I got married.
Sat in our B&B in Whitby, trying to comprehend it. The TV footage was truly awful, even without realising there were people who hadn't got out.
Tragedy somehow doesn't quite encompass it.

I remember watching it on live news feed at the time in disbelief and horror, truly awful event.

R.I.P the 56

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Tue May 11, 2021 3:51 pm

It's the Ormondroyd and Stockman names that always get to me - clearly dad and two sons with both families. Mums waiting at home and three never returning.

Go to Bingley cemetery often.....and never seen a flower laid on either father or sons Grave ever...they are side by side. Very Sad and can only imagine the mother/ wife suffering and pain.

tim_noone wrote: ↑

Thu May 13, 2021 12:51 am

Go to Bingley cemetery often.....and never seen a flower laid on either father or sons Grave ever...they are side by side. Very Sad and can only imagine the mother/ wife suffering and pain.

You can't even begin to imagine how those left behind must feel, even more so when they've lost more than one close family member.

Also when you realise that those people who tried to escape by going to the back of the stand(which was on street level) found exits locked and then literally had nowhere else to go. Absolute unthinkable horror.

Silkyskills1 wrote: ↑

Thu May 13, 2021 11:31 am

Also when you realise that those people who tried to escape by going to the back of the stand(which was on street level) found exits locked and then literally had nowhere else to go. Absolute unthinkable horror.

That's as far as the father and sons got...sadly.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Tue May 11, 2021 3:51 pm

It's the Ormondroyd and Stockman names that always get to me - clearly dad and two sons with both families. Mums waiting at home and three never returning.

Also 4 Fletchers

The worst part is it was an accident waiting to happen. And it could so easily have happened at many grounds not only Valley Parade. Too sad for words