Chapter 65: Is Football More Important Than Life And Death? Part 3
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
That was the English soccer scene’s darkest period. It was countless Liverpool fans’ most unforgettable moment to date. The effects of what happened that day, would continue to influence and affect the team until then, and even in the future. The once almighty Liverpool would fall into decline from then on, lingering around the boundaries of pain and confusion, unable to find its way back home.
As a result of this incident, all of the stadiums in England were changed from safe standing stadia to all seated stadia, and the fences which were used to prevent the football hooligans from stirring trouble had been removed. In addition, they improved various security aspects of the soccer stadiums as well. Now, when the fans sit down on the plastic seats and watch the matches in the refurbished stadiums, they know deep down in their hearts that all of those seats came at the cost of 96 lives.
Time froze in 1989, April 15th, 3:05 p.m. The time at which the Hillsborough Tragedy took place.
“…There was an increasing number of people rushing in from the gates, more and more. We saw the Liverpool fans at the adjacent viewing platforms being pushed and squeezed, but more people still continued to rush in. Their platform was right next to me, and a small child squashed against the fence was crying out to me for help. But I… I was scared stiff. I’d never seen such a horrible sight.” Michael’s voice started trembling. “I didn’t know how to help him. His face had turned red from being squashed, and blood started flowing out of his nostrils.”
Michael could not bear to continue, as he hugged his head while he rested it on the table. His loud and heavy breaths resounded throughout the empty bar.
It was only after quite some time that Michael’s voice was heard again. “I’ve never been so close to death. Countless people fell in front of me, wailing, crying, and moaning. And I just stood there dumbfounded. The young boy who was pleading for me to save him had stopped crying, stopped making any noise. It was only after the whole incident that I found out that that child was only 10 years old, and he came to watch the match with his neighbor.”
“That incident made me realize how foolishly I’d been living for the past 10 years. I, as well as John and the rest of the guys, had always thought that we were strong and fierce. Getting injured and shedding blood was a form of reward for us. Whenever we got into fights, we would shout loudly, ‘Only one of us can live.’ But when true death appeared right in front of us, all of us were stunned, so scared that our bodies were trembling in fear. After that, as we were helping each other out of the stadium, I saw a man who was about my current age, being dragged away by two policemen. He was struggling for his life, shouting at the top of his lungs, ‘Let me go, my two daughters are still inside! I’m not a football hooligan.’ At that moment, I felt thoroughly ashamed at myself for my past doings. Tony, do you know what was the sole cause of everything that happened?”
Tang En asked in an inquisitive tone, “Too many people?”
“No, it was us. The us in the past were the ones who caused that tragedy,” Michael said as he pounded his chest. “All along, we would never admit that we were ‘football hooligans’, even though we knew we were. During that period, any and all soccer teams had fan clubs like ours. The media called us ‘football hooligans’, and the rest of the public referred to us as ‘football hooligans’ as well. In order to prevent people like us from rushing onto the soccer field and causing trouble, almost all of the stadiums at that time had those eight-foot-tall wire meshes installed at the viewing platforms. If Hillsborough stadium had not had those fences, those fans could have easily escaped onto the soccer field. Although this would have caused the match to be terminated halfway through, what was one match compared to the lives of 96 people? In fact, there were even fans who tried to escape from the commotion by climbing over the fence, but they were instead regarded by the nervous police as football hooligans and chased back into the extremely packed viewing platform!”
“After that match, I, John, Bill, and the rest of the guys left the gang. Mark Hodge desperately tried to convince me to stay, but I’d made up my mind. Hodge felt that we betrayed them and cut off all ties with us. However, I didn’t care at all. Hodge thought that we were cowards, and only people like him were considered brave warriors, the most ardent and loyal fans of the team. But those were merely his thoughts. I only wished to stop living that kind of life, where I might be beaten to death at any moment. After that, I got married, and one year later, I had Gavin. I would go to City Ground Stadium and watch the matches whenever a home match was held, and come here to drink and chat whenever I had some free time. I really liked this kind of life.”
“Then why don’t you carry on with it?” Tang En persuaded.
“Because this kind of life left me long ago. I loved soccer. I really loved it. But what did my love for soccer ultimately bring me? I lost my most beloved son!” Michael gripped the cup tightly, and the contact between his palm and the glass cup gave a creaking sound. “Fiona had always been disapproving of me going to watch matches at the stadium, and she was even more against me bringing Gavin along. However, I was very stubborn, and even got into a quarrel with her over this several times. Tony, I loved soccer, supported soccer, but it made me lose my only child. If I continue to be obstinate about this, I will lose my wife, my family…”
Looking at the grief-stricken man, Tang En no longer had any reason to persuade him to return back to the stadium’s viewing platforms.
The creator of Liverpool’s dynasty, the most impressive manager throughout the club’s history, Bill Shankly once said this:
“Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”
However, at that moment, could it still be said that “soccer is much more important than life and death”? After the Hillsborough tragedy took place, the Scousers began to doubt this famous quote and soccer philosophy by Bill Shankly. Now, Tang En was also contemplating it.
Michael stood up, and said to Tang En, “Therefore, I’m terribly sorry, Tony. I can no longer come and watch your matches. Now you don’t have to worry about me punching you if you don’t make it to the English Premier League. Goodbye. I should leave. I wish you good luck, Tony.”
Tang En did not try to persuade him to stay. Watching Michael disappear beyond the door of the bar, Tang En mumbled to himself, “I’m worried that you’ll punch me? What a joke, you can’t even beat me in a fight, Michael. But I really wish you would hit me once. I promise I won’t retaliate.”
