[ritchiebaby]

Spare a thought today for the 66 fans who died in the Ibrox Disaster on 2 January 1971. I've been in similar crowded situations leaving Easter Road from the expanse of the East Terrace but, as luck would have it, without incident.

RIP to those Rangers supporters who perished that day 50 years ago.

[hibeejim21]

Was a terrible tragedy, and like you say was something that could have happened to many of us leaving games back in the day.

[0762]

I actually walked down Stairway 13 on a couple of occasions during the period when fan segregation wasn't introduced to Scottish footie. My initial thought after hearing the news of that terrible tragedy was how steep each stairway actually was plus the height of it from top to bottom compared to the likes of the exit stairs at ER Stadium. IMO it was very poorly designed as an exit stairway all these years ago with such a steep hill on either side of the outer rails.

[hibeejim21]

I actually walked down Stairway 13 on a couple of occasions during the period when fan segregation wasn't introduced to Scottish footie. My initial thought after hearing the news of that terrible tragedy was how steep each stairway actually was plus the height of it from top to bottom compared to the likes of the exit stairs at ER Stadium. IMO it was very poorly designed as an exit stairway all these years ago with such a steep hill on either side of the outer rails.

There were serious accidents there in 67 and 69. The club actually went to the trouble of getting an engineers report but did not act on the recommendations.

[0762]

I wasn't aware of that assessment and IMO it makes absolute sense when one considers the huge attendances at this stadium. So, in fact, there were officials of the victims' own footie club, GRFC, who were prob culpable in not redressing a glaring safety issue within their stadium based on previous observations/concerns from the likes of the Police and other crowd control officials. And they must have "walked away" from any corporate manslaughter charge as I was never aware of any official of GRFC being charged after the findings of the resultant fatal accident inquiry.

[hibeejim21]

Rangers were culpable and found to be at fault in a court of law. They never denied to be at fault either, just the media will never say it.

I might be wrong but I thought the families sued them and won.

[ritchiebaby]

I'm sure at least one of the families did get damages. Having said that, this is a thread to remember the 66 who died. I'd rather it wasn't hijacked to have a go at Rangers FC. Thank you.

[hibeejim21]

I don't think it's being 'hijacked'' by pointing out the facts of what happened in that tragedy Ritchie and who was at fault.

But I'll leave it at that.

[ritchiebaby]

Thanks, jim.

[HerefordBull]

Correct Ritchie.

It is not about Clubs, colours etc but about those fans (and their families heartbreak) who went to watch a football match and didn't return. Safety in general at many grounds was disregarded for many years.

Disasters at many grounds were waiting to happen ( many of us will remember crushes and dangerous moments from different grounds) and its a pity safety wasn't taken more seriously within the sport as a whole until another disaster in Sheffield in 1989. Similar to Ibrox, problems had occurred before, throughout the 80's at all the semi finals hosted at Hillsborough with various crushes and people taken to hospital from the Leppings Lane end but no one died so nothing was really altered,.......until the disaster of 1989 .......and then safety measures were looked at properly throughout the whole sport.

Thoughts go out to all fans who lost their lives, who just went to watch their team and of course their families who had to deal with their loss.