WeKnowSFA

02nd Jan2011

2nd January – Football remembers Ibrox Disaster

by WeKnowSFA

40th Anniversary of tragic day

Today, many people will head to Ibrox to see Rangers take on Celtic in a match that will be crucial to the destination of the league title. 40 years ago today, the same scenario was taking place but as everyone knows, what happened at the end of the game made football seem very inconsequential.

66 people tragically left home to go to a football match and never returned and this tragedy should always be remembered and the memories of these people never forgotten. Below is the front cover of the programme for Rangers next home match (v Dundee United). It was a sombre 4 page programme and the inside listed the details of the 65 funerals (one was private) and of the representatives of Rangers Football Club that attended on behalf of the club.

Quite rightly, there have been many programs and articles in the past week about that day and there is not a lot we have to add, at times there aren’t the words to fully convey emotions about an event….particularly from people who weren’t there. The TV and Radio programmes produced by the BBC are worth watching / listening if you haven’t already done so and we would advice you to check out the iPlayer.

One of the things about that day was the way differences were put aside. The work of Jock Stein on that day should never be forgotten but equally, the fact that within the month, Celtic and Rangers combined to take on a Scottish X1, with some guests from the footballing world indicates how people bandied together.

Once the game kicks off, there is no doubt the usual madness of these games will descend and this will continue all the way after the final whistle into the streets, pubs and online messageboards but there should always be a thought for those people that never got to go home after a game.