Hillsborough Disaster
The Leppings Lane end inside Hillsborough Stadium during the disaster (goalposts centre)
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| Date | 15 April 1989 |
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| Location |
Hillsborough Stadium Sheffield, England |
| Coordinates | 53°24′42″N 1°30′06″W / 53.41154°N 1.50154°WCoordinates: 53°24′42″N 1°30′06″W / 53.41154°N 1.50154°W |
| Cause | Overcrowding in central pens of stand |
| Deaths | 96 (94 on 15 April) |
| Non-fatal injuries | 766 |
| Inquiries |
Taylor Report (1990) Hillsborough Independent Panel (2012) |
| Inquest | Stefan Popper (1st inquest, 1989–1991) Sir John Goldring (2nd inquest, 2014–2016) |
The Hillsborough disaster was a human crush at Hillsborough football stadium in Sheffield, England on 15 April 1989, during the 1988–89 FA Cup semi-final game between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. With 96 fatalities and 766 injured it is the worst disaster in British sporting history. The crush occurred in the two standing-only central pens in the Leppings Lane stand, allocated to Liverpool supporters. Shortly before kick-off, in an attempt to ease overcrowding outside the entrance turnstiles, the police match commander chief superintendent David Duckenfield ordered exit gate C to be opened, leading to an influx of even more supporters to the already overcrowded central pens.
The disaster resulted in a number of safety improvements in the largest football grounds, notably the elimination of fenced standing terraces in favour of all-seater stadiums in the top two tiers of English football. The disaster led to a great deal of negative press about Liverpool supporters who had attended the match that day, as police fed false stories to the press suggesting that hooliganism and drinking by Liverpool supporters were the root causes. Blame to Liverpool fans persisted even after the Taylor Report of 1990, which found the main reason for the disaster was a failure of control by South Yorkshire Police (SYP). The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) ruled there was no evidence to justify prosecution against individuals or institutions.
The first coroner's inquest into the Hillsborough disaster, completed in 1991, ruled all deaths on the day as accidental. Families strongly rejected the original coroner's findings, and their fight to have the matter re-opened persisted, with Lord Justice Stuart-Smith concluding in 1997 there was no justification for a new inquiry. Private prosecutions against Duckenfield and his deputy Bernard Murray failed in 2000.
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