They Never Walked Alone: Derry's Liverpool fans send message of solidarity #Hillsborough

The 1st Derry Liverpool Support Club said that the horrific events that unfolded at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield on April 15, 1989 impacted deeply on Liverpool fans across the world.

1st Derry Club Secretary Eamonn McBride told the Journal he was among those who had tried to secure tickets for the match, but was unsuccessful.

“At the time I was 14 years of age and I was looking to go to the match myself with my brother Brian but couldn’t get tickets. I had only started going to the matches two years previous.

“We ended up going to the General Post Office watching events unfold on a big screen- it was on RTE. It was just harrowing.

“I had just wanted to watch a football match and at the time when I was watching it I didn’t really know what I was seeing.

“I was initially disappointed the match was postponed and then the reality of what was actually happening there started to sink in as you seen people getting stretchered. At 14 years of age that is going to have a big impact.”

Mr McBride said that the fans in Derry and across the board have stood behind the families in their fight for justice.

“The last 27 years have affected the majority of Liverpool supporters. We were 100% supporting the families of the 96 and have been following events over those years.”

The jury in Warrington on Tuesday that the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the Hillsborough disaster were unlawfully killed.

As well as the dead, the Hillsborough disaster left 766 people injured.

The fans had been attending the FA Cup semi-final football match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest when the horrific events unfolded.

The victims of the Hillsborough disaster pictured here: (top row left to right) Adam Edward Spearritt, Alan Johnston, Alan McGlone, Andrew Mark Brookes, Anthony Bland, Anthony Peter Kelly, Arthur Horrocks, Barry Glover, Barry Sidney Bennett, Brian Christopher Mathews, Carl William Rimmer, Carl Brown, (second row left to right) Carl Darren Hewitt, Carl David Lewis, Christine Anne Jones, Christopher James Traynor, Christopher Barry Devonside, Christopher Edwards, Colin Wafer, Colin Andrew Hugh William Sefton, Colin Mark Ashcroft, David William Birtle, David George Rimmer, David Hawley, (third row left to right) David John Benson, David Leonard Thomas, David William Mather, Derrick George Godwin, Eric Hankin, Eric George Hughes, Francis Joseph McAllister, Gary Christopher Church, Gary Collins, Gary Harrison, Gary Philip Jones, Gerard Bernard Patrick Baron, (fourth row left to right) Gordon Rodney Horn, Graham John Roberts, Graham John Wright, Henry Charles Rogers, Henry Thomas Burke, Ian David Whelan, Ian Thomas Glover, Inger Shah, James Gary Aspinall, James Philip Delaney, James Robert Hennessy, John Alfred Anderson, (fifth row left to right) John McBrien, Jonathon Owens, Jon-Paul Gilhooley, Joseph Clark, Joseph Daniel McCarthy, Keith McGrath, Kester Roger Marcus Ball, Kevin Daniel Williams, Kevin Tyrrell, Lee Nicol, Marian Hazel McCabe, Martin Kevin Traynor, (sixth row left to right) Martin Kenneth Wild, Michael David Kelly, Nicholas Peter Joynes, Nicholas Michael Hewitt, Patrick John Thompson, Paula Ann Smith, Paul Anthony Hewitson, Paul David Brady, Paul Brian Murray, Paul Clark, Paul William Carlile, Peter Andrew Harrison, (seventh row left to right) Peter Andrew Burkett, Peter Francis Tootle, Peter McDonnell, Peter Reuben Thompson, Philip Hammond, Philip John Steele, Raymond Thomas Chapman, Richard Jones, Roy Harry Hamilton, Sarah Louise Hicks, Simon Bell, Stephen Paul Copoc, (bottom row left to right) Stephen Francis Harrison, Stephen Francis O’Neill, Steven