A survivor from the Heysel Stadium disaster has shared his account of the tragic events that unfolded 40 years ago, resulting in the deaths of 39 individuals due to a wall collapsing on fans during the European Cup Final between Juventus and Liverpool in Belgium.
Among those who lost their lives was Patrick Radcliffe from Belfast.
Approximately an hour before the match began, tensions erupted between the rival supporters.
A small group of Liverpool fans threw stones and flares at the Italian section of the stadium. As the Juventus supporters attempted to escape, they became trapped against a wall, which then gave way.
Michael Hamell noted a shift in mood that led to panic among the crowd.
In an interview with RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr. Hamell described being in the “neutral” section of the stadium, located behind one of the goals on 29 May 1985.
Initially, “harmless items” were tossed, such as apples, bananas, and tomatoes. However, he noted a shift in atmosphere as rocks and bottles were subsequently launched.
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Mr. Hamell recalled that as the violence escalated, he sensed the crowd surging toward the pitch, and the situation escalated further when some Liverpool fans managed to breach the wire meshing.
“I distinctly remember the poles they carried, emblazoned with the colors of Liverpool Football Club just moments earlier,” he said.
“The crowd panicked—as one would expect. There were middle-aged people, older fans, and even families with children present.”
He mentioned that the majority of the chaos stemmed from “the pressure that drove the crowd downwards.”
Michael Hamell described the chaos as exacerbating quickly, evolving into a struggle for survival.
Mr. Hamell stated that he was situated halfway up the terrace and it rapidly became a situation where “it was every man for himself.”
He tried to maintain his position, but eventually, he and others were forced down, “literally like an avalanche—a slow, small avalanche.”
“I managed to wriggle my way under a crowd barrier. When I fell, several people landed on top of me, but I managed to get my hands and arms up and secured my position beneath the barrier, which ultimately saved my life.”
RTE Archives: Heysel Stadium disaster 1985
After roughly five to seven minutes, he noted that the pressure began to subside.
“Once the pressure eased, I was finally able to stand up. I was quite bruised but not severely injured.”
While he was able to rise, he realized that the individuals on either side of him had not been able to get up.
“That moment will forever stay with me.”
Thirty-nine lives were lost in the catastrophe on 29 May 1985.
The Red Cross arrived and guided Mr. Hamell to the pitch, where he walked to the far end to recuperate.
“As I reached the far end, I looked back to see the pitch cleared, and the two teams took to the field to begin the match.”
He reflected, “My entire memory revolves around the sheer stupidity of this situation—being attacked at a football match. So much damage was inflicted on so many people.”
Read More: Platini marks the 30th anniversary of the Heysel disaster. Heysel: Ger Canning recalls the nightmare from the stands during the 1985 European final marred by tragedies.
Unlike other football tragedies, Mr. Hamell noted that the Heysel disaster is seldom discussed.
“I’ve always sensed that some parts of the British media preferred to lay blame elsewhere rather than confronting the reality that our fans instigated this chaos. There was always a narrative suggesting that Belgians threw rocks or similar accusations.”
“From my vantage point, I can assure you that no such actions were taken. I believe there was a misconception that this incident was a mere accident, one that you were provoked into. That notion contributed to the larger issue.”
In the aftermath, several Liverpool fans were convicted of manslaughter stemming from the tragedy.
The match continued despite the fatalities prior to kick-off, with Juventus emerging victorious over Liverpool with a score of 1-0.
