'Heysel is never, ever mentioned' – The Heysel Stadium Disaster – An exploration into the roots, the aftermath and the legacy of this tragic event

29th May 1985.  A date that has gone down in infamy due to the tragic events that occurred ahead of that season's European Cup Final at Heysel.  39 fans (mostly Italian Juventus supporters) lost their lives when a wall collapsed as they were trying to flee from an attack from Liverpool fans.  

The event was the culmination of a decade or so in which hooligan activity had come to be seen as 'The English Disease' as fans of many English clubs and the national side were involved in rioting and behaviour during European competition.  This brought shame upon the nation and led to football fans being cast alongside striking miners as part of 'The Enemy Within' by Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.

Heysel presented Thatcher's government with an opportunity to strike dual blows against this growing hooligan influence, which had become a stain on the national game and against Liverpool, the city that perhaps more than any other had stood steadfastly in opposition against Thatcherism and her cabinet's monetarism agenda.  Thatcher acolyte, Geoffrey Howe had famously commented that he felt the city should be left to a "managed decline" in the wake of 1981's Toxteth riots.

The Thatcher government's response was swift, two days after the disaster, she instructed the FA to withdraw English clubs from European competition before they were banned.  Within a matter of days, UEFA, European football's governing body banned English clubs for "an indeterminate period of time".  There was a bittersweet twist as the ban denied Liverpool's neighbours, Everton the chance to emulate their rivals' European dominance and build on their existing success under Howard Kendall.

In this week's episode, Chris and Nathan look back at the tragedy, what caused it to happen and the impact it had on English football.  The episode's title refers to an interview that former Liverpool legend, Mark Lawrenson conducted with the 'On The Ball' podcast in 2022 in which he commented "Heysel is never, ever mentioned" in comparison with the Hillsborough Disaster of 1989.  Is this true?  Are Liverpool FC and Liverpool fans guilty of seeking to sweep Heysel under the carpet as has been suggested by rival fanbases?  The increased prevalance of tragedy chanting in recent years amongst fans of other clubs would suggest they share this belief.  Join Chris and Nathan as we explore the roots, causes and aftermath of this tragic event.