Remembering The Ibrox Disaster, 2 January 1971

I have no recollection based on age on the Ibrox disaster as it was before i was born- but i know for a few hours my own family were concerned.
My Grandfather and Uncle had attended the game. My Grandfather and Grandmother had a rule on that particular fixture (as I had with my own Mother and now wife to this day) that you call in when you get to a pub just to say your safe. I even had to call my Gran after my Granda had passed on.
My Grandfather for whatever reason had failed to call home. My Grandmother told me she was frantic. For whatever reason my Granda and Uncle had lost track of time discussing games and singing songs and hadn't come home til late. By which stage the house was climbing the walls. Not only was he late he was completely unaware given no social media, mobile phones etc of what had gone on. While he had spent the night having a few beers and lamenting a late equaliser he had no idea, nor did many the worry that had been caused until he crossed the threshold.
One thing that does stay with me with such stories being told is the tribalism stopped. Completely.
Everyone knows the stresses, strains and danger on occasion of attending football matches especially pre taylor report changes.
It didn't matter your footballing persuasion or othewise. Families lost loved ones and I think both sides of Glasgow's divide realised it could have been anyone from either side.
Your family should never expect that when you attend a footbal game you may never come home.
I know my Grandfather spent the following day accountng for friends and workmates who had attended the game in the home end. That for me sums it up.
 
Winning Captains Bolingoli said:
Remembering The Ibrox Disaster, 2 January 1971 by DidsburyCelt who was at the game.

thecelticstar.com

Remembering The Ibrox Disaster, 2 January 1971 | The Celtic Star

At the start of that season I was working in a large tax office in south Manchester with many young football fanatics. My manager was keen to start an office football team. Sunday football was very po
thecelticstar.com thecelticstar.com
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I was 17 and at the game and had no idea that it had happened
No such thing, as social media (as you say Niall) to update anyone
I normally caught the train straight home to get ready to go out on a Saturday night, but decided to stop off and pay a visit to my granny, as she lived close by the train station
As I was having my tea, a newsflash came on, saying disaster at a British football ground today...and I thought "That looks like Ibrox"
When it showed what happened, I bolted out the door (they hadn't said which end it had happened at)
I ran home like the Flash, and when I got there, my mates had showed up and asked if I'd made it home, as they had seen it on the news and knew I was at the game
My mother was in a right state, she collapsed, as I flew in the house
A terrible tragedy which took so many lives
HH
 
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Niall J said:
I have no recollection based on age on the Ibrox disaster as it was before i was born- but i know for a few hours my own family were concerned.
My Grandfather and Uncle had attended the game. My Grandfather and Grandmother had a rule on that particular fixture (as I had with my own Mother and now wife to this day) that you call in when you get to a pub just to say your safe. I even had to call my Gran after my Granda had passed on.
My Grandfather for whatever reason had failed to call home. My Grandmother told me she was frantic. For whatever reason my Granda and Uncle had lost track of time discussing games and singing songs and hadn't come home til late. By which stage the house was climbing the walls. Not only was he late he was completely unaware given no social media, mobile phones etc of what had gone on. While he had spent the night having a few beers and lamenting a late equaliser he had no idea, nor did many the worry that had been caused until he crossed the threshold.
One thing that does stay with me with such stories being told is the tribalism stopped. Completely.
Everyone knows the stresses, strains and danger on occasion of attending football matches especially pre taylor report changes.
It didn't matter your footballing persuasion or othewise. Families lost loved ones and I think both sides of Glasgow's divide realised it could have been anyone from either side.
Your family should never expect that when you attend a footbal game you may never come home.
I know my Grandfather spent the following day accountng for friends and workmates who had attended the game in the home end. That for me sums it up.
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Truly a club like no other we respect and remember those lost and their loved ones from our bitter rivals on our forum proud so proud to be a part of the Celtic family 💚☘
 
I remember leaving that game with my dad I was 10 ,we never knew a thing about the tragic events that unfolded around us, when we got back to the car the radio informed us and my dad immediately thought, we had to phone my mum, no easy feat as we had no mobile and didn't have a house phone, and had to phone our neighbour's and she lived 4 closes away and ask her to let mum know we were okay, we found a phone box nearby and joined the cue of Fans already waiting to phone their loved ones. As a ten yr old, I couldn't figure out how mum would worry as it was at the other end of the ground, Dad explained I would figure it out as I got older, wise man that he was.

Anyhow prayers for the departed offered.
 
My aul da was at the game but had walked it home before he found out what had happened and he said he was horrified by the amount of deaths. I also knew one of the ambulance men who were first at the scene and it affected him so much that he couldn't speak about it, even after all this time. He did say that he thought big Jock was a hero that night.

Rest in Peace those who went to watch a game of football but never made it home.
 
I remember my dad was there and while this seems strange today was in the rangers end with his wartime buddy. Fortunately he was home before the news coverage was extensive so we only found out after he was safe.
Still remember after all these years
HH
 
The deaths of Rangers fans attending the game in 1971. God bless their poor mums, dads, kids, grand parents and kids and friends who had to deal with such sudden loss. I was too young to fully understand it but I recall lots of older Celtic fans (dad's generation) showing utmost respect at the time for the tragic loss of life. I know some have referenced the behaviour of Rangers fans towards Jock Stein, a man who was genuinely moved by this terrible event at Ibrox. However, I think the mark of Celtic fans is how we conduct ourselves. I was very proud of the fans reaction to the passing of Fernando Ricksen and I would not like to see us failing to honour the passing of people because of where they played their football or who they supported. I have been very busy recently but genuinely heart warming to see this post Winning Captains Bolingoli. HH
 
i remember leaving a few minutes early that day as the game had 0-0 written all over it then a loud roar came from the stadium and a man in a passing car informed us that jinky had scored in the last minute and we assumed that was it game won then shortly after another man shouted out his car that rangers had equalised in the dying seconds on the way back into the city centre and ambulances and police cars were heading along paisley rd west toward the stadium at that point i remember thinking there had been a lot of trouble due to the late drama but never imagined for one second what i learned when i got home that night as my mother was frantic with worry when i walked in the door
 
Did they ever make any serious effort to fix the safety issues which Phil Mac reported a few years ago? If not there's another Ibrox disaster waiting to happen.
 
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