Liverpool boss begged FA for different pitch or ticket allocation ahead of Hillsborough disaster, a court heard

A TOP Liverpool FC official pleaded for the disastrous Hillsborough match to be played elsewhere, a court heard yesterday.

Former chief executive Peter Robinson immediately called the FA after hearing Liverpool had drawn Nottingham Forest in the 1989 FA Cup semi final.

He urged officials not to hold the game at Sheffield Wednesday’s ground if it ticket allocation was to be the same as two years previously when the same teams met.

The jury in the trial of match commander David Duckenfield have heard how a similar crush occured in the 1987 semi-final clash at Hillsborough - but deaths were avoided when police opened the gates to the pitch.

Mr Robinson was the chief executive and company secretary of Liverpool FC when 96 Liverpool fans were killed at the Sheffield Wednesday ground.

Yesterday he told the court he was initially told Old Trafford could be available for his side’s match against Nottingham Forest.

But he was later informed Hillsborough had been selected - and police were “adamant” that the allocation of tickets was the same as the 1987 game.

He then complained the decision was “unjust” as Liverpool wanted a different end to the stadium.
Turning to the disaster itself Mr Robinson said he became aware of the overcrowding when the match was stopped just after 3pm.

He could see fans behind the goal trying to get to the stand above as the central pens were “absolutely packed.”

He said: “Some people in the directors box were muttering about it being some sort of pitch invasion but I could see it was not because they were not coming on to the field, they were standing behind the goal, the ones that were, fortunately, coming out.”

Earlier the court heard how a Liverpool fan caught in the deadly crush has felt guilty for 30 years after watching a fellow supporter “turning blue”.

Christopher Parsonage, 59, told trial thought he was going to die during the 1989 FA Cup semi-final.
He told the jury at Preston Crown Court: “I was not in control of where I wanted to go. You could not see your feet. I was carried down by the force of the crowd - my feet were off the floor. The pressure was pushing me upwards.

“I hit a crash barrier with my right thigh. I was in incredible agony. I could not move, I could not twist around. I was being rammed against that barrier. I thought my leg was going to break and that I was going to die. I screamed out for my mum. I was 29.

“Breathing was so hard but because I was tall, my arms were in the air. I saw this guy right in front of me with a blue face. I was breathing very shallowly. He was sideways on so I could see his face in profile.

“I have had to deal with my own personal guilt in not being able to hold him up. I was trying to grab hold of his collar. His eyes were bulging and his tongue was blue. I thought that if he was not dead he would surely be shortly and if he went down he would have absolutely zero chance.”

Mr Parsonage said he was “unable to prevent him falling down” before the pressure was eventually relieved from behind.

Mr Parsonage said that he managed to get out of the tunnel “in tears with torn clothes” and was taken in by a stranger and given a cup of tea while he phoned his wife.

Former South Yorkshire police superintendent David Duckenfield ,74, of Ferndown, Dorset denies the manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 of the 96 Liverpool, fans who died.

Former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell,69, of Buntingford, Herts denies two safety related charges.

The trial continues.

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