These Football Times These Football Times

Join us as we talk to TFT’s very own Aidan Williams about his new book, Euro 1984: The Greatest Tournament You Never Saw. As the title suggests, here in the UK we missed most of the tournament when the TV companies chose to ignore it after none of the home nations qualified. So let us fill you in on just what happened 40 years ago.

On the 35th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, we conclude our conversations by talking to Andrew Knott, the man behind the Anfield crowd mosaics. Andrew takes us through his experiences as one of those who made it onto the pitch from the Leppings Lane terraces, where he would help ferry stricken supporters from the scene on makeshift stretchers, exposed as he was to some of the worst images of the day.   

On the 35th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, we continue our personal reflections as Peter Scarfe speaks about his experiences on the terraces at Leppings Lane on 15 April 1989. Peter, the co-creator and chair of the Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance (HSA) also talks about the invaluable work that the HSA undertakes, and the lasting effects the disaster wrought on those who were involved in, and witnessed, the day. 

On the 35th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, we talk to Dr Anne Eyre, a sociologist specialising in the psychosocial aspects of major incidents, emergency planning and disaster management, who was on the Leppings Lane terraces on 15 April 1989. An open and candid conversation, Anne kindly tells us not only of her experiences and the effects they have left her with, but also the positive work she does as a result of them.  

And now, the end is near, and so they face an impossibly difficult Question of Sport blowout to decide the Quiz Champion of the 1980s. Before that, our intrepid panellists choose their favourite games and players of the decade, reflect back on what the decade meant to them and, scandalously, refuse to indulge in some community singing of the B-side of the 1982 England World Cup single. Your ears are safe.

Following on from our series on the 1980s, we’ve one final visit to the decade as Chris Lepkowski, Aidan Williams and Stu Horsfield offer their choice of the goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, striker and manager who should be chiselled onto the decade’s Mount Rushmore. Gary Thacker attempts to retain some semblance of order.