Liverpool Pays Solemn Tribute to Hillsborough’s 97
United in remembrance across the club
Liverpool Football Club came together on Tuesday to honour the memory of the 97 supporters who tragically lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster, marking the 36th anniversary of one of football’s darkest days.
The events of April 15th, 1989 remain etched into the soul of the city. During an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium, 97 children, women, and men were unlawfully killed in a catastrophic failure of crowd control. Tuesday’s commemorations were a poignant reminder that those lives will never be forgotten.
In keeping with tradition, tributes were held across the club to pay respects to those lost, as Liverpool reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to justice, remembrance, and unity.
Wreath-laying ceremony at Anfield
In a show of solidarity and reverence, representatives from Liverpool’s men’s, women’s, U21s and U18s squads gathered early at the Hillsborough Memorial outside Anfield. Club captains and coaches were joined by chief legal officer Jonathan Bamber and club ambassadors Natasha Dowie and Ian Rush to lay floral tributes on behalf of the entire LFC family.
The moment was marked not only by solemn reflection but also by a unified silence, as all present paused to acknowledge the weight of history and the lives that were so cruelly taken.
Club-wide silence and training ground tributes
The day’s remembrance extended across all Liverpool FC sites. Each of the club’s teams—including the senior men’s and women’s sides and Academy groups—observed a minute’s silence ahead of their training sessions, underscoring the deep cultural imprint Hillsborough has left on generations of players and staff.
At precisely 3.06pm—the time at which the 1989 match was abandoned—every corner of the club fell silent. From training grounds to boardrooms, a united pause reverberated through Liverpool in a collective act of remembrance.
Following the silence at Anfield, 97 balloons were released into the sky in a symbolic gesture, honouring every life lost in the disaster. It was a moment of reflection as well as of enduring love from a club that has never turned its back on its people.
Community-wide reflection and respect
Flags were flown at half-mast throughout Liverpool FC facilities, in a sign of mourning and remembrance. As further marks of respect, the Anfield retail store was closed from 1pm, and all museum and stadium tour access was suspended to allow visitors and staff the opportunity to reflect on the significance of the day.
There was no need for grand gestures—just a unified show of respect from a city and club that have never forgotten. The sentiment echoed once more across Merseyside and beyond: justice, always. Remembered, forever.
As Liverpool continues to stand for the 97, the message remains clear and powerful. These were not just supporters. They were family. And they will always walk with us.
