June 2 – Heysel: The Aftermath
AFTER the terrible events at the 1985 European Cup Final at Heysel when 39 fans were killed, the authorities began looking for someone to blame.
The tragedy had gone beyond the football world and even Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher weighed in with her opinion. “We have to get the game cleaned up from this hooliganism at home and then perhaps we shall be able to go overseas again,” she said.
Immediately after the disaster Liverpool announced they would not be taking part in European competition next season.
Then, on May 31, the FA banned English clubs from European competition.
“It is now up to English football to put its house in order,” said FA secretary Ted Croker outside Number 10 Downing Street after discussions with the PM.
“It was very important that the FA took positive action and immediately,” he said, adding it was the most difficult decision he had ever had to take.
Next in line was Uefa, who, on this day in 1985 announced they were imposing their own ban on English clubs for an indefinite period.
Reacting to the decision, football league president Jack Dunnett said: “It is unfair to punish clubs which had nothing to do with the Brussels tragedy”. Everton, Manchester United, Liverpool, Norwich City, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton were all denied entry to European football in the first year of the ban.
But the move was welcomed by Ted Croker who said: “There are many of us who don’t want to see us back in Europe until we have got our own house in order.”
A British representative on Uefa’s 11-strong executive committee said he had unsuccessfully tried to push for the ban to be limited to a set period. But David Will, president of the Scottish FA, said: “The feeling in Uefa is very, very strong”.
In the end the ban lasted for five years for all English clubs bar Liverpool, who were banned for six.
Also on this football day, some pretty bad scenes at a game, but this time (thankfully) on the pitch rather than in the stands.
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