Show Notes
Saturday the 11th of May 1985 was supposed to be a day of celebration for the fans of Bradford City AFC. They’d just clinched the Division Three title and the last game of the season against Lincoln City was set to be a lap of honour.
But as half time approached, faint wisps of smoke appeared from the Main Stand of Valley Parade. They quickly turned to visible orange flames. The carnival atmosphere quickly took a turn as the flames grew. In just over four minutes, the entire stand was ablaze. It’s estimated that temperatures reached 900 degrees celsius.
While many fans survived by escaping onto the pitch, 56 didn’t. But despite it being one of the deadliest events in football history, the fire at Valley Parade has faded somewhat into obscurity.
Investigative journalist, Mobeen Azhar, speaks to those who were at the ground that fateful day, to get a sense of the tragedy. From police officers, to the radio commentator, we hear the shocking details of one of the worst days in football history.
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More from 900 Degrees
Despite fading in the nation's memory, the impact of the Bradford City Fire will be everlasting for anyone who was there that day. It’s perhaps this reason why many fans have declined to engage in another examination of the evidence.
Four years after the Bradford City Fire, tragedy struck again. Hillsborough Stadium played host to the semi-final of the 1989 FA Cup. The police failed to manage the entrance to the stadium and an ensuing crush led to the deaths of 97 more football fans.
There were countless heroes on the 11th of May 1985. Without the selfless actions of fellow fans, police officers and nurses, the death toll would have been even higher.
The inquiry which examined the Bradford City Stadium Fire didn't name anybody as being responsible for starting the blaze. But it did find that the fire was started accidentally - likely via a dropped cigarette. But how strong was the evidence? And did the investigation look into any of Stafford Heginbotham's previous fires?
Bradford City has had a tumultuous history. For decades before the fire in ‘85, the club had lingered in the lower leagues of English football. But they may have ceased to exist at all. For many fans, the fact they are still a club today is down to one man: Stafford Heginbotham.