Daily Archives: March 14, 2022

Special Feature: The 5 Most Shocking Football Disasters Ever

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Live football is enjoyed all around the world, and as much is done as possible to keep these events safe. Unfortunately, disaster can strike, and over the years there have been a few tragic disasters that have led to fans being seriously injured or even killed.

These events and the people lost are still strongly remembered by everyone in the football world. In no particular order, here is a countdown of 5 of the most shocking disasters to have struck.

 

1.            Hillsborough, Sheffield, 1989

Memorial

The match was a semi final cup tie against Nottingham Forest. Perhaps the most high profile disaster, this saw 96 Liverpool fans die in a horrific crush at the start of the game. This notorious disaster is thought to have occurred due to poor crowd management with too many fans entering in the same pens.

 

2.            Burnden Park, Bolton, 1946

After a football game

This disaster is another crowd management issue which saw roughly 85,000 fans try to get into the stadium to see Bolton v Stoke in the FA Cup. This was over capacity and the resulting crush caused two metal barriers to break, subsequently killing 33 fans and injuring a further 400 people.

 

3.            Valley Parade, Bradford, 1985

Flag in a stadium

A wooden stand structure in the Bradford Stadium was set alight when a fan supposedly dropped a match or lit cigarette. A fire started below the stand when the rubbish beneath caught fire. Extinguishers could not be found and the fire brigade was called but, terribly, 56 fans were killed and a further 265 suffered wounds.

 

4.            Estadio Nacional, Lima, 1964


After a football game

This may be the worst recorded stadium disaster in history. A disallowed goal saw an angered fan chase the referee and take him down, which is said to have upset other supporters that then retaliated. It caused 300 people to die amongst stampedes, crushes and an ensuing battle between police and football supporters.

 

5.            Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, 1971

Black and white photo

When a fan tried to leave towards the end of an Old Firm match and accidentally fell down a stand, there was a domino effect. This caused multiple fans to fall as a result, causing a crush and build up of bodies. 66 people were killed and 200 more were injured.

These tragic events are still remembered strongly by everyone in the football community as well as in history. Now as much is done as possible to ensure that similar tragedies do not happen again and full support is given to those left behind.

 

Featured images:
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source

 

John Greenberg has been writing about sport since his interest started when he was 15 years old. He likes to write about current affairs but also like to go back to the past and write about various things, including the safety of the football crowds.

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Arsenal: Can Benik Afobe overcome his injury woes to fulfill his potential?

  By O-Posts Team | March 14, 2022 - 16:29 | , ,
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20 year-old Benik Afobe has shown plenty of promise while at Arsenal. He is a well rounded footballer and has always been known for his clinical finishing, whether that is on the floor or in the air. He is also versatile and is well able to play on either wing where he uses his pace and power to be direct and drive at defences.

He signed his first professional contract in 2010 on the back of a strong season for the U-18 squad in which he scored 21 goals in 24 appearances. He then enjoyed a successful loan spell at Huddersfield where he 8 goals and provided 8 assists in all competitions. But he couldn’t push on after that as he struggled with injuries for the first half of the 2011-12 season.

After recovering from those injuries, he joined Reading on loan in January 2012. Unfortunately he only managed to make 3 appearances for the Royals up until the end of the season. This season was supposed to be a new start for Afobe.

With Robin van Persie gone, many believed Benik would be given a chance to showcase his talents during Arsenal’s pre-season tour. However this didn’t materialise and on 3 August 2021 he joined Bolton on a season-long loan.

While at Bolton he made 20 appearances, but only managed to score 2 goals. So in January, Bolton decided to end his deal and he returned to Arsenal.

Millwall then took him on loan where he initially impressed, earning a MOM award in the 2-1 win away Middlesborough. Sadly, this spell was again disrupted by injury when he sustained a tear in his anterior cruciate ligament which ruled him out for the remainder of the season and he has returned back to Arsenal.

 

So what does this mean for Benik Afobe’s Arsenal career?

Well there is no doubting he has talent having shown it at club and international level. With his pace, power and versatility, he would be a useful player to have in any squad.

A full pre-season is key for the Arsenal staff to check up on his development and for him to get some vital minutes under his belt. I then expect him to be sent out on loan to a mid/lower Championship side where he can get regular game time and attain vital first team experience.

Let’s hope Benik can get over his injury problems so he can develop into a good footballer and with some luck, be a regular at Arsenal.

 

Written by Charlie Smith

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PSG: A Guide To Their Legendary Home - Parc Des Princes

  By O-Posts Team | March 14, 2022 - 12:40 | , ,
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Paris attractions have tempted visitors to the city for decades. More recent additions to an already very long list of ancient monuments and other Parisian attractions are the likes Disney World and the Parc de Prince stadium.

The stadium was built to replace the old Vélodrome built in 1897 which stood on this impressive site till the Parc was built. Today, major football (such as Paris st Germain home games) and rugby matches take place at the Parc and then there are the concerts!

George Pompidou, the then president, opened the Parc des Prince on 4th June 1972 with the first match ever to be played on these hallowed grounds being the Coupe de France final, a match played between SC Bastia and Olympique de Marseille – which the latter won. The stadium was filled to capacity – the whole 48,527 seats.

Parc de Prince - Paris

 

A Stadium That Won Awards

The Architecture was considered very Avant garde winning both the building and the architect many prizes. Roger Taillibert was the Architect; the 50 concrete columns supporting the roof were his brainchild and the reason why so many architectural awards were won.

 

Getting to the Parc

Getting to the Parc by Metro is easily done – the stop to get out at is the Porte de Saint-Cloud station from line 9 – the stadium is just a five minute walk from there. From central Paris, line 9 goes through the city centre – on the north bank.

By bus from the centre of Paris, there’s a choice of three, the 22, 62 and 72 which go to Porte de Saint-Cloud. The actual address of the Parc des Princes is 24, Rue du Commandant Guilbaud, 75781 Paris.

 

Where to Stay & Where Eat

The neighbourhood around the Parc has a typical Parisian ambiance with many bars and brasseries on most of the street corners – as per usual, the food served is very good.

Hotel wise there are many in the vicinity of the Parc. However, it might not be a good idea to stay too close because of the inevitable noise from the stadium. However, with two metro lines close by, it is easy to get into the centre of town without any effort or trouble.

Full capacity at the Parc

 

How to purchase Tickets

You can buy tickets for PSG games by going online or you can call the stadium directly. Another method is at the stadium itself from any of the PSG service points. The cost of a ticket can range from anything between €20.00 to €100.00.

 

Conclusion

Organised tours around the Parc last around an hour and includes being taken through the dressing rooms, players’ tunnel where many a famous sportsman has tread. Visitors also get to see the VIP boxes and admire the fabulous cups and shields in the trophy room. For air travel it’s important to do some flight comparison checks to make sure you get the best deals.

Tours are organised three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. They start at 3pm, 4pm and 5pm although occasionally there’s a guided tour organised for 6pm.

Tours take place every day during the school holidays except Sundays. However, there are no tours on match days or the day before. The great thing is you don’t have to pre-book but it is possible. You can book tickets at the PSG shop on the Champs- Élysées or you can opt to do this at the stadium.

The cost of a guided tour around the Parc des Princes is €10.00. It’s a great way to get a real feel of the place which is pretty impressive to say the least – especially when the stadium’s empty.

 

Featured images:
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source

 

Written by Nathan Griffiths who is a sports enthusiast and loves travelling to Paris.

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