Confronting the 'tragedy chanting' football fans

Amanda Stanger, who runs the Nottingham branch of the Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance

A football fan who was at Hillsborough the day 97 people died is helping to educate people about so-called "tragedy chanting".

It involves supporters singing songs about disasters - like the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest - to taunt rival fans.

Amanda Stanger uses her own experience of the event to speak to fellow Forest supporters arrested for tragedy-related abuse.

She said they could have their season ticket confiscated - and even be prosecuted - if they failed to complete an education programme.

Nottingham Forest fans display a banner condemning so-called tragedy chanting at a match in Liverpool in April 2023

Speaking to BBC Radio Nottingham, Ms Stanger said: "Chanting is part of football - it's how you show your support and encourage the team.

"But my anxiety levels go through the roof when we're playing Liverpool."

A minority of Forest fans have previously chanted "97 was not enough" and "you killed your own" about the Hillsborough tragedy.

Ms Stanger - who is part of the Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance - was aged 27 when she was at the ill-fated FA Cup semi-final on 15 April 1989, along with 27,000 other Forest fans.

Other tragedies which have been chanted about include the 1958 Munich air disaster, in which many of Manchester United's first team players died.

'Vile behaviour'

Last year the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) updated its guidance on football-related offences to reconfirm tragedy-related abuse can be a public order offence.

It also set out how football banning orders can be used to stop fans attending matches, restrict them travelling to certain areas, or even be allowed in pubs at game time or travel abroad during international tournaments.

Douglas Mackay, of the CPS, said: "A small minority of so-called fans are damaging the reputation of the sport.

"This offending has a devastating impact on the families of victims of tragedies and the communities connected closely to these events.

“This updated guidance sends the clear message that this vile behaviour will not be tolerated."

Members of the Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance at the City Ground

Ms Stanger said: "What people don't realise is, it is now an imprisonable offence.

"It's dreadful, upsetting, disgraceful and disrespectful - not only to the 97 that lost their lives - it's the survivors too and Forest fans are survivors."

She has helped to develop a programme to work with those that are arrested.

Such fans have their season ticket taken off them and it is only returned after they have completed the course to reflect on their actions.

Ms Stanger and colleagues show them graphic pictures from the events of the day.

She said: "They end up in tears. And I get emotional - they need to see how it affects us. It will be with us for the rest of our lives."

She said one of the men she worked with later approached her at an away match to say that he had fully taken on board what they had talked about.

Ms Stanger added: "I always say to them 'are you going to pass this on to your fellow football fans?' And they've all said yes.

"Whether they do or not, I can only hope they do."

A BBC Sounds podcast, Hillsborough Unheard, hears from fans who attended the fateful match in 1989.

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