Hillsborough stories: Alan McGlone

A father-of-two and factory worker from Kirkby, Alan McGlone travelled by car with friends David Roberts and Stephen Clark, who both survived, and Joseph Clark, who also died in the tragedy.

This is the full statement to the inquests read by his daughter, Amy McGlone, on behalf of his widow Irene McGlone:

Irene McGlone will say as follows on behalf of the McGlone family:

Alan McGlone was born in 1960 into a loving family. Alan was the fourth of five brothers. At the age of eight Alan lost his Dad to cancer.

Alan attended the local junior school where he played football. While Alan was at the school he had a dog called 'Lucky' who would walk him to and from school each day. The dog would know what time to go back to the school to meet him at the end of the day.

Not so lucky

Lucky only had one ear, one eye and three and a half legs, so I doubt that he was very lucky at all.

By the age of 11, Alan was playing table tennis and was coached and sponsored by Fred Perry. Alan played for the North West.

He had lots of interests, but his main ones were mechanics, animals and sport.

I met Alan when I was 12 years old as we went to the same comprehensive school. I always thought I was Alan's first love until he told me Liverpool Football Club was.

Before we got married, my Mum called Alan 'Pounds-worth' as he had a 50cc moped and all you could fit in the tank was a pound.

We were married in September 1982, the day before I was 21 and two days before Alan was 22. We moved into our first home together the same year. It was a one-bedroom flat, but it was our home and we loved it.

In February, 1984, our first baby was born, a baby girl. I will never forget the look of amazement on Alan's face.

'Loved being a Dad'

He loved being a Dad and it wasn't long before Amy was dressing in jeans and a jumper to go and help her daddy fix cars.

In 1986, I was pregnant again so we moved out of our flat into a two-bedroom house. Claire was born in December, 1986. Again, the look on Alan's face was unforgettable.

Alan called Claire 'Tyson' straight away because she weighed just on 9 lbs, born with a big neck and cheeks. Every night Alan would bath the two girls, put them to bed and read them a story.

This was their time together. Our family was now complete and we had been blessed with two beautiful daughters.

At the side of our house were loads of trees with lots of birds' nests in them. One morning, when Alan got up early for work, he saw a falcon sitting on the back fence so he opened a tin of ham and threw it to the falcon.

'Fed our tea to a falcon'

At work that day, Alan made a glove with suede and leather. When Alan came home, he fed the falcon steak, which was supposed to have been for our tea.

That same afternoon, I found a nest of young birds just outside the back door, so when Alan came home, he put the birds in the outside electricity cupboard.

He would get up every few hours to feed the birds warm milk and bread until they could fly.

Alan worked full time for a firm called JJ Smiths, repairing woodworking machinery. He was there about 18 months and he loved working there.

Every year we would holiday with both our families. For one week in June, we would go to Butlins and every August we went to Tenby with my sister, brother-in-law and niece.

It was on our last holiday one night when Alan was sitting just looking at his two girls, so I asked Alan what was wrong? When he turned to me crying, I asked why he was crying, and he said, 'I would have loved my Dad to have seen my two girls grow up'.

The sad thing is, he never got to see his own girls grow up and never got to see his beautiful grandchildren.

'Wake from this nightmare'

On 15 April, 1989, it was a lovely sunny Saturday and the girls had been playing skipping with their Dad in the path before he left for the match. We were all looking forward to a party later that night at my sister's house as it was her wedding anniversary.

Due to the events of the day, we didn't leave the house. That night I had to put the girls to bed, kiss them good night and as I was walking out of their room, Amy sat up and said, 'Mummy, will you tell Daddy to come in and wake us up when he gets home?'

I am still waiting to wake my girls up out of this nightmare and send their Daddy in to them.

Alan, we love and miss you so much.