I've mentioned this before, but I know one of the paramedics who was at Hillsborough.

Mrs AB's uncle. Don't know if he was the driver of the ambulance, or crew on it, but he was in the only ambulance that was there before kickoff, the one that got onto the pitch.

Listening to him talk about it, which is something he's only recently able to do, is heartbreaking. He's a gentle and very articulate man, and it broke him utterly. Left the service shortly after, and now lives on a Scottish island.

He carrys a lot of guilt about it (catholic upbringing probably helping exacerbate that) because they were so overwhelmed with casualties that they had to shut the doors of the ambulance to concentrate on saving the lives of the casualties they already had. Either that or risk trying to help everyone and end up not saving anyone. What a horribly impossible position to find yourself in.

A scouser, too, as it happens, although raised as an Evertonian. I think that makes it a bit harder for him too: they were his people.

Doesn't much care for football these days, but has been to see Rangers a few times with his son.

Posted By: Arizona Bay, Sep 12, 14:03:54