LONDON, April 10 (Reuters) – A minute’s silence to mark the
23rd anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster will be held
before this weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley, the FA said
on Tuesday.
Liverpool play Everton on Saturday while Tottenham Hotspur
face Chelsea on Sunday. Players from all four teams will wear
black armbands in memory of the 96 Liverpool fans who died on
April 15, 1989 at the semi-final at Hillsborough, Sheffield,
when Liverpool met Nottingham Forest.
FA spokesman Scott Field said: “We are very respectful to
Liverpool FC in regards of this weekend.
“We understand the significance and the importance to the
club, the fans, the staff and of course, the wider significance
of our game.”
Saturday will be a particularly poignant with Liverpool
meeting Everton, a day before the actual anniversary. After
beating Forest in the re-arranged semi-final, Liverpool and
Everton met at the old Wembley in the 1989 Cup final with
Liverpool winning 3-2.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and Everton skipper Phil
Neville will present members of the Hillsborough Family Support
Group with flowers prior to kick-off and also lay floral
tributes to the Hillsborough victims at the side of the pitch.
Liverpool also paid tribute with a minute’s silence prior to
Saturday’s home game against Aston Villa. The annual memorial
service will be held at Anfield on Sunday.
(Reporting by Mike Collett, editing by Dave Thompson; Reuters
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