Page 135 - Once a copper 10 03 2020

admit I wasn’t particularly looking forward to it, but it turned out to be
interesting and I looked forward to my first chance to put my new skills to the
test.

The 3rd March 1985 saw the end of the miner’s strike almost a year after it
had begun. Some mineworkers had already returned to work which in a way
was a victory for the government. Morale was at an all-time low as the miners
returned to work. What had the strike gained? nothing, because strikes rarely
gain anything, the government’s view that pits had to close went ahead and
to give you an example in 1983 there were 170 working pits and in 2010 there
were 6.

A few months more alternating between arrests and the never-ending trivial
enquiries of my beat work, Acting Sergeant Duties comprising mainly helping
my colleagues improve their paperwork standards and a football match
every other weekend.

One match was to be indelibly etched into my memory for all the wrong
reasons.

1985 Birmingham City v Leeds United tragedy
Saturday 11 May
th
1985 Remembering the youngster who lost his life after
violent scenes at St Andrew's
Birmingham City
-v- Leeds United Birmingham City were taking on Leeds United at
the famous St Andrew’s ground.

If results went the right way, then Ron Saunders’ Blues could find themselves
sitting on top of Division Two. It should have been a celebration of promotion
to the top flight.

Ian Hambridge excitedly left
home to watch his first
football match, waving his IT WAS THE DAY WHEN, 128 MILES UP THE
mum goodbye.
ROAD AT VALLEY PARADE IN BRADFORD, 56
He was just 15 years old, still SUPPORTERS LOST THEIR LIVES WHEN FIRE
at school and looking BROKE OUT INSIDE THE MAIN STAND DURING
forward not just to the game,
but also telling his classmates THEIR THIRD DIVISION GAME AGAINST
about it on the Monday. LINCOLN CITY.

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