Haunted Hillsborough?

I’d heard about the exorcism of a dark spirit from Sunderland’s Stadium of Light and Don Revie’s attempts to lift "The Gypsy Curse" hanging over Elland Road, but as for Hillsborough, nothing had flagged up on my paranormal radar – up until now!

Oddly enough, a few days after my visit, I met a Rotherham supporter, who the season before had been in the away end with a friend of his.

Out-of-the-blue, his mate turned to him and said, “What is it about this ground? I've been to loads across the country - but there's something not quite right about this place.”

His friend was from Liverpool.

I’d been booked for a day’s supply at The Education Hub, a post- 16 community programme based at the club. I was certainly looking forward to my visit, hoping it would give me an opportunity to look round the legendary stadium.

On that crisp morning back in October, I climbed high into North Stand to survey the expanse of the stadium. Below me a groundsman rode back and forth on a lawnmower. Skipping down the steps to pitch level, I felt a surge of adrenaline rush through my body thinking of all the greats who’d graced the sacred turf; Chrissy Waddle…’Tricky’ Trevor Francis …Carlton Palmer - to name a few.

"Wednesday till I die! I’m Wednesday till I die! I know I am, I..."

Making my way round the pitch towards the Lepping’s Lane End, I noticed a large white tarpaulin sheet shrouding the lower tier

seats. I paused for a moment; my mind slipping back to that tragic day back in 1989. The day seared into the mind of every football supporter. The day horror came to S6: The FA Cup semi-final between Nottingham Forest v Liverpool.

The Education Hub is tucked away under the imposing West Stand. After signing in, I was taken to meet the principal. Passing a group of students whacking balls round a pool table, I was greeted by a tutor kitted out in his smart Sheffield Wednesday training gear.

The principal gave me a brief outline of the day and guided me round the Hub. I briefly mentioned the tragic events of 1989 and enquired about the location of the makeshift morgue that had been hastily set up in the wake of the disaster.

"You've just passed it," she replied, pointing at a large ‘aquarium style’ window set into the wall. It was the Sports Hall. I peered through the thick glass, noticing the strip lighting gave the room an eerie, green glow.

This is where the dead were brought and lain out, before their grieving families came to identify them.

One can only imagine the horror.

My attempt to have a quick look inside, was blocked by a thick blue bike-lock coiled around the door handles.

Cleaners working late into the evening, have reported hearing wails, moans and anguished cries emanating from this part of the building.

Making my way back to Reception, I entered the cavernous service area under the South Stand. Usually packed with home fans grabbing a pre-match pie and pint, today it lay oddly empty. Even with the sound of Radio Sheffield blaring out of the speakers, the dark space felt particularly creepy.

Mentioning this to Sue, one of the cleaners on an afternoon shift, she confirmed to hearing many strange stories about the ground, but added, “Thankfully, I’ve never seen owt!” She asked me if I’d met Paul, one of the security staff. I hadn’t. ”Go and have a chat with him - he's seen loads of stuff!"

Funnily enough, just as I was passing through Reception, I happened to bump into him coming out of the Security Office. Fiftyish, with one of those constantly startled, pop-eyed expressions – almost like he'd just seen a ghost. And, truth be told; he probably has!

Expecting to be given the brush off, as I usually am when approaching middle-aged men about the paranormal, I was pleasantly surprised to see how open he was.

"Aye - you could say it’s pretty active," Paul said matter-of-factly, in a strong Shiregreen accent.

I was delighted to find he was more than willing to share his personal experiences - probably due to years of mickey taking from work mates!

From the sheer number of incidents, he claims to have witnessed, it would seem Paul appears to be acting as a conduit for much of the paranormal activity at Wednesday.

The strange events started on his very first day on the job. He was on a recce of the site, when he felt a sharp tug on his coat. Thinking it must be his supervisor trying to attract his attention, he turned quickly – but was shocked to find him standing some yards away at the far end of the terrace!

The next incident took place in the service area below the South Stand. The security guard recalls seeing a dark shadow materialising out of nowhere at the bottom of the corridor.

“It was staring straight at me - I got goosebumps! Then, just like that! “ he snapped his fingers, “ It vanished into t’Men's Toilets!”

A couple of particularly unnerving events occurred whilst Paul was working in the Security Office, behind the Reception. He was sitting at his desk, when he heard the loud clanking and clattering of metal beer barrels rolling across the concrete floor above him.

“The bar was shut – there was definitely no one up there!”

One night after an evening game at Hillsborough, Paul recalls,

“It was late - the stadium was locked up.”

At first, he didn’t react, upon hearing the elevator outside the office lurch into action and the whirring of the lift mechanism. Then, it suddenly dawned on him, he was the only one left in the building. He jolted out of his chair and stepping out of the office saw the lift was making its way down to Reception.

Ping!

The doors slid open.

No one was inside!

Most of my teaching was based in The Directors' Suites on the ground floor. The rooms have low ceilings and feel quite claustrophobic. Many strange things have been reported down here which some investigators attribute to poltergeist activity: lights randomly switching off and on, chairs moving around, and cold spots.

Paul told me about a psychic who had recently visited the ground and point blanketly refused to enter the Wednesday Taps. She claims there to be some kind of malevolent force present in the bar area.

Staff have named the active spirit “Fred”. They claim he’s one of the old Directors making his presence felt and reluctant to hand over control to any in situ meddling owners - especially when things aren’t going too well at the club!

So, on those cold, foggy floodlit nights at Hillsborough have you ever witnessed any strange goings on or are they merely a figment of the imagination?