We will always remember them, says Darby as he dedicates victory to the 56

He was only a few months old at the time of the Hillsborough disaster when 96 supporters died after being crushed at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

That worst stadium-related disaster in British history remains deeply entrenched in the pysche of anyone who follows the Anfield club, whose Academy Darby graduated from in 2006 before making the move to Bradford six years later.

So the City captain was fully aware of the importance of Saturday when Premier and Football League clubs throughout the country were united through a minute’s silence to mark the 30th anniversary of that horrific event when a day to celebrate City’s Third Division title-winning achievement turned into the club’s darkest hour.

Following City’s 1-0 win in their final home game of the season, achieved through Jon Stead’s 17th-minute instep volley across Barnsley goalkeeper Adam Davies from Billy Knott’s deep cross from near halfway, Darby expressed his feelings.

“Coming from Liverpool, you grow up with Hillsborough, and when you sign for Bradford City you have the memorial outside the ground and are in and around people on a day-to-day basis who were at that game or know of people there,” said the right-back, who laid a wreath in the centre circle alongside Reds counterpart Lewin Nyatanga.

“We as a club remember on the 11th every year, but it was massive that the whole country joined in and respected the 30th anniversary. It was a very poignant and emotional day and you could feel it out there.

“The minute’s silence was impeccable and we topped it off with three points which we dedicate to the 56 and the families involved. They will always be remembered.

“You could sense the fans were willing us to get a win and were magnificent as they have been all season. We knew in the dressing room that we wanted the three points as much as anyone for the obvious reasons. We applied ourselves in the right manner.

“We had to be professional and had to play the game and not the occasion. That’s what we tried to do, but it was a massive day and everyone was aware of its significance.”

Half-a-dozen Bradford fans had walked 73.6 miles from Sincil Bank (Lincoln being City’s opponents that fateful day) and 60 from Barnsley had trekked 24 miles from Oakwell, including chief executive Ben Mansford, to help raise £300,000 for the Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit at the University of Bradford.

They were lauded during a lap of honour after England manager Roy Hodgson and FA chairman Greg Dyke had led the wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial outside the ground.

Bradford City chaplain, the Rev Andrew Greiff, said the prayers and among the dignitaries were Football League chief executive and former Bantams secretary Shaun Harvey, Premier League chairman Peter McCormick, former Yorkshire County Cricket Club chief executive turned Scottish FA vice-chairman Stewart Regan, the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Coun Mike Gibbons, and the Mayor of Lincoln, Coun Brent Charlesworth. Premier League champions Manchester City also sent a wreath.

One of the more poignant moments came when the 1,432-strong Barnsley contingent in the 15,560 crowd sang: “Stand up for the 56” and supporters on the other three sides of the ground rose in unison to applaud.

Reds chief Lee Johnson also spoke for many when he said: “I think that Yorkshire’s come together today and that’s nice because it was a horrendous tragedy which no one wanted to see. Of course it was a very passionate day for non-footballing reasons really but both clubs and supporters acquitted themselves fantastically.”

City chief Phil Parkinson commented: “I am very pleased for many reasons, none more so than the poignancy of the day. The 30-year anniversary of the Bradford fire brought added pressure on us because we had to do that occasion justice.

“As much as we wanted to make the lads understand the importance of the day, we had to make sure they were calm to do the job and understand tactically what we wanted to do. I have to give the lads a lot of credit because I felt they were excellent against a good side.”

He also revealed: “Straight away after Tuesday’s game we had a chat with them about our preparation for this game. A lot of them went to see a play about the Bradford fire and they understand about it. As much as I mentioned it and talked about it in the dressing room about this being a day for the city of Bradford and our supporters, our job was to play as well as we could to do the day justice.”

Bradford City: Williams, Darby, Liddle, Davies, Meredith; Routis, McMahon, Knott (Dolan 65); Clarke; Stead, Hanson. Unused substitutes: Urwin, Sheehan, Yeates, Halliday, Webb-Foster, Mottley-Henry.

Barnsley: Davies, Holgate, Cranie, Nyatanga, John; Digby (Lalkovic 57), Pearson; Scowen, Berry (Maris 77), Hourihane; Ibehre. Unused substitutes: Wildsmith, Oates, Williams, Cowgill, Bree.

Referee: S Mathieson (Cheshire).

Man of the match: Jon Stead.