Premier League club Reading say they will hold a minute’s silence prior to this weekend’s game with Liverpool, but it will be to mark the Hillsborough disaster rather than the death of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
The Premier League and the Football League have not asked clubs to formally mark the passing of Thatcher, who died on Monday at the age of 87 following a stroke.
Instead, Reading will commemorate the forthcoming 24th anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy, which saw 96 Liverpool fans crushed to death during an FA Cup semi-final in Sheffield, northern England, in April 1989.
“Supporters of Reading Football Club and Liverpool Football Club will hold a minute’s silence before Saturday’s fixture at Madejski Stadium as a mark of respect for the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster,” read a club statement.
“With the game falling two days before the 24th anniversary of the tragedy, plans began last week for a fitting tribute to the 96 supporters who lost their lives.
“The Royals contacted Liverpool FC; spoke to the Premier League and they of course agreed it was absolutely correct to pay respect on such an occasion.”
The Football Supporters’ Federation, which represents football fans in Britain, said it supported the decision not to oblige clubs to observe a minute’s silence for the country’s former leader.
“The FSF backs the decision made by the football authorities not to impose a minute’s silence across all fixtures this weekend to mark the death of Margaret Thatcher,” read a statement from the FSF.
“Should individual clubs wish to hold a minute’s silence or commemorate the passing of Margaret Thatcher in their own manner, that is a matter for them.”
However, Reading’s chairman, John Madejski, believes Thatcher deserves a tribute from the country’s football fans.
“We have got to appreciate that Margaret Thatcher was a world leader who did so much for this country. So much that she deserves a minute’s silence,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“Obviously I can appreciate that perhaps some people won’t pay attention to it, which is sometimes the way at football, but I just think she was such a colossus in terms of the world stage that she deserves that respect from the whole nation.”
Madejski’s views were echoed by Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan, whose side face Millwall in an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
The Football Association have not requested a minute’s silence prior to this weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals, but Whelan feels a tribute to Thatcher would be fitting.
“It is not my decision, it is for the FA to decide, but I would be in favour of wearing an armband out of respect to Mrs Thatcher,” Whelan told BBC Sport.
“We have to say thank you very much for the services the former PM has given us.”
Both Madejski and Whelan have been prominent donors to the centre-right ruling Conservative party.
Former Tory leader Thatcher was Britain’s prime minister from 1979 to 1990 and won three successive general elections but she was a divisive figure among football fans.
Her plans to eradicate hooliganism by introducing a controversial identity card scheme were deeply unpopular and she was also blamed for destroying traditional industries in the northern towns and cities that are home to many of England’s football clubs.
Richard Caborn, sports minister in former prime minister Tony Blair’s centre-left Labour administration, believes any attempts to honour Thatcher would prove problematic.
“In many places, especially in the north, Margaret Thatcher has not been forgiven for what she did to industry, to the miners and their communities, which suffered immensely under her,” said the former lawmaker, who represented the Sheffield Central constituency until 2010.
“To then ask for a minute’s silence at a game of football is the wrong thing to do.”
Meanwhile two English rugby clubs — Saracens and Exeter Chiefs — have announced they are planning to honour Thatcher with one minute’s silence ahead of games this weekend.
Reading to honour Hillsborough, not Thatcher
