It’s hard to realise that it is now 20 years on since the Bradford City fire.

56 people set out that day 20 years ago to watch a football match, but they never returned. I can still remember watching the pictures live from Valley Parade as the fire in the rickety old wooden main stand took hold and realised that people must be dying. I don’t think that anyone quite realised how many there would be. 56 dead and 250 injured, mainly fans who had come only to celebrate seeing their team presented with the old Third Division trophy and watch the final game of the season against Lincoln City.

Sure, some good came out of the tragedy, in that is was instrumental, along with Heysel (also 20 years ago this year) and Hillsborough in ensuring that football grounds are as safe as they are nowadays, but it was a very heavy price to pay.

For some reason, probably to do with the profile of the clubs concerned, the disaster has never seemed to get the same attention as Heysel, so perhaps the anniversary of Valley Parade should be the annual occasion everyone really needs to contemplate that football is, after all, only a game.

RIP.