Letter: Fans unjustly blamed for Hillsborough

Sir: Michael Roberts states that those who "tried to cram themselves into the already overcrowded terraces" should take the blame for causing the Hillsborough tragedy irrespective of "other factors involved in the disaster".

It was precisely these "other factors" which led to supporters trying to enter the massively overcrowded middle pen of the Leppings Lane end of the ground. For instance, the decision to open an exit gate, and admit many fans, without even checking tickets, or South Yorkshire Police's ignorance of closed-circuit television evidence, which showed a potential crushing situation within the middle pen, while the two adjacent pens remained easily accessible.

If supporters had been directed by stewards or policemen towards less congested areas on their entry to the ground, 96 people might still be alive today.

A KELLY

Manchester