The Bolton Disaster

The Bolton Disaster

Burnden Park 9th March 1946 : Bolton Wanderers vs Stoke City, F.A. Cup 6th round, second leg.
Thirty-two people were killed and over four hundred injured when crush barriers collapsed 12 minutes into the match and spectators spilled onto the pitch. Over 65,000 people were inside the ground and the tragedy was thought to have started when some of the estimated 20,000 fans locked outside broke down the gates and forced their way in.

Stanley Matthews played for Stoke in this match:

"As we trotted on to the pitch I noticed the crowd was tightly packed, but this was nothing unusual at a big cup-tie. Our boys began well, and after ten minutes we had reason to feel confident as we were having the best of the game. It then happened! There was a terrific roar from the crowd, and I glanced over my shoulder to see thousands of fans coming from the terracing behind the far goal on to the pitch."

Referee George Dutton stopped play while the police pushed spectators back over the line. The game restarted with a dropped ball but within a few minutes a police sergeant came onto the pitch and spoke to the referee. Mr Dutton called captains Harry Hubbick and Neil Franklin together and told them that a spectator had been killed. He then took the teams off.

The game resumed 26 minutes later on the advice of the Chief Constable of Bolton. As the teams went back out a spectator grabbed Stoke left-winger Frank Baker, shouting " It's a crime to carry on!"

A fresh touch-line had to be marked with sawdust and the game continued with bodies draped in coats laying alongside the pitch. At half-time the teams turned straight around and continued with the game. The match finished with Stoke unable to recover from a two-goal first-leg deficit (in the 45-46 F.A. Cup all ties except the Final were played over two legs.)

In common with subsequent disasters and contrary to popular opinion at the time, the players were unaware of the scale of the tragedy. Matthews' account continues:

"In our dressing-room again we heard more rumours about the increasing number of casualties. Yet it was not until I was motoring home that evening that the shadow of the grim disaster descended on me like a storm-cloud."

Following the disaster a Home Office enquiry recommended stricter inspection and licensing of grounds.

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