Five Markinch boys who died almost 40 years ago in Scotland’s worst ever football disaster will be remembered this weekend.
School-mates Peter Easton (13), Bryan Todd (14), Ronald Paton (14), Mason Philip (14) and Douglas Morrison (15) died during an Old Firm game at Ibrox Stadium on January 2, 1971, in a massive pile-up of fans when barriers gave way on stairway 13 as they were leaving the ground.
Sixty-six people, many of them children, died in the tragedy and more than 200 were injured.
It was Britain’s worst football disaster prior to the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989, when 96 people were crushed to death at an FA Cup game between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool.
The grief-stricken Fife community turned out in force for the boys’ funeral and it is thought that at least 1000 people lined the streets to pay their respects as the cortege went past
To mark the deaths of the teenagers, who all went to Auchmuty High School in Glenrothes, a memorial bench will be dedicated at the town’s Parish Church at noon on Sunday by the Rev Alex Forsyth.
The date was chosen as it coincides with the Markinch Highland Games.
Jim Archer from Glenrothes, a member of the memorial committee, said Rangers fans from across the world have contributed to the bench and other initiatives to honour the five boys.
Over £3750 has been raised so far and a race night at the Station Hotel in Leslie on Saturday, to start at 7.30pm, is expected to add significantly to the total.
As well as the bench, six of the famous red bricks at Ibrox have been ‘purchased’. Five will be inscribed with the boys’ names and the sixth will record a general message.
The committee also plan to restore and enhance the existing memorial at Park View in Markinch and, with the community council, plant a tree for each of the boys.
A number of trophies have been bought to donate to Auchmuty High and it is hoped that former Rangers and Scotland star Sandy Jardine will hand them over at a presentation evening this month.
Finally, a young boy who also died in the disaster, eight-year-old Nigel Pickup from Liverpool, will also be remembered.
He was the youngest person to die that day and Mr Archer said, “Our aim is simple, probably a flower holder with his name on it at his graveside, just to let his family know he hasn’t been forgotten.”