Both Hammers and Manchester City players will sport the armbands this afternoon, along with the match officials, as a mark of respect for the people who died before the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on April 15, 1989.
Mike Foster, General Secretary of the Premier League, says:
"Everyone connected with the game on that dreadful day in
April 1989 will never forget the scene that unfolded before our
eyes and the shock and sadness that engulfed the whole nation. 96
supporters lost their lives as a result of the tragedy and many
more were injured.
"The disaster marked a low point in the history of the modern
game in England. It also marked a turning point in the attitude
shown by Football and other authorities to the way in which
supporters are treated. Perhaps most significant was the findings
of the inquiry conducted by Lord Justice Taylor that terraces would
no longer be tolerated and that legislation be introduced to make
all seated accommodation compulsory. We now have some of the finest
(and safest) stadia in the world - each of them in some way a
lasting memorial to the innocent people who suffered
"Football must not only never forget what happened at
Hillsborough on April 15, 1989 but it must also continue to invest
in safe comfortable modern stadia which enhance the enjoyment of
spectators attending matches and which befit the age in which we
live."