‘Forever Bound’ was created following a request from Reds fans to renew the memorial and make it more accessible and prominent at Anfield. After a review of the current memorial and location, the club decided that a newly designed memorial to honour those who lost their lives would be fitting and ensured plans were shared with Juventus FC and the families who lost loved ones.
LFC chief executive officer Billy Hogan and club ambassador Ian Rush will travel to Turin to attend the unveiling of Juventus FC’s new Heysel memorial, ‘Verso Altrove’, as part of the 40th anniversary commemorations. Out of respect for the unveiling of ‘Verso Altrove’ in Turin on the anniversary day, ‘Forever Bound’ will be officially unveiled later in the summer.
Ahead of the 40th anniversary, the club shared the plans with official former players association Forever Reds’ committee and former players from the 1985 squad who played in Brussels, to give them the opportunity to preview the new memorial and reflect on this important tribute in remembrance.
Jonathan Bamber, chief legal and external affairs officer at LFC and executive sponsor of Forever Reds, said: “The Heysel disaster is a significant chapter in our history, and one which we must never forget. It’s important that we honour those who lost their lives with a memorial that reflects the depth of our respect and remembrance.”
Rush, who was witness to the tragic events in 1985, added: “To see a new memorial created with such care means a lot and it’s incredibly important to have a fitting tribute to remember the 39 fans who lost their lives. We must never forget why this matters, and why we continue to stand together in solidarity, all these years later.”
Further details of the official unveiling event at Anfield will be shared in due course by the club.
