As Liverpool manager on that day on 15th April 1989, Kenny Dalglish was affected more than most, outside of the families of the 96 fans that lost their lives that day.
Dalglish suffered greatly as a result and would later resign as Liverpool manager, with the stress and weight of the event heavy on his shoulders over the years in between.
But the former Reds manager has campaigned alongside the Hillsborough family groups and will be as pleased as anybody that justice has finally been achieved.
Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com yesterday, he said: “Well it can only be a pleasure for the families who have endured 27 years trying to get to the point that they knew should have been there 27 years ago.
“The way they have gone about getting to this point has been unbelievable – their humility, the way they’ve conducted themselves, their dignity and the determination to get what they thought was justice and the belief from them that the supporters were in no way, shape or form, to blame.”
The verdict yesterday simply confirmed what everybody in Liverpool has known for 27 years, and the vindication will remain with the families of the 96 and city for many years to come.
And to the families themselves, that have refused to be cowed or bullied into giving up their quest over the years, Dalglish said: “You hold your hat off to them because it would have been much easier for them to have thrown the towel in.
“But as Bill Kenwright said at one of the services, you don’t take on Scouse mothers, you don’t take on the Scouse women – they’re much more determined than anybody, so congratulations to the Scouse women and men.
“Congratulations to everybody of the Hillsborough families and the people who helped them get the verdict that they’ve got.
“There are not enough plaudits and I’m not intelligent enough to get enough words out to describe how heroic they have been.”