Saints are to join fellow Premier League Clubs in remembering the victims of the Bradford Fire at Valley Parade in 1985.

One of the sad things about the reign of Nicola Corsets was the way in which he severed contact with supporters groups preferring to only communicate with them via the club website rather than seek opinion from them in the way previous Chairman had.

The reality of that situation hit home this week when I was contacted by the Chairman of the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust who had been trying to find contact details for our Supporters Trust or indeed any supporters clubs, because they wished to assist in bucket collections that are taking place across the Premier League for the appeal detailed below.

These bucket collections are being organised by various supporters groups of the home clubs in question, we of course have no one.

To their credit Spurs were willing to try and organise the collection at St Mary's themselves but time constraints meant that was not possible, however I was able to pass on the supporter relations manager details and they contacted Saints to find out more.

As you can see the Premier League is matching the donations at the bucket collections across the fixtures this weekend and Saints fans will not be able to donate in this way.

Saints though are trying to see that something is done and they are making a donation directly from themselves to the fund which I presume will be matched, they have also posted an article reproduced below which tells Saints fans just ho they can done to the fund, I felt that this was self explanatory so it is reproduced in full.

Great from the club, but this situation emphasises just how the Corset years crushed supporter representation and perhaps how much we are now behind other clubs in this respect both with our lack of a Southampton based supporters group and the way the club has no real means of gauging supporters opinions and discussing that with them.

For the 30th Anniversary of the Bradford City Fire Disaster, the Premier League and its member clubs will commemorate all those who were affected by the events on 11 May 1985.

Fifty-six people did not return home from a football match that day. Two of the casualties were supporters of Lincoln City - Bradford City’s opponents on its last game of the season - and eleven were children. Hundreds more spectators were injured.

In solidarity with Bradford City FC as they prepare to play their last home game of the season on Saturday 25 April, all Barclays Premier League fixtures across the weekend of 25/26 April will be preceded with a minute’s silence.

Peter McCormick, Acting Chairman, Premier League said: “The Bradford Fire was one of the most terrible tragedies ever to strike English football. It will be forever remembered by all football fans not only for the loss of the life but also for the many acts of bravery by the emergency services and the fans themselves.

At this time, the Premier League would also wish to restate its commitment to the safety of fans, who should never again be exposed to the kind of risks that led to the Bradford tragedy.

The Premier League is also fundraising for Bradford City FC’s chosen charity, the Bradford University Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit. In January the League made a donation of £25,000 to the PSBRU and continues with support for Bradford City’s fundraising efforts throughout April. The Premier League will match the donations raised through bucket collections at the grounds of its member clubs across the commemorative April weekend.

The existence of the PSBRU — known also as ‘the Bradford Burns Unit’ — stands as a lasting memorial, and a living legacy, of the Fire Disaster. It depends entirely on public donations for its continued survival.

Donations to the Bradford Burns Unit Memorial Appeal can also be made through the official Commemoration website: www.fire-anniversary.brad.ac.uk or a number of dedicated fundraising sites.

You can donate to the Appeal via text message.

TEXT NUMBER: 70070

CODE: VPFA56

So for example if you wanted to donate £5, you would text VPFA56 5 to 70070. For £10, VPFA56 10 and so on.

Cheques should be made payable to The University of Bradford — Burns Unit and sent to:

The Bradford Burns Unit

University of Bradford

Richmond Road

Bradford

West Yorkshire

BD7 1DP

If you would like further information, including advice on organising a fundraising project for the Burns Unit, please do not hesitate to contact Bradford City by email to info@bcfcsupportersboard.co.uk or in writing to:

The Remembrance Panel,

Bradford City FC Supporters Board,

Coral Windows Stadium,

Valley Parade,

Bradford,

West Yorkshire

BD8 7DY

Photo: Action Images

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