First published in The Times, April 17, 1989

It was a poignant moment which burnt into the hearts and minds of the most ardent Koppites, one they will remember with deep sadness. The world's most fanatical soccer team's supporters were not at Anfield but at the Metropolitan Cathedral to say farewell to their dead friends.

More than 8,000 people, 3,000 in the Roman Catholic cathedral and another 5,000 crowded together outside, paid their final respects to the 94 friends and relatives who died at Hillsborough.

Amplifiers relayed the requieum mass led by the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Reverend Derek Worlock, to those outside. They had arrived in droves, many wearing the red and white scarves and woolly hats which paid testimony to their ardent loyalty to one of the world's most famous clubs.

Tragedy on the terraces

• 'Mayhem' after gate was opened

• 'We watched them die, innocent figures, lying prostrate and crushed on the green grass'

• Doctors attack 'total chaos' of rescue effort

Police in 'open gate' inquiry

• The man who opened the gate

• Force condemned for failing to avert turnstile disaster

• Senior officers were not willing to concede fault

Mother tells of losing husband and son as she witnessed crush on TV

• Names of the supporters who died are released

• Liverpool welcomes vindication of fans' behaviour

• Thatcher hears of heroic courage

Anfield Kop becomes silent focus of city's mourning

• Thousands at requiem mass as Liverpool mourns deaths

• Sombre lessons soccer failed to learn

Strained faces, silent vigils and tears streaming unashamedly down the faces of teenagers more used to goading opposition supporters paid mute testimony to the occasion.

Overcrowded roads leading to the cathedral were were blocked off as the service began. Those inside and outside the modernistic building two miles from Anfield listened to the trembling voice of Bruce Grobbelaar, the Liverpool goalkeeper, who gave the first reading: ``The going looked like a disaster ...but they are at peace''.

In his address, the Archbishop described the Hillsborough disaster as the latest in a long list of tragedies which had hit Liverpool. ``The tragedy of Hillsborough has brought Liverpool to its knees, but not in defeat, to its knees in prayer'', he said. In a reference to the song Liverpool followers have made famous, the Archbishop said: ``It has been as if the rest of this country and, perhaps, of Europe itself, have combined to sing to us in chorus that especially in these dark days we will never walk alone''.

Attending the requiem mass was the Rt Rev David Sheppard, Bishop of Liverpool,who flew from his holiday home in the Outer Hebrides by Royal Air Force helicopter. Sitting next to him were the Bishop of Warrington, the chairman of the Liverpool Methodist District and moderator of Merseyside Free Churches and the moderator of the Mersey province of the United Reformed Church.

Soccer rivals were united in grief as the stars of Liverpool and Everton, past and present, sat alongside each other with heads bowed during the hour-long service which began with the tolling of funeral bells. Bread and wine were offered to hundreds of communicants by members of the two Merseyside football teams, led by Ronnie Whelan and Steve Nicol and Joe Fagan, the former Anfield manager.

The three hymns chosen for the occasion were those sung at the requiem mass after the Heysel disaster. Money collected during the offering will be included in donations to the disaster appeal fund.

Among messages received by the congregation were one from the Queen and from Pope John Paul, who is an ardent football supporter. They brought home the deep sadness caused by the tragic loss of life.

One only had to witness the sombre scene to understand for how many a football fixture had turned into an unforgettable tragedy.