A man crushed against the barriers at Hillsborough said chants about the disaster make him "physically and mentally sick".
Christopher Whittle was in Pen 4 of the Leppings Lane End for Liverpool FC 's FA match v Nottingham Forest when disaster struck. The 61-year-old from Burnley told the ECHO how he remembers how the entrance into the ground was "absolutely chocker".
Christopher said he was crushed against the wall and barriers before being knocked to the floor. The granddad said he believes he was temporarily unconscious before being pulled to safety.
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He endured injuries including crushed ribs, breathlessness and back problems - and still has swelling in his chest from that day. But Christopher said the mental scars from the tragedy that claimed 97 lives lasted much longer.
He told the ECHO he has battled post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after "burying his head in the sand" in the years after the disaster. He said his brother died five years after Hillsborough which resulted in him reaching his "darkest place".
Christopher said: "I was just surviving on drink and rage. I really reached my darkest place. I had all the symptoms - nightmares, panic attacks, flashbacks, anger, resentment, frustration, low self esteem and paranoia. But I kept everything really bottled up and didn't get any help for years because the support wasn't there."
Christopher said he finally got help 10 years after the disaster - and after becoming a dad and then a granddad found a new purpose. He went back to university and got a degree - and also found writing about his experiences at Hillsborough "cathartic and therapeutic".
The dad-of-two has recently published his second book, ‘At The End of The Storm There’s a Golden Sky’, which documents his experiences since the disaster. He said the book, the sales of which will go to his granddaughter's school, looks at the inquests and how the government handled the disaster.
He told the ECHO how education about the disaster has never been more important with the recent surge in Hillsborough-related chanting from opposition fans. Christopher said: "The chanting makes me physically and mentally sick. It's disgusting how they are poking fun at people's deaths, many of who were children."
He added it was important for Hillsborough to be taught in schools - something that West Derby MP Ian Byrne has campaigned extensively for. Christopher said there has never been a greater need for Hillsborough Law - and has written to a number of clubs asking for them to back it.
The law, also known as the Public Authorities (Accountability) bill, has been publicly backed by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. The law will help bereaved families and aims to prevent further injustices where there is state involvement.
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