Two years ago in 2017, an infamous accident took place in the largest club football Stadium of the United Kingdom, The Old Trafford a.k.a The Theatre of Dreams. An 80-year-old man named Richard John Whale died from head injuries after falling from the high altitude foot stairs while leaving the stadium at the end of the match in December 2017.
After the infamous incident took place, the cause of death was termed accidental after a long run drama in November 2018 but the case took an interesting turn when coroner Alison Mutch claimed that the accident took place due to lack of awareness by the stewards of their surroundings. Alison also highlighted the improper positioning of the two Stewards as one of the major factors behind the death of the 80-year-old man in his report. In the report, he has also highlighted all the minor bleaks to major loop holes which can lead to an uncertain incident during the match hours. The report made has been sent to Manchester United and the Local authority, requesting to adopt changes in the stadium.
Ongoing through the reports, the Manchester United had accepted the fault positioning of the Steward inside the stadium and have ensured that the changes will be made as recommended in the reports. The Manchester United spokesperson said, “Everyone at Manchester United was deeply saddened by the death of Mr. Whale and the club continues to extend its sincere condolences to his family. The health and safety of all supporters and visitors at Old Trafford is of utmost importance to Manchester United and we go to great lengths to ensure procedures are monitored and adhered to at all times. We work with independent safety inspectors from the local council, as well as national stadium safety inspectors, to ensure the correct procedures are administered.” The spokesperson further added that. “We were fully compliant with all applicable regulations at the time of this tragic accident and the coroner’s investigation resulted in a conclusion of accidental death. However, we constantly seek to learn and improve on our procedures and we welcomed the observations in the coroner’s report on opportunities for further risk reduction, which we have now implemented.” Agreeing with the statements of Manchester United Spokesperson, the Council of Trafford stadium confirmed that, “Following the inquest into this tragic incident, the council worked with Manchester United to implement the recommendations of the coroner to ensure the safety of all fans and visitors to the stadium.”
SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT “THE OLD TRAFFORD”:
- Old Trafford is the largest club football Stadium, the second-largest football stadium in the United Kingdom
- Old Trafford was named as “The Theatre of Dreams” by the former English Footballer Sir Robert Charlton, who is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
- Old Trafford has hosted FA Cup semi-finals, England Fixtures of 1966 World Cup and Euro 96, the stadium has record attendance was recorded in 1939 when 76,962 spectators watched the FA Semi-final between the Grimsby Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
- Old Trafford is the only stadium in England that has the UEFA five-star rating in context with the ranking system for football venues around the world
- The stadium is equipped with heaters under the grass to melt down the ice during a match.
