On this day in 1980, Middlesbrough’s Ayresome Park ground suffered a tragedy as a portion of the stadium collapsed killing two fans.
Boro were entertaining Manchester United at home which ended in a 1-1 draw. Season ticket holders Norman and Irene Roxby were making their way out of the stadium upon the completion of the game when a pillar crumbled, crushing the pair with debris. An investigation later revealed that the stadium’s health and safety certificates were not up to date.
This was the beginning of a growing trend of stadium disasters in the 80s.