The date, 13 January, will forever remain shrouded in sadness, for it was on that day in 1991 that 42 football supporters lost their lives in a stampede at the Oppenheimer stadium in Orkney during a match between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.

One person who experienced the disaster first-hand is Gardner Seale, who was among the Amakhosi camp on the bench when the mayhem unfolded.

Speaking exclusively to www.kaizerchiefs.com on the 35^th anniversary of that dark day, the former international, who represented Chiefs with distinction, reflects on his recollection and the subsequent effect on him.

“I remember the day; we were playing Pirates. I wasn’t physically part of the team because I was with an elbow injury and couldn’t participate in the game,” he says. “We drove to the stadium after our pre-match meal. On the route, I noticed it was jam-packed with people. I was sitting in the stands at the start of play. I could see there was quite a bit of pushing and shoving in the packed stands, and we moved to join the guys on the bench. Only a few minutes after that, the game stopped, and then was abandoned. It was then that I realised that the people pushing each other were trying to escape the pressure from the stands being overcrowded.

“On our way back from the stadium we heard that some people had been killed. It was a big shock to us, and it has remained with me ever since. I still struggle to come to terms with the fact that people lost their lives going to a football match. My condolences go to the families of all those who perished, and also to those who were injured. I am still bleeding, and I know when the day comes up next year, I will get the same feeling I have had for 35 years.”

The Khosi Nation mourns the fallen members of the Amakhosi Family who were so tragically taken from us on that fateful day. The unity of our wonderful fanbase and everyone associated with Kaizer Chiefs will always memorialise their ultimate sacrifice. May their souls rest in eternal peace.