Birmingham City and Aston Villa fans put differences aside to fight for 'justice'

Hundreds of Villa, Blues and Albion fans all crammed into one city centre pub. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, but these fierce football rivals regularly come together around a common cause much bigger than football.

Football fans from across the city have played a major part in raising both funds and awareness for Birmingham pub bombings campaigners over the years. Whether it's working to keep the victims' memories alive or raising funds on matchdays to cover legal costs, Justice 4 the 21 founder Julie Hambleton has consistently praised the football fans who stand with her in the fight for justice.

In the past, both Blues and Villa have put on various events and displays commemorating the 21 victims of the pub bombings, but fans say they've had to work hard to force clubs into action. Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Birmingham pub bombings next week (November 21), we spoke to two fans who, on the pitch, share very little in common, but off it have worked hard to ensure the fight for justice never fades.

READ MORE: 50 years on from the Birmingham Pub Bombings I still can't comprehend it

'The best way I knew how to help was through football'

Lifelong Birmingham City fan Peter Hannon was a key figure in the push for a permanent memorial to the 21 pub bombings victims at St. Andrew's. He first heard of the Justice 4 the 21 group through fellow football fan Michael Lutwyche - better known as Luddy - who was campaigning at Aston Villa at the time.

Peter is now a prominent campaigner with the Justice 4 the 21 group and continues to urge the club to strengthen its support in the fight for justice. "Over the years I've met families of those who lost loved ones in the pub bombings," he said.

"When you see the pain in their eyes, you can't walk away from that - and the best way I knew how to help was through football. Growing up, as far as I was concerned, the Birmingham Six were guilty. It wasn't much until later that I got involved in the fight for justice for the families.

"The more research I did, the more I couldn’t believe what they had gone through. I knew I had to help."

Over the years, Peter has fought for various forms of memorials to the pub bombings victims - a process he said was like 'drawing teeth' at times. His proudest achievement was the unveiling of a permanent plaque to the 21 innocent people killed that fateful night.

"We got let down so many times over the years fighting for that plaque," he said. "So often it would have been easier to just give up, but football fans are incredibly loyal and passionate.

"Blues and Villa are like oil and water, we're never going to get along - but when it comes to fighting for people in our city who have been wronged for decades, we have no choice but to come together."

'There's no rivalries when it comes to justice - it could have been any of us'

Gary Booth is a lifelong Villa fan who takes pride in following his team home and away. He's been involved in the organisation of a number of different football events to commemorate the pub bombings victims, and their families' fight for justice.

"Football fans are very tribal," Gary told BirminghamLive. "But as much as Villa, Blues and Albion might have rivalries on a matchday, when it comes to the pub bombings, you realise that it could have been anyone who was killed that day.

"We have to fight for justice together as one. When it comes to the Birmingham pub bombings, football gets put to one side and we're all just fellow Brummies."

Gary's son-in-law Joe Robinson, a tree surgeon by trade, is currently in the process of carving a commemorative wooden memorial to the pub bombings victims which will be auctioned off next week - with all proceeds going to the Justice 4 the 21 group. Gary added: "Football fans don’t have the best reputation in the public eye, but we've been some of Justice 4 the 21's biggest supporters.

"We've put our hands in our pockets to support them when they needed it, we've made t-shirts and badges showing our support - others have done sponsored challenges raising money for the campaign. Joe wasn't even born when the bombings happened, but through me he's grown to understand. There's no rivalry when it comes to Justice 4 the 21 - we all hope one day justice will be served."