SWFC and SYP CCTV footage shows that Gate A opened between 14:58:26 and 15:00:01. The CCTV footage shows that police officers formed a cordon on the inside of the gate and managed the entry of supporters into the ground. No other gate was open at the time Gate A was opened.
Officers close to Gate A made the decision to open it in response to the severity of the crushing outside. They were concerned that it was going to burst open and had stewards attempting to hold the top bolts in place.
By 14:55:02, a group of officers had assembled by the inside of Gate A and formed a cordon. They then requested authorisation to open the gate, which they received, though it is not clear from whom: possibly from Supt Marshall, or PS Goddard in the PCB.
Despite the reluctance of the gate steward, the police insisted that Gate A should be opened. The officers channelled incoming supporters away from the gate to the North Stand. When the pressure outside had reduced, Gate A was safely closed. It is not certain who coordinated this opening, but it stands in stark contrast to the more chaotic situation that was witnessed at both Gate C and Gate B.
SYP CCTV footage shows that Gate B was opened at 14:58:58 and closed almost immediately. Estimates for the number of supporters who entered via Gate B range from 70 to 500, demonstrating the confusion about what happened and how long it was open for. It is not clear where incoming supporters went, but it seems likely some would have headed to the central tunnel. While the opening of Gate B may therefore have helped reduce the crush outside, it is also possible that it contributed to the subsequent crush in the centre pens.
