Pete Hill was born in Hackenthorpe, Sheffield, in 1957. Obsessed with photography from an early age, he got his first “proper” camera, a Zenit B, for his 15th birthday and would walk the streets of Sheffield photographing anything and everything. Largely self-taught, he got his photographic education from Time Magazine’s Life series of photography books, so he grew up with the American greats such as Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Steichen and shots of New York in the 1940s and 50s. Also, more locally, Bert Hardy.

On Saturday, April 23, 1977, Manchester United faced rivals Leeds United in the FA Cup Semi-Final at Hillsborough. Pete was in town with his camera, photographing the fans arriving and the pre-match atmosphere. The photographs evoke memories of match days in the seventies; the old hotdog and burger carts line the streets, with men in long white coats serving up a cheap pre-match snack with ‘boiled onions’ as an optional extra.

Manchester United fans outnumbered their rivals as, at the time, both clubs got a third of the ticket allocation, including the host club. Sheffield Wednesday returned theirs to the FA, which was then given to Manchester United. Tensions were high amongst fans, and reported scuffles broke out. A bus strike in Sheffield that day meant fans had a long walk to and from the city centre, scarfs wrapped around their wrists and flares blowing in the wind; some fans reported that it was carnage getting back to the station.