CHERRIES captain Tommy Elphick has described as a “fitting tribute” plans to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough stadium disaster.

All Premier League, Football League, Conference and FA Cup matches this weekend will kick-off seven minutes later than originally scheduled as a mark of respect and remembrance for those who lost their lives.

The match at which the disaster took place - the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in April 1989 when 96 people were killed - was ended six minutes after kick-off at 3.06pm.

In the Premier League, Football League and Conference matches due to kick-off at 3pm tomorrow will now start at 3.07pm, with the minute before kick-off seeing a period of silence observed at all stadia.

Defender Elphick, a lifelong Liverpool supporter, will lead out Cherries when they face Championship rivals Yeovil Town at Huish Park.

He told the Daily Echo: “It will be a fitting tribute and a mark of respect and remembrance to the people who lost their lives, their families and friends and Liverpool Football Club.

“Nothing will ever make it easier for the family and friends who lost their nearest and dearest and, at times like this, supporters of all clubs come together and unite. This will be a great example of that.

“If players and supporters can keep raising awareness of what happened, what went wrong and learn from the event then it will be a positive. But closure for the families is the most important thing.

“As a Liverpool supporter, I have followed it closely down the years and it was a moving experience for me to go to Hillsborough earlier this season.

“It is a famous stadium and there have been some big games played there. Whenever you mention Hillsborough, people automatically think of that fateful day and those people who lost their lives will never be forgotten. This is an opportunity for football to unite and show our support.”