The police chief at the Hillsborough disaster said it was 'one of the biggest regrets of my life' he did not think of the consequences of allowing thousand of fans in to the ground after he ordered exit gates to be opened. Former chief superintendent David Duckenfield also added that it was his mistake and that he apologises profusely for the events that transpired. The match commander at the game agreed to a request to open the gates to prevent crushing at the turnstiles outside the ground, the inquest in Warrington heard. Former chief superintendent David Duckenfield says Hillsborough was one of biggest regrets of his life . But after Gate C was opened on his orders at eight minutes before kick off, an estimated 2,000 fans poured in, heading straight for a tunnel leading directly to the already-packed central pens three and four, behind the goal. The jury was told as many as an extra 800 fans went in to pen three alone after the gate was opened. Ninety-six Liverpool fans died following a crush on the Leppings Lane terrace of Sheffield's Hillsborough ground as the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest kicked off on April 15 1989. Mr Duckenfield said he now realised 'in hindsight' the 'most likely' route fans would take once Gate C was open was to go down the tunnel facing them and in to the central pens. Christina Lambert QC, counsel for the inquests, said: 'You say in hindsight you recognise that's where a number of fans might have gone. Do you think as a match commander the consequences of the decision you made, and in particular thought as to where the fans might go, is something you should have considered?' Mr Duckenfield replied: 'Ma'am, I think it is fair to say that is arguably one of the biggest regrets of my life, that I did not foresee where fans would go when they came in through the gates.' Mr Duckenfield, who has admitted he had 'limited' experience of policing football matches compared with other senior officers, added: 'If I had been a fully competent, experienced, knowledgeable match commander of the experience of Mr (Brian) Mole or Mr Freeman, I no doubt would have thought about it, but I was not in their position.' Mr Duckenfield, stationed in the police control box with a bank of TV monitors of the ground, said he was 'shocked' at the request to open the gates from Superintendent Roger Marshall from outside Leppings Lane after police became 'overwhelmed' by the number of fans gathered at the turnstiles. 96 Liverpool fans were killed by being pressed up against the ground's perimeter fence in 1989 . The witness continued: 'Certainly I'm sat there, I don't mind telling you I was shocked and taken aback by it and thinking, 'Where are these people going to go if I open the gates?'' He said another message then came through on the police radio from Mr Marshall saying: 'If we don't open the gates someone's going to get killed.' The witness continued: 'That really was a shocking, terrifying moment to feel you had got to that situation.' Another officer in the police box, Mr Bernard Murray, then said to him: 'Are you going to open the gates?' the jury heard. Mr Duckenfield said: 'I remember saying to him quite clearly, Mr Murray, if people are going to die I have no option but to open the gates. Open the gates.' He said he was left 'no option' and thought fans would feel 'relief and comfort' in being released from the crush of the turnstiles on to the concourse. He added: 'Ma'am, it is difficult to envisage in the quiet of the court room but in that moment when I made a decision of that nature it really is, I'm at a loss to describe it, other than to say it is a momentous decision and your mind is such that you don't think upon the next step.' Mr Duckenfield said he did not think before opening the gates about blocking the tunnel off with a line of police officers - as had happened in previous years. Miss Lambert said: 'Did you even consider for a moment the possibility that they might go through the central tunnel?' 'Not at all ma'am,' Mr Duckenfield replied. Mr Duckenfield added: 'I think it's fair to say I was overcome by the enormity of the situation and the decision I had to make. 'And as a result of that I was so overcome, probably with the emotion of us having got into that situation, that my mind, for a moment, went blank.' Fans flooded onto the pitch in the aftermath of the disaster before the FA Cup semi-final . Mr Duckenfield said there was 'every possibility' that he panicked, and accepted that it was a mistake not to have taken steps to close the tunnel leading to the central pens. 'I think I was so consumed by the events that probably by that time I was overcome and didn't consider delaying the kick-off at that stage. 'The request was made, the crisis was building, the atmosphere and tension was increasing and I shall never forget (another policeman) saying 'It's too late, the players are on the pitch'.' After viewing CCTV footage of fans on a concourse behind the Leppings Lane terrace, having passed through Gate C, Mr Duckenfield went on: 'I have a view from what I have seen that quite a few of the fans were apparently standing around, waiting for friends or wondering where to go or what to do.' The jury has heard that the exit gate remained open for five minutes, allowing fans to flow into the ground. Miss Lambert asked Mr Duckenfield: 'At any stage during those five minutes did it occur to you to wonder where those fans were going?' Mr Duckenfield responded: 'No ma'am.' Chair of the Hillsborough Families For Justice Margaret Aspinall arrives at the inquest on Tuesday . Agreeing with Miss Lambert that a match commander of reasonable competence ought to have thought where the fans allowed through the gate might go, the 70-year-old claimed to have been 'distracted' by a radio message referring to another gate 'going in'. 'I wanted resources to be directed to the North Stand,' he said. 'That is why my thought processes moved from where they (fans) were going to go, to what would happen next.' Referring to his failure to realise where fans would go during the five-minute period, the witness continued: 'It certainly was a mistake and an oversight. Under the circumstances, with my limited ability, I accept it was a mistake - a mistake I shouldn't have made, a mistake I regret bitterly. 'It was a grave mistake and I apologise profusely.' At 2.59pm, when the match kicked off, Mr Duckenfield told the jury, he looked towards the Leppings Lane terrace and had seen 'nothing untoward'. Miss Lambert suggested to the former match commander that it might be said to have been 'obvious' that fans climbing out of the central pens might be connected to the ingress of supporters through Gate C. 'It was not obvious to me ma'am,' Mr Duckenfield added. 'I thought there may have been some crowd disorder or some problem and I was awaiting information. 'I didn't know what to think. I was looking and waiting for information.' Questioned about when he had realised that something was badly wrong, Mr Duckenfield added: 'I have a recollection that a young man came from the perimeter track behind the goal and either collapsed or fell down. 'He was hobbling, I remember seeing him hobbling, and there was a sudden realisation that this was not a pitch invasion, this was a serious situation.' Duckenfield says he was inexperienced in 1989 and may not have been the best man for the job . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
David Duckenfield was match commander of FA Cup semi-final in 1989 . Gate at Hillsborough was opened on his orders and 2,000 fans poured in . 96 Liverpool fans died after being pressed up around ground's fence . Duckenfield says disaster was one of biggest regrets of his life .