Families of Hillsborough victims have begun to arrive at court where five men are due to appear charged over the disaster and its aftermath.
Former West Yorkshire and Merseyside chief constable Sir Norman Bettison is expected at Warrington Magistrates' Court along with fellow retired police officers Donald Denton and Alan Foster, former Sheffield Wednesday secretary Graham Mackrell and solicitor Peter Metcalf, who acted for South Yorkshire Police following the disaster.
Former chief superintendent Denton was the first of the defendants to be seen arriving at court ahead of the 2pm hearing.
Evelyn Mills, whose brother Peter McDonnell, 21, died in the 1989 tragedy, said: "This is the beginning of another milestone in the history of Hillsborough."
Louise Brookes, the sister of 26-year-old victim Andrew Brookes, said: "This is another milestone where there are bereaved family members who are no longer with us and can't be here.
"My mum and dad should be sat next to me in court."
Christine Burke, whose father Henry, 47, was among the 96 victims, said: "There is still a long journey but we will see it through."
Match commander David Duckenfield faces 95 counts of gross negligence manslaughter but will not be formally charged until an application to lift a stay imposed after a prosecution in 2000 has been approved by a High Court judge.
Bettison, who was a chief inspector with South Yorkshire Police at the time of the tragedy, is charged with four offences of misconduct in a public office over alleged lies in accounts of his involvement.
Mackrell, who was the safety officer for the football club, is charged with two offences involving the stadium safety certificate and a health and safety offence.
Denton, Foster and Metcalf are each charged with two offences of doing acts tending and intended to pervert the course of justice relating to amendments made to police officers' statements following the tragedy.
Ninety-six Liverpool fans were crushed to death in pens at the Leppings Lane end of Hillsborough Stadium on April 15 1989, as their FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest began.
Last month the Crown Prosecution Service said there would be no manslaughter prosecution over the death of the 96th casualty, Anthony Bland, as he died almost four years later, and under the law in 1989 his death is now "out of time" to be prosecuted.