The retrial of the Hillsborough disaster’s match commander has started.
A jury failed to reach a verdict in the original case of gross negligence manslaughter against David Duckenfield over the deaths of 95 Liverpool fans.
But the Crown Prosecution Service successfully requested that the former South Yorkshire Police officer was again tried on the charges despite April’s verdict.
Judge Sir Peter Openshaw asked potential jurors at the opening of proceedings on Monday about their football allegiances in order to determine impartiality.
A 19-part questionnaire requested details on whether any of them or their close friends and relatives supported either Liverpool, Everton, Sheffield Wednesday or Nottingham Forest.
They were also asked if they or anyone close to them had been at Hillsborough on April, 15 1989 or been involved in any campaign groups connected to the tragedy.
Any would-be jury members with links to the police or agencies such as the CPS and Independent Office for Police Conduct were asked to disclose them.
Sir Peter said: “I must find jurors who can properly and fairly try such a case.”
Relatives of the 96 people unlawfully killed at Sheffield Wednesday’s ground before the FA Cup semi-final watched via videolink at the Cunard Building.
Duckenfield sat in the well at Preston Crown Court as the preliminary stages of the trial began. He denies all 95 counts of gross negligence manslaughter.