Both the police and the fire service had declared Hillsborough safe before the disaster that killed 96 Liverpool supporters, a court has heard.
Match commander David Duckenfield denies the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 fans.
Graham Mackrell, the Sheffield Wednesday club secretary, denies breaching safety regulations prior to the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
Regarding the 1975 Safety at Sports Grounds Act, the jury was shown a South Yorkshire Police letter, dated 1986, confirming ‘Hillsborough meets the criteria set out in the above Act’.
The fire service confirmed it did not have a problem with the stadium either, Preston Crown Court heard.
In 1987, Sheffield Wednesday suggested to its structural engineering consultants the capacity of the Leppings Lane terrace should be reduced from 10,000, but the club were instructed to keep it as it was.
The jury was told this helps to place Mr Mackrell’s role in planning for the 1989 match in context.
A Football Association report from 1987 described Hillsborough as ‘exceptionally well maintained’ with a layout of ‘high order’.
Later the jury heard from witness James Chumley; a Tottenham fan, Mr Chumley attended the 1981 FA Cup semi-final between Spurs and Wolves at Hillsborough during which a crush occurred in the Leppings Lane pens.
He described how police officers outside the ground refused him and around 100 others entry to the terrace, being told he was in the ‘worst end’ and that the situation was always the same at big games.
The trial previously viewed footage from said match, showing Tottenham supporters climbing out of the pens to escape the crush.
South Yorkshire Police afterwards wrote to Sheffield Wednesday insisting the actions of officers who helped them were ‘vital’ to save lives, and the police and the club should be able to improve crowd control in future.
Hillsborough’s 96th victim, Tony Bland, is not included on the indictment against Mr Duckenfield because he died more than a year and a day after sustaining his injuries.
The trial continues.