Liverpool FC Is A Way Of Life

In Liverpool, there is a right of passage ceremony that takes place in almost every single household. It usually comes with the passing of a certain age, which is probably different in every family.

In my case, it was at the age of eleven that my father, urged by my mother, took me first to see Everton play at Goodison Park. A week later I was taken to Anfield to see Liverpool play. After that, it was up to me to decide which I was going to support for the rest of my life.

For me, it was an easy decision. I found the match at Goodison to be quite boring. This was due to an unexciting performance by the toffees and a very subdued atmosphere in the stands.

In comparison, the Reds got me with a stellar performance on the pitch and an electric vibe in the stands. Even better, halfway through the game, I was on the point of passing out, due to the hot crush of the crowd, and had to be passed down from the very back of the stand to the touchline, just behind the goal.

Within seconds of landing at the bottom of the stand, the Red Cross came running over to administer smelling salts. I was soon suitably restored to normal breathing in time to watch a glorious second half, with Liverpool attacking the goal I was sitting behind.

What I saw that day lives with me still, in full, vibrant, technicolor. The verdant green of the grass, the red and white flags and banners of the crowd, and the vibrant red kit of the Liverpool first team. The opposition team was Leeds United who were playing in their customary all-white kit.

What also still lives very graphically in my memory was what I can only describe as a sporting, highly gymnastic, opera. The lead players in this fantastic performance were Roger Hunt, constantly leaping ever upward toward the sky, and Ian St John flying horizontally across the penalty box for his specialty flying headers. With the thundering roar of the crowd, it was like nothing I had ever seen or heard before.

And then there was the crowd, singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone,’ in sweet unison. The song had a cadence that seemed to dip and rise with an uncanny synchronization with the movements on the pitch. The whole stadium seemed like a living organism, breathing in and out, and singing with one voice. This small boy was well and truly hooked.

Later on in life, I learned that a true Red does not follow Liverpool, he or she lives and breathes Liverpool FC. He or she is not a spectator nor a fan, but a member of one big happy family. His or her passion for the Reds courses through the veins like their very own lifeblood.

Much as I admire and enjoy other teams, I simply cannot feel the same about any other club or team the way I feel about the Reds. Some people go to Anfield to get married, others go to have their ashes spread around the stadium.

It really is truly incredible the depth of passion that people feel for the club. And these days, people from all four corners of the planet feel the same way as the people who live in the city and surrounding areas, and far, far beyond.

Of course, a great deal of what we feel is due to our amazingly successful history in the Premier League and the old Division One, as well as in European competitions like the European Cup, which we have won six times.

Liverpool FC is a sporting force to be reckoned with at home and abroad. And with the new owners FSG, plus a manager, Jurgen Klopp who feels the same way as we do, we are never going to be too far away from the top, right where we belong.

Come on you Reds, you’ll never walk alone.