Liverpool FC Forum

by stmichael » Fri Apr 30, 2004 12:44 pm

by stmichael » Fri Apr 30, 2004 1:00 pm

p.s. i would like to hear from young and old members alike please.

by Woollyback » Fri Apr 30, 2004 3:14 pm

St Mick, I was lucky enough to be there that day.

I was 23 at the time. Me & the lads had been to the game about 4 weeks prior to that when we got beat by Sheff Utd (if I recall correctly). Walking up to the Kop that day I joked how great it would be if they were dishing out priority booking vouchers for the last match on the Kop. We'd got them in the past when we'd been to see smaller sides play at Anfield for games like the derby etc etc and were like gold dust! Anyway, sure enough we went through the turnstiles to see us play Sheff Utd and we could hardly believe our luck when we each got vouchers!    I could have kissed Saddam Hussein I was so deliriously happy...

So anyway, about 5 of us had these vouchers and all duly got our tickets for the Norwich game. I remember being able to think about little else for about a week beforehand and when the day finally came I was like a kid in a sweetshop. The hangover from a big Friday night vanished in a split second as soon as my brain registered that the day had finally come.

We got the no.53 bus up from Wavertree and got off Queens Drive and started our usual walk up Utting Avenue leading onto Arkles Lane. We were only about a hundred yards up from Queens Drive when somebody said "Shhh, listen..." We all stopped and listened. Those of you who know the area will know it's a LONG walk up from Queens Drive but you can feel the anticipation of going to the game cos you can see the very top of the centnary stand peeking out above the rooftops. We were about 3 quarters of a mile away from Anfield and sure enough in a break in the traffic you could hear the noise coming from the Kop. Bear in mind this was only 12:30!! 

With quickening steps we made our way with hundreds of fellow 'Pool fans in a red procession up to The Arkles pub. I noticed that day that loads of people had dug out their old shirts from the 70s and 80s, the beginning of a nationwide trend in retro-style footy tops.      Coming up Arkles Lane the noise from the Kop grew louder and louder, the anticipation burning like fire in our bellies. A quick pint at The Arkles and in we went...

We always went in at the corner turnstiles by the centenary stand and loved walking up the steps and seeing the green turf open up in front when you got near the top. But this day was different. This was 1pm and the whole Kop was in fine voice already. 2 hours before kick-off and the party had started in earnest. The place was a SEA OF RED, flags, scarves, banners, shirts, everything was RED. I thought at the time fair play to the Norwich fans who'd pretty much all arrived by that time and were playing their full part in festivities and semed to be enjoying the whole occasion. Hats off to 'em!

I've never sung so hard in my life as that day and must've been hoarse for days after! All the old favourite songs went up time and time again. A rendition of "We all live on the red 'n' white Kop" (to the tune of yellow sub) seemed to go on for what felt like about half an hour but nobody missed a note.

One by one all the old names were wheeled out onto the pitch to rapturous appluse and unconditional adulation from the Kop. The expectation mounted as King Kenny slowly appeared from the tunnel. The whole ground went BALLISTIC!!   I've never heard such a roar in my life...
Nessie Shankly was also introduced, and the Kop sung "Theres's only one Mrs Shankly..!". Watching TV reports the next day a close up of old Nessie showed tears in her eyes when we sung the name of her late, great husband over and over again. (It still send a tingle down my spine thinking about it now, 10 years on)

The match itself was an anticlimax by comparison, Norwich doing their best to spoil the party by bloody well beating us. But NOTHING could dampen our spirits that day, we'd witnessed one of the biggest days in worldwide footballing history and loved every minute...  What a day to be a Liverpool fan!!! 

Anyway, the post match party continued on the Kop for god knows how long, then spilled out into the pubs, houses and streets all round Anfield. That night out in town was just amazing, I've never seen so many p#ssed-up happy football fans!

The memories of that day are all flooding back for me, HAPPY DAYS! I took a dictaphone with me that day and still have a tape from right there on the Kop, I'm going to have a look for it and play it this afternoon!

Anyway, great idea St Michael to get everybody to post their memories on here. I've probably rambled on a bit, hope I haven't bored too many of you!

Cheers
Wolly      

by jonnymac1979 » Fri Apr 30, 2004 3:17 pm

by Woollyback » Sat May 01, 2004 1:36 am

OK, I confess this is a poorly disguised attempt to get more people to read my (probably quite boring) nostalgic rantings...

But is it just me who thinks that the 10th anniversary of the (standing) Kop seems to have passed by with barely a whimper?     

by Dalglish » Sat May 01, 2004 1:42 am

What happened to the FLAG days ?

by Dalglish » Sat May 01, 2004 1:43 am

Wooly ? i've sent you 2 messages , i think you might be intereted in the second more than the first !!!!!!! Go check , you'll see

by Woollyback » Sat May 01, 2004 1:48 am

Definitely! 

by Dalglish » Sat May 01, 2004 1:53 am

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

by Woollyback » Sat May 01, 2004 1:57 am