It must have all started early 70’s watching lots of football on the box.   A team called Liverpool were playing, I didn’t know what part of the country they were from, but I remember being mesmerised by what was the Kop. The flags & banners, the whole of the terracing moving in unison with scarves held aloft, it was just amazing and had me riveted. The team played some incredible football and I was really impressed so it must have been around that time I was reborn a Red.

All around me at school there were kids supporting all the local sides Spurs, Aresnal Chelsea West Ham, but you’d find they would swap the teams they were supporting when other teams were doing well and transfer their support to them, kids eh.  But I never did

Over the local park you would see all your mates, wearing the top division one
kits, weeks later they would be changing their allegiance to another club and
that went on quite a lot but like I said earlier that never entered my mind this
was always going to be my club through thick and thin.

One day, I would vow to myself, I would stand on that amazing terracing
that is the Spion Kop & be a part of that phenomenon.  One of my mates
used to go to Spurs a lot with his Dad, and I remember reading one of
his proeys and I noticed Spurs were entertaining Liverpool at the Lane, so
this was my chance to start supporting the team that I felt very strongly about, still not Anfield but you have to start somewhere but knew that dream would someday be a reality.

I managed in my little way to get around me Mum to agree to let me go on my own which I still do to this day nothing changes, sometimes it’s the best way. The date was 22/11/1978 & the earlier game at Anfield was an amazing 7-0 to the Reds, so this could be a thriller.

All day at school telling all my friends & just about everyone that I was going
to see Spurs v Liverpool, I must have annoyed everyone that day, but was so
excited.  I rushed home from school & got everything ready and made sure I didn’t forget anything. Time to leave for the game which was the start of a love affair which is as strong today as it was then.  I left my house at around 6ish with my full Liverpool
kit on under me clothes.

Excited I walked to the ground , didn’t even bother with buses, I was too fidgety to sit on a bus. Got near the ground could see the floodlights  lighting up the sky, walked past the main stand entrance with the gates set back which is the West stand,  nearly there, arrived at Park Lane which is the away supporters terrace,  just after 7-0clock, went to the nearest souvenir stall,  got myself a scarf , rosette, programme (which I still have in my collection today and very proud of) and took all the atmosphere in watching all the peanut sellers and programme sellers doing their thing, shouting out “get yer peanuts”, “get yer programmes” the smells of the burger stands, all the police horses parading up and down the road.  That era of football was without a doubt the best, and I’m glad I witnessed it, not this plc corporate, executive ‘lets rob the fans of their hard earned cash era’.  This was it, time to make my way into the ground through the double gates, and up to the turnstiles.  I was in,  we had good support and the match attendance was a mere 50,393.

One of the group behind me jumped on top of one of the barriers, dropped his trousers and pointed his rear towards the cockerel on the top of the East stand and shouted “You know where you can stick that”, roars of laughter.  Felt very proud singing my first proper rendition of YNWA with the Redmen, although felt very strange only ever hearing it once before but mostly on TV, as well of listening to all the other catchy songs.  Education from older Reds is what it’s all about, listen and learn, learn the right way and keep our great traditions strong.  The game didn’t go to my liking, it ended 0-0, but we played the better footie and it didn’t sour my first Liverpool league game.

I’d seen the European Champions in the flesh once before being crowned European Champions again, but this day was the start of the pilgrimage that is  set in stone for me as a Redman, seeing the likes of Dalglish, Hieghway, Case, Clemence, Neal, Thommo and Souness etc. As some say you don’t find Liverpool FC, Liverpool FC finds you, with all the traditions and history it sucks you in and never lets go.  There’s no other club I believe that could do that for me, that is WHY still nearly 30 years later I’m still trying to give the best support I can to Liverpool Football Club.

It took me another 10 yrs, to crown my dream to stand on the KOP and as a season ticket holder in the process. Told you that dream would come true, all it took was a matter of time and patience. It can’t get any better then that, or can it?

That is WHY I support the Reds….and you….? 

http://www.thefootballnetwork.net/main/s386/st128884.htm  FORUM LiNK

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