Here is a report with pictures and videos of the very special Liverpool FC / Borussia MG Fan Party that took place last weekend in the "Ship & Mitre" pub in Liverpool City Centre.
Liverpool FC / Borussia Moenchengladbach Supporters Fan Party in Liverpool City Centre venue.
On Saturday 19th January 2008, approximately 195 football supporters, 85 Liverpool FC supporters together with 90 supporters of Borussia Moenchengladbach and 20 German Reds enjoyed each others company and a superb evening together, in the Ship & Mitre, Liverpool "Liverpool Pub of the year 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005" in Dale Street in Liverpool City Centre.
Fan party organiser Graham Agg made the introductions during the evening and had superb help throughout the night from Liverpool supporters Pat Link and Gary Johnston.
The Liverpool FC / Borussia MG Fan Party was a superb success and included 4 guest speakers.
First up to start the presentations was Les Lawson, Secretary of the Official Liverpool Supporters Club and BBC Radio Merseyside "Red Alert" football pundit, who presented Borussia Moenchengladbach supporter and Fan Project official Jonny Polcher with a plaque bearing the words "an die Borusssia Moenchengladbach Supporters Club, Liverpool FC & Borussia MG - Eine ganz besondere freundschaft", to the Borussia Moenchengladbach Supporters Club - Liverpool FC & Borussia MG - A very special Friendship".
Also present to welcome the Borussia Moenchengladbach supporters, was the legendary "Voice of Anfield" Mr George Sephton, stadium announcer at Anfield for the last 37 years since 1971. George's first match as the stadium announcer was Kevin keegan's debut for the Reds on 14th Ahgust 1971. George relayed to the the assembled audience some of his expeiences as Stadium announcer at Anfield for the last 4 decades.
The third guest speaker was a true, true friend of Liverpool Football Club, Mr Tom Smith, no, not the Liverpool football legend from Liverpool's glory years in the 70's and 80's, but a man who was partly responsible for Liverpool FC being allowed to defend the European Champions League trophy they so gloriously won in 2005.
Tom Smith, originally from Scotland, but a Manchester City fan of many years standing, was so captivated by the events of the Istanbul final that he set up a website in the aftermath of the final to lobby UEFA to allow European Champions Liverpool to defend their trophy. The website www.fairplaytoliverpool.com was an online petition to secure signatures which was forwarded on to UEFA. Approximately 80000 signatures were collected in just a few days. This website is still available to see to this day.
Next up to make a presentation to Fan Party and Friendship organiser Graham Agg, was Borussia Moenchengladabch Fan Projekt and super fan Jonny Polcher, who presented Graham with a Gladbach shirt with his name and the number 77 representing the 1977 european cup final between the 2 clubs. He also presented Agg with two superb plaques with the words "Eine ganz besondere freundschaft", which translated reads "A very special friendship".
Last but by no means least, Liverpool fan Gary Johnston took the microphone to lead the entire 195 strong audience in a moving rendition of "You'll never walk alone", this literally brought the house down, a superb evening with our friends from Gladbach was had by all.
The Fan Party included a DJ, 2 singers, 4 guest speakers, and of course traditional Liverpool cuisine - "Scouse hot pot!" A replica of the European cup was also on display to the delight of the Borussia and Liverpool supporters.
The "Special Friendship" between Liverpool & Gladbach was forged 31 years earlier when Liverpool met Gladbach in the eternal city of Rome in the 1977 European Cup final which Liverpool won 3-1 to win the first of their 5 european cups.
Every year since 1992, Gladbach supporters have made an annual pilgrimage to Anfield during the Bundesliga winter break to support the Reds. It should also NEVER be forgotten that in 1992 the Borussia Supporters collected 21000 Deutsch Marks (approximately £8000) for the Hillsborough families in the aftermath of the disaster.
Graham Agg stated "the Fan Party this weekend proved once again, 31 years later that the very special Friendship is as strong as ever and shows no sign of abating, it is something of which both clubs and supporters can be truly proud".
Links:
YouTube - THE 2008 BMG & LIVERPOOL FC SUPPORTERS FRIENDSHIP FAN PARTY
REDS AND GLADBACH CEMENT FRIENDSHIP
YouTube - Borussia Mönchengladbach fans in Liverpool
YouTube - Borussia MG & Liverpool FC / You'll never walk alone
YouTube - "Elf vom Niederrhein"an der Anfield Road am 21.01.2008
The Liverpool&Gladbach Friendship Site
REDS SET FOR GERMAN VISIT
Borussia.de - Borussia News
