Originally Posted by Carradona
You two wouldn't be able to organise a piss up in a brewery so I don't know how you will organise a trip to Liverpool in 10 days time!
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Believe it or not I had never been to Anfield before last night. My Dads is a gunner so he was never too keen to go over and I couldn’t afford to come myself until this season. Dad did however get me a ticket for Athens in 2007 but the Abbey Travel Flight Schedule Fiasco put pay to that and broke my heart. Imagine how it felt, to know your going to watch your team play in the biggest game in club football until the Monday before it and find out that your plane cant land on time so you can’t go. Heartbreak. But me and Monster Masch (Gavin) decided while watching the Sunderland game to go to this game (because I had failed in my quest for tickets for the boro game). Well we organised it in time (despite what Cain thought). And this is the story of an amazing occasion in the life of Richie Tuohy.
What an experience. I actually didn’t know what to expect. Would I like it? Would be amazing? How big is Anfield? Ask Woo, Odris or Monster Masch and they will tell you I’ve been acting like an excited little girl at Christmas since I got my tickets. Id looked forward to this so much and was determined not to let anything ruin it.
Flights and all went smoothly and got a taxi out to our accommodation at around 16:00. Immediately we wondered what we had booked ourselves into, when we saw rolls of barbed wire around the top of the walls of our hostel. It didn’t look too good!
However the owner was a lovely bubbly woman who immediately set us at ease as she checked us in etc.
A bus trip later and we were in town. Several feeds of grub in Mai Suns with a pint or two of Stella followed and I have to say it was fantastic. The buzz in the city was class. The Scouse accent and the general buzz generated by expectant fans eagerly anticipating the match made the occasion so memorable.
After the meal we got a taxi to Anfield. On the way I was nearly shaking. The excitement was unbearable. Finally I caught a glimpse of it. Towering above the neighbouring houses, Anfield stood like a giant.
After picking up my ticket I bought TLW from Dave U. I figured I had to get one. A fucking good read too (the captions had us in stitches) Then I decided it was time. In through the turnstile I went. I climbed the stairs and it was almost in slow motion. As I entered the stand it hit me. The “buzz”. It was fucking breathtaking. Seeing Anfield in the flesh for the first time. Almost speechless I mumbled to a steward would she tell me where my seat was. The walk to the seat took an age it seemed as I tried to take it all in.
I took my seat (great fucking seat it was too, 7 rows from the pitch) and started to read TLW. No sooner had a minute passed and I heard the cheers. The boys were out to warm up and where? Right in front of my fuckin nose!!!!!!!!!(I was in that part of the Centenary Stand) There they were doing their drills, my heroes, right under me. As Keane and Torres jogged towards me I called their names and they gave me a wave. This was too much. I was speechless.
I will never EVER forget when Y.N.W.A was played last night. It was possibly one of the most memorable experiences I have encountered. 40,000 odd Redmen roaring their anthem. Ive heard Y.N.W.A played on TV, youtube even in my local on a Saturday but none of it prepared me for how amazing it sounds at Anfield. I will never forget the feeling. The Kop were immense! Non Stop singing. Always at it. Legendary
As far as good performances go it wasn’t great but that 120 minutes were among the best in my lifetime. Being at Anfield brings supporting Liverpool into a whole new Dimension. I don’t know how I can describe it but it’s like you can feel the players’ emotions. Its makes it more personal. The players are there, not on a TV screen miles and miles away. There they are, right in front of you and you are there with them, all as one, all together, none alone.
In my mind we were heading for pens from about the 65th minute. We didn’t look like scoring or conceding so I was surprised when Dirk popped up but he is most definitely the big man for the big occasion. He’s done it time and again for us and definitely is a true hero. He gets stick at times but he is so reliable especially in Europe.
I thought the back three of Reina, Carra and Skrtel were fabulous. Never put a foot wrong all game. Xabi was immense also. Brilliant to see him fighting for his Anfield future and after his start to the season ive fallen in love with him again. Whatta guy, to come back from what he has had to put up with this summer and play the way he has is tremendous. Fair play Xabi, you’re a legend and worthy of our praise.
After the game I met Gavin beside the Albert and we analysed the game and what our seats were like etc. On our way to get a taxi we saw a prefab which we thought maybe had TV people in it, so we walked over for a closer look. “Where do the players come out” I asked Gavin but he wasn’t sure. We decided to find it and we waited at the gate between the Kop and Centenary Stand. After about 10 minutes a Porsche Jeep drove out the gate and stopped at the junction. It took me a minute to realise that Emiliano Insua was staring at us from the passenger seat of the jeep not 7 feet from us. I started waving at him like a plonker but my jaw dropped when I saw who was driving. El Jefecito, Javier Mascherano was waving back at us from the driver seat. Gavin and I were in shock. When they drove off Lucas Leiva came out in his Audi Q7. A wave from him aswell! Just as we were coming to terms with seeing them all, no other than Phil Thompson walked past us, cool as you like. “Aright lads” he said as he strolled past us dumbstruck Irish lads.
Talk about being overwhelmed, it got better. We realised that people were coming out the opposite gate so we ran down there to find a bunch a little kids singing RAFA, RAFAEL outside the gates. “Rafas Coming, Rafas Coming” we were told and I thought we were being had. Were We Fuck! Sure as be god, a burgundy BMW drove out and the window zipped down to reveal the gallic grin of the Gafa. It was lovely to see Rafa signing all the kids’ programmes and he signed the back of my shirt. I shook his hand and gave him a gracias senor. A really lovely fellow. I’d heard he was, but when you meet the man your left speechless and terribly impressed.
One thing that made me sick was these arseholes getting Rafa to sign 5 posters so they can probably frame them and sell them. This annoyed Rafa as he knew rightly what they were up to. Disgraceful. They were pure cunts to us aswell, wouldn’t let us borrow a pen to get signed, a kid lent us his.
After that we went for a McDonalds and back to the hostel. Flew home to Ireland at 7 this morning. Such a wonderful day and without doubt I will be over again soon (stoke on the 20th maybe (unless anyone has a spare for UTD? ha-ha!)). Im sure there’s not many on here who have never been to a game but im sure you all remember your first game and how exciting it was.
Special Thanks to Woo, Odris, Hamstrung, Malarkey and Thisisanfield who all contributed help into making this trip possible for me and Gavin so once again Cheers a bunch lads, really appreciated!
A fucking magical Experience
Thanks to all who helped
Richie T
