Anfield Atmosphere is unique

[rebel23]

article in the times...

 

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Atmosphere is unique Anfield calling card

 

Our correspondent on the supporters who are really suited to the task of raising the roof

 

Tony Evans

 

Two years ago, on the approach to Stamford Bridge, one of those moments you dread arrived. “Headhunters,” my companion hissed. And there they were, surrounding us, fingering their calling cards. It was about to get ugly. The seconds that followed were a blur; the pain still almost tangible. They tried to recruit me for a leading financial institution in the City. The idea that Rupert and Tarquin thought I was a merchant banker makes me wince even now.

 

Once, Stamford Bridge was an intimidating place. On the pitch, the players were uncompromising brutes with names like Micky, Tommy and Chopper. The supporters came from council flats in Battersea and had names like, well, Micky, Tommy and Chopper.

 

Now the players have names like Claude, Ricardo and Hilário. Battersea has been gentrified and supporters at the Bridge have names like, well, Giles.

 

And then there are the songs they sing. What visiting fan hasn’t felt a shiver of fear when the cry of “One man went to mow!” rises up from the Matthew Harding Stand. Or, imagine what it is like being Frank Lampard and realising that, yes, they’ve thrown another man at that meadow. “Come on Sheva, there’s eight of them mowing now. The grass doesn’t have a chance. That’s the sort of commitment we’ve got to match . . . Good Lord, it’s nine now ! Let’s win it for the nine . . . ten . . . and Spot.”

 

Or is it part of the mad plan of Peter Kenyon, the chief executive, to turn Chelsea into the biggest club in the world by 2016? “Right, at every kindergarten in the land they are singing our song. How many does that add to our fanbase? Millions. And we’ll get their kids, too. Take that, Manchester United!”

 

To single out Stamford Bridge for a lack of atmosphere would be cruel, though. It is a problem across football, even at Anfield. But Liverpool supporters recognise this and have made massive efforts to keep their individuality with initiatives like Reclaim The Kop, a grassroots movement aimed at educating those not fully conversant with Kopite traditions. But compare the stadiums when Barcelona visited in this season’s Champions League.

 

At Anfield last month, the stadium was in a frenzy. Many supporters prepared special flags for the occasion and the Kop was a bouncing wall of red. Barça were greeted by a wall of flags at the Bridge in October, too. Only these had been supplied by the club. It was contrived and proved that mere banners do not create the right mood in a stadium. People do.

 

To this end, Liverpool supporters have something special in mind for the two ties over the next week. They have looked to Greece in the quest to reach Athens.

 

Impressed by the fanaticism of PAOK fans and the catchy nature of one of their songs, Liverpool supporters have appropriated the tune and added their own lyrics, which will boom out of the old Shed End tomorrow and take the roof off the Kop next week. Apart from Anfield on Saturday, it hasn’t been heard before on Premiership grounds. It’s new and innovative but will carry the weight of history with it.

 

Are you ready for it Chelsea? You were not two years ago and we’re set to take things up a notch. Because that thing called atmosphere is Liverpool’s calling card. And if you are not four up going to Anfield, worry.

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article1696151.ece

[RedinSweden]

Oooh. i'm getting excited now.

[Unrighteous]

Only now? I've been antsy since the end of the league matches for the weekend.

 

I'm practically dying atm... Bring on those blue shirted cunts.

[RedinSweden]

Only now? I've been antsy since the end of the league matches for the weekend.

 

I'm practically dying atm... Bring on those blue shirted cunts.

 

It's a turn of phrase.

[Sangria]

I am one big nervous wreck and it is only going to get worse.

[Lapskaus]

1-1 at the bridge, 3-0 at Anfield. Fact

[WaltonRed]

Im shitting it big time, not cos Im nervous I just want it to come as soon as possible. Chomping at the bit, I hope the players are too. COME ON!

[rondeco]

C'mon the REDS!!!

[RonDixon]

i cant wait to here that PAOK song gettin belted out its gonna be amazing

[dark train]

1-1 at the bridge, 3-0 at Anfield. Fact

 

That would be sweet... I wasn't too bad before but now this past hour since i've been loitering around here i've started to feel really nervous.

[Bjornebye]

 

 

 

 

 

[Numero Veinticinco]

Rent. Fucking. Free.

[joe_fishfish]

Seriously though, what the fuck is he playing at? That's not going to mentally prepare anyone is it?

[Mook]

Highly embarrassing for Arsenal that.

 

I love how the other guy tells him it's a good idea.

 

Aye, ok pal.

[Numero Veinticinco]

Playing our crowd in their training game. Is this before we smacked 'em 4-0?

[TheRedMachine]

Little prick 

[aws]

16 hours ago, joe_fishfish said:

Seriously though, what the fuck is he playing at? That's not going to mentally prepare anyone is it?

A few years back the English rugby team travelled to Cardiff with the Welsh anthem playing in the coach. They lost if I recall. 

[Bjornebye]

He'd rub his own shit into his bald bonce to manage us 

 

 

 

 

 

[coachpotato]

11 hours ago, Bjornebye said:

He'd rub his own shit into his bald bonce to manage us 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe not to manage us, we wouldn’t have enough money for him to buy left backs, but certainly he’d love to have our passion and noise at the Etihad. I’d be willing to bet there’s a few of his players who look around their ground during some games and think “What the fuck do we have to do to get anywhere near Anfield in this place?”

[an tha]

Touches on some of the issues albeit lightly.

 

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/anfield-atmosphere-liverpool-26000966?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

[Barrington Womble]

2 hours ago, an tha said:

Touches on some of the issues albeit lightly.

 

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/anfield-atmosphere-liverpool-26000966?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

I read that earlier. I've been saying for ages our crowd is too old. Everyone around me in the kop is pretty much the same person as when they sat us down 30 years ago. I'm thinking of moving out of the kop, maybe go in the new road end. 

[VladimirIlyich]

14 minutes ago, Barrington Womble said:

I read that earlier. I've been saying for ages our crowd is too old. Everyone around me in the kop is pretty much the same person as when they sat us down 30 years ago. I'm thinking of moving out of the kop, maybe go in the new road end. 

As highlighted the cost is tremendous to move to another part of the ground and the current football club owners are not going to give any rebates even if you've had a season ticket for 20/30 years. Very soon the Kop will be filled with non British fans let alone Scousers. Not the fans fault though,it's the system overseen by the owners.

[Barrington Womble]

10 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

As highlighted the cost is tremendous to move to another part of the ground and the current football club owners are not going to give any rebates even if you've had a season ticket for 20/30 years. Very soon the Kop will be filled with non British fans let alone Scousers. Not the fans fault though,it's the system overseen by the owners.

I dunno where the kop will end up, but by me it's just mostly old scousers. You can see some tourists down the front, but mostly I just see old cunts like myself. But we shouldn't be expected to bring that atmosphere, because we just don't have the same enthusiasm as when we were kids.

 

But even going past the cost is difficult. It would be hard to find a bunch of decent seats for me and my mates to sit together. I don't know what the answer is, but it's obvious being an old crowd won't help towards the atmosphere. 

[aws]

Carousel time. 

[Pidge]

They need to get the bots out of the membership booking and ensure that the Annie road expansion is relatively affordable. A vocal section next to the aways to raise the temperature.  Don't think it's going to happen. Expecting at most one season where tickets are seen in the open members sale, before they disappear again.