Thank you & farewell Steven Gerrard

The team always comes first, all we are supporting is the club and players come and go.. with varying levels of respect or support, I don't want to see the decline of this guy, I want to remember him in his prime.

Exactly my thoughts

Steven Gerrard admitted he was overwhelmed when he first glimpsed the huge flag in his honour held up high on the Kop prior to the game against Chelsea in January.

The Liverpool skipper has been edging closer to fitness out on the Melwood pitches ahead of Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final clash with Blackburn Rovers.

Gerrard has not featured for the Reds since limping from the field with a hamstring problem during the team's 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on February 10.

Two weeks prior to that game, supporters had unfurled a giant banner for the captain before the League Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea.

Cast in red and white with a towering image of the iconic midfielder, its message reads simply: 'The best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be.'

Gerrard, who had been made aware of the tribute prior to the game, spotted the banner during the warm-up - and for a moment found it hard to control his emotions as he swelled with sheer pride.

"It was a surprise and it choked me up when I saw it," the 34-year-old told Liverpoolfc.com. "The size of it and the message on it - it tells me I have been doing a decent job over the years.

"I got my card marked [about it] a couple of days before. Someone text me, so I sent [the lads who made it] a shirt and a big thanks to them.

"You just have to look at the company that it's in. You see flags of Suarez, Shankly, Fowler, Benitez, Carragher and all the legends who have been here over the years.

"So to get in amongst that company with a big flag is a really proud moment for me.

"But I'm not finished. I want to continue to make the people proud; the people who make these flags and all the other supporters out there as well."

The gesture was prompted by the captain's announcement in early January that he will depart the club in the summer to join MLS outfit, LA Galaxy, and bring an astounding 17-year Anfield career to a close.

At Melwood last month, Gerrard was shown the flag by the group of Reds who helped produce the tribute - and afterwards, the skipper took to Instagram to express his gratitude. 

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/181248-stevie-new-kop-flag-filled-me-with-pride

When is the Farewell match taking place? Need to arrange my schedule so i can watch

When is the Farewell match taking place? Need to arrange my schedule so i can watch

29th March.

29th March.

NICE! Thats a Sunday! Hope i can catch it on DIrect TV, id hate to have to see it on the INternet
Thanks !!

NICE! Thats a Sunday! Hope i can catch it on DIrect TV, id hate to have to see it on the INternet
Thanks !!

Hope so for you....can't wait to be at the game, I'm on the 3rd row of the KOP  buzzing !!

Hope so for you....can't wait to be at the game, I'm on the 3rd row of the KOP  buzzing !!

Envy you
Enjoy it for all the reds in the world who cant be there, to pay tribute to one of the greatest we ever had. So sad he never got to lift the PL trophy

Envy you
Enjoy it for all the reds in the world who cant be there, to pay tribute to one of the greatest we ever had. So sad he never got to lift the PL trophy

I can't wait to be there but I'm also gutted he's going, it still hasn't sunk in yet and won't until that last day of the season    Very much looking forward to seeing some past players too.

Next goal the great man scores for us will be his 184th, taking him 5th on the all time list. Making him the only man in Liverpool's history to be in our top five appearance makers and goalscorers.

Next goal the great man scores for us will be his 184th, taking him 5th on the all time list. Making him the only man in Liverpool's history to be in our top five appearance makers and goalscorers.

Incredible, dont think people realize how much we are going to miss his presence in the field. Not just his game, just his mere being there

When is the Farewell match taking place?

16th May will be his last game at Anfield.  On or off as a late sub.

16th May will be his last game at Anfield.  On or off as a late sub.

it really is strange to think of him not our player!

all good great things have to come to an end...

Next goal the great man scores for us will be his 184th, taking him 5th on the all time list. Making him the only man in Liverpool's history to be in our top five appearance makers and goalscorers.

An incredible stat considering some of the greats that have played for us & Stevie playing as a centre mid most of his career.

A brilliant footballer, the best of his generation, a Liverpool legend.

The best to have ever worn the shirt in my opinion.

Players comes and goes and this is one player I hate to see going. But as the saying goes, every good things will have to come to an end and we have to part ways at some point of time. I can only remember the good memories he gave me over the years. All the best to him and I'm sure we haven't seen the last of Stevie, he'll return at some point of time in the future.

It of course goes without saying that we the humble fan will be forever indebted to the man for the success that he has brought us via his virtuoso performances. But on a personal and selfish level I'd have preferred that he remained a "one club man". Yeah, I'm pretty much sure that in some point in the future he'll come back to take up some form of coaching or ambassadorial role.

I just think that he could have swallowed some pride and gone about it much the same way as Giggs did. His head might have been willing but for the last 18 months his body certainly wasn't. He'd have been better off recognising that fact and let himself be use sparingly instead and becoming a fantastic mentor to the next generation.

Undoubtedly, the sour memories from recent times will quickly diminish and be replaced again with fondness and the fantastic memories from his days of pomp.

I sincerely wish him all the best and hope that the Galaxy fans can get a glimpse of what made him so special to us.

Next goal the great man scores for us will be his 184th, taking him 5th on the all time list. Making him the only man in Liverpool's history to be in our top five appearance makers and goalscorers.

Incredible. There´s only one Legend and his first name isnt John 

Tired of some of our "supporters" slamming Stevie. Wish he has a storming reminder of the season silencing these F***ing idiots.

I watched him from when he first came into the team and he has been out of this world, non of us really want to see a half Gerrard and the decline, so there may be the reason some "supporters" want less of the burden to be on his shoulders or just the common sense to know we can't rely on him to solo style change a game any more.
As a club we need to plan for the future and as a person and player I think Stevie will know this too. He can still impact games but he should be played more attacking and left to stay up instead of running around all over the pitch. My humble opinion, not going to say it's totally right, but it's what I'd like to see.
I'd thank him for some of the most amazing moments as a Liverpool supporter and giving hope for home grown players.
He was our best in some of our worst times.

I don't blame Stevie G

Oh the ignominy for Steven Gerrard - sent off 38/42 seconds (depends who you're listening to, but it doesn't matter) after coming on against Manchester Utd on Sunday. Hang your head in shame Steven, and the apology was both necessary and welcome.

But there was something else that slipped through in the post match i/view that struck a chord with me - 'I don't want to say anything else right now', he added, after bravely facing the cameras and taking full responsibility for a moment of madness.

What is it that Gerrard wants to say? I'll tell you what I think it is. He's steaming mad at the scandalous way he's been treated by specifically Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool in general.

Rodgers has won his war with Gerrard. The skipper is out of the club at the end of the season. And make no mistake, despite Rodgers' efforts to blame 'time' for Gerrard's decision to leave HE is to blame. He's won the war, but he lost Sunday's battle. And it could yet be a very costly battle to have lost.

Liverpool made Gerrard an offer he COULD refuse when they put a contract extension to him earlier this season. That was the sole purpose of their offer, force Gerrard into making the decision to leave. Let him go public, thereby avoiding any blame for the outcome themselves. Rodgers wanted him out. With Carragher already gone Rodgers knew that with Gerrard on the way out too, the club was now his - all his.

Gerrard used his mate Carragher as his mouthpiece to hint at what was going on whilst remaining publicly very dignified. Rodgers has continued to heap praise on his inspirational skipper whilst quietly continuing to humiliate and frustrate him whenever he could.

This stand off started in Madrid remember, when Rodgers left Gerrard on the bench - and seething, watching the team he'd inspired into the C Lge, slip to defeat. You can imagine what was going through his mind. 'Is this why I gave up playing for my country? Is this why I worked so hard to get this team into the C Lge last season. Will I ever get the chance to play here again?'

Rodgers made seven changes that night and told us the team he picked was the best one to do the job. No it wasn't, they lost. And it's why he restored the seven he'd left out for the following weekends league match, including Gerrard.

Rodgers picked the wrong team. He mistakenly believed he could steer Liverpool to the ko stages of the C Lge after tossing the Real Madrid game off. Wrong again.

He also got his team selection wrong this past weekend. Gerrard HAD to start against Manchester United. HAD to. It was a game that his name stamped all over it. Liverpool NEEDED their captain for this one.

I'm not buying into the hype that surrounds Liverpool right now. Yes, they've had a terrific run, but it hasn't been without a great deal of good fortune and so far, their only real test has come against United. They failed it.

They were ordinary the previous weekend at Swansea. What was the answer? Send for Gerrard. His presence calmed them, gave them some structure, and they won. I'm sorry, they're simply not good enough without him right now.

This nonsense that Henderson is the 'new' enforcer is laughable. He's a good player, but that's it. He might grow into a more dominant force, but at the moment he's not.

Liverpool's midfield was over run by Utd. In fairness to Van Gaal he got it spot on. He exploited the weaknesses in Liverpool's system and bossed their 'lightweight' midfield. A midfield in the image of their gaffer - nice.

Gerrard is a legend for good reason. He's one of few I've watched across 45 years that could 'run' a game. Bryan Robson was another.  So too Ray Wilkins. There's Souness, of course. Go back further - Mackay, Bonds, Ball, they are few and far between though. They were special. Gerrard is one of them.

Liverpool have let him go far too soon. I accept that he's not the force he once was, but he's still a force. His very presence at the club is a force. People listen to him, which is why Rodgers doesn't want him there anymore.


Gerrard held his tongue at the weekend, as he has done since announcing 'his' decision to move on. I can't wait to hear what he really has to say!

http://richardajkeys.com/richards-blog/entry/i-don-t-blame-stevie-g

I don't blame Stevie G

Oh the ignominy for Steven Gerrard - sent off 38/42 seconds (depends who you're listening to, but it doesn't matter) after coming on against Manchester Utd on Sunday. Hang your head in shame Steven, and the apology was both necessary and welcome.

But there was something else that slipped through in the post match i/view that struck a chord with me - 'I don't want to say anything else right now', he added, after bravely facing the cameras and taking full responsibility for a moment of madness.

What is it that Gerrard wants to say? I'll tell you what I think it is. He's steaming mad at the scandalous way he's been treated by specifically Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool in general.

Rodgers has won his war with Gerrard. The skipper is out of the club at the end of the season. And make no mistake, despite Rodgers' efforts to blame 'time' for Gerrard's decision to leave HE is to blame. He's won the war, but he lost Sunday's battle. And it could yet be a very costly battle to have lost.

Liverpool made Gerrard an offer he COULD refuse when they put a contract extension to him earlier this season. That was the sole purpose of their offer, force Gerrard into making the decision to leave. Let him go public, thereby avoiding any blame for the outcome themselves. Rodgers wanted him out. With Carragher already gone Rodgers knew that with Gerrard on the way out too, the club was now his - all his.

Gerrard used his mate Carragher as his mouthpiece to hint at what was going on whilst remaining publicly very dignified. Rodgers has continued to heap praise on his inspirational skipper whilst quietly continuing to humiliate and frustrate him whenever he could.

This stand off started in Madrid remember, when Rodgers left Gerrard on the bench - and seething, watching the team he'd inspired into the C Lge, slip to defeat. You can imagine what was going through his mind. 'Is this why I gave up playing for my country? Is this why I worked so hard to get this team into the C Lge last season. Will I ever get the chance to play here again?'

Rodgers made seven changes that night and told us the team he picked was the best one to do the job. No it wasn't, they lost. And it's why he restored the seven he'd left out for the following weekends league match, including Gerrard.

Rodgers picked the wrong team. He mistakenly believed he could steer Liverpool to the ko stages of the C Lge after tossing the Real Madrid game off. Wrong again.

He also got his team selection wrong this past weekend. Gerrard HAD to start against Manchester United. HAD to. It was a game that his name stamped all over it. Liverpool NEEDED their captain for this one.

I'm not buying into the hype that surrounds Liverpool right now. Yes, they've had a terrific run, but it hasn't been without a great deal of good fortune and so far, their only real test has come against United. They failed it.

They were ordinary the previous weekend at Swansea. What was the answer? Send for Gerrard. His presence calmed them, gave them some structure, and they won. I'm sorry, they're simply not good enough without him right now.

This nonsense that Henderson is the 'new' enforcer is laughable. He's a good player, but that's it. He might grow into a more dominant force, but at the moment he's not.

Liverpool's midfield was over run by Utd. In fairness to Van Gaal he got it spot on. He exploited the weaknesses in Liverpool's system and bossed their 'lightweight' midfield. A midfield in the image of their gaffer - nice.

Gerrard is a legend for good reason. He's one of few I've watched across 45 years that could 'run' a game. Bryan Robson was another.  So too Ray Wilkins. There's Souness, of course. Go back further - Mackay, Bonds, Ball, they are few and far between though. They were special. Gerrard is one of them.

Liverpool have let him go far too soon. I accept that he's not the force he once was, but he's still a force. His very presence at the club is a force. People listen to him, which is why Rodgers doesn't want him there anymore.


Gerrard held his tongue at the weekend, as he has done since announcing 'his' decision to move on. I can't wait to hear what he really has to say!

http://richardajkeys.com/richards-blog/entry/i-don-t-blame-stevie-g

What's your thinking Lio.

An article so good you had to post it twice?

Do we have to have to have this scum loving tw*t plastered all over the forum? 

Especially when it's a derogatory piece about both our Captain and Manager 

Do we have to have to have this scum loving tw*t plastered all over the forum? 

Especially when it's a derogatory piece about both our Captain and Manager 

Some fans prefer to listen to the likes of Keys rather than form their own opinion Debs.

That article has now been posted in 2 threads about the skipper.

Only thing I agree on is that Sevie should have started against the mancs. He was born to play those matches