Loving this thread DLS.
I'm pretty similar to most Liverpool based fans. I was more or less born into it. Obviously there's a story behind it all so I'll offer a bit of insight.
I remember mentioning that my Grandad used to play in goal for the army and then, to some extent, for Tranmere Rovers back in the day. During his time with the army, they wouldn't let him go home as he was apparently that good for them. Anyway, I only learned this at his funeral, but Everton came in for him at the peak of his powers (bearing in mind that they were one of the 'richest clubs' in the world back then) and offered him trials. Being the mad Liverpudlian he was, he told them to do one.
My Grandad was a season ticket holder for many years, in the Kemlyn, and only gave it up late in the 90's. He was getting too old to go and none of us could afford to take it on. Don't I regret it now? :
Moving on somewhat, when I was in Malta last, my Uncle was telling me stories of his trip to Rome in '77 on the Trans Alpino. I'm sure a few of us have read Here We Go Gathering Cups In May. His story was much like this, a few years before the book came out so I'm assuming everyone who went has a story like his, which I love. One little snippet was when they stopped off at some station on the way. A worker there must have seen the £ signs as he was waiting on the platform with a trolley full of crates of lager. Sure enough, there was a crowd around him. One crate got swiped, and the man, in a desperate attempt to claw back some profits, chased the thirsty thief. Unawares that the whole trolley was being carted onto the train by the rest of the crowd.
Another Uncle was at the match with my other Grandad when we last won the league. At the end, there's the usual madness and the photographers were piling onto the pitch. My Uncle, who'd obviously pre-empted the freak occurrence that was about to happen (not us winning the league by the way
) had brought his camera. I mean a downright 80's camera, not a throw away or a little Kodak. When it all went off anyways, he went to the front and started snapping a few pics, and someone ushered him onto the pitch where all the official photographers were going. Not a bad memory from our last league title. You actually see him on the TV coverage getting edged onto the pitch, all surprised.
Moving on to my transition from kid to Kopite then.
As a child, I used to plonk myself down in front of the telly at the weekend and just watch the footy. No-one ever told me who I was supposed to be watching. I just knew it was the team called Liverpool. However, as DLS mentioned, I never really grasped the enormity of it until later on. My Dad was at Hillsborough on that tragic day, and he just stopped going the games regularly after that, so I only really started going when my older brother could afford to go too. I did have some experience of Anfield however. My Grandad, while I was still very young, was a Pools agent for the club. And being the blag artist that was my Grandad, we always ended up in the stadium. I remember looking around, knowing how special it was and how much I loved being there. That memory with my late Grandad will live with me forever.
The only comparison I could give you is that Liverpool Football Club is that it's like the partner you know that you're with for life. You couldn't really tell the nailed on point you fell in love with them. You endure the rough times and enjoy the good times, but you know for a fact that no matter how much they can hurt you and upset you, they'll always be there for you and you'll always be there for them.