Your first LFC experience or memory?

I assume the majority of those on here are from or were from Liverpool. However there are some who are not and some, like me, who were adopted into LFC. I do know that team loyalties are in a most part a family trait passed down from generation to generation. But, I am curious to know how and why you are LFC supporters. Since a majority of my friends and even some on here wondered how I became a LFC supporter I thought I would post it here.

When I was 8 I really knew nothing about “Soccer”.  I was born and raised a Cleveland Browns Football fan. That’s it. It was Browns Football from my first breath until now. Still am and will always be. The Browns are still my #1 sports team.

However when I was 7-8 years old I managed to watch a guy on TV called Pele, do things with a ball I never saw before. It was because of Pele that soccer began to get a hold in the US.  At this time he played for the N.Y Cosmos. This was the first attempt at real Football in the US. Not surprising it failed.  So, I joined a youth league and played “Soccer”.  One of my youth coach’s was from Spain and was a LFC supporter and actually played for their reserve team as a youth.  He gave me a box of tapes loaded with 20+ LFC matches. All from the late 70’s early 80’s.  I watched them over and over and over.  It wasn’t the trophys or cups won, it wasn’t the players or coaches that made an Impact. It was the KOP and the atmosphere at Anfield which stuck with me.  It was the whole LFC experience and one of these days I hope to experience the KOP for myself, One day I’ll be there. 

So, thats how a "Yank" became a diehard LFC supporter.

Good story YANK_LFC_FAN

What was the name of the Spanish reserve player who coached you?

Mine was simply following my dad's influence. Had my first kit at the age of 6 and went to my first match at the age of 11.....and

...the rest as they say 

My first days of following the Reds began in the early seventies when my old man took me to a couple of games and he used to send me into the boys pen with all the other ragarses , when you first got in there it was a baptism of fire, experiences ranged from getting the hood on your parker set on fire to having your busfare taken off you but the more you went in there the more your confidence grew which culminated with you climbing the fence and getting into the kop where you could'nt see a thing . One of my best experiences was the night we won the league at Wolves when up to 20000 redmen travelled to molenieux , I probabaly had the best view in the whole ground which was about forty foot up one of the floodlight pilons at the Liverpool end, after the game we all danced our way up the M6 . Scariest moments were after the european cup final at the stadio olympicio when we beat Roma and we were chased all over Rome by crazy italians on Lambretta scooters . Best moments in our history well I have two which are those magical nights in Rome 77 and Istanbul 05 its about time we experienced some more .

Although being born a Red into a majority LFC household (my brother was a Wolves fan!... But I don’t speak to him anymore as Broadmoor is quite a distance from our house) I have known nothing but support for the mighty Reds ever since I can remember.

I do however remember my first Liverpool memory and to be honest it’s not a happy one.

I was seven in 1971 and it was FA cup final day so like any lad of that era I had been glued to Grandstand since 9am as the pre match build up in those days began when the first player got out of bed for the three S’s (Shower, Shave and a Shi….short jog to the dining room)

Today was extra special as my beloved Liverpool where playing Arsenal and I could see nothing but a win, I sat there in my scarf and rosette and waited for the match to start on the grainy black and white telly my Grandparents had (God my Grandad was cheap!) eventually the players came into the bright May sunshine (or my Grandad’s contrast button was buggered) and battle commenced.

During the early exchanges my mind wandered for a minute as to why my Grandad was taking such a keen interest in the game as he was a native of the North East and was surprisingly a closet Man United fan, anyway that thought soon passed and I quickly turned my attention back to the match. The game went on and the tension became unbearable as nobody was able to find the net, the game eventually finished and as it was scoreless extra time would be played.

Extra time had just got underway and as I wandered back into the room with an ice pop I was just in time to see my own personal favourite Stevie Highway lash one past Bob Wilson on his near post, Pandemonium broke out as the room went ballistic and cheering and screaming filled the tiny living room we where all crammed into, all except for my Grandad who sat quietly in his chair staying in total control.

God I hope we hang on I thought we are going to win the cup! but after what only seemed like a few minutes Arsenal in their manky yellow shirts (I didn’t know at the time we had a black and white telly remember) went up to our end and a mass scramble began as the red men did all they could to clear the ball, finally after what seemed an age Eddie Kelly stubbed his toe fell over and managed to put the ball in as he went.

The room was stunned and nobody said a word but after this brief pause my Dad and Uncle soon gee’d the rest of us up with a loud c’mon you redmen, we can still win this it’s a draw and anyone can take it now.

Unfortunately for me and the rest of the red army that anyone duly appeared, Charlie George picked the ball up outside the area gave a quick shimmy and rifled one past Clemence to leave us all stunned well I say all but of course now my Manc loving Grandad revealed his true colours and went into ecstasy as he celebrated Georges goal just like a North Bank Gooner would do.

So there you have it Im crying my eyes out my Grandads loving every minute of it and Charlie George is lying flat on the Wembley turf doing the posiest goal celebration I have ever seen in my life.

That game has stuck with me all my life and I can still see that ponce showing off whenever I think about that day, it is funny though that after my earliest memory being one of such heartbreak and defeat that I then went on to watch Liverpool in the 70s and 80s as they went on to conquer all before them.

As for my now dearly departed Grandad who despite his disgraceful Cup final antics I still loved very much I did get my own back big style on him in 1979 when As a now much more cocky self assured 15yr old I watched the final with him as his beloved Man Utd got beat 3-2 by Arsenal all after they had just got back from two goals down.

I might if Im honest have wound him up a bit too much but you have to remember I was still carrying baggage from 1971 and how was I to know he was going to have an angina attack and need an ambulance?
He was very aptly I thought carried out on a stretcher as Arsenal lifted the cup don’t worry he didn’t die, no that was when I wound him up after we beat them in the league cup final!

So for me what goes around comes around and for every Charlie George there’s always an Alan Sunderland.




 

Good story YANK_LFC_FAN

What was the name of the Spanish reserve player who coached you?

Mine was simply following my dad's influence. Had my first kit at the age of 6 and went to my first match at the age of 11.....and

...the rest as they say 

Sorry, I dont even remember his name. I know,its bad. I remember what he looked like. He was short probably 5' 6 - 5' 8". The guy started my whole love affair w/ LFC and Football and I dont even remember his name.

Must of been 5 maybe 6 years old sat in the living at some sort of family gathering, they all supported Newcastle and I was some what influenced to support them as well ...this was the first game I'd ever watched it was Liverpool v Newcastle at Anfield the reds won 3-0 so ever since I stuck with Liverpool never looked back and never changed my mind definitely my best memory!

I think in 2005 England vs Estonia game was in Estonia,so i was in the stadium and watch the game.When i saw Gerrard face,its was magic and i fell in love Liverpool team.

1977 we won the euro cup for the first time, all the kids were running down the street with big flags....priceless

After being in hospital for 3years with M.E whichi still have now (ask for more details if u want:P )
I came out for a week and i went to see Liverpool, we played Fulham, and we won 3-0, Morientes scored
GREAT DAY

I would say the 2001 treble is the earliest memory that sticks out most.

Im from Ireland, Tyrone.  My first sport which i played from 9 was gaelic football, play still.  But soccer was always my preferred sport.  Unbelievably i supported man utd (completely hate them now) for a year or two, then when was 10 changed to the mighty reds.  Seen a live league cup game, in which Fowler and Rush played in.  Fowler was the reason i took on the club, and i still think he is the best finisher to have ever played in the league.  So my choosing to support the reds was Robbie Fowler, and 16 years later im still a die hard!! being to 3 games, all at anfield, drew with sunderland 1-1 a number of years ago, midd bor and wigan 1-1 last year!! still waiting on a win!!  Football is not a matter of life and death, its more important than that!!!!

I have said my whole experience in starting to support Liverpool in the 'You and Liverpool.. Why?' thread so I'll get to the point whereby I have a first brush with the lads.

March 2009, I vividly recall that I was in my school library on a mission to complete my school project. I was lazing around, most of us didn't have the motivation to complete it so I went out of the Multimedia centre. On the left of the exit laid a stack of newspapers. Eagerly as I thought I picked up the newspapers and flipped to the Sports section.

It was then I got a shock. 'Liverpool might be coming to Singapore.' was on the top of it all. There laid a picture of the lads who came to Singapore in 2001, I was never so excited about seeing them upclose. Last year when Brazil Olympic U23 team came for a warmup game, I saw the likes of Ronaldinho, Pato and Diego. The FA of Singapore promised for more top European sides with AC Milan and Porto thrown into the frame, but quietly I thought to myself the phrase 'top european side' meant that Liverpool was in it as well.

On my way home I whipped my phone out and texted my Dad about the possibility of them landing on Singapore shores. I was never this excited but his reply wasn't something to be proud of, instead he told me to stop getting carried away and focus on the present! I went on to buy local papers like never before since then, in hope of getting every piece of information on their whereabouts and all.

This continued so much and when news broke out that Gerrard will not be visiting because of a court case, my heart sank. But Liverpool isn't a one man team, is it? One week before their arrival it was where all competitions in the papers started to pop up, as well as promotions. You have to go on and spend money on sponsors like adidas, Carlsberg and Courts to go on and have a chance of redeeming tickets to meet the players/see them in training.

Adidas was a total let down for me because you have to be in the top 30 spenders to meet the players, and as I'm still a student money is going to be a big problem for me. Carlsberg was also a no-go, I am not 18 so I'm not entitled to buy their beers. Even if I got a ticket, I would be refused entry because of the plain simple fact I wasn't 18 yet.

Courts came calling in one of the papers soon and I was proud. I had to spend something like $30 (roughly 10 pounds), and then get the receipt and queue up at the Megastore the next day the first thing in the morning. I didn't know which players I was going to meet, all I cared about was even having the chance to meet upclose with them. The event was held on the 24th of July, Friday 2pm but I was still having school then. I didn't give a damn about it, the main priority was to get the tickets and then see what I can do about it.

I got the tickets at last and it was surreal. I never imagined meeting them in the first place, even a small autograph from Dossena or even the club doctor would make me go around the world already. Then I started to encounter problems, my school would end at 2.10pm on Friday and they went to announce that I have something compulsory at 240pm! Fussed and pissed as I was, I went on ahead and tried to get all of it out of my way. I was never going to give up a once-in-a-lifetime chance just for school. However, due to H1N1 precautions it was cancelled, so I rushed my way out of school at 210pm to the Megastore.

The queue was long and it was Arbeloa and Mascherano. I have never seen meself beaming so much, it was the proudest moment of my life seeing Masch and Arby 10 metres in front of me. I had a camera and obviously stuff for them to autograph. As I was in the queue I tried to take pictures of them but FFS! My camera went out of memory! Immediately I went on deleting lots of stuff, I was just thinking about making space for a picture with them.

Then it was my mum's turn to go up on stage with them and the next was me. I have never felt such adrenaline before. Supporting Liverpool from 6,281 miles isn't that easy as it is, and I certainly couldn't imagine going less than 1 metre up and then shaking hands with my idols and posing for pictures.

The moment came. It passed so fast, I shook both of their hands twice and I never wanted to let it go . It was such a out of the world experience, I was overawed by the moment. I got their autographs on my shirt, as well as a nice picture with them! My only regret from that moment was not asking for another picture, but I certainly left the stage with what I wanted!

After they left at about 3:45pm, there was a lucky draw whereby we could redeem tickets for a training session taking place later in the day at 7pm. I didn't have the tickets to this, and the lucky draw had 50 winners so I thought I would have a more than awesome chance. For the past week or so I have been searching high and low for this training pass, sending in competition entries, but all to no avail. I am not a Liverpool Singapore fan club member which made things even more difficult. The numbers counted down and the chance of me winning it slowly diminished, before going up in thin air. All tickets were given out, some people winning as much as 3 times (from 3 passes) and I couldn't believe my bad luck. I was walking towards a lift to get to the carpark with my parents to head home, but someone tapped me behind from the shoulder and guess what..

She presented me with a training pass!! She was a complete stranger from me and I was taken aback by her generousity. I had taken a look on eBay the night before and these tickets were going at $200 each, due to limited availability. I will also, never forget this moment where she gave me the pass, it was out of the blue and I didn't, in my wildest imagination thought that this would happen. Could never stopped thanking her, as well!

Quick as I could I rushed home in my mum's car, got changed and sped off in a taxi to the stadium. And it was a moment whereby I caught the lads displaying their skills on the training pitch! After it was all over I went on to the bus bay, waiting for the heroes to emerge from their buses. I couldn't do anything to get autographs whatsoever, it was near impossible but if I had stood at the right place then for sure I would have gotten Lucas' autograph as well!

Oh well the buses came out and I waved fanatically. Like never before. Am pleased to say Agger smiled back at me and did a small wave at me! That was for me! He was looking intently into me and he responded. Likes of Kuyt, Xabi also went on to wave but I can't be sure they were for me.

I also attracted Rafa's attention! He was serious as always talking on the phone (I suppose that was with Gerrard on the court case), but I shouted Rafa so loud that he turned and smiled! But that was about it though..

It was an amazing day the 24th July 2009, from start to finish I can go on and consider it the best day of my life (no matter how stupid that might sound). Matchday came on 26th July and in a flash it was all over. After that 5-0 win, they left the pitch and I never saw them in the flesh since..

They took the plane immediately after that win and headed back for Liverpool. Certainly they have left on me deep memories that I'll never forget in my life. Mind blowing, I don't have the previlege as compared to some of you living in Liverpool but I'll be going there in November, there at Anfield for a stadium visit.

Can't wait!

But wait This is the proudest moment of my life.. to date. Sorry I've posted this a couple of times on here but I just can't stop going on about this picture!

Most of my distinct early Liverpool memories were less than happy ones.

Everton taking our unbeaten run away back in the late 80s. Hillsborough a particularly vivid early memory and of course Michael Thomas and his goal.

The very earliest though was the classic 3-2 FA Cup Final win against Everton.

Im hoping Liverpool make a swing into the States this year.  I know other squads like Everton,West Ham, Chelsea, have made tours playing some of our MLS clubs. Unfortuneatly Atlanta doesn't have an MLS team yet. The have a second division squad and maybe they will play them..Hopefully.

My #1 objective now is putting some cash together and going to Anfield. None of my friends want to do it, so I said F**k it, I'll go by myself If I have to.. Its my Mecca!  I have to do it just once. To actually stand their in the stadium, with all that history and greatness. I would die a very happy man.

When I do make it their I expect at least one person on here, to buy me a pint!!!!

When I do make it their I expect at least one person on here, to buy me a pint!!!!

I am sure something can be sorted, well maybe if your buying