Monday 5th July 2010
Sunday 4th July 2010 will go down in the history of our Club. A day when we stood as one, and spoke with one voice, to tell Tom and George that they aren't wanted, and that the supporters want in. As 5,000 fans gathered on St George's Hall Plateau, those in attendance were addressed by a variety of speakers, highlighting the problems at our football club, the need and desire for change, and how we can play a pivotal part in our club's future.
The Rally kicked off at 12 noon with Shankly's voice booming out once again across St George's Hall Plateau. For those old enough to remember the times he stood in that very place, it sent a shiver down the spine. Actor and Comedian Neil Fitzmaurice did a fantastic job holding it all together as compere for the day and deserves everyone's thanks for that.
Fran Stanton, Union Chair, spoke passionately welcoming everyone to our Independence Day, and the reasons why it was needed.
Bill Shankly's granddaughter, Karen Gill, stated that she was there to carry on her grandfather's legacy, spoke wonderfully to the crowd "about how her grandfather would have recognised this new show of red strength" and was followed by Paul Rice, SOS Vice President making it clear what the day was all about, informing the assembled crowd about why and how the credit union has come about, and how fans can stake a claim for their football club by being a part of it.
Billy Hayes, General Secretary of the Communication Workers' Union who travelled to the Rally from Berlin, addressed the crowd urging supporters to take back what was rightfully theirs - he talked of his political education as having been obtained from inside Anfield as anywhere else and backed the Spirit of Shankly for what we were trying to achieve.
John Aldridge was joined on stage by fellow legend Howard Gayle and talked about the work being done by Share Liverpool and the Union and the way in which the owners were "suffocating" the Club and that they had to go.
Comedian John Bishop, provided some humour but unequivocal support for the campaign and is not to be missed when the video of the event goes out on the Union's website.
The final speeches of the day came from Steve Rotheram MP (who had travelled especially from London for the event) and James McKenna from Spirit Of Shankly. Steve reminded everyone about the need for us to make sure it is about our future, and that we would need to fight ourselves for what we believed in and not rely on the government supporting us, which he said wouldn't be forthcoming. James McKenna spoke passionately for all members of the Union in reminding everyone about why the Union had been formed, where it started from and urged everyone to play a part in taking our club back.
The speeches were mixed with excellent musical performances from John O'Connell and Ian McNabb. Terry O'Shea played his recently penned protest song "Sons of Anfield" and long time Union supporter John Power, another who had travelled to London and back in the day to appear, was excellent as ever playing some of his best as the crowd sang along.
Pete Wylie gave a new version of "Come Back" with suitably altered lyrics and the afternoon culminated in a brilliant rendition of Fields Of Anfield Road from John Power and the Union' own Peter Hooton and then all the performers getting on stage for a powerful rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone and the final haunting strains of "Shankly, Shankly" echoing once again around Lime Street.
The importance of yesterday cannot be stressed enough. It is the start of our aim to take a share of our Club back through the Spirit of Shankly Credit Union and more information will be released in the coming weeks.
Please click here
http://www.spiritofshankly.com/documents/sos_credit_union.pdf to view the leaflet that was handed out at the Rally.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the day, to our members and the non-members who attended and those who couldn't but were there in spirit. The Spirit of Shankly.
P.S. They got the URL wrong in the email. Probably all still pissed.
