What an amazing weekend. Just got back from Liverpool a couple of hours back. I'm emotionally and physically drained but serene at the same time.
Me, my brother and sister got together for the final, the first Liverpool final we'd watched together since Istanbul in 2005. We didn't really know where we were going to watch it but in the end we found ourselves amongst the pack outside McCooley's on Temple/Mathew Street. I cannot tell you how nerve wracking this whole match was. The whole match was like an exorcism of all our near misses in recent years. I thought I was going to be sick with nerves when Spurs put on that spell of intense pressure towards the end of the second half. Seriously, I looked up the end of the street and I wanted to get out of there fast. It was sheer torture. So when Origi scored the second it was the best release I've ever had as a Liverpool supporter. I don't think anyone stopped screaming for about 10 minutes - it was unbelievable. I think by the end of it all I must have had numerous pints soaked into my clothes and hair!
And to top it all of, there was the parade. Oh my god - how much I would pay to relive those hours over and over again. We took to the Strand at about 3 o clock when there was already thousands lining the street. Found a nice spot just opposite the Travelodge, a few hundred yards up from the Liver building. The atmosphere was utterly joyous. A football was being kicked from one side of the street to the other (the height they could get on that f**ker was unreal at times), pantomime boos for a couple of stewards who weren't playing ball...until they threw it back into the crowd, a rogue had found himself high up on the biggest f**k off crane in the city, a Mo Salah lookalike was entertaining the masses slap bang in the middle of the road, hundreds had found themselves up on the building site and were setting off the fire extinguishers - and that was hours before the bus came down the Strand!
Around 7 o clock we saw the helicopter hovering somewhere over in the direction towards Leeds Street and everyone knew they were close as they turned onto the strand. The scene when they were coming down and all those smoke flares smudging the air and the fireworks going off was awesome. A homecoming entirely befitting of this whole club and the city but certainly no surprise - this is Liverpool after all!
You'd be forgiven for thinking that after being on the bus for near 4 hours and with all of them having barely had any sleep, the team would look worse for wear and sluggish. Not a bit. Robbo and Jimmy were banging the front of the bus, Chambo was pumping his fists and leading the chants. Bobby was swinging the cup over the opposite side of the bus. They're all legends now but they look so normal with it - not a hint of arrogance about this team. Up close they're just a normal bunch of lads who have worked their socks off to be the best they can be inspired and led by the special spirit that is Jürgen. When he signed for us back in 2015, I remember him saying something along the lines that when he first signed for us that his job was to let us forget about everything going on in their lives for a couple of hours a week. He has done so much more than that! He has changed all our lives for the better - to bring joy to millions is the most special gift anyone could have. Jürgen has it in spades.
Strangely though, the tears didn't come on Saturday or Sunday (too much of a bubble) but they arrived this morning...quite a delayed reaction but after getting up and having a shower, upon reflection of the whole weekend and all the sights and sounds we took in the tears released themselves. I can't remember the last time I cried genuine tears of happiness. Thank you to everyone that makes Liverpool FC and the city of Liverpool what it is, you gave me one of, if not, the greatest weekend of my life.
« Last Edit: Jun 04, 2019 07:54:12 am by Frankly, Mr Shankly »
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