IT’S pretty hard to put into words what this trip to Rome has been like.
For all the concerns beforehand, all the well wishes from friends and family, you’d have to be made of wood to not let a percentage of the fear seep into your psyche.
Instead, what has greeted us in Rome has been the warmest people. Rome itself is a beautiful city, possibly the most picturesque city I’ve ever been to. But, a lot like Liverpool in a certain sense, it’s the people that inhabit it that make it such a vibrant place within it’s ancient surroundings.
The people we have come across during our time here have gone above and beyond to make sure our needs are met and have shown in no uncertain terms that the actions of a few shouldn’t tarnish the reputation of a whole city.
Being greeted by the president at Rome’s city council buildings the morning before the game, where we were presented with gifts to be passed on to the family of Sean Cox, we were shown the true value of human compassion. At the end of the day, we’re all human beings and, as I said in my first of these travel blogs, there is more that unites us than divides us.
And that leads me on to The Reds. What a gang of lads they really are. When the full-time whistle blows and a place in Kiev is confirmed, the unbridled joy between two bodies of people was too much for a running track and high fencing to keep apart.
“I’ve never felt closer to a Liverpool team in my life.” 🇮🇹
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Bear with us, we’re still in the stadium! pic.twitter.com/vnXuRCYaiv
— The Anfield Wrap (@TheAnfieldWrap) May 2, 2018
The players came over at the end to soak in the plaudits, but most importantly to revel in the joy of being a part of this football club. They eventually come to the section of the running track directly beneath the fans and bounce around to the club’s new anthem and you realise what we’re all in this for.
These are lads who get it. They get what it is to be a part of Liverpool Football Club and they deserve all the plaudits for doing as much as they can to maintain that bond between players and supporters, in a world which is increasingly driving in the opposite direction.
Amid the celebrations they held up a banner carrying the name of Sean Cox as You’ll Never Walk Alone rung out and, as much as the result over two legs is amazing and an eighth Champions League final is the stuff that dreams are made of, you realise what is important in life and that is people.
These players are good people. The manager, who came out on his own to share a personal moment with the 5,000 travelling fans, is a good person, actively promotes being a good person and surrounds himself with good people. And the people of Rome, while there will possibly always be a minority in every walk of life who lack compassion and understanding, there will always be others full of it to counteract that fact.
So here’s to The Reds and here’s to Rome. The two will always hold a special place in my heart.
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“To be back in a Champions League final when most of the last ten years we haven’t even qualified.” 👊
“It is a remarkable turnaround.” 👏
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— The Anfield Wrap (@TheAnfieldWrap) May 3, 2018
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda Photo
Why do Anfield Wrap contributors and Liverpool fans always refer to ‘Liverpool Football Club’, when Arsenal fans, Everton fans or Middlesbrough fans (or Liverpool fans referring to those clubs) don’t add ‘Football Club’ afterward their names?
It comes across as pretentious and cult-like. Especially as the fact that everyone – new fans, OOTers, scousers and wools alike all do it. Why is everyone copying some assumed idea or prescriptive code or guidelines of ‘what to say and how to act’ as Liverpool fans. Genuine Q.
Congrats on the UCL final
I don’t call it Liverpool Football Club, I personally just say Liverpool.
“Liverpool Football Club” has a more emotive ring to it though, easy to see why passionate pieces like the above would opt to use it and then why fans who read the piece would do the same.
Nothing overly cult like about it in my opinion.
Different stroke, different folks.
The answer to your Q is that it is the club’s name. Simple really.
Some people will call you Jim and others Jim Clark….does it really matter? Of course not.
First time I’ve heard anyone think its pretentious.
To Jamesie and Dave –
It’s no more the name than Middlesbrough Football Club and Everton Football Club.
But that doesn’t make sense – Neither Villa fans nor Pool fans alike never refer to Aston Villa Football Club or Chelsea Football Club
If you don’t like the term pretentious, then i will rephrase it. I think that fans / TAW use it as either a term of affection or as to try and give the club a more grand or grandiose name….similar to how Arsenal fans often refer to their club as ‘the Arsenal’, with emphasis on ‘the’.
Kenny Dalglish used the Liverpool Football Club label but did he start the trend? Folk seem quite indoctrinated by it name (or they consciously like the sound of it), but it’s not the ‘name’ any more than ‘Manchester City Football Club’ is the name. And neutral broadcasters ITV/BT/BBC/SKY say Liverpool and not Liverpool Football Club
The issue is more with you. Before reading this I had never really paid much attention to it.
It obviously annoys you and I’d suggest you accept that not everyone feels the same way.
Have a great day.
Matt,
At what point do I lead you to believe that I can’t hack it that people don’t think the same as me (paraphrasing you)? Cos I have never said this or hinted at this…you’re imagining this.
People will continue to do what (you or) I may not particularly want or agree with, in all walks of life and in many issues. That’s clearly obvious.
If you’ve never noticed it, then maybe you will now. Try being more perceptive and you’ll spot things like ‘The Arsenal’ or ‘Liverpool Football Club’ – and if you’re inquisitive you may want to know why they’ve been ubiquitously called this
I politely asked what’s the history behind it as I knew Kenny uses it but asked does it stem from Shankly or Paisley — clearly I can ‘handle’ it, just interested in football culture and history Matt..
Have a great night!
He’s just a bit of a Jim nice but dim… really….how has this got in any way relevant to this piece by Josh… he’s talking in the context of his speech…..smart arsed Muppet….. thinking your clever with political talk on how Josh talk’s about the club. WELL WRITTEN JOSH AND ANFIELD WRAP SMASHING IT SINCE IT WAS CREATED…. LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB ON THE MARCH JIMBO LAD
It’s what we are. It’s a reminder that in an era of clubs as global brands bought and sold by transnational elites, that we are, at our core, a football club. What’s more, we are a football club rooted in the city of Liverpool.
Is it not to differentiate the team from the city? In the way some would refer to city or utd. And then its about language, no doubt and the development of it. For example, why do you use the word pretentious to describe the feeling you get when you see the word liverpool football club? Is it because you are pretentious or is it simply because you have learned or been indoctrined into using this word to express and convey what you mean to other people.
You are talking utter nonsense JAMES CLARKE…..
Great write up Josh , Liverpool are mustard , and we are going to Kiev ! Well done to the TAW team for your Rome content both audio and video , I couldn’t get there but felt part of it ! Why don’t you hire a motor home and all drive their ? Use it as your base , saves on overpriced hotels and flights ! Up the reds and thanks to klopp and the team ! YNWA , thoughts to Sean Cox and his family !
We should change the last line of Allez, Allez, Allez to “and you’ll never walk alone”. It rhymes (almost) and is more relevant to the song and our story. Just tossing it out there???
Shut up you tool tony
No Tony , just no
Liverpool Football Club has been used out there for years. Maybe because we are named after a City but don’t have a ‘City’ or ‘United’ in the club name so it avoids any confusion with the City. Arsenal, Chelsea etc are areas so no confusion with London possible. Nothing pretentious, it’s just what people say and have done so for years.
Well that’s taken my mind off trying to get a ticket for Kiev for 10 mins.
Jim
I think it was emphasised by Kenny but the principle was that ‘The Club’ was bigger than anyone or anything – including Kenny – and that is why this mantra is continually repeated by followers; managers and players alike – it is also a way to reaffirm identity. Most clubs do it to some degree but thought your question reasonable