#GERRARD8: A View from the Opposition

Posted by Rhi on May 11, 2015, 12:58:59 pm

As #GERRARD8 continues, we thought it might be nice to get the views of some of our resident opposition fans. A huge thanks to West Ham Paul, JohnnoWhite and RossoBianchi for their thoughts on our captain. The rivalries between the clubs run deep, but sometimes we all have to stand back and admire what certain players have offered to the game.

I enjoyed reading their thoughts immensely, so I hope the rest of RAWK does too.

Steven Gerrard Broke My Heart 

13th May 2006 the 125th FA Cup Final is just about to enter injury time , I hear the tannoy say there will be four minutes of injury time to play . About 30 seconds before that moment I'd let the thought enter my head " we're going to win the FA cup " , a lifetimes dream supporting West Ham since 1981 & never having seen us win a major trophy ( Although the Intertoto Cup in 1999 was pretty special  ). Despite leading 3-2 I'd learnt enough over the years supporting West Ham not to count your chickens . So the ball drops out to Steven Gerrard 32 yards out in that split second I know it's got to be something special to score from there & no disrespect but couldn't it have  dropped to a Steve Finnan or Jamie Carragher.

Well it dropped to Steven Gerrard as we all know & yes it was something special very special and in that moment I knew my dream was over I knew we wouldn't win now despite playing brilliantly it was a sickening blow . It took a week to cheer up after that final & I've avoided watching THAT goal ever since .

As for the scorer well when I look back I'm glad that it was Steven Gerrard that scored the goal as I know that the goal that broke my heart was scored by a loyal, committed  Liverpudlian who loved his club & his city. So I know it was scored by a footballer I can admire who played for the team he loved & it wasn't scored by a mercenary or a nobody .  Someone who didn't chase the money or glory. It's like I can gain satisfaction & closure from knowing that , & Steven Gerrard would have got as much pleasure & joy in his heart scoring that goal as I would have if if scored it for West Ham

So he didn't win a premier league winners medal , so what !!, Michael Owen has one & look where that got him disliked by all he played for . Surely any player wants a club they can call home & have some sort of cult, icon or legend status once their career is over . Many great players down the years didn't win premier or (old) First Division winners medal .

Gerrard was a great player who carried a club through great successes & difficult times playing fantastic football & scoring many memorable goals . I'll remember him for being a great servant to the club he loved . He may have been the focal point for opposition supporters when it came to banter or abuse but every fan of every club would want a Steven Gerrard in their team .

He also played an important role for England throughout his career & I think the goal against Germany in the 5-1 win is what I'll best remember.

It's worth pointing out as well that after the 2006 cup final he had some nice comments to make about West Ham fans that day .

He's also shown great dignity with the Hillsborough campaign & knows personal loss so I'll finish by wishing him luck at LA Galaxy  & Justice for the 96 YNWA

So then what to say about England's number 4? I better start with telling you I always hated the sight of him. He was a real pain in the arse and hail, rain or shine, you could bank on him having a blinder.

I sit back now and dispassionately analyse why that had to be the way that it was and it's simple really isn't it? It's because OUR game fired him up more than any other. And why wouldn't it? 38 titles between the undisputed top dogs of English football. It can't get any better than that.

Our game always mattered to the Liverpool FAN that he clearly was (Liverpool born, Liverpool nurtured and grown, one-club lad) - probably his lifetime's ambition was realised the minute he first pulled on the shirt and became officially a Liverpool professional employee. Imagine it if you can, getting paid to wear the shirt you loved - fucking magic eh!!

The rivalry between our two clubs is for me almost a thing of beauty (now I'm an auld arse like . )
I can appreciate the build-up to our game and even enjoy the entertainment spectacle that it most often was - even when the tide flowed in LFC's favour, which I can admit it occasionally did .  .  . Whenever THAT happened, HE would be in the thick of it - the bleedin' nuisance.

How can I dislike the bloke really given his credentials? Working class lad, talented, his lifetime ambition realised with his home town club (in his case the RIGHT one of the two clubs! he had options to join)
It's a Roy of the Rovers story come to life! And FFS don't anyone fuckin' start asking "Who's Roy of the Rovers!"

My only regret is that he was born and grew up 38 miles away at the other end of the East Lancs - and as a result , ended up wearing the WRONG red shirt!!

27 years can't pass unmarked - I KNOW it won't be. I feel for the fella on his final home appearance. Not done the research to add up how many appearances / games that totals but his heart will be bursting with so many aspects of emotion.

For sure that emotion will drive the engine-room for one glorious final competitive time and you just know he'll shine. I really hope he does it just this one last time at Anfield.

Tarra Stevie G - as you make your  final bow you will be very much missed - and not just by the fans of the club you adored lad.

I don't like Steven Gerrard. I associate his greatest triumph with our footballing nadir. A decade ago represented the blackest of dark days in my lifetime supporting United; a leveraged buy-out of our club, getting blown away on the pitch by lottery-winning Chelsea, smash-and-grabbed by Arsenal in the Cup Final and the coup de grace - Istanb... puke. May 2005 was a heart-wrenching month.

But the biggest tribute I can pay to him is that, in his pomp, he was one of few opponents that I would describe as 'scary'. I was genuinely fearful when the ball dropped to him anywhere near our box... shit-scared when he had a free-kick within 30 yards... nervous when he had the ball in the centre-circle about to drive it 50 yards to the flank... and generally pretty fucking anxious whenever he was on the pitch as he had the ability to change a game in an instant. The crying shame for all Liverpool fans is that, throughout his career, he needed more of these types of players around him to reduce the weight on his shoulders.

View Comments | Post Comment