This question kinda hits me in a sore spot. I have to admit after a few things went wrong I did walk away.
I met a few good people through supporting Liverpool, some of those I'm still in touch with - I'm sure I have one of the first posts on this website and that's thanks to the guys that were mods on LFC.net - Ben Bob Rushian and prob even Jeff.
After Granada got involved and introduced a new chatroom on LFC.tv with paid mods the guys I mentioned above got together and created this place.
This place is a place i used to post alot on, it felt like family - there are many things i remember about this place forming. The original ugly thread the red and green colours, but most of all the people I used to drink with pre euro match in town (not all of em had a liverpool postcode and the most important ones I'm still in touch with today). The people i used to drink with pre match in the Albert, the people i used to drink with post match in the Albert and then in town. The kids Ive now seen grow from being kids to adults (fuck me I'm not that old - I mean people like kez who was 15 (I'm sure she will remind me if I'm wrong cos it could have been 14 or 16), the people i first met in the Albert. People that still recognise me today - I still have people comin upto me and sayin ur banana arent you and thankfully before i have time to say yes who the fuck are you they've already introduced themselves, and you know what - I remember their names - i may not remember their face but i do remember their names and i am grateful they remember me. Oh and i extend my gratitude to roger who got me a ticket short notice in April 2004 a few months after my son had been born just down to the fact i was banana.
Anyway the reason I walked away cos after the 2005 final I couldn't get a ticket for Anfield in the qualifying round for the CL. I just thought well fuck it! so i disappeared for a bit After being at the semi final when Louis scored that goal it was fuckin disheartening, specially when you'd been in a queue all day to try and get one. Its funny really after such a high it couldn't get any lower.
I know someone extremely like me an also a Murphy who gave up his season ticket cos he didn't get a ticket for the final in Madrid after followin them all round Europe (my dad) - i still give him grief now cos i woulda had his ticket while he fucked off to golf - he still gets his pics and stubs out to remember the days when he got to the finals and i can see the glint in his eyes wot says he does miss it. In all honesty he would have kept it had he knew that it would turn out that I love the reds so much.
Anyway my ramblings are over what I'm tryin to say is this, you can try your hardest to walk away from the club cos of personal reasons. You can decide enough is enough. But it never really goes away. If i end up at the ground early, after gettin there early, when where I really wanna go is the Albert. I still get those goosebumps i did almost 7 years ago when i used to meet the above. I had the same goose bumps when i stood in the kop for the one and only time. I get the same goose bumps when I see anfield form afar.
My dad always said the only reason he went back to Anfield was cos i begged him to take me, but i dont believe it because before that i could see the pain in his eyes, i can still see it now when he knocks back a ticket i want him to have.
I feel the answer to the question is this. IF you're born into a red family then there is no hope for you. IF you suddenly decide liverpool is the team for you then you cant get outta that decision. I was born with red blood i tried to give it up, but no matter how hard you try you just cant! Specially if you've been to anfield. They will always have a special place in your heart, its just summit you cant get rid of - like havin red blood.
In all honesty i think its a bit like a boomerang - no matter how hard you run, no matter how hard you try and run, you always end up in the place you feel safe. For me that is Anfield and I cant wait till my son is old enough to go, I just hope his first sight of our glorious stadium (whether it be the real anfield or that on stanley park) isnt as sombre as my first sighting of it (being 8 yrs old and going to pay tribute to those fans that went to a football match and never came back - RIP JFT96).
What I was trying to say was this..... No matter how hard you try and walk away you cant help yourself. The results are everywhere you dont wann watch it or hear about it but its always there due to the globalisation of the premiership. SO you find yourself back there - poppin back to were you used to have pre match bev in the hope its still how you remember it, sayin you just want a drink an your gettin off - then 5 drinks later your still there sayin just one more. Sain youve finally got a ticket but you dont want another one for the rest of the season till youre offered 1 and you jump at the chance.
No matter how many times you try and walk away or try and say fuck it its always there like a grey cloud or a silver lining.
