Topic: Our fantastic away support

[Maggie May]

No but back then we had this thing called belief. 

We we're better than birmingham but had a wobble they equalised last minute pen, worse in extra time, penalties, no problem
Arsenal, worse but had faith, top class paddy pass - inevitable.
United league cup, bossed them, soaked up pressure, hit them with the suker punch.
Bossed them in the charity shield.
Battered chelsea in the charity shield.
Lost to chelsea league cup but had faith we'd do em next time - we did.
Losing 2nil to west ham but had faith even when 3-2 down with a minute to go - penalties - inevitable.

Since then a downward spiral and dwindling faith/belief, wembley just absorbs that. 

You have just reminded me again of how much I really, really, utterly love you. 

[Arthurs Bar]

dont need to be local lads, just people who are there for the right intentions that you don't get when you charge through the fucking nose

You need the local lads.
What the club was vastly built on and they are leaving by the hundreds every season. Talking die hard reds for 20 + years that don't take their lads. That bit is sad to me. They have become fed up with the ticket prices as you mentioned, lack of Anfield "education" that sit amongst them and the bull**** from the club. Its sky at home or mates in the pub now and its a better laugh.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

Need to nail the bastards who tout to the tourists, name, shame and ban.

100% agree but it's bloody difficult and will end up with people passing on the tickets genuinely getting screwed

[Lush is the best medicine...]

You need the local lads.
What the club was vastly built on and they are leaving by the hundreds every season. Talking die hard reds for 20 + years that don't take their lads. That bit is sad to me. They have become fed up with the ticket prices as you mentioned, lack of Anfield "education" that sit amongst them and the bull**** from the club. Its sky at home or mates in the pub now and its a better laugh.

more a comment about the whole 'get the ground full of locals and the atmosphere will always be boss' logic which is bollocks really, have seen plenty of embarrassing soccer am shite from scousers and other scousers more arsed about Gerard's arse when he's taking a corner so they get a boss Facebook photie than actually generating an atmosphere

[RedJim]

Was in 110 and there were a couple of groups of lads trying to get songs going from start to finish so fair play to those. I joined in along with a few others dotted around in the same area but majority didn't open their mouths. I was sandwiched in between two couples who couldn't be arsed singing until Coutinho scored and then nothing after. Plenty left their seats at 40 mins and didn't return until after we were 2-1 down 

Seriously if you're not going to get behind the team why bother trekking down all that way. Everything about today's just pissed me off bar a good hour or so in one of the pubs - too many supporting us who just don't get it/can't be arsed. And that's Scousers and non-Scousers alike. I don't know if it was any better in other blocks but it didn't sound like it.

It seems like a lot of people hear the word Wembley and just go to be entertained. They need to put the effort in themselves to make it a special occasion like it should be.

[Arthurs Bar]

more a comment about the whole 'get the ground full of locals and the atmosphere will always be boss' logic which is bollocks really, have seen plenty of embarrassing soccer am shite from scousers and other scousers more arsed about Gerard's arse when he's taking a corner so they get a boss Facebook photie than actually generating an atmosphere

Actually it wasn't and why go there. Slight disagreement and your ready to have a go. Fucking hell.
The point was LFC  was for a very large part built on the support from the locals. Songs culture etc. and we loved it. Many other English people got on board then internationals but their support was influenced by what the locals brought. Now many locals are turning their back, not taking the next generation and all the great things about going the match are beginning to disappear. I was on the kop a couple of months ago, it was depressing.

[livesound]

Absolute shite. Been saying for years Cardiff puts Wembley to shame and today just goes to show. Modern football grounds like that are shit. trying to market the experience of it all. Get to fuck.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

Actually it wasn't and why go there. Slight disagreement and your ready to have a go. Fucking hell.
The point was LFC  was for a very large part built on the support from the locals. Songs culture etc. and we loved it. Many other English people got on board then internationals but their support was influenced by what the locals brought. Now many locals are turning their back, not taking the next generation and all the great things about going the match are beginning to disappear. I was on the kop a couple of months ago, it was depressing.

i actually agree pretty much but didn't want the local v ooter debate, anyway as for the atmosphere pretty much went to shit consistently since 2009 or so, then again ticket prices went from Ł37 to Ł59 in the between May 2010 and August 2014 at the top end for a cat A game which explains the atmosphere for the man united game

Thing with the local culture and that, think that's got far more to do with the culture of the 60s/70s, now it's a lot more homogeneous around the country and sadly Liverpool also is pretty similar to everywhere else really

[Maggie May]

Absolute shite. Been saying for years Cardiff puts Wembley to shame and today just goes to show. Modern football grounds like that are shit. trying to market the experience of it all. Get to fuck.

Totally spot on.  Well said.  There was a welcome and warmth about Cardiff.  Wembly is cold and vile is now and always has been a horrible place. 

[Arthurs Bar]

i actually agree pretty much but didn't want the local v ooter debate, anyway as for the atmosphere pretty much went to shit consistently since 2009 or so, then again ticket prices went from Ł37 to Ł59 in the between May 2010 and August 2014 at the top end for a cat A game which explains the atmosphere for the man united game

Thing with the local culture and that, think that's got far more to do with the culture of the 60s/70s, now it's a lot more homogeneous around the country and sadly Liverpool also is pretty similar to everywhere else really

In agreement then mate. But have to say the 80's was a good time to be at Anfield as well and those Wembley trips were decent !!!! 

[Liamski-la]

Would love to know how that sold out.

Empty seats fucking everywhere.

The villa fans just made more effort all day. On the trains, in and around town, in the stadium and got what they deserved so well done to them.

As for us. I get more embarrassed about what we've become every game that goes by.

It's something I possibly hate a little bit more than I love at the moment.

And then to top it off, you've got knobheads on here criticising how the atmosphere sounded on the TV when there was hundreds of seats sat empty.

[Redman0151]

I see people who never go the game commenting on those who do as usual. 

Was weak today, which sums up the entire club. I was in a social club before the game, and the general feeling was that we were going to get beat, lo and behold we got beat. Expectations have been lowered by the manager and owners so much that people expect what happened today

[Dhlfc92]

Embarrassing are support today .. Vocally that is. Villa much louder throughout the game, it's a shame as the atmosphere in the torch was quality before the game aswell.

[CHOPPER]

                                      Wank

[Wallingtonian]

You need the local lads.
What the club was vastly built on and they are leaving by the hundreds every season. Talking die hard reds for 20 + years that don't take their lads. That bit is sad to me. They have become fed up with the ticket prices as you mentioned, lack of Anfield "education" that sit amongst them and the bull**** from the club. Its sky at home or mates in the pub now and its a better laugh.

Liverpool haven't had a majority of local lads as supporters since about 1970 based on my own observation of watching us and going to away games for 50 years. So that's 45 years where people from other parts of the UK and abroad have formed the majority of our fanbase.

We used to get to places like Ipswich on the first football special of the day around 1970-71 to find that there were thousands of local Liverpool fans behind the goal already. So I doubt the local lads element of our support will ever again be a significant factor.

I personally don't get this idea that people aren't really proper supporters if they don't sing, aren't local and want to take the odd photo on their phones, or do stuff on Facebook (I personally don't go near social media sites, but that's just me) while at the match. We're all different and have different ways of showing our support and enjoying the match-day experience, so it's not a subject I get too worried about

[Carllfc]

Not sure which block it was but I saw a small group of fans trying to stand but I saw a guy behind them who kept telling them to sit down. Unreal how these people want to sit down at a game like this.

[hoppyLFC]

Easy for 30.00 Villa fans to sound loud singing that complicated song....Villa,villa,villa,villa    easy for every supporter no matter what their age to belt out, how many of our lot know the words to FOAR?   Loads of the kids there yesterday wouldn't have coz they probably hardly ever go the match, might have only been to the 2 homes to qualify, not knocking them BTW it's not through fault of their own....down to the cost.

[Sooty89!!!]

dont need to be local lads, just people who are there for the right intentions that you don't get when you charge through the fucking nose

They DO need to be local lads as Liverpool is in grave danger of losing its identity! Scouse identity! Half the problem is the majority of oots have no idea about the citys identity and culture which ultimatley LFC represents and was built on! Our support in years gone by was working class now its predominantly middle class!

[Lad]

Liverpool haven't had a majority of local lads as supporters since about 1970 based on my own observation of watching us and going to away games for 50 years. So that's 45 years where people from other parts of the UK and abroad have formed the majority of our fanbase.

We used to get to places like Ipswich on the first football special of the day around 1970-71 to find that there were thousands of local Liverpool fans behind the goal already. So I doubt the local lads element of our support will ever again be a significant factor.

I personally don't get this idea that people aren't really proper supporters if they don't sing, aren't local and want to take the odd photo on their phones, or do stuff on Facebook (I personally don't go near social media sites, but that's just me) while at the match. We're all different and have different ways of showing our support and enjoying the match-day experience, so it's not a subject I get too worried about

Come off it mate I started going away every week in the mid seventies and it was about ninety five per cent Scouse. Yeah you would get some locals down south Ipswich, cockneys and the like,  but thousands of them, no way. 50 years my arse.

[Pendzo]

Easy for 30.00 Villa fans to sound loud singing that complicated song....Villa,villa,villa,villa    easy for every supporter no matter what their age to belt out, how many of our lot know the words to FOAR?   Loads of the kids there yesterday wouldn't have coz they probably hardly ever go the match, might have only been to the 2 homes to qualify, not knocking them BTW it's not through fault of their own....down to the cost.

I agree to an extent and i'm not saying every single supporter in our end would know the words to FOAR. But FOAR after we scored showed that enough of us did to generate some sort of decent atmosphere. Also even some of the Liverpool Liverpool songs hardly took off. Disheartening stuff.

Yes we have harder songs but that's what's supposedly sets us apart from everyone else. The underlying theme here is that we go the extra mile, because we're meant to be better. Whether that's learning the words or showing up and singing them to get behind the team.

[wewonit5timesinistanbul]

Shocking performance in the stands yesterday. Chow can 32000 kopites make f all noise. The atmosphere all season has been crap home and away but yesterday was a massive surprise. Only way the crowd get going if the team are playing well. Modern football is getting worse by the season and it won't be long until the singer's give up. Know a lot of regulars with us are nearly at the end of going the match. Hull is a fantastic time to start something big in getting prices reduced even if it's only for away supporters. But unfortunately too many think boycotting hull won't make a difference. For me it's now or never or we will loose everything that we love about following Liverpool

[Sooty89!!!]

Liverpool haven't had a majority of local lads as supporters since about 1970 based on my own observation of watching us and going to away games for 50 years. So that's 45 years where people from other parts of the UK and abroad have formed the majority of our fanbase.

We used to get to places like Ipswich on the first football special of the day around 1970-71 to find that there were thousands of local Liverpool fans behind the goal already. So I doubt the local lads element of our support will ever again be a significant factor.

I personally don't get this idea that people aren't really proper supporters if they don't sing, aren't local and want to take the odd photo on their phones, or do stuff on Facebook (I personally don't go near social media sites, but that's just me) while at the match. We're all different and have different ways of showing our support and enjoying the match-day experience, so it's not a subject I get too worried about

Is this a wind up?

[Haemoglobin]

Easy for 30.00 Villa fans to sound loud singing that complicated song....Villa,villa,villa,villa    easy for every supporter no matter what their age to belt out, how many of our lot know the words to FOAR?   Loads of the kids there yesterday wouldn't have coz they probably hardly ever go the match, might have only been to the 2 homes to qualify, not knocking them BTW it's not through fault of their own....down to the cost.

In that case, I don't understand why they all don't look to learn the main few songs that are so steeped in tradition. YNWA and FOAR for starters get sung at every game, regardless of the era or the  general class of player we have representing us out there. These are the eternal shanties, along with Poor Scouser Tommy and the like, that we'd still be belting out each game if we were mired in the 7th tier of the footy pyramid or something (probably with far more passion and meaning).

Okay, it's a bit different if you're not from the region and don't have any family member or whoever who will take pleasure in teaching you this sort of stuff when you first begin to show an interest, as a kid or whenever. But even if you're completely on your own trying to find out these things, it's easier than ever these days to do.

For 'day-trippers', it's the equivalent of going on holiday abroad without having a clue about the regional customs and being completely unable and unwilling to order a drink or ask ask for directions in the local lingo. This is basic stuff, common courtesy even. I feel embarrassed at not knowing such elementary things when I'm overseas, so I do my best to prepare long before I embark.
The amount of ex-regulars jibbing it, ex-year-on-year ST holders at that - which I've never been - looks a real cause for concern now.

[Solomon Grundy]

Villa fans, like their team where desperate to win yesterday. And it showed both on and off the pitch.

Us, well...Both the fans and the players seemed to turn up thinking that's all we had to do.

Got everything we deserved yesterday. NOTHING!

[Haemoglobin]

By the way, off-topic in this thread I know, but what if we can't break down Palace in Ste's last Anfield league match, or are getting beat, and they're all taking the absolute piss while we mainly sit in numbed silence in our droopy jester hats, stunned at the very idea that we'd have a battle on our hands both on the pitch and in the stands? I can picture it now. Great times, what a send-off, what a golden memory. 

[Fromola]

No but back then we had this thing called belief. 

We we're better than birmingham but had a wobble they equalised last minute pen, worse in extra time, penalties, no problem
Arsenal, worse but had faith, top class paddy pass - inevitable.
United league cup, bossed them, soaked up pressure, hit them with the suker punch.
Bossed them in the charity shield.
Battered chelsea in the charity shield.
Lost to chelsea league cup but had faith we'd do em next time - we did.
Losing 2nil to west ham but had faith even when 3-2 down with a minute to go - penalties - inevitable.

Since then a downward spiral and dwindling faith/belief, wembley just absorbs that.

There's a fatalism about us now that we'll lose every big game. It's there in the dugout, the stands and the pitch.

We've become losers. I guess the longer it carries on the more the JCL fans might desert us for Chelsea or someone because people don't support Liverpool anymore for the glory that's for sure.

[Rococo]

I was in 523 and it felt a lot like being in the 300s on the kop - stood up throughout and a good few trying to get songs going. Unfortunately felt like a minority though

On another note, Wembley is awful. Feels like a train station on the concourse, no feeling of being anywhere historic or 'special', awful music that was way too loud drowning out any singing pre match and a stadium announcer who sounded like he had learnt his trade by watching robot wars, too gear and American wrestling. Modern football epitomised, I'm afraid!

[BHB]

Sadly, we must attract the biggest percentage of weirdos and nerds of any other club in the country.

Our support is finished.

There's still a hardcore there of mainly local lads, and the long standing lads from all over as well, but in crowds like yesterday when everyone is spilt up, we are just diluted amongst the shear volume of divvies and weirdos.

I was on row 35 of 503 yesterday (upper tier), and the split was obvious. Along my row and behind everyone stood and at least tried to have a go. On the 34 rows in front of us, everyone of them sat down on kick off and never made a sound all game, apart from after the goal. It was just a mix of all kinds (men, women, OAPs) all decked out in the replica clobber. It wasn't a Liverpool support. They had no interested whatsoever in supporting.

The only time we have anything about us anymore is at the odd away game, when the allocation is smaller and everyone bothers their arse to go. Otherwise, it's finished.

Anfield is a joke, the majority of the aways are going the same way, and even the European aways are filling up with these new weirdos.

Our support is dying. Fast.

[Solomon Grundy]

By the way, off-topic in this thread I know, but what if we can't break down Palace in Ste's last Anfield league match, or are getting beat, and they're all taking the absolute piss while we mainly sit in numbed silence in our droopy jester hats, stunned at the very idea that we'd have a battle on our hands both on the pitch and in the stands? I can picture it now. Great times, what a send-off, what a golden memory. 

Horrible thought that. It's something you could see happen though, because everything about Stevies final couple of seasons with us have been such an anti-climax.

His slip in the Chelsea game
His performances in his last season in the CL
His last game against Everton
His last game against Man Utd
His last game at Wembley for us.

They have all been massive disappointments for both him and us.

I really hope we can break that trend and give him a fantastic send off against Palace.

[Jinxsy]

The amount of ex-regulars jibbing it, ex-year-on-year ST holders at that - which I've never been - looks a real cause for concern now.

I think this is more important than the result yesterday to be honest.
I've been to games where we've lost but still had a great day out with mates - come home hoarse and smiling about everything other than the result.
But when the ticket prices are ridiculous and the atmosphere is shite and supporters disjointed, then it's get's to the point where you have to say, fuck it. Enough is enough.
Yeah, last season's run was phenomenal - but we knew we were genuinely watching something astonishing in Suarez. I don't believe our success last year was down to one man alone - but I do know that I couldn't take my eyes off the mad little bastard. Our mad little bastard.
Who's there now to do the same?
We all love Phil, but he's not Luis.

Atmosphere at Anfield is dead except for 'the big games' - but then the team don't get going.
Smaller games atmosphere is pathetic and our reputation is just that - just a shadow of former glories.
Aways and European games are the only places where the support has been consistently brilliant. Until this past year IMO.
Money talks and so do the fans it brings in.

All round the fields of Anfield Road,
Where once you could turn up and pay on the gate (and afford to pay)
They've got merchandise to sell
It's all tat but what the hell
Pay your money, sit down be quiet, now fuck off home


Tough times.

[Haemoglobin]

Horrible thought that. It's something you could see happen though, because everything about Stevies final couple of seasons with us have been such an anti-climax.

His slip in the Chelsea game
His performances in his last season in the CL
His last game against Everton
His last game against Man Utd
His last game at Wembley for us.

They have all been massive disappointments for both him and us.

I really hope we can break that trend and give him a fantastic send off against Palace.

Gypsy curse, gotta be. I've been joking about it since the end of last season, but now I'm wondering. I mean, it's hardly like he's fallen on hard times, but what a downer of a career swansong for the best footballer the city of Liverpool, never mind LFC, has ever produced.

Waiting for Alan to come in and give me a slap now; "pull yourself together, man!" 

[Grobbelrevell]

Embarrassing are support today .. Vocally that is. Villa much louder throughout the game, it's a shame as the atmosphere in the torch was quality before the game aswell.

Yeah it was. The Globe was bouncing as well. All in all I had a great time in the pubs. And then I got to Wembley and pretty much the first thing that anyone around me said was; "Can you sit down please, mate". No-one had told us to sit either. There was no jobsworth steward threatening to eject people as is often the case, people had just decided themselves. That just set the tone for the whole match, really. No passion. No belief. No defiance. Just sit there quietly and politely, and then get off. An audience, rather than a crowd. There were a hand full of people turning around and trying to gee the crowd up, in fairness, and hats off to them because they were fighting an impossible battle. Piss poor as a whole. I was genuinely shocked how quiet our end was, and yet, I shouldn't be after seeing it at Anfield every other week. There's no excuses about it not being an occasion either. This was our biggest (remaining) game of the season - a semi-final - and as a club, we weren't up for it. Simple as that. Credit to Villa though, they deserved it. Better than us, on and off the field.

[OOS]

Horrible thought that. It's something you could see happen though, because everything about Stevies final couple of seasons with us have been such an anti-climax.

His slip in the Chelsea game
His performances in his last season in the CL
His last game against Everton
His last game against Man Utd
His last game at Wembley for us.

They have all been massive disappointments for both him and us.

I really hope we can break that trend and give him a fantastic send off against Palace.

Assists for Suarez knocking England out of the World Cup.

When it rains, it fucking pours.

[darcy171]

Of course the game killed a lot of supporters enthusiasm, but we should be above that and trying to drive the team on.

The Torch beforehand was brilliant. Great atmosphere and plenty of smoke bombs, footballs flying around. Loved it!

In the stadium was nowhere near as fun. I was in 510, stood up throughout which was decent. Quite a few fans around me were trying to keep the songs going but not to much avail.

The incredibly racist t**t sat a few rows behind me didn't help though and seemed to put a downer on the atmosphere too.

[Solomon Grundy]

The incredibly racist t**t sat a few rows behind me didn't help though and seemed to put a downer on the atmosphere too.

What? I hope you reported him mate.

[butchersdog]

Gypsy curse, gotta be. I've been joking about it since the end of last season, but now I'm wondering. I mean, it's hardly like he's fallen on hard times, but what a downer of a career swansong for the best footballer the city of Liverpool, never mind LFC, has ever produced.

Waiting for Alan to come in and give me a slap now; "pull yourself together, man!" 

I was only thinking about the gypsy curse thing the other day, I can't quite remember what the story is/was though. You be able to refresh my memory mate?

[RainbowFlick]

I genuinely don't understand how the atmosphere can go from being excellent outside, to downright sh*te inside.

And it wasn't even as wool-y or tourist-y as expected, regardless of all those pictures servicing on Twitter. Stop blaming the local vs non-local debate, both have their parts to play.

Didn't help when there were a couple that decided to have fights about 10 minutes in to the game in my block, if you can't handle your drink...don't drink.

[Solomon Grundy]

I was only thinking about the gypsy curse thing the other day, I can't quite remember what the story is/was though. You be able to refresh my memory mate?

Wasn't that supposed to of been lifted?

Anyway I don't buy this we're cursed stuff really. No curse has forced us to buy some of the utter dross we've signed over the past 20 odd years. That's not a curse, that's just decision making/management.

[Haemoglobin]

I was only thinking about the gypsy curse thing the other day, I can't quite remember what the story is/was though. You be able to refresh my memory mate?

It was some silly stuff or other involving a dark mystical ritual done on the pitch, or something. Completely made up by some colourful pub character, I'd bet. I've been taking the piss about it, but I'm just astonished beyond all rationality at how Gerrard's Liverpool (& England captain) days are coming to a close.

[Thomas]

Meeting up with the usual lads off here and singing on the Tube and The Torch were brilliant as always. My voice is completely shot today. Shame that the pre game enthusiasm doesn't follow through into the match. having had time to sulk it was a great day out never the less.