by Chris Tobin
There was a time when Liverpool Football Club supporters were known not only in England and Europe but around the globe as aficionados of the beautiful game, folk always willing to engage on the subject of football, with a total appreciation of those talented enough to step on to the hallowed Anfield turf from opposing teams, and applaud any team that produced quality enough to beat the Anfield club.
Liverpool supporters would find themselves like one big family, with the intention of clan like supremacy, granted they were amassing trophies along the way with a monotonous regularity with teams capable of producing football bestowed upon them from the footballing Gods. They would be respectful of one another and the only criteria for a place amongst this gang would be an allegiance to Liverpool Football Club.
Today however I find myself writing an article that would not represent any of the above, and a feeling that in fact the opposite would now be true of Liverpool’s support. Whether this is a minority, or a small but loud section of its support is still in the confirmation stage.
One of the new and disheartening features of those few from L4 is a misguided belief that in some way they are superior to any other Liverpool fan/supporter who resides outside the City or even the country. They have such a distorted view of their own importance in the bricks that make this great institution, and within that view they critic fans from outside of Liverpool.
These very same deluded folk will argue with other teams supporters how Liverpool is the biggest club in the world, when it suits they will welcome the millions of outsiders, with a laconic arrogance normally associated with Manchester United or Chelsea – ever forgetful that those clubs have no problem accepting supporters from around the universe.
They constantly do both themselves and other genuine supporters an injustice with such arguments, they will tell anyone interested in listening how only people from the city understand the effects of Hillsborough or the campaign against The Sun newspaper, whilst most of these deluded little minded people were not even alive in 1989, unaware that they themselves have added to the flames of the despicable chants of “Victims” aimed at Liverpool down the years – It may be harsh to say but some of these people have a dining out attitude toward the horrors of Hillsborough.
Many great and insightful Liverpool supporters remain attached to the club, and they outweigh the minority that give the club a bad name amongst its own. Many non-residents of the city have travelled the world to see Liverpool acquire five European Cups amongst other shining silverware, they were there when our own had their lives cut short at Hillsborough and in our darkest hour, when we ourselves were responsible for the deaths of 39 Juventus fans at Heysel in 1985 – Did any of those supporters worry that they did not reside in L4 as they marched around the world? No.
Along with the explosion of social media, an explosion of super fans occurred, they are intent on shouting louder, being much more belligerent, arrogant and knowledgeable allegedly. Unaware they are destroying a legacy created by their less internet savvy mothers and fathers, they sit at home behind their computer screens with minds deluded that they are at Anfield every week with their Liverpool family, they assume a position of ignorance whilst their insular existence overwhelms them. They forget that some of our greatest players and managers were not from the city – Dalglish, Shanks and Bob all non scousers, I guess they don’t matter either to the new generation of fans.
I personally still believe Liverpool do have the best supporters out there, mainly because I refuse to accept these new age scousers and their distorted opinions. I have not lived in Liverpool for over 40 years but I have more than enough memories following Liverpool to make me believe my support is warranted “I once saw the King Kenny play & Stevie Highway on the wing” I don’t just sing about it. I have also seen with my own eyes the horrors of our darkest days – I don’t need anyone’s confirmation that my support is acceptable.
You can follow me on Twitter regardless of where you live – https://twitter.com/christobinsings
as if you took the rime to right this sh*t, i hope you read these comments you are a sad excuse for a man, man can we call you that? to be a man you’re balls would have had to drop. go crawl under a rock and stay off the internet it is clearly like crack to you coz it has turned you into a fu**in mong.
Michael, in just a few lines you prove the article writers point better than he ever could.The internet has indeed allowed gobshites to air their ridiculous opinions on numerous matters most notably on the clubs own players, the derision of Lucas and Henderson being two of the most notable cases.But I take heart in the fact that it’s not just LFC that have idiot internet keyboard warrior fans, it applies to all teams and is just an unfortunate fact of modern football.
Hilarious. Did little Michael’s primary school teacher let him write on the internet again? Maybe teacher should say to Michael to put more stars in words until he learns how to spell correctly, or perhaps teacher shouldn’t let Michael write on the internet until he resolves his anger management issues.
Well said and (typos apart) well written, Chris. Spot on. What the negative comments reflect on here is precisely what the article is about – Twitter especially is littered with them (sadly) and they think they are the only voice of LFC supporters. LFC is a club with massive support around the world – the idiots who think it’s just for people who live in Liverpool need to remember that it wasn’t just Liverpudlians caught up in the sad events that Chris refers to, nor is it just Liverpudlians who regularly go to the matches. Without that support LFC would probably not be the club it was or is now. As for the first comment in this article from Michael : it just proves Chris’ point for him.
Don’t I just know what you’re saying Chris!
Been called a wool once on Twitter and been reminded that LFC is supported financially by the fans from Liverpool. Unbelievable stuff.
I’ve been an African Kopite since the 80s, as a child, numbering over 30 years of being a Red. I have little to no apology for the fact. What I do find ironic is how un-Liverpool like Shankly was (a Scot) or Paisley (from Sunderland). How about a Welshman in Rush, Scots in Souey or Hansen etc? Even our greatest, the king, is Scottish. However, let us not let facts get in the way of justifying descent.
The world has changed, even moved on. Pity how sections of fans allow walking alone, the very antithesis of what Shankly’s bastion of invincibility aimed to achieve. LFC has fanatical devotion in the Asian world. How would such fans explain such an ocurrence?
To paraphrase the writer D.H. Lawrence, sometimes there can be nothing uglier than a beautiful woman (“Sex Vs Loveliness, an essay). Ignorance sometimes proliferates in the land of facts.
Good read. Thank you. YNWA!
Brilliant article! Truthful, tactful and especially interesting since you have lived in Liverpool. I completely agree that it is just a minority as Liverpool fans are still, by far, with Ajax fans, the best in the world.
Its not Liverpool fans, it’s all fans, it’s all people, it’s society in general. Everyday I read articles on “Why are children so cheeky and hard faced”, “Why are we seeing racism in football”, “Why are people so nasty and ignorant to each other” etc etc. society is going down the pan, you only have to read the comment from Michael to see that!
I think we can all relate to the superfan attitude; we’ve got enough on Blue Moon, which is the main reason I don’t visit there too much.
Michael – sounds as though Chris touched a nerve here; I’d guess your the exact kind of person he’s talking about.
Chris- nice work. There are some vocal morons out there, but the tide would seem to be starting to turn against them. Keep it up.
That is the most rediculous article i have read many years. What a crock of sh*t are you a chelsea fan or something. For a start was you i heysel? I doubt it you dont know f*ck all. And to use hilsborough in this article has no point. People from other parts of the uk died in hilsborough people from london, midlands. I am a season ticket holder i go the game with brummys cov lads people even from manchester and yeah im a scouser dick heads like you writing tripe like this seperates fans from people like you. I guess you have had a twitter row with a scouser and now your feeling sorry for yourself writing sh*t to make you feel better and get people on your side. YAWN
“I once saw the King Kenny play & Stevie Highway on the wing” I don’t just sing about it.”
Pity you can’t spell it you blert!
Well written article with a lot of valid points but the comments will probably only reflect the short sighted internet warrior’s who can’t take criticism valid or not. My opinion probably isn’t valid to these neanderthals as I dont have a season ticket or anl lfc tatoo so cant be a real Liverpool supporter.
who are these new generation scouse superfans you speak of?
i’m a match going wool of the last 14 years and am yet to meet one
Thank you Michael for your contribution. Given the standard of your grammar, puntuation, spelling and inappropriate choice of words, I’ve been pondering the possibility that it is you rather than Christopher that should be kept well away from computer keyboards.
There was a time when Liverpool blah blah, but now blah dig, another dig looking for angry retorts, blah blah. I think that sums it up. It’s been done before, but better written and not so childishly obvious. Michael, you are practically illiterate!
Great article, spoken for the vast majority of reds. YNWA
Hi mate, grate coment, i think your right it is shite as if he took the rime to right that rubbish, hey Michael why dont you right a piece im shore it would be grate!? p.s. what sckool did you go to, the english teacher needs sacking
stevie heighway
Hahaha, spot on Chris mate.. I see you’ve “outed” a cretin, spitting bile & vomiting nonsense. I wouldn’t be concerned, he’s probably forgotten his lithium.
Don’t choke on it the next time you remember your dose, now will you, michael?
Personally I believe there’s always been an element of uneducated and over-opinionated fans (as with all clubs) difference now as you’ve highlighted is social media gives them all too easily a voice that can be heard above the majority. Also it’s seemingly a sign of the times that having reasoned debate is all to easily replaced with a quickly typed “f**k off” and other thoughtfully constructed responses.
Well I was expecting someone to come here and prove his point but I wasn’t expecting it to be the first post.
Scandalous article very very sad and so in true. I was going to say You’ve been away from Liverpool too long, but no it could never be long enough for idiots like you.
Thank you for writing this. I’m a Liverpool fan from Soth Africa and have supported the greatest club in the world for around 25 years now. I follow my club (as, I suppose, many people outside of England do) by reading as many reliable stories as I can on the Internet. I must agree that there are some supportes who live in Liverpool and say that they attend matches at Anfiled and sit in away stands in the pouring rain, who believe that people like myself have no right to post and comment about my beloved club simply becaue I have never sat in the Kop. Was absolutely shocked at the arrogance of some of the kopites telling other Liverpool fans from around the world to “jog on” because they didn’t spend every home game in the Kop lik “real” fans. I love my club, I have Liverpool jerseys dating back to who knows when. Let me be a fan – my only objective I haven’t yet achieved is to sit in the Kop ( which by the way, my 60 year old Dad has done…twice). But until I do… I love the club as much as any fan who sits in the Kop week after week. P.S. Michael your comments represent the attitude of exactly what the writer is talking about… Jog on idiot and let the real fans be…
Whilst queing at the bar at Wembley before the FA Cup final last season a young Scouser commented on my accent, I’m Welsh. ‘Great Scouse accent there mate’ obviously having a dig at me for not being a Scouser and yet having the cheek to support his team. I think this is the type of supporter this article is about, along with Michael and various other’s that have commented on this, you’ve certainly hit a nerve Chris.
Great article and you make points that have bothered me for a while. I’ve always been really proud of going around the country or in different parts of the world and meeting another ‘red’. Every car sticker, every shirt on a ‘foreign’ body always gives me a lift, to say ‘hey, you understand what it’s like’. Being a Liverpool fan is not like supporting any other club in the world. Anfield is unlike any other stadium in the world.
Players like Jan Molby, Kvarme, Bjornebye, Riise etc came to Liverpool cos they grew up supporting the club from watching us in Skandinavia take everyone apart. We should be proud of that. But things have changed, the Merseyside derby is not as pleasant an experience as it once was. Well put, mate
Oh deary me!!