I’m a Liverpool fan. Yes, Liverpool, but please hold all jokes till the end. When people learn of my love for Liverpool, it usually prompts a disconcerting bout of laughter, followed by the inevitable ‘why?’ Many find my love for Liverpool unusual, because I’m a Londoner. Despite the frequency with which this question occurs, I find myself struggling to answer it. In the end I put it down to an “incomprehensible attraction”. I could have supported other clubs, clubs which have gone on to achieve a lot more. However I have found that Liverpool is the club for me.
Moreover, I found that the adversity Liverpool has faced in recent years has only strengthened my support for the reds. That is because part of being a football fan is experiencing the lows that the every club eventually has, as it makes the highs that much greater.
In fact the experience of being a football supporter can be compiled into a single match. In my case it was Istanbul 2005; Liverpool vs. AC Milan. Back then I never considered myself to be a serious football fan. However I struggled to hold back the tears after Liverpool found themselves 3-0 down at half time. After sulking in the garden for 15 minutes, I retread to my bedroom to watch the second half game in solitude. And we all know the story of one of football’s greatest comebacks, a feat the saw me shed a different kind of tear.
Liverpool fan
Of course nothing gives greater pleasure than a victory of one’s rivals. In my case I see Manchester United as Liverpool’s biggest rivals, simply as I know many more United fans in London. This gives you the chance to gloat about your side’s victory, which is always nice. Unfortunately, Liverpool haven’t had the best of times against the red devils in recent fixtures however one can always look back to the 4-1 demotion job at Old Trafford back in 2009 as a source of pride.
Have I cried watching Liverpool before? Yes. Have I rammed my fist into a wall after seeing Suarez miss a sitter? Of course. But the euphoria when your team snatches victory from the jaws of defeat. The distant lows followed by the meteoric rises your club endures. That makes being a football fan worth it.
Written by Daryl Hammond
This is an article detailing Daryl’s experiences as a Liverpool fan and explaining the reason why being a football fan is the best thing in the world.
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