You’ll never walk alone… on the Red carpet

Along the way, the club witnessed the usual good, bad and ugly things- but they remain unusually unforgettable. The special European nights have bestowed the Reds with five sweet mementos, but the Heysel tragedy of 1985 — when Liverpool was banned for five years after 39 Juventus fans died in a fan clash — left its own black mark. They are the 18-time English League champions, but it’s been 16 years since the one came. Too long, say the fans, before they turn to applaud another performance at Fortress Anfield.

Each rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ — the anthem — reverberates the undying loyalty of the supporters. Written by Rogers and Hammerstein for the 1945 Broadway musical ‘Carousel’, Gerry Marsden and his Pacemakers performed the song in Liverpool clubs at the height of its popularity. Released in October 1963, YNWA was the Pacemakers’ third consecutive number one and nowhere was it more fervently sung than on the Kop.

“You’ll Never Walk Alone still gives me the shivers. Those European nights at Anfield were special,” smiles Phil Neal, who has four European Cup medals to call his own. Neal is in the Capital to impart some football knowledge to youngsters, and his pride in all things Liverpool is evident. “No one can match our history, we are unique in every way. Whoever is associated with the club remains a part of it forever. Even now, John Barnes, Jan Molby, Alan Kennedy and Kenny Dalglish, among others are living in the city.”

Times are different now — the foreign imports outnumber the homegrown players, and soon an American flavour will be added to future dealings — but certain things will never change. The anthem will continue to be sung on occasions both happy and sad – with equal fervour. And so the Liverpool story continues…