We made it to our first stop, which was an ex-work colleague Keith, and his wife Audrey. They put us up for the night and Keith and I caught up on golf stories. He worked the Ryder Cup and got me a shirt from the event. Not bad for a Manc. lol. But this was also the first time Liverpool had been above Manchester United in the table when we had been together. What made it worse is Audrey supports Everton and they too were above them. Went for a bevy and came back to watch some of Blackburn v Celtic but couldn’t keep they eyes open that long so it was an early night. After a good nights sleep and a good breakfast it was time to find “The North”.
Friday and we’re off on the way to Liverpool. First, because we were going by The Belfry, Michael and I stopped there for a look. I had been before thanx to Keith when I was over in February. So I showed Michael around. We had lunch and off again. We then went to Warrington to show Mike the old base that was there off the M62. For those not aware the motorway was built over the old main runway. The base there was the largest airplane factory during WWII. Airplanes were assembled and repaired there during the war and long after. Some of the old buildings are still there if you look off the motorway. It is now a RAF base.
Then we made Liverpool around 3pm. Check into the Campanile on Kings Dock as it becomes the “piss up” headquarters for the weekend. The next step is the short drive to Mecca, otherwise know as Anfield. I know this has been said many times before but seeing Anfield makes the heart skip a beat when you don’t see it every other weekend. For Michael he had no idea. In America most stadiums are built with adequate parking. So they stand apart as monuments to engineering. As we drove up Walton Breck Road I said to Michael, “there’s Anfield” just before we approached The Albert. He couldn’t believe it as he craned his neck to look. I drove past and found a place to park. We walked back to the stadium and around the Centenary stand. Down Anfield Road to the Hillsborough Memorial. I had explained to Mike a little bit about what happened on the day. I placed a small American flag with JFT96 written across the red and white stripes and a small 4pool in the lower corner. We took a few pictures. In through the Shankly gates and get told we can‘t walk to Liverworld by the guard, so we went around via the closed houses opposite the Main Stand. Bought a few gifts and into The Albert pub for a Stella or two. There were some Danes who were also in Liverworld and they sat next to us. Didn’t take them long to break into he John Arne Riise song. After the two Stella’s we went back to the car and I drove past Stanley Park and Anfield cemetery where my Gran is buried. We were headed to Goodison just to show Michael how close the two stadiums are and where the other half plays. I was in the right hand lane and had to continue right at the light instead of go left towards town and our hotel. I told Mike we need to pull a u-turn but there was a divider in the road. About 3/4 of a mile the divider ended and I attempted to turn back. The only problem was I couldn’t get the car around quickly so I went straight into the parking lot rather than tie up traffic as the light was changing. I looked up and I was pulling into a Merseyside Police Station. Just what I needed to get arrested after two bevies (honest officer). My Mum will get a kick out of this. As I proceeded to turn the car around without banging into anything, it took me two tries, and get headed in the right direction to go back into the road.... A police van goes whizzing by me into the road. I look in my rearview mirror, sweat pouring down my head, and there’s a police car behind me. I don’t see any lights flashing, so I head out into the road with said police car right behind. After about a mile the police car heads a different way and I'm spared. I’m sure dinner that night tasted better than what they were serving those I left behind.
Saturday dawns and Michael and I do the tourist thing. We went through the Beatles museum. Well worth if you get the chance. Then around Albert Docks and down to the Liver Buildings. Mike told me after our trip he wanted to go in the Liver but I don’t know if they let you. Anyway, we walked back to our hotel, got the car and headed uptown to shop for more gifts. Back to the hotel to drop our stuff off and Kathy calls to tell us some of the lads on the “piss up” were at the pub just down the road. We walk down there to meet up with Kathy, Stephanie, tiddlywink champ of otterspool tip (thanx for the tickets for the Sunderland match), Swan Red, Ian, Evo, Snorky, Bob from the USA, and some I'm forgetting. We then went back to the hotel and got three cabs for the gang and up to Weatherspoons we go. The night was young and we weren’t getting any younger. Peter joined in and probably some others at this point. We then made our way down Matthew Street. Lot’s of beer and Beatles songs later we finally made it back to the hotel about 1 am or so.
Sunday came around and after breakfast Bob, Michael and myself caught a cab up to Sam Dodd’s, as we didn’t see the gang in the hotel. As it was about 10 minutes before noon when we got there, the doors weren’t open and I hear a yell “ hey Mel were in here” from Kathy across the street. Now I know where they had their brekkie. We looked a little worse for wear but being the troopers that we are; the match was just ahead. We went to the Hillsborough Justice Shop and I was presented with a few gifts. (It really wasn’t necessary but much appreciated for donating two kits that did rather well on ebay, We shall not forget! Ta ever so). Down to Sam Dodd's next for a beer. Met Gabby and Sappho. As Michael and USABob hadn’t been to Anfield before, we left with about an hour before the match to get some atmosphere from the ground. I gave Bob the quick tour and we parted company, as he wanted to go to Liverworld, I told him he’d never get in..lol. Mike and I went in the Anny Road end. He couldn’t believe how close we were to the pitch. Our seats were just to the left (as we looked) of the goal in the lower end right next to the divider they use to separate the supporters. So the Sunderland lads were within singing distance. Bob then came in and sure enough he didn’t get in Liverworld. He said he was going on the museum tour Monday so he would shop then. Sappho was the last of our foursome to join in. I won’t go into a real match report but just a few highlights. YNWA still stirs the soul when you watch the Kop and the ground sing it before the match. I can’t imagine a home match without it. I think if I were a player I wouldn’t play until it was sung. When Babbel missed his chance, he was looking right our way. His face went ashen, he couldn’t believe it. Not many in the ground could. Having taped the match and seen it again Markus could use the excuse that it really went off his shin more than his boot. If we would have got one goal we might have scored five. As we all know it was one of those afternoons. At halftime they had a Gospel Choir do their rendition of YNWA, I know I had a tear in my eye with the great job they did. The Mackems sang a lot to their credit. They just as well should have, as their team wasn’t very entertaining. Not one shot on goal!! No corners! I got a kick out of them singing “ Shall we sing a song for you” only for the lads in that end of the Main Stand to sing back “ Are you Geordies in disguise”. They also got in “ your going down” but to the Mackems credit it was all in good fun. Although early in the match the stewards and police did go up into their section further up than us and I don’t know why or what happened. Didn’t see anyone removed but I really wanted to watch the match rather than what the police were up to. Once again the match seemed to last 15 minutes and it was over. Me, Mike, Bob, and Sappho made our way into the Albert and met up with tiddlywink champ of otterspool tip, Swan Red, Ian, Evo, Snorky, El Blocko. Also saw KOTP again. Got to meet for the first time Barrettski, Dave W and his lovely lass, Aaron, and Evo’s friend Jenny. I hadn’t sorted tickets to the Fulham match at this point and I was asked by a number of the gang if I had. Around an hour later one special benefactor came up with two tickets and I paid him for them. You know who you are and many thanx. As some had to leave to travel back home, the night wasn’t done just yet. Down the street to The Stanley Bob, Michael and I went. Swan Red, Gabby were there and I got to meet two of Liverpool’s finest YPC lads, Walshy and Matty. A few bevvies and songs later and it was time to head to the hotel. Matty joined in the cab to head home. He said his Mum would kill him, as he was to come straight home after the match. I told him to tell his Mum that he was teaching some Americans some songs (and he’s still owe’s me the Gary Mac song..lol). Great evening it was.
Monday dawned and after we checked out of the hotel Michael and I headed uptown for a few last minute things and pictures of Matthew Street for Mike. Then I took him to Sessions Road, Kirkdale where his Gran was born and raised. Then to Anfield to say good bye and get some last minute things. Then we made it as far as Blackpool. Took him to Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s where The Open Championship is contested.
Tuesday we headed to Hadrian’s Wall. The furthest north that the Romans conquered. In its day it was 20 feet high and 10 feet wide with forts constructed down it’s length across what is now England. Still never saw “The North” from the signs on the motorway but we might have gotten close. From there into Newcastle for lunch and then we were going to “The South”.
Wednesday we went through Sherwood Forest. I let Michael give it a go driving on the wrong side of the road for about 1/2 an hour. Don’t tell the car hire people because technically they didn’t insure him. After his remarks that my driving left a little to be desired, he now understands how narrow the lanes are because the first thing he did is almost run us off the edge of the road on the left hand side. lol. We then made our way with me at the wheel to the Imperial War Museum in Duxford near Cambridge. There are five hangers that house various aircraft along with one dedicated to American aircraft. Plus a land warfare hall. As you enter the first hanger they have a Spitfire, some German aircraft, and I couldn’t believe it but they have a full size Concorde. I have always wanted to fly on the Concorde but now was my chance to at least walk through one. Having flown on business a lot I've flown virtually all commercial aircraft that is made in North America or Europe and some Brazilian built planes but never a Concorde. It turns out it was the third one ever built and used as a pre-production model. In the American hanger there was a B52. Now when I was young and my Dad in the USAF, we lived on a SAC base where B52’s flew. They were massive. Still are even today. I found out from one of the museum staff that Duxford is the only museum in Europe that has a B52. It takes three miles to land. The Duxford strip is only one mile. This is the shortest runway the B52 has ever landed on. They closed the M11 when it landed just in case. I won’t bore everyone with the various aircraft you can see but the range is from WWII to current airplanes. If you love military Airplanes and a few commercial ones, this is the place to visit. We then headed down to Hurley by Gatwick to find a B&B to make it easier to turn the car in on Thursday.
After returning the car we took the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station. A short walk to our hotel for the weekend. Time to be tourist some more. We took the Red Bus tour to see the sights. We got off the bus and went on the London Eye. If you haven’t, you should. It’s the Worlds largest Ferris wheel. It’s the third tallest structure in London. We ended up at Piccadilly Square for dinner and a look around. Went in Planet Hollywood for food, St. James Tavern and Cheers for a bevvie. Then back to the hotel.
Friday, we went to London Tower for their tour, then up to Abbey Road. From there we went to Harrods (Knightsbridge tube station for those who want to know). Did a little shopping and when we left we were going out a door I knew wasn’t the one we came in. I asked the doorman how to get to the tube station. He said go right and it’s around the corner. As we exited we ended up right smack in the middle of the Harrods James Bond window displays. Each window was decorated in Bond memorabilia. We started at the new Bond movie and they had both the Aston Martin and Jaguar from the movie in the window. Missiles, machine guns and all. They had Odd Jobs hat, the golden girl from Goldfinger, etc. We took a half an hour window looking in the windows all the way to the first Bond movie Dr. No.
Saturday and it’s match day. Off to find Loftus Road via the White City tube station and the gang. We got there dead early about noon and went in the Springboks pub, didn’t see anyone so we walked around the area looking for friendly faces. We ended up in a pub by Shepherd’s Bush tube station. Saw the first half of Man Utd v Newcastle. Then back to Springboks where the singing was in full flow. Yes, the gang was here, finally. Michael and I joined in. tiddlywink champ of otterspool tip, Swan Red, Walshy, Matty (apparently Mum didn‘t kill him), and we got to meet Ben of the YPC and Matty‘s Dad. When I was going for round two at the bar, I asked the girl behind if there were any other supporters who come in and sing as much. She said no; your lot haven’t stopped.lol. Yes, We’re the best behaved supporters in the land; we’re the best behaved supporters in the land, etc.. Then into the ground for the match. Again, I won’t do a match report other than to say, I still don’t believe we lost. My first time ever seeing the Reds lose. We were five rows right behind the goal in the School End lower tier. During halftime Matty invited us down to stand with his crew and so we did. Maybe we should have done that earlier as we won the second half 2-1. From now on I’m sitting with Matty and his gang!! After the match we continued the singing along South Africa road. Some had to take the tube and get back; we continued on back near the Shepherd’s Bush tube station and went in a different pub there for a few wind down bevies. Met a Belgium lad over for the match. All in all we were never hassled before, during or after the match. Even though I was told not to wear our “colours”, I did wear Red in disguise. My jacket was blue but it zipped off to reveal the Red underneath and my Red and White bar scarf. I had a HJC t-shirt on underneath my Red shirt I was wearing. I’ll be damned if I can’t wear Red to our match..lol. I had planned on going back to Harrods to take some pictures for myself of the Bond stuff but it was getting late and we headed back to the hotel to prepack for the trip home Sunday.
And that’s basically that. Everyone we met were GREAT. You lads and lasses are tops. We’re the best supporters in the land...period! Not once at either match did I hear any whigning even though it was frustrating v Sunderland and disappointing v Fulham. I will mention that during the Sunderland match we rarely heard the Kop end in the Anny Road end, yet on my videotape they were singing. So the microphones that television have pick up more audio than those at the match may hear.
Junior had a terrific time as well and now wants to go back. If he does, he knows he’ll be in great hands with the friends he’s met. And I'll be back again as well.
You’ll Never Walk Alone
4pool