My LFC Experience: Day 3 "You'll Never Walk Alone"

We set the alarm for 8am to ensure that we did not miss breakfast but there was no need. Even though the game was not for 12 hours we were up and ready before 8.

Before we set off for the game though we had some time to spend exploring parts of Melbourne. But where could we go that would be as memorable as watching Liverpool play? We went to Ramsay St. That's right. I watch neighbours. With my lovely wife we went on the neighbours tour and saw the sets & street that feature in the iconic show. You may laugh but if we did not go I may had been walking home to Bundaberg alone.

After the tour, and before a nice lunch we took in the hollywood costumes exhibition. Unfortunately they did not allow photos but it was a great experience to be able to see some of the costumes from many iconic movies. After a bit of nerve wracking jewellery shop visists it was time to kit up and head out to the MCG.

As a Queenslander I can only say one thing about the walk to the MCG and the wait outside the Don Bradman Entrance at gate 5. It was bloody cold. Is the weather ever sunny and pleasant in Melbourne? Maybe this is why I see so many cars getting angry with other people. I would be angry too if I never felt the warmth of the sun. But that is enough complaining about the cold.

We entered the stadium and found our seats before the pre-game function started. As you can tell by the photo we had pretty good seats. Before the game started the pre-game function allowed us the privilege of listening to and meeting a few well known name in footballing circles.

Craig Foster & Myself

Darren Burgess & Myself

Enough of the pre-amble though as like myself the only thing I am sure you are interested in is the game itself. From the moment it was announced the team was entering the field the crowd awoke and then the moment I had been waiting for occurred and it was greater than I had ever imagined. To stand up and sing with 95000 others "You'll Never Walk Alone" is one of the greatest moments in sport I have been part of or witnessed. I have been at Origins games and partaken in Queenslander chants but even the atmosphere of an Origin falls short on this moment. Never have I seen a crowd of such a size where so many are proudly & passionately supporting the same team. To those in the media who question why a game that is only a pre-season game can get such a turnourt obviously do not understand what passion is.

In the 31st minute the crowd got what they wanted. Crowd favourite Stevie Gerrard slotted in the first goal and the eruption from the crowd showed how popular Gerrard is with the faithful. With the score staying at 1-0 at half-time everyone was expecting Suarez to come on in the 2nd half. With this not happening, continuous chants for Suarez to be brought on were ignored until about the 70th minute mark. Suarez may have sparked up the crowd with the odd touch and setting up the final goal but most of the time he just didn't look like he wanted to be there. If he keeps playing with the same attitude I can see him walking on to another club sooner rather than later.

At the end of the night walking back to the hotel hand in hand with my wife in the large procession of 95000 people out of the stadium is was a slow but reflective moment. There may have been many police both on foot and mounted but the need was not there. This was a group all with the same passion and pride in Liverpool FC and a sign that as a Liverpool supporter you will never walk alone.