[Locke]

You signed the contract when you became a Liverpool fan

By royhendo, on August 4th, 2010
By Hinesy

“Now you won’t find it hard to understand
Though it’s so hard to explain
The who and what and how and why and wherefore
You kept me sane”
Heart as big as Liverpool – Pete Wylie

The contract that stated you signed your heart and loyalty away for life and in return you’d get the highest of highs and lowest of lows and in between enough camaradie, wit and atmosphere to keep you going when all else around you failed.

That’s what our team does for us. Real Liverpool fans have the club in their blood. And it breathes and courses through our veins and affects us like few emotions do.

Lovers may come and go, different jobs and houses you go through in your life. But one constant, your club. That contract comes with no P45.
But what if the very thing that you signed up for failed. What then? What if that single constant in life, what if your club was taken over by idiots and nasty ignorant ones at that.

We’re pretty good at getting angry and most of us are pretty good at spouting off in the pub about how to solve the world’s problems. But really, what did you do in the war daddy? What did you do when it came to the crunch and that club was (over)run by clueless spineless ignorant money shysters whose idea of clever management was to undermine a successful team and manager, leech the money out of the club and place it into debt.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think Tom n George were actually hired by Everton football club to our club over. Cos they’re doing a good job.
There’s a lot of sentimental talk about how we’re the best fans in the world, about how Liverpool fans are gracious and understanding and patient. Well some of the time that’s right and some of the time that’s bollocks. And for some of us, that’s how we see our footballing heritage and for some of the (newer sadly) fans, they’re as short sighted as the mole who’s dropped his specs into the hole.

But there is one thing that unites all Liverpool fans, across the whole spectrum from Block 305 to the Upper Annie and that’s a sense of injustice. The press and world beyond the borders of the county think we react too easily, we shout and make a fuss when any slight grievance is heaped upon us.

Well its about time we shouted and stamped and marched and complained and wrote and rang up and leafleted and whatever else we think necessary, because the owners of the club at the moment have come in and simply shat on your doorstep and sat in your living room expecting you to pay whilst they drink your whisky and eat your tea. And some of us are putting up with it and tacitly saying, “Like another glass Mr Hicks, like to have my tv set Mr Gillette?”

Where would Liverpool be if we didn’t fight? Do you think we’ve learnt nothing from Hillsborough about making our voices heard for justice?
Clearly this is a different area, but the principle still remains – of standing up for your club and your people and not letting anyone waltz in and say what they like, and lie about your reputation and your club and who you are and then just do what they like – it still remains.

I am still staggered by the fact that two businessmen from America (and yes I welcomed them as much as anyone – after Thaksin, I thought they were great) could ‘buy’ our club with money borrowed from er… the club’s value, place it in massive debt, then set about lying about building a new ground and going behind the manager’s back to continually undermine him before falling out with each other and then trying to sell the club for more than its worth!

Think about it – a property developer has been on at you about buying your Mum’s house – she’s worried, but times are tough, so you ask them round for a chat.

You: “So what are your plans for the house then? It’s pretty precious to us and we want to make sure you take care of it.”

The prospective buyer: “We’re gonna paint it and do it up beautifully, and then we’re going to move your Mum into a beautiful brand new house. Or, well, on second thoughs, I’m thinking we’ll buy it for loads less than it’s worth, call your Mum to ritually humiliate her at least twice a day, then put her out to work to pay off my mortgage.”

You: “It might be an idea for you to leave now.”

.
We may not all be the gracious, understanding, best fans in the world. (When we lose, I’m a right shower of s all on my own.) But we do know one thing. Liverpool fans know that our club has a soul. A real heart. That’s the Liverpool Football Club that existed before me and I hope will outlive me for a long long time.

Now this club has given me some of the best moments of my days, be it 3-1 v Borussia or Neil Mellor’s last minute goal v Arsenal; be it 5-0 v Forest or Luis’ goal v Juventus, be it Gerrard’s 3rd goal v West Ham or Owen’s 2nd v Arsenal in the FA Cup, Davey Fairclough supersub v St Etienne or Gary Mac 44yrds out, whatever, the list is probably endless. And I imagine it’s the same for you.

So surely its time we paid it back to the club. Not the owners, not the players, not the manager, but the club. That soul needs you right now.
Roy Hodgson in my humble opinion is a good shout as manager. But even if Jose Twat Mourhino had been appointed, he’d still have got my support. As do any of the players. That’s what we do best, we’re Liverpool fans, not small club fans who boo a player leaving cos he’s off. We’re bigger than that. We applaud the other goalie, we don’t boo returning players, we can see through the clouds of the SKY generation’s fear of not having a big name manager or short-term big stars at the ground, we know the real Liverpool way is to support and back and encourage.

And that sense of being a Liverpool fan is something to be proud of, and also to be earned and cherished and maintained. And if the very soul, that magical thread that binds us to Liverpool FC for all our lives, that indefinable intangible wonderful thing that is our club, if that one constant that makes your hairs stand up on the back of your neck when you hear us in full song, when we come up the hill, when Steve H is on the wing, if that thing that gave us that contract of emotional wonder needs our help to rid it of the cancer that currently pulls it down then its your ing duty at the very least to help.

Do you want to be able to say to your grandchildren: I’m taking us to see the mighty Reds, the team that without question links the past and future with a sense of pride? Then lets make sure there’s still a club to take them to.

“Heart as big as LIVERPOOL
And I am not alone”
Heart as big as Liverpool – Pete Wylie

http://www.savelfc.org/2010/08/04/yo...liverpool-fan/