Having gotten a cable TV connection
last month only, it was sheer luck that I stumbled upon a channel showing a
football match at near midnight. It was nearing half time & the score read
Milan 3-0 Liv. I felt the game was pretty much over but seeing a live game
after so long made me linger on. Honestly, I hadn’t heard of LFC back then
& was kind of rooting for Milan to win. Then came the turn around that the
world never expected, led by a young captain-Steven Gerrard. The first strike
at the turn of the hour was magnificent & the next 30 minutes brought two
more memorable goals & the rest as they is history. That was a magical
night, if there ever has been one in footballing history. It was that game, that
second half that made me a fan of the player, the captain, the legend. It was
not just the footballing brilliance on the field that struck me. There have
been & will be better players than Gerrard to have stepped on to the grass,
likes of Maldini, Figo, Torres etc. have been known to produce magic on the
field. But, it was the dedication, the ability to motivate the team & above
all lead by example that has kept me captivated ever since with continuous
repeat performances at all stages.
Naturally, that’s when my love
affair with the club started. The overwhelming & sparkling history, an
unparalleled success story & of course the associated bragging rights is
what Liverpool brings to the table. The club’s history is seeped with great
success & greater players. I know that every major club around the world
boasts of this. But these great clubs don’t have what LFC has – ‘The Fans’. A
patient lot who back their club no matter what, rejoice in its success &
give deserved respect to other clubs fans’ & players. The support, the
loyalty & the undying devotion even in adversity & crisis to see the
club reach the zenith of success it once held so admirably. It is this attitude
that makes watching matches at Anfield such a memorable experience &
reminds me time & again of how complete I feel as a person when I’m in
touch with the club, even though I’m sitting thousands of miles away in a hotel
room in India. They are the reason I’m & will always be a LFC fan.
