How Gerry’s hit turned into anthem for Anfield
FOLLOWING the attempted bombing of the Borussia Dortmund bus, I watched the news bulletins which showed the supporters of Monaco and Dortmund singing You’ll Never Walk Alone.
This song seems to have become, if not the universal football anthem, then almost certainly the European football fans’ anthem, though I know it is sung in South America and Australia as well.
This makes me think about how it came to be sung at Anfield for the first time and how it was adopted by Liverpool as their inspirational anthem.
In spring 1964, I used to arrive on the Anfield Kop at noon when the gates were opened. After all, the Reds had been on a great run since February, and it was such an exciting time.
The DJ played all the Liverpool hits of the time; The Beatles, The Searchers, Mersybeats, Gerry and the Pacemakers – and the Kop stood and sang and swayed.
Then Gerry released his third record, You’ll Never Walk Alone. It went to the top of the charts, and so by March it was to be played prior to the match. The first week, not much happened; it was slower than the others and it didn’t raise much enthusiasm as it was new.
However, a fortnight later, when the next home game came around, it was No.1 and people had heard it on radios or record players.
When, after about an hour in the ground, it was played by the DJ, the Kop was ready, and we all made a good attempt at singing it. Those around seemed to enjoy it, and then, whether deliberately or otherwise, the DJ played the same record again. This time the whole Kop were ready! I am certain that was the catalyst for it becoming the anthem. The talk was ‘how great it was’, ‘almost a hymn’.
At the next home game, it was sung at top voice. With only a couple of home games left, including the wonderful 5-0 victory over Arsenal to seal the Championship, the opportunities to develop the anthem were limited. But the first home of the following season, eagerly awaited, saw grown men with tears streaming as it was played prior to the game. I was among them, and I welled up, too. Sadly we lost the first game!
I am convinced it all started at the Kop for those last home games of 1963-1964.
MALCOLM CATESBY, Gwynedd.