Football’s anthem that was born in the Kop
FOllOWiNG the attempted bombing of the Dortmund Fc bus, i watched the news bulletins that 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 its 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 to all the great hits of the day. Despite having had polio when i was young, i’d get into the ground and rush to get my back to one of the barriers, so i could rest on it and lift myself to see the action when the ball came to the Kop end. 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 before the match. The first week, not much happened; it was slower than other songs and it didn’t raise much enthusiasm as it was new. However, a fortnight later, when the next home game came around, it was Number One and people had heard it on radios and 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 me 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’ and ‘can’t wait for it again’. at the next home game, we were waiting for it to be played and it was sung at top voice. There were not really any scarves held aloft at that time (back in those days, most people had hand-knitted scarves without logos or team names on them). 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 game of the following season saw grown men with tears streaming as it was played before the game. i was among them, and i welled up, too. Then sadly we lost that first game! No matter what others may say, i am convinced it started at the Kop for those last home games of 1963-1964.
MALCOLM CATESBY, Garndolbenmaen, Gwynedd.