Why Liverpool Is A Great Story Of Football Romance

Take a stroll from Cavern district to Liverpool docks, the cold breeze blowing from the Mersey River directs your attention to Pier Head and the four ebony statues of the city’s favourite sons. John, Paul, George & Ringo, hands in pockets, appear to be casually discussing their newest tune.Time travel to the early 60s. Three miles away, at the Anfield of the black-and-white era, heads bobbed to the lilting rhythm of ‘Love Me Do’. It was also the time of Liverpool’s legendary Scottish manager Bill Shankly, hailing from the coal-mining village of Glenbuck, constructing brick by brick the idea of Liverpool Football Club as “a bastion of invincibility”.Shankly had lifted a club in disarray from the limited confines of the second division to the top-tier within 18 months of his arrival in 1959, and Liverpool’s sixth title after a gap of 17 years came in 1963-64. He introduced his players to the modern, passing game, instilling his socialist ideals in a bid to entertain supporters who sometimes struggled to put food on the table. After working in the docks, the Liverpudlians found their release in football and music, and no doubt pints of beer in the neighbourhood watering holes.The bronze statue of Shankly in front of Anfield’s Kop stand, arms aloft in his signature stance, with a scarf around his neck, and a footnote of ‘He made the people happy’ is a reminder of the working-class ethos of the club – an aura that was reflected in manager Juergen Klopp’s demeanour decades later. Shankly said that the League was their ‘bread and butter’, and his squad won it thrice. The UEFA Cup triumph in 1973 also heralded the era of Liverpool as a European superpower. “For those of you watching on telly, Liverpool are the ones with the ball,” ran a famous banner.Liverpool’s boot room at Anfield was the place where success stories were hatched. There’s this iconic image of Bob Paisley – Shankly’s successor – and future managers Kenny Dalglish, Ronnie Moran and Roy Evans sipping tea with the backdrop of boots on wall-pegs. It was monochrome, a singular idea with different shades, smiles that said all was well.As the telly turned colour, Liverpool were now elitists with 4 European Cups in eight years, and their obsession with the old League trophy resulted in five more triumphs, completing a cycle of 11 titles in 18 years. On April 28, 1990, John Barnes placed a penalty past West Ham to seal the record-extending 18thtitle. It had become a habit then. “We would have savoured the moment more if we thought it was going to be another 30 years!” Barnes said, when Klopp delivered a 19th League title during Covid when no fans were present in the stadium.A short year ago, Liverpool finished third despite leading the Premier League after 31 matches. It didn’t matter at Anfield. All they needed was love, and their favourite adopted son Klopp was bidding farewell. The big German said the burden of history was like a “20 kilo backpack”, and his goodbye was reminiscent of erstwhile manager Dalglish’s resignation on a dour Feb all those years ago in 1991, months after Liverpool had clinched their 18th.As the mystic radio days fuelled by local dreams faded, the Sky Sports television boom of the rebranded English Premier League, globalisation of Monday Night Football, the 100 million-plus euro deals, and rising stocks coincided with Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United era. However, his 26 years at Old Trafford’s helm had started with blips.The challenge was to 'knock Liverpool off their ******* perch' – a statement the master mental manipulator denied making once – but it seemed like a tough, improbable task. In 1986, the Reds down M16 showed no signs of slowing down.United’s FA Cup third-round encounter with Brian Clough’s mighty Nottingham Forest in 1990 could have changed history, but little-known Mark Robins delivered what the English papers through the ages called ‘the goal that saved Fergie’s career’. They went on to win the trophy.It was a cold night in the Merseyside of 1994. Ferguson’s team had ended a drought with a first League title in 26 years, and a banner saying, “Come back when you’ve won 18,” was unfurled on Anfield’s Kop. Fifteen years later, the Mancunians rose in the Anfield Road stand with a riposte of their own – “You told us to come back when we’d won 18. We are back.”The chronicles will tell you that Fergie left with 13 EPL titles in 2013 as one of the greatest managers. And yes, Liverpool were well and truly “off their perch” as Sir Alex departed with a parting shot of the club’s 20th title.Despite watching ‘noisy neighbours’ Manchester City climbing up the pole, and his club declining fast, Liverpool’s record-equalling title last weekend will be the one that rankles Fergie the most. Them Scousers again!As Liverpool’s new head coach Arne Slot finally exhaled, players and fans celebrated together in sunshine-bathed glory, for the first time in 35 years. Leave it to the new banner at Anfield: “It was always Liverpool.” Despite winning two titles in the three-decade-old EPL history, Liverpool is the greatest romance of English football.