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Keep Your Plastic Flags – Our ’12th Man’ Is A Class Above!

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WITH the biggest game under Dalglish’s second reign upon us, two sets of fans will descend on the Twin Towers to compete in the showpiece occasion on the English football calendar.

Many emotions accompany such a fixture with excitement, wonder and trepidation being at the forefront of most supporters, there is also a deeply rooted hatred and bitterness which has crept in over the last 10 or so years.

Supporting any team is tribal and when silverware and pride is at stake it brings out the best and the worst in its followers. When we look at Chelsea we see their soulless attempts to bring colour with their plastic flag waving, their Tory voting majority, their detestable stalwarts like John Terry and Ashley Cole, their disgusting chants and booing about Hillsborough and their new breed of fan brought up on a diet of oligarch driven success which they arrogantly devour in a graceless manor. This undignified attitude would swiftly turn to rage if the manager decided to tinker with tactics or showed long term strategy at the detriment of short term results. At this point the unfortunate incumbent’s hot-seat would magically transform into an ejector-seat and the cycle continues…

Both clubs histories are undoubtedly poles apart. Chelsea fans will argue that they are creating their own at present with Mourinho offering his Midas touch as the catalyst while lighting the fuse which finally gave them a northern rival, whereas before their adversaries only belonged in London postcodes.

The class and attitude of Liverpool supporters is revered all over the world and has been celebrated for years but I fear that the boo boys have somehow infiltrated the Kop forgetting what supporting a club is all about, pouring scorn on every unsatisfactory result. We pride ourselves on being exceptional rather than the norm, welcoming former players visiting Anfield, applauding opponents when they perform above themselves, which is happening all too regularly in truth, showing class and dignity in victory and defeat.
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Instead we have started to develop a loud minority of band-wagon jumpers and background hecklers searching impatiently for instant gratification. Being opinionated is one of the great democracies of being a fan but when it gets hateful and unproductive it crosses the line.

Where we have emotive traditions like the belting out of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” with religious zeal in match days, Chelsea have had the bizarre practice of celery throwing, which would be practiced every time an opponent took a corner, some say this originated from Gillingham fans, but you have to grudgingly admire their cheek when 5 fans who pleaded guilty of throwing the offending items had their cases thrown out by claiming that it was a tradition of theirs for 20 years! It is doubtful that their vegetable of choice will be available at Wembley on Saturday – they may have to settle for overpriced burgers which will be too expensive to throw even for “loadsa money” Blues fans!

When two clubs are polar opposites in philosophies, background, history and traditions it is important to stay true to your clubs ideals and not to stray too close to the other side’s outlook. If we can all do this rather than turn against each other for having different viewpoints we can concentrate on returning our famed support into the 12th man again – I am sure it will be present at Anfield South to inspire the Reds.

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I've been following the Reds ever since I set eyes on the majestic sight that is the Kop in full voice with flags aloft, albeit from the television with my dad as a 5 year old in my hometown of Dublin! He would tell me about the Irish contingent, the likes of Heighway, Whelan, Beglin and Houghton, he is a Leeds fan due to his hero Johnny Giles but I had to go against the grain on this one, his 3 year old grandson will not be afforded the same opportunity!
I completed a Higher National Diploma in Print Journalism back in Dublin where I briefly worked for the Irish Independent on a placement, covering Rugby, obituaries (including the great John Charles) and some sub editing. I then made the short journey to Liverpool, where I currently reside to undertake International Journalism at John Moores University. Some will say that over the years I have picked up a Jan Molbyesque native twang but I'm not so sure!
I was also lucky enough to have worked for the socialist publication "Morning Star" covering the Reds at Anfield which allowed me gain access to the press box and press conferences, I covered about 10 games and loved every minute of it!
I am excited to be joining the team at live4liverpool.com. From what I have seen so far the standard of articles have been first class, I hope to contribute to this by publishing pieces which create opinion and debate.