Anfield: From ‘home sweet home’ to ongoing nightmare

I will never forget my first visit to Anfield as a young wide-eyed whipper-snapper. More a spiritual encounter than a trip to watch football, the place has forever remained close to my heart.

Through thick and thin, through rain or shine my home of football has remained a beacon through it all. The sound of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ resonating through the rafters is unlike anything you’ll hear at any ground in any country. For me and many a Red the word Anfield will always be synonymous with hope.

Ten years ago if you asked football fans worldwide to name their top ten grounds, Anfield would definitely have been among them. Nowadays, while still steeped in prestige and history, it would be hard to be named top five in the country. England has been blessed with beautiful places of worship for football fans and the plethora of modern monoliths that have arisen in recent times have illuminated many cities. From the Emirates to the Etihad, Old Trafford to Olympic Park; new age constructions have heralded a dawn of super stadium.

Anfield remains by no means a relic but in this new age it does require an upgrade. I’m not talking about aesthetic improvements here but about enlarging the ground to fully realise our potential. The main reason increasing capacity is vital to improving team success is due to the revenue lost by not doing so.

The gap in match-day finances when compared to the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal or even Newcastle, all with larger grounds, makes us unable to compete on the highest level for players of the highest calibre. This disparity in gate receipts means we are failing to fully maximise our unquestionable support and fan base which inevitably hinders progress.

Progress was the by-word of campaigns in yesteryear, particularly when Rafa was at the helm. Consecutive qualifications for the Champion League and steady improvement in our league position meant we were able to attract not just good players but the best players. Gone are the days of signing Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso or Javi Mascherano. With no disrespect intended, more recent signings have been Fabio Borini, Joe Allen and Jordan Henderson. Decent players granted but definitely not in the same league as Torres, Alonso and Mascherano.
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Our inability to qualify for the Champions League means we can’t attract truly world class players at their prime. Without the best players we can’t improve our league form and finish in the top four. So the vicious cycle continues with our beloved club moving in the wrong direction. With the right funds available we would be able to compete for major honours and the very top players so the stadium situation remains a critical priority.

Many Reds have looked on in bewilderment in recent years as the various attempts to deal with this pressing issue has been handled or mishandled very badly. The club has not covered itself in glory both losing support from disenchanted locals and failing to make tangible progress with any of the many proposals.

This flip-flopping from new stadium to Anfield redevelopment has not only wasted valuable time but has also cost the club millions of pounds that could have been better spent. It’s clear the club has faced fierce opposition in certain quarters that have delayed proceeding but this is an unacceptable excuse. Residents in North London voiced serious concerns before the Emirates was given the go-ahead but skilful management by Arsenal officials meant the concerns were dealt with in a way that didn’t antagonise concerned parties or unduly delay stadium construction.

The search for our best home is the biggest challenge facing LFC and the solution doesn’t appear particularly forthcoming. For years fans have been disappointed by assurances made by owners and management that have failed to materialise.

The dark days under Hicks and Gillett left the club in such disarray broken promises over the stadium were the least of our worries. Soon after FSG took over in 2010 it became clear the new stadium idea was deemed, rightly or wrongly, as too expensive. Yet despite this clear redirection three years down the line it still feels like too little movement has been made.

It has been positive to hear recent comments from Ian Ayre that the club is close to completing the purchases required to proceed to the next stage of seeking planning permission. While welcome recent history dictates some scepticsm must remain until that elusive shovel once described by Gillett in 2010 as being ‘in the ground in the next 60 days’ is actually seen by us in the ground. Until then the nightmare that has been the stadium saga to date will roll on and on and on.

Finally, there’s been a lot of talk about losing the tradition and history by leaving what has been described as our spiritual home. While leaving a place as steeped in memories as Anfield will unquestionably be emotional it’s a sentiment that needs to be squared with reality. We cannot compete with our rivals by remaining as we are and the history and tradition we crave to maintain was borne on the back of success.

In a new or upgraded stadium, history will be ours for the making. However without this resolved, and quickly, our history will be the only triumph we experience.
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