My first night in/on the Kop

[1979]

I've been a supporter, since (as my name suggets) since 1979 - however, being born and bred in london, admittedly I've not been to many games.

The first game was an FA cup game during the Sounness era - the year we won it - i remember a soggy midweek night and a Ray Houghton wonder goal sitting in the brand new Centenary stand.

Over the follwoing years i saw, on average a handful of games a season, mostly in the Centenary stand or at the Anfield road end.

The penultimate game I went to was the FA semi-final cup game against Chelsea - again when we won it against West Ham. Unfortunately 8 days after the final my dad passed away and the desire for most things, let alone footy left me.

A good mate of mine then rang me in mid-November - a week before our last Champions League game saying that he a couple of tickets for the game against Fiorentina - and that they were on the Kop. How could I refuse?

Driving up to Anfield that evening wasn't easy, it felt like my first vsit all over again. Unfortunately, I got there a few minytes late and the gamed had already kicked off by the time I had arrived at the stadium.

Even now, it is diffcult to describe what I felt standing in the kop - it was like standing with supporters from a different team, watching an different side of a sport I had never sitnessed before. The performance of the side, as you will recall, was very poor that night, but, with my brothers and sisters around me, the grief of losing wasn't as severe.

it will treasure the experience always.

[squaddie]

I have the privilege of saying i stood on the kop once....... Was too young to be arsed about what was going on on the pitch but its something i'll be forever appreciative to my uncle for.

[Tee]

My biggest regret ever is not being able to stand on the Kop before it became all seater.

[Taxi]

Only been on the Kop once, but to Anfield a good 30 or so times. Also had the pleasure of watching us beat Barca at the Nou Camp.

[-V-]

Iv had some great champions league nights standing in the kop over the past few years. Arsenal 4-2 and Inter 2-0 were particularly special

[the rev leeroy brown]

first and so far only time on the kop was the home game to united last year. during the build up to the game was something else but as soon as the whistle blew and it sunk in where i was, the goosebumps hit big time. experience of a lifetime.

[red g]

i was looking enough to have a few season tickets in the kop during the mid-late eighties.

shed a tear as a teenager on Rushies and Kenny's last games.

[lickedlollipop]

maybe sounds stupid question, but; is it so hard to get into the Kop ?

[red g]

if they had a door policy, it would be empty

[RoadEnd]

I spent many a game standing on the Kop in the 70's and 80's. It was always so packed that your feet were usually off the ground and you never ever finished a game standing in the same place. The trick as a lad was to either sit on the crash barriers, or stand just in front. You did not want to be directly behind a crash barrier when the crowd launched forward, as you generally ended up being wrapped over the thing gasping for breath. Looking back, after Hillsborough, it was madness at the number of people they used to squash in. Those were the days when you bought you ticket on the turnstile and had to queue up snaked around Anfield and get into the ground 2 hours before kick off. The toilets were right at the top of the Kop, so the majority just peed were they stood through a newspaper. If anyone did get into difficulties during the game, they were passed over everyones heads down to the pitch side. I was at the last league game on the Kop against Norwich. We lost 1-0, but the crowd stayed for hours after until we got chucked out. I saw us win a few league championships from the Kop and I was there when Michael Thomas scored THAT goal for Arsenal.

Oh for the glory days again...

[squaddie]

Briane Reade use to take a stool so he could see....... Anyone that hasnt read it '40 years with same bird'.... Just get it.