Liverpool supporters are not one person

It is difficult to be a supporter of a club who has world-wide notoriety. In this age of technology and globalization, the world has become very small and the the footballing world seems even smaller. It is easy, however, to forget how perspectives are affected based on demographics and location.

Steady…

Considering the vastness of Liverpool fans is something we simply are not capable of doing. Maybe that is why some have decided that real fans are only the ones who show up on the weekend at Anfield. Even though if it were not for a global support base, the team would be at best a Championship side. When reading comments on Twitter, blogs, or Facebook, we tend to try to compartmentalize those involved. There are insta-fans who want big spending, whatever the cost to have success now. There are Rafa cultists who will never be happy until the Spaniard is manager again and is given megabucks to build his squad. There are the go-alongs who will put blind faith into anything the manager or owners are doing because any other action seems futile. And then, there are the analysts whose opinion shifts based on results and actions taking place. Those are just a few examples, but there are countless other segmentations we attempt to categorize people in.

Within all of those groups where it seems so easy to draw a line to separate people are lines that are not so easily distinguishable. Two people might share opinions on an issue like player transfer policy, but what if one is a woman and the other man? Perhaps one lives in Bootle and the other in Malaysia. Maybe one grew up working class and the other never had to worry about living paycheck to paycheck. All of these differences shape our personalities and points of view to be truly unique. I know we have readers from around the world. I have seen links from Russia, Macedonia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the UK, and the US to name a few. I wonder what is being lost in translation and what idioms are not being understood? Hopefully, my main point comes across and that is we are all different and for good reason.

I write this because times are difficult at the club right now and I find myself also guilty of trying to segment people and choose sides. I get very frustrated at those fans who seem to have only short term memory and even more frustrated at those who possess nothing but long term. I get frustrated at those who want success yesterday and also at those who are willing to wait another 20 years. There is only ‘us’ and ‘them’ and ‘us’ consists of people who agree with me. That is a terrible point of view to have. Because the ‘us’ is probably a very small collection of individuals. Instead of becoming frustrated at those who disagree with us for whatever reason, let us start looking at what positives we can take from them.

One particular example is Spirit of Shankly. I do not always agree with what they have done or the position they have taken, but it is important to remember that like all supporters, SoS is not one person. I do, however, like the official stance and suggestion that FSG should appoint a Liverpool based chief executive so there is an ownership presence on Merseyside. For me, that seems to be something lacking and I can get behind the idea. Others may not agree and will never like FSG, but that is fine, that is their opinion.

We all want the club to enjoy more success so that we can stop pointing to the past as justification for calling Liverpool the greatest club in the world. What prevents us from getting along like one big happy family is we do not all agree on how to get there. What everyone has to realize is that it is okay. It is okay to not agree with one another and to have productive discussions. However, the infighting amongst supporters that has been taking place for far too long must stop. There is no reason to think another person is of lesser value because of the opinion he or she holds. When those opinions are different from our own and offend us, we start to look for anomalies to rationalize why the other person is so unlike-minded from us; they must be from the US or they must not be someone who has a season ticket. Maybe they’re Welsh or an insta-fan. It really does not matter. Stop with what is being said and start asking why. When is the last time someone disagreed with you and instead of getting defensive you asked, “Why do you think that way?” Talk to each other rather than at each other. Have a discussion, don’t have an argument. At the end of the day when the dust settles, it is okay if you agree to disagree.

The phrase, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” used to mean something more than just being in someone’s signature. I have seen some really nasty comments where an individual ended by typing YNWA. The next time you type YNWA or hear the words sung by the Kop on matchday, think about what they really mean. Do you embody the phrase? White, black, yellow, brown, European, Asian, South American, northerner, southerner, working class, impoverished, rich; if you’re reading this, you are all Red. That does not mean we have to get along and always share the same opinion, but we are all family. You do not have the fortune of choosing who your family is. Like it or not, you’re stuck with us. Let’s find a way to get along.

-CSD

16 thoughts on “Liverpool supporters are not one person

  • September 6, 2012 at 7:07 am
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    Let’s use this season to develop our youngsters in the first team squad, this will benefit us in the future. FSG had to make a stand at some point, we wasted too much last season. We need sensible spending with a youth plan, also signing even more top youth players!!!!

  • September 6, 2012 at 7:15 am
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    Very wise written article. I totally agree with you!

  • September 6, 2012 at 7:21 am
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    Nicely put, together we all support 1 team, LIVERPOOL FC, those who can’t walk through the storms don’t deserve the golden sky. YNWA

  • September 6, 2012 at 7:23 am
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    Very good. Where did the SOS angle originate from? Haha.

    At the end of the day, all I want to know is : what was the Poo-guy’s name, and what country was he from? Poodar? Poomar? Pooban? Poosteve?

  • September 6, 2012 at 7:26 am
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    Me not always agreeing with them? Some members burning the American flag to protest H&G for one.

  • September 6, 2012 at 7:33 am
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    Coincided with some of my tweets today about SOS lol. Not convinced by them personally, but happy for others to put faith in them.

  • September 6, 2012 at 7:37 am
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    lol hadn’t even noticed that. I’m not a card carrying member anymore.

  • September 6, 2012 at 7:38 am
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    Well written article. Genuine supporters should stick together and try and politely educate the numpties. And please please people stop using text speak, 90% of the time it’s illegible, boring and at times insulting. Be nice to each other pepes lol. YNWA.

  • September 6, 2012 at 7:40 am
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    I’ve never been accused of being wise. Starting to feel old.

  • September 6, 2012 at 7:46 am
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    I have this whole theory about typing becoming a lost art because of VoIP technology, but that’s for someone else’s blog. =)

  • September 6, 2012 at 7:53 am
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    Well written article mate, got to agree with you, im one of those blind faith guy who will always support LFC regardless what happens at the pitch and outside the pitch.

  • September 6, 2012 at 7:53 am
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    Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t a managing director (Ian Ayre) the same as a chief executive? I think it is. SOS are asking for a CEO other than Ayre. Don’t know whether finger-pointing is what we need right now.

  • September 6, 2012 at 7:59 am
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    although I disagree with some of the comments below, I totally agree with your wise point, and I consider all the fans like trukly red, with no regards to race, color, sex. That’s the truly mean of YNWA anthem. I can recognise myself to belong to analysts whose opinion shifts based on results and actions taking place 🙂

  • September 6, 2012 at 8:09 am
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    Come on all you red supporters lets band together and get behind our beloved club. We need to be cheering louder at home games do what we can to make the opposition uncomfortable and boost confidence in our boys. YNWA

  • September 6, 2012 at 8:36 am
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    You should not feel old as long as you have the energy and a wise mind!

  • September 6, 2012 at 8:45 am
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    segmentation exists every where, it is not peculiar to only LFC. Growing up and adapting ourselves to the reality of issues would help so much. You want to know the reality of life? ‘LIFE IS MADE OF UPS AND DOWNS’ . . .LFC is no different, lets tag along until we all open a new era. Patience is the key. YNWA.

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