This Means More

I’ll admit, when I was tasked with writing about myself and how I became a Liverpool supporter I was a bit apprehensive. First, I’m not one to talk about myself; and two - I just recently became a Liverpool supporter and was not sure how I could even write about it when I’m so “green.” But I quickly realized everyone has their start somewhere, and someone reading this may be new to this as well.

Before I go into my Liverpool supporter journey, I’ll give you a brief bio on me. I grew up in Georgia in a very small town (my boyfriend likes to joke that my hometown has more cows than people). After graduating college, I moved to Chicago for about 7 years, and then moved to Philadelphia in 2013. When I’m not at The Vic supporting the Reds or volunteering on the OLSC Philadelphia board, I actually have a day job at Chubb as an IT Project Manager. You may be wondering why there’s a dog in my picture- this is my dog Piper. She is a Reds supporter just like me…even though they probably look more like the “Grey’s” to her.

Now to my Liverpool journey: Prior to the beginning of the 2017-18 EPL season, I decided to delve into the football/soccer world.  At that time, I was becoming disillusioned with American sports and really wanted to find a team that I felt a connection with. So I did my research and came to the overwhelming realization that Liverpool FC was to be MY team. It was the legends, the managers, the stories, and the beauty of the game that spoke to me. Liverpool FC has a proud and storied history, and it resonated in my heart. I know it may sound cliché, but it is something I just have a hard time putting into words. In addition, my brother-in-law had also decided to become an Everton fan that season and said to me “Whatever you do, just don’t choose Liverpool.” And well…here we are. 
 
Before I ventured to the Vic, I wanted to understand the current style of play, the players, and our manager Klopp; so I stayed at home and watched EVERY single match! The grit and determination of the team drew me in, and I felt a love for a team I’d never felt before. It made me want to seek out a supporter’s environment like the Vic - to be in a room full of fellow supporters cheering for every goal!  Unfortunately, a few months into the season I had to get foot surgery and was relegated to stay at home until December. I was dying to make it out to root for my Reds. Finally, I was able to make it out- knee walker and all!  I was welcomed by my fellow Philly Reds with open arms, and I knew I had found my HOME. It didn’t matter if you were a supporter from the time you were born or just started following that season. You were a fellow Red and family!

That’s the thing about Liverpool FC, and its supporters - it’s not just a team or fans.  It is a family in every sense of the word. No matter where you go - you know you will always have a local supporters club (official or not) to watch matches and cheer on the Reds with loud voices, cheers, and chants. And our anthem is always there to remind you “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

Being part of this family has brought me so much joy and a lot of new friends! I cannot wait to see what this upcoming season brings. I hope to see familiar and new faces at our upcoming matches and events. Please stop by and introduce yourself. You are already family to me. To finish- I’ll add my flair here: We are Liverpool- This Means SO MUCH More. YNWA,