By John Doherty
A big hello to all my fellow L.F.C. fans. Here is a little story to warm your hearts about the great people at our great club.
I was in my local pub in Southampton (I moved there from Liverpool 21 years ago) having a pint or two when the landlord came down to do his shift. I was all prepared for our usual banter about his dislike for Liverpool (he strangely thinks Saints are much better) when he came out with “full respect to Kenny and Liverpool football club”. I thought “here we go” thinking here comes the dig. He then went on to tell me a story of a local who is a nice lad who just found out he had a very aggressive form of cancer and he has less than 2 months to live. His mum phoned up L.F.C. and explained to the lad on the phone how he was a massive Liverpool fan and had never been to Anfield and his one wish was to see his beloved club once before he died. The lad on the other end of the line listened to her story which was just to get some autographs of his favourite players. The lad said to her “can I call you back in 20 minuets please?” 10 minuets later her phone rang and the voice on the other end said in a Scottish accent “Hello this is Kenny Dalglish here can I speak to your son please. Kenny had taken the time straight away as soon as he heard the news to call her back. He spent the next hour talking to him laughing and joking listening and sharing stories with him. This would have been the best day of his life until King Kenny invited him to Anfield where the lad was given the full works, he was introduced to the players before the game and then with his family was sent up to the directors box where a great big spread was put on for them. At the end he was given half the shop to take away with him. This was the best day ever he said and while telling his story you could see what it meant to him by his eyes welling up and his voice breaking. That should have been it but Kenny then found out that the pub had set up a collection for the ward that is looking after him and the hospice. Kenny gave £250,000 to it out of his own pocket!!! We all know that this is a subject very close to Kenny’s heart with the sad loss of family members to cancer
So I hear you cry what’s the point of this story.
My point is the lad at the other end of the line could have just said sorry we don’t do that which I know a lot of clubs do, he could not have cared. The ethos of Liverpool is no-one is bigger than the club. Liverpool is a family and we care for one another when you join this family. Through out the club everyone is respected and loved. No club understands how important fans are more than L.F.C. as there would be no club with out the fans. The actions by everyone at the club in this instance show what Liverpool think of our great supporters. Now Laurel and Hardy have gone and the old guard are back we are getting back to what made this club so respected and admired throughout the world.
This my friends is why Liverpool will be back on top sooner rather than later.
YNWA