Ahead of the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday 6 May, the Premier League has reportedly made a request to all 10 top-flight clubs with home fixtures next weekend.
Liverpool are among that number, with Brentford coming to Anfield next Saturday, and according to the Daily Mail, they’ve been asked to play the national anthem prior to kick-off in that fixture.
The league is believed to have made contact with the 10 teams playing at home on Matchweek 35 to ‘strongly suggest’ that the anthem is played just before the matches commence.
The Premier League’s request is one which will likely be opposed by Reds supporters, given Merseyside’s chequered relationship with the monarchy and the government.
Previous Liverpool game at which the national anthem has been played, such as the FA Cup final last year – saw many of the club’s fans respond with boos.
That action came in for criticism from some quarters on social media, although anyone with an understanding of the history between this city and the establishment would understand why it happened.
Nobody from these parts will forget how Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative government openly sought to denigrate Liverpool during the 1980s, with that distrust of the Tories continuing to the current regime in Westminster.
Certain remarks made by Tory politicians such as Irvine Patnick and Boris Johnson in relation to the Hillsborough disaster also serve to highlight the rank ignorance and evil of some of those who’ve held positions in power.
It should be noted how Reds fans obeyed Jurgen Klopp’s request to respectfully observe a minute’s silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II ahead of the Champions League clash at home to Ajax in September, aside from isolated hecklers who were promptly ordered to cease and desist.
Nonetheless, it mightn’t sit well with many of the club’s fan base if the national anthem is played before the Brentford game.
A piece by GOAL last year aptly summarised the situation by stating: ‘It’s not entirely surprising as to why Liverpool fans feel so strongly about singing the national anthem, as they feel that in doing so, they would be giving their backing to a monarchy and regime that has never really shown them any support.’
Even if it’s not jeered, don’t expect anyone of a Reds persuasion to sing along to it.