Tearful scenes as city unites

Aug 31 2007 Fan scene column by Sam Johnstone, Liverpool Daily Post

NOT since the horror of Hillsborough have Liverpool and Everton fans been so close, and it’s sad that it’s taken the murder of an innocent young lad to achieve it again, but the scenes at Anfield on Tuesday brought tears to my eyes.

It was a fantastic gesture to play “Johnny Todd” before the Toulouse match, and thanks must go to those supporters who proposed it, and it was great for the club to agree.

Looking at some of the message boards the majority of supporters were in agreement with the gesture, but there were one or two who didn’t want the Everton anthem played.

I’d like to say that I can understand their feelings – but I can’t.

There are things that happen that transcend football rivalry, and this was one of them.

What better way for supporters, players and staff of Liverpool FC to show their support for the Jones family than to acknowledge that the Red and Blue rivalry is only skin deep at times than to play the tune that Rhys loved so much?

The reaction was about the City of Liverpool coming together as one once again, and hopefully this will be the impetus to make the derby a friendly rivalry again.

I come from a family of Reds and Blues, as I’m sure a massive amount of supporters do in the city, and this, for me, was another great example of how we bear times of tragedy together, rather than apart.

Rhys Jones’s death was heartbreak for us all, regardless of our allegiances, and I’m proud to support a club that puts aside rivalries when it really matters. Like all Reds I’m praying that Rhys’s murderers are caught and punished, and that his senseless death can have some meaning in the fight against gangs and gun culture in our city.

The respect shown at Anfield shows that as a city we stand by each other in times of need, and the love shown to the Jones family was genuinely given.

It seems strange to discuss a match after the heartfelt tributes pre-match, but the result was important for us, and showed again that we have the strength in depth to compete on all fronts this season.

None of the players let us down, and it was good to see a couple of the new lads get a run out and perform well.

Four-nil was an excellent result, and the balance of play shows that it could (and should) have been more, but it’s still early days for the lads in terms of fitness and sharpness in front of goal.

In essence we have two very strong sides available to Rafa, and this can only be positive over the course of a long, hard campaign.

There will be one or two players who may have a little moan about not getting enough games, but hopefully they will adapt and realise that if we are to achieve our 19th title, the manager has to rotate.

The game against Derby tomorrow will no doubt see some more changes, but if we keep playing like we are, and getting the three points, then nobody, be they supporters or players, should have any complaints.