Kop needs to find real voice

Dec 21 2006 Red Watch by Andy Proudfoot, Liverpool Daily Post

ADVANCING years bring many benefits: comfortable pants for one, not having to shout down someone's ears at discos another.

Age also brings experience, and hopefully with it wisdom, though this fails to explain why I travel the length and breadth of the country to watch football matches at anti-social times for which I've already paid a Premiership Plus subscription.

But with age also comes responsibility; the most important of which is not to behave like an old git and pap on about the good old days.

So I hold my tongue when fellow train passengers insist on shouting highly personal telephone conversations across the carriage; smile ruefully when pursuing the nightly ritual of prising chewing gum off my shoes; and generally sigh in passive understanding of some of the more irritating aspects of modern life.

And such have I grown to tolerate the increasing somnolence of the Kop: it's the seats, it's the prices, it's the out-of-towners, it's just modern life. We're there to be entertained, and if it's just Fulham or Wigan then we'll wait until we're three-nil up before we begin to enjoy ourselves and roar our appreciation.

What's wrong with that? Well, nothing, if you're happy to be just another football club, with no sense of tradition, pride or history.

Nothing, if you like being taunted by 3,000 away fans about the lack of noise emanating from your celebrated terrace.

Nothing, if a world-wide reputation for commitment, humour and generosity of spirit doesn't fill you with pride.

But wait - what's this? Some kindred spirits have broken cover to declare that this is just not good enough.

Kevin Sampson and others have come together to launch the Reclaim the Kop campaign, and what's more their rhetoric is not of a forlorn wish to return to standing areas, cheaper tickets or a nonsensical ban on those born more than five miles from Anfield; they speak of education, of respect, and dignity.