Well, that was the plan but my match ticket wasn't 100% confirmed till a week before the game. Thank goodness it all worked out, but even if it didn't I was gonna go down to Liverpool anyhow to check the place out and go for the Anfield Stadium tour. Either way I was getting into the stadium!
I took a train down early from Glasgow, and bunked over at a friend of my brother's place. A kind soul who offered his room for two nights.
Anyhow, I went to the stadium super early, 2hours before the match, to collect my ticket. As i stepped out the cab my eyes immediately were drawn to a glorious sight:
Holy, holy, holy...
Once I got my ticket and put it safely away I wondered about till I came to a gathering crowd. I kinda figured why they were all standing there, waiting so since I had nothing else better to do I joined them. Bout 15minutes later, in came the Liverpool players bus.
Doesn't look it in the picture, but I got a great view. Right in front of the bus, so I saw Rafa Benitez and all the players getting off.
After that, I didn't have much else to do so I headed in.
Now, the first thing that is really obvious about Anfield is it is so SMALL. For a top team, their stadium seriously looks way bigger on tv. The stands are tight around the pitch, not many tiers and basically just ngam-ngam.
I found out later it can hold 40,000 people, and that's like half the size of Old Trafford.
Another thing I realized once in, uh-oh, no big screens! Die, how am I gonna see whats going on!
Turns out, the locals don't bother to come in and wait, they pour in just before the game starts. From an empty stadium it fills up in less than 15minutes.
I wasn't at the Kop end (above), it was just to my right - close enough to hear all the singing pretty loudly. Everytime the ball went close to the goalmouth, like a wave everyone would stand up, and if nothing happened, everyone sat back down again in unison. Quite an impressive sight.
The crowed got pumped up once the players came out for their warm ups. Pepe Reina was the 'closest' to me. Its the best individual picture I could get.
After one minute of silence (out of respect for soldiers who died at war because it was near Remembrance Day) and shaking hands it was time for the match to begin.
It was fun, it was loud, there was cursing, there was laughter, jeering and cheering.
Everything you hear and see on tv when watching a live match; that was what I was a part of.
I had authentic Scousers behind me, pretty much going f*kin' ell' most of the time, and 2 somewhat drunk, bulky Russians next to me who kept screaming C'mon Agger!
First half was 'good' cause a lot of the action was at my end.
I love watching Rafa Benitez, well any football manager for that matter. They look hilarious with their furious hand gestures and try so hard to keep inside their designated rectangle.
Overall, I enjoyed myself very much.
It sucked that it was a draw, but what can you do?
Liverpool made their usual idiotic mistakes, and Birmingham City's defence was excellent.
I had not idea what all the hoo-ha was about when the penalty was given as all I saw from the other end of the stadium was:
There are no instant replays in the stadium remember.
To be honest, I didn't even know what the issue was the next day either because 1.I'm not a hardcore fan 2.I don't do follow ups on matches and 3. I don't care.
Dive or no dive, I had a great time.
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