Tony Barrett's Kop 10 banners

All adorned with messages that bear testimony to a unique combination of sporting achievement and cultural difference. Liverpool has history when it comes to flags. 

So in the build-up to this weekend's Merseyside showpiece, Tony Barrett, journalist for The Times, has shared with us 10 Liverpool banners that have captured the imaginations of Reds fans through the years.

1. Joey Ate The Frogs Legs Made The Swiss Roll Now He's Munching Gladbach 

32 years on from being displayed at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, this banner remains the most memorable of all that have been flown in Liverpool's colours throughout their incredible history. To this day, Joey Jones must feel 10 feet tall whenever he sees it. The story of Liverpool's journey to Rome and their first ever European Cup has been told so many times and in so many different ways but this is the most succinct and evocative of flags.

2. We Never Walk Alone: Hillsborough

Peter Carney is a genius when it comes to making flags. His Memoria e amicizia ('In memory and friendship') banner was paraded on the pitch prior to the home leg of Liverpool's European Cup quarter-final tie with Juventus in 2005, 20 years on from the horrors of Heysel. Having survived Hillsborough he knows only too well the pain of tragedy but through his art he has been able to channel his emotions in the most positive of ways. This banner was made to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Hillsborough and features the Christian names of all those who perished on the Leppings Lane End on that fateful day, and pockets in which flowers can be placed. A message and a memorial. 

3. You Are Always On Our Mind (96)

If you ever see this banner close up, read it. The number 96 has been displayed using the names of every single one of the victims of Hillsborough. It is a brilliant piece of design as not only does it incorporate an incredible image, it also encourages anyone who sees it to take a closer look. The fact that it carries a message that the 96 will never, ever be forgotten makes it one of the most moving banners that anyone could ever see.

4. Celtic's Justice for the 96 banner

When Liverpool and their fans were at their lowest ebb in the aftermath of Hillsborough they were shown a solidarity from rival clubs and fans which still resonates to this very day. Along with Everton, Celtic came to the fore and the relationship which was forged in those dark days was so powerful that it is still in place today. The fact that this flag is still flown at Celtic Park on occasion and was actually brought down to Anfield for the 20th anniversary memorial service earlier this year speaks volumes for the compassion shown by the Celtic fans for two decades.  

5. Welcome To Hell My Arse If You Think This Is Hell You Should See The Grafton On A Friday Night

An object lesson in how to take the sting out of a potentially hostile situation with the use of humour. Liverpool's visit to Galatasary's notorious Ali Sami Yen Stadium in 2002 had been preceded by dire warnings of the fate that awaited their fans at the ground known as 'hell'. The moment this banner was unfurled all tension was lost and anyone who has been to the Grafton on a Friday night will not need the joke explaining to them.

6. Them Scousers Again

The brilliance of this one lies in the fact that it sums up exactly what the rest of the country was thinking as Liverpool arrived in Istanbul with hopes high of a record fifth European Cup being landed. After almost three decades of unparalleled success Liverpool's trophy winning days had been more limited following their last league title in 1990, but there they were again on the biggest stage about to win the biggest prize. 

7. For Those Of You Watching In Blue And White, This Is What A European Cup Looks Like

Banner banter at its most cutting. No foreign trip by any club would be complete without a dig aimed at least one of your rivals. Reminding your mates at home who support your neighbours that you're in Europe again and on the road, hopefully, to even more success is all part of the fun. Reds Go Catalan, Blues Go Matalan is another classic of its kind.

8. Success Has Many Fathers and Great Minds Think Alike

Paying homage to the past while being grateful for the present and looking forward to the future has always been a key theme for Liverpool's banner makers as these two flags highlight. Images of legends like Shankly, Paisley, Fagan and Dalglish cannot be anything other than iconic.

9. Liverpool FC A Bastion Of Invincibility

Read the banner and you can almost hear Shankly uttering those immortal words and making a statement to the rest of the world that he intended on turning Liverpool into a team of such power and skill that everyone else would have to 'submit and give in'. A magnificently resonant soundbite which deserved a flag of its own and it has been given one.

10. Shankly's Champions

Simplicity is beauty. Evocative of a bygone age when (a) Liverpool were champions! and (b) when flags were kept to the very basic. There's a lot to be said for the straightforward approach and this banner lets the world know exactly what Liverpool were under the great Bill Shankly.