FeatureWe Love You Liverpool: Meet Official LFC Supporters Club... San Francisco
Liverpool FC has more than 300 Official LFC Supporters Clubs (OLSCs) across 100 countries worldwide.
The Reds’ fanbase is famous for its passion and loyalty, cheering on both Jürgen Klopp and Matt Beard’s squads whether on Merseyside or watching from afar.
Our We Love You Liverpool feature aims to bring supporters closer together to learn more about each other wherever they are based around the globe.
Whether in the UK and Republic of Ireland, on Merseyside itself, in North or South America, Africa, Asia, Australia or elsewhere, fans provide the very foundations that the club is built on.
Here, we meet OLSC San Francisco...
Firstly, can you introduce yourself - tell us a little a bit about who you are and where you are from...
My name is Lingerr Senghor and I’m one of the co-chairs of OLSC San Francisco. I’m originally from The Gambia, West Africa. Here in San Francisco, I teach high-school English Literature - and try to convert teenagers into becoming Reds!
Tell us about the OLSC San Francisco… how did it come to be?
We’ve been running since 2008. One of our original founders, Phillip Ko, created a Facebook group to help Liverpool fans organise match-watching and hangouts, and we’ve taken off from there and grown.
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How special is it to have a feel of Liverpool despite being in San Francisco? What makes it a great OLSC to be a part of?
It’s incredible to have such a strong connection and feel of Liverpool all the way here on the west coast of the United States. We’re up super-early for the games, and the Kezar Pub owner - where we often meet - brings doughnuts since they can’t serve food at 4am. The strong community we’ve built here makes it a fantastic OLSC and an extension of our Liverpool family.
We’ve really worked through the highs and lows of our team and the highs and lows of the world around us. When the pandemic hit, the OLSC worked together to raise 10,000 dollars to support our local pub, helping ensure that the staff that are so brilliant to us would get paid despite the pub being closed.
Do you hold any special events throughout the season, or meet-ups for games?
We meet up for almost every game! And over the last few years, we’ve had some brilliant events. When Liverpool visited in 2016 during pre-season, we were able to have a meet and greet with some of the players. OLSC members also got access to a first-team training session, where we could chat with Jürgen Klopp and the lads. The great Ray Clemence came through a few years ago, too.
What is so unique about being a Liverpool supporter for your members?
One of the things about supporting Liverpool, perhaps more than other clubs, is that we live by our ethos. I’m sure other clubs have fun watching games together, but we’ve determinedly stuck by each other through challenges in the world around us. We know that being part of OLSC San Francisco really means You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Why do you think Liverpool fans - no matter where they are from around the world - are so passionate and loyal to the club?
I think we’re passionate because the club is passionate about us. Every fan I know from so many different countries around the world cares deeply about the squad, the institution, the grounds and the staff. They’re more than distant figures, or results, for us; we prop them up because the club does everything it can for us - the fans.
How do you bring ‘Anfield’ to San Francisco?
We have some imported Scousers who definitely help up the Anfield vibe! But our rituals are the same ones we see on the television; we loudly and proudly sing You’ll Never Walk Alone before and after the games and we join the Anfield chants. It helps us feel like we’re there, even when we’re 5,172 miles away.
Has the OLSC ever visited Anfield? If not, is it on your list of things to do?
We’ve had individuals visit and it’s been a great time for them! Our dream is a massive trip with as many San Francisco Reds as we can wrangle together.
How has it been to follow the club in recent history? There has been plenty to cheer about under Jürgen Klopp and Matt Beard…
We’ve been deliriously happy, even when we haven’t won some of the trophies we’ve been in contention for. Having this team, the quality and winning so many other trophies have made these a phenomenal seven years under the boss - there’s no other manager we want to have by our side.
If anyone is interested in joining your OLSC, how would they go about doing so?
Check out our website lfcsanfrancisco.com and reach out to us on Twitter or come to Kezar Pub and chat to Lingerr and Andrew.
Finally, is there anything else you’d like to mention?
We have so many loyal fans, especially those of us who are up and ready for the 4.30am games at the Kazar Pub. I deeply treasure the letter and signed jersey Liverpool FC sent me when I was sick and in hospital. We love Liverpool, and in that moment (and so many more), we all felt like Liverpool loved us back too.
OLSC info
Name: OLSC San Francisco
Location: San Francisco, California. The United States.
Home bar: Kezar Pub, 770 Stanyan St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Website: lfcsanfrancisco.com
Twitter: @LFCSF
Facebook: LFCSanfrancisco
This article has been automatically translated and, while all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, some errors in translation are possible. Please refer to the original English-language version of the article for the official version.