Feature'We met at the Kop and then married' - 27 fan stories from Liverpool's 6,000 games

The milestone fixture for the club was reached on Saturday when the Reds travelled to Brentford in the Premier League.

Along the way, 51 major trophies have been lifted; iconic careers have unfolded; unthinkable comebacks have been achieved; hundreds of players have worn the Liver bird on their chest; and supporters have experienced amazing adventures criss-crossing the country and the globe.

To mark the 6,000th match, we recently asked fans to submit personal stories from that catalogue of football. We would like to thank all who participated, and here are 27 of our favourite tales shared…

David Alan Whitehill

My first live Liverpool game, Everton vs Liverpool, Charity Shield, at Goodison Park, 13th August 1966, aged seven. My dad took me (Bullens Road), and I can still vividly remember the occasion and excitement. The city of Liverpool, the capital of world football! The parade of the trophies before the game started. Sir Roger Hunt and Ray Wilson led a lap of honour holding the Jules Rimet trophy (World Cup), followed by Big Ron Yeats with the league championship and Brian Labone with the FA Cup, and then the rest of the players. The game was won by a Sir Roger goal early on, and more importantly my addiction to the Reds had begun. And 58+ years on (now as a season ticket holder) I still can’t get enough.

Derek Ralphs

27 Oct 1990. Standing outside the Kop waiting to go inside to watch us against Chelsea and in that queue was a lady called Karen, now my wife, we married in 1993. We have a brick opposite the eternal flame to commemorate that first meeting date. That same year I met Peter Murphy on the Kop. We still stand next to each other on the Kop and are great friends. Thank you Anfield, thank you LFC.

Billy Rilen

Singing You’ll Never Walk Alone with 95,446 other fans at the MCG in Melbourne will forever give me goosebumps every time I think of the occasion! What a crowd, what an occasion!

Harneet Gawera

Taking my dad to Anfield for the first time was a moment I’ll never forget. For his 50th birthday, I surprised him with tickets bought from my first wage – a small gesture for a man who’s given me so much. My dad, a lifelong Liverpool fan, had always dreamed of standing under those iconic lights, singing You’ll Never Walk Alone with thousands of others. He’s always one to put the family first, never doing anything he wanted. Never one to treat himself. This time I thought I would. Watching his eyes light up as we walked through the turnstiles was priceless. When the anthem played, I saw tears in his eyes, and I knew this was more than a game for him – it was a dream fulfilled, a memory etched forever. Sharing that first Anfield experience with him was not just a gift for him; it was one for me too.

Richard Gaunt

When we played Arsenal in 1964 to clinch the First Division title and we were winning 5-0. The Kop chanted: ‘We want six.’ There was then a moment’s silence when the chant ended and two Arsenal supporters at the back of the Kop chanted: ‘We want one.’ The whole of the Kop turned and applauded them.

Phil Cleary

December 1978. LFC v Anderlecht. Very foggy night, in the Kop but couldn’t see beyond the penalty box. Every time there was a roar coming from the other end, the Kop would sing: ‘Anny Road, Anny Road, what’s the score?’ and they’d respond. Great fun was had.

Bethan Warburton

I have attended many games at Anfield and across the country over the years but there will always be one game from my childhood that holds a special place in my heart. I was only little when the Reds travelled to Villa Park on 14th February 2016. It was, of course, a day to remember with six goals from Liverpool but what has stuck in my memory is Kolo Toure’s goal, headed in from a Henderson corner in the 71st minute. Toure was my absolute favourite player at the time, I even remember naming my childhood rabbit teddy Kolo after him. When he scored I was buzzing with excitement and sung his song with pride, especially because he hadn’t scored for us prior to this. Now despite almost nine years having passed, I still often talk about seeing Kolo’s only goal for Liverpool and it is a match that has been significant to me since that moment. YNWA.

Dan Irvine-Casey

My dad took me to see my first ever LFC match against Man City at the Etihad in 2008/09. After going 2-0 down I thought my first LFC game was going to end in misery but instead I was treated to a dream comeback thanks to two goals and an assist from my hero, Fernando Torres.

Paul Foreman

Stoke City at home, me and my son’s first game together in Annie Road with the advertising separating us from the away fans. Stoke get a last-minute penalty and Simon Mignolet (think it was his debut) makes a double save. The roar from my son was enough to know he was hooked for life. Up the Reds. YNWA.

Francis Lichuma

2006 – Robbie Fowler returned to Liverpool under Rafa Benitez. On his second debut, against Birmingham City, the Kop showed our collective appreciation with the timeless banner that read, ‘God – number eleven, welcome back to heaven’. I get goosebumps remembering this day.

Roger Burns

The 1986 cup final and that Ian Rush goal that knocked over the camera. I was watching with my family at my uncle’s house (Ron, a great man who introduced me to LFC by asking me questions about the club and rewarding me with match programmes if I got the answer right). There were I think 13 of us there; eight or nine supporting LFC, a few indifferent, and my brother who chose to support Everton simply to spite me. A great day, a great match, a great win and after all this time a great, great memory.

Michael Cooper

One game that sticks out for me was the 2008 Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal. Anfield was absolutely electric that night. Sami Hyypia’s bullet header in the first half and a Fernando Torres wonder goal at the Kop end. Just a brilliant game and one that I’ll always remember.

Mariyam Karolia

March 28th 1984 – Liverpool v Everton Milk Cup final replay. Nine-year-old Indian girl from Bradford. We’d just got our first colour TV and this was the first football match we’d ever seen. My brothers supported the Blues and I supported the Reds not knowing it would be love at first sight and that 40 years later I would still feel the same. August 15th 1987 – Arsenal v Liverpool, John Barnes’ first game and the first time I saw someone playing for Liverpool who had the same skin colour as me. It meant everything.

Neil Beacom

At the Juventus game at Anfield in April 2005 (which in itself is poignant and memorable) while waiting for my brother, before we took our seats on the Kop, I got talking with an ‘old Kopite’. I asked him had he seen Billy Liddell play and he had. The fella’s memories of Billy are as fresh in my mind now as the game itself, describing him with reverence as the greatest Red he had ever seen play (the team of course were called ‘Liddellpool’). Our own memories of Billy are of seeing him at the parade of legends at the Kop’s Last Stand in April 1994. Perhaps one day, when I am old and grey, or older and greyer, I may be asked to regale a fellow supporter with tales of Dalglish, Rush et al. This way we shall continue to never walk alone. 6,000 LFC games, so many precious memories for so many here and now and for so many who went before us. God bless that ‘old Kopite’.

Paul Duffy

4-0 v Barcelona. A game we expected not to win. Reason for picking this game out of many I’ve been at over the years was watching my daughter’s face when the fourth goal went in, it meant a lot to see the joy from a different generation. And also being a special family occasion. I also remember at half-time going for a drink and sitting next to a lady who had thought all was lost. My words to her were, ‘We always do it the hard way.’ Funny but I knew we probably wouldn’t meet again. The emotion and relief at the end was unbelievable. As was the rendition of the hymn, as the Spanish call it, YNWA. Great memories. Plus we won the final.

Muhammad Sidat

1983 League Cup final v Manchester United. I was only eight/nine at the time and the 1983 League Cup final was one of the first matches I saw on telly. I wasn’t even a Liverpool fan when I started watching but I fondly remember the commentator’s words, ‘Whelan, Whelan curls it’. Ronnie Whelan scored the winner and Liverpool won the game 2-1 and I have been a Liverpool fan ever since. Heaven forbid if United had won the game I would probably have ended up being a United fan!

Pawan Vyas

Going to see the game against United at Anfield where we won 7-0 was my greatest memory. The atmosphere when we watched the team buses come in and then sat in the Kop end singing, ‘We want seven’ (thinking this was ludicrous but still wishing for more goals). Haven’t had a more sore throat in my life but it was all worth it. What a game and what a memory for a lifetime.

Gordon Johnston

I live in the Shetland Isles. When I was a little boy in the 1950s I started supporting Scottish team Hibernian. Hibs had a goalie called Tommy Younger. When I was 10, in 1956, Liverpool signed Younger. That’s how and when I started supporting the Reds – almost 70 years ago!

Paul Cooke

19th March 2002. Liverpool 2 Roma 0. Champions League group stage, Gerard Houllier’s return! Magnificent night, loved being in the Kop with my brother having travelled up with the Plymouth supporters group. I originally had tickets for the Anfield Road end and thought that I would not be able to make it so gave my tickets to my mate, only to then be able to go to the game and the lads at the Plymouth supporters group kindly said my brother and I could have any returned tickets. We got the call to say we have tickets the day before the game and it was such an emotional and amazing experience to be in the Kop for Gerard’s return. Roma’s team was full of stars, including Batistuta up front, but that night belonged to the Reds and when Heskey headed home the second goal, the Kop exploded with noise! Simply brilliant... lifetime memory!

Adele Davies

My most memorable game was the 1989 FA Cup Final against Everton, I was 14 at the time and went with my dad. With it being not long after Hillsborough, it felt more special. I remember it being such a hot day, the atmosphere was electric. It was my second time at an FA Cup final, the first was against Wimbledon the year before, but enough about that game. I remember getting a photo taken on Wembley Way, and being so excited. We got into the stadium and made our way near to the front. People were passing water round to everyone as it was getting warmer. Gerry Marsden singing You’ll Never Walk Alone, oh my God, the place erupted in song, all you could see were scarves and flags everywhere. Seeing Liverpool for the first time at Wembley in-person winning, 3-2, with goals from Aldo and Rushie – legends – made it even more of a fantastic day. By the end of it, I’d lost my voice with singing and shouting and I looked like a Smurf as the blue denim skirt I had on had run because I sweated that much with the heat. I still go to a lot of the games with my dad and have been a few times back to Wembley. These memories are so precious and will always stay with me, and to see Liverpool winning so much over the years, with all the great managers and players, is such a pleasure. I will be forever grateful for my dad for introducing me to Liverpool FC. YNWA.

Mark Harris

I was at home watching the FA Cup final in 2001 when Liverpool were playing Arsenal. We went 1-0 down then Michael Owen equalised, much to my delight. However, when Owen was through minutes later I was up off my seat, then when he scored I jumped up and raised my arms up, but unfortunately we had a lowered ceiling and I badly scraped my knuckles across it! Much pain but also much joy at the same time!

Martin Jones

Beginning of 1978/79 season when we beat Spurs (they had two Argentina World Cup winners in their team) 7-0 at Anfield. I stood on the Kop. However, my best memory of the match was our seventh goal scored at the Anfield Road end by my hero Terry McDermott. He was involved in the beginning of the move on the edge of our penalty area and finished the amazingly rapid break from defence to attack with a superb header from Steve Heighway’s brilliant cross. That goal has lived in my memory since and was the ‘icing on the cake’ on that wonderful day by one of the best Liverpool teams ever. YNWA!

Colin Bowie

Well there’s a memory that is etched into my brain among some of the historic moments in LFC history and it’s not a piece of magic from a player or a goal or a song from the Kop that lifted everyone. It was a silence that hit me getting back on the coach after the game in Istanbul. It lasted around 30 seconds, the coach was half-full and we were all looking around at each other in dismay. After the euphoria of the match where we all sang our hearts out, we danced our way back from the ground making songs up on the way. One comes to mind, “3-0 down then 3-3, then we won on penalties; Dudek saved from Shevchenko, then we brought the cup back home.” Then we arrive at the coach, stepping up into utter silence, a silence I’ll never forget, walking to our seats past faces of utter shock, looking into each other’s eyes and shaking our heads. Then everyone all at once singing as loud as we can, all in unison, “Champions League, you’re having a laugh, Champions League, you’re having a laugh”, and more and more songs sang as we drove off to the city.

Connor Breen

Before the 2019 UEFA Super Cup final in Istanbul, I recall a large number of Liverpool fans congregating around the Dubliner pub just behind Taksim Square. I remember soaking up the atmosphere, singing endless songs about the Reds and looking forward to the game, on what was a very hot August evening. I stood back and took it all in and a Scouser turned to me and said, ‘There’s nothing better than this, lad! It’s better than having kids!’ I laughed and agreed with this statement. To which he replied, ‘Maybe that’s why my wife left me!’ And then he walked off. Never saw him again but I’m sure he had a great night after the game like the rest of us!

Gilles Renard

I’ve been a Liverpool FC fan since 28 April 1976, when we played Brugge in the first leg of the UEFA Cup final. Doing my English lesson, I listened to the radio and it was the first time I could hear the Kop singing. That was for me an amazing revelation and the beginning of my love for the Reds.

Thomas Brunt

My choice is pretty left-field. There’s far too many amazing and special games... Istanbul, FA Cup final 2001 and 2006, the list can go on forever – and ever. Personally for myself, one of the most special games was December 17th 2000 and beating Manchester United at Old Trafford, 0-1. Growing up as a Liverpool supporter in London, being dedicated and loyal since 1995, also having friends who were all Manchester United supporters, it was such a special moment finally getting to celebrate a victory there. I believe it had been 10 years or so that Liverpool had last won at Old Trafford. The year before, in 1999, Manchester United had beaten us in the FA Cup fourth round 2-1 with two goals in the last few minutes after we had led from I remember the first five minutes. Me and my Manchester United-loving friends watched that game at my house, I was in bits after the final whistle, tears were definitely shed, my heart completely broken. So to finally win there after so many years of heartbreak and disappointment was so, so sweet. Thank you, Danny Murphy!

William Jones

Carabao Cup final 2024 with my dad. The atmosphere was mental all game, with a highlight of Allez, Allez, Allez in extra-time, coupled with captain Virgil’s last-minute winner. YNWA with the whole team, Klopp and 40,000 fans is a memory I’ll never forget.