Ever since my first game – Auxerre at home in 2003, in what was then the UEFA Cup – it is safe to say me and other lads and girls my age have seen one of hell of a roller-coaster ride.
Istanbul, Athens, a liquidation battle, an unforgettable title charge under Brendan Rodgers, and most importantly, the Jurgen Klopp era.
Following Liverpool home and away, with the same lads year in year out, I can wholeheartedly say that there has never been this much belief, togetherness and unity among the fans and the club – something Klopp was hellbent on creating upon his arrival in October 2015.
In the space of four seasons, Klopp and his team have taken me to places and given me moments I thought I would only dream of.
Regular European away trips, accumulated with yearly European finals, is a long distant memory from my 14-year-old self and my mates going to places like the Stadium of Light or St James’ Park in the hope of seeing us score even a goal, in the end with the only thing to show for our efforts being a ticket stub and a new collection of back-of-the-coach songs.
But now it is different. I’ve seen the mighty Barcelona defeated at Anfield, Borussia Dortmund crushed in the Europa League and a Premier League campaign that may have ultimately ended in defeat, but saw Liverpool win match after match.
It has never made me prouder to support the Reds.
A funny yet simple analogy me and my mates at the match talk about justifies the claim as to how good this side is.
“If you were seven or eight now, who would you be getting on the back of your shirt?”
The answer from near enough everyone is, “I don’t know”.
The team is filled with heroes. There are spines not just through the middle but all over the pitch – we now have a team that possesses the characteristics and qualities it takes to play for this football club.
Gone are the days of us being a one-man team or one or two injuries leaving us with a weak side. Barcelona at home showed the quality we have when some of the stars are injured.
There is no better time to be watching Liverpool and it almost feels like a reward for the following: those dark days under Roy Hodgson, being in the away end at Stoke City for Steven Gerrard’s final match, Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley, watching us go out of the League Cup to Barnsley, or even watching my team give Chelsea a guard of honour at Stamford Bridge in 2015.
Who knows where this team will end up, but that night in the Wanda Metropolitano has etched these players into Anfield folklore forever.
This season could be the best one yet, and from a personal point of view, thinking back to campaigns finishing outside the Europa League places has made these last couple of seasons all the sweeter.
When I speak to my dad and his mates at the match, who have lived through Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan, and see how they speak of this side being up there with the great teams of the 1980’s, it makes me realise how lucky I am to be going through it all now.
Liverpool Football Club, together with Klopp and a team of absolute superstars, are on the verge of world domination.
It’s only what me and millions of other fans ultimately deserve.
