Liverpool supporter on the tip of Africa – Living South but looking Up !
South Africa has a huge following of Liverpool FC, and I'm proud to say I'm one the biggest fans of Rafa’s Red Men.I have visited neighbours I haven’t spoken to before and greeted strangers in the street when I see the Liverpool badge on their clothing! Liverpool Football club has become synonymous with spirited defiance, disassociating itself from the norms of this pulsating sport. 3-0 will never again mean “game over” following The Reds antics in Istanbul. Liverpool have redefined the definition of determination, I am actually contemplating putting in a request for the Oxford dictionary to replace their meaning of the term Determination with a picture of Steven Gerrard lifting the Champions League Trophy aloft, and see Liverpool inserted next to the picture !
Apart from the huge Liverpool support in South Africa we boast some of the wittiest around as well. Once in Woolworths (Yes we have them here as well) I had the pleasure of being in a queue with 3 Liverpool supporters and one Manc supporter, and one of Our guys, quite an elderly gentleman sporting the "Crown Paints" Classic, turns to us with our Latest version replica’s, winks at us, looks at the Manc supporter and quips : "What’s the difference between a Liverpool Supporter in South africa and a Manc One hey?" when he replied in the negative the old man says with a grin :"Liverpool supporters put their Shirts on BEFORE the match ! We laughed the Manc supporter out of the queue.. I instinctively shouted as he tried to save face ..."Queue.. never walk alone", my new friends found it funny but I think they were just being polite !It was one of those "you had to be there” moments !
Lets move on to that fateful night in May shall we...!!
As my proudest night as a South african Liverpool Supporter begins, I pull out my Sizeable Liverpool Glass, fill it with my favorite Cola, pull out a huge Packet of Lays, grab a thick slab of Cadbury Chocs and jump on to my faithful couch to savor Liverpool’s deserved appearance in the Champions League Final. I just open the Packet of Crisps and ...Goal!!! One nil!!! My cell phone buzzes with miscalls from all over Johannesburg as every United, Arsenal & Chelsea supporter I have the displeasure of knowing give me miscalls on my Cell phone. Goal Again!! 2 - 0 then just before half time 3 - 0, my phone rings and rings and yes, rings again... I think of throwing it out the window but wisely choose not to. It would later come to my assistance, I fool myself into thinking. Now in hindsight its very funny but at that time my wits and patience were wearing as thin as Crouchy’s frame.
The half time whistle blows and I drag myself out for a smoke.
3 - 0 ? At Half time? Somebody smack me awake please! It had all gone a bit pear
shaped really !I walk back to the Lounge, Lift the TV remote and for a second contemplate switching the television off, but to my better judgment I tell myself "ITS NOT OVER TILL ITS OVER" which for me is sort of a "second slogan" describing the Reds that season and Definitely for all time !And boy have those words EVER rung true.
Liverpool 3 - AC Milan 3 as six of the greatest minutes as a Liverpool supporter fly past I sit with my cell phone returning the favor of "Disunited" and chelski supporters who earlier had relished wickedly the thought of the Reds getting the worst thrashing in Europe. So sorry to burst your bubbles boys, ITS OUR TIME NOW, AND THATS THE BOTTOM LINE. My new liverpool Wall clock given to me as a gift by a friend who went to Anfield for the first time confirms this
!Another wonderful experience as a Reds fan was driving around on Holiday in Durban on South Africa's east coast trying to find a decent place to watch Liverpool versus Newcastle, my brother in law and I drove around a town we didn't know, asking the locals for help locating a sports Bar or anywhere we could watch the reds annihilate Newcastle. A dodgy character agreed to assist us and gave us directions to a certain Sports Bar in Verulam, a town not far
from Durban. Lo' and behold, in this sleepy town we Locate a cozy sports bar sporting a HUGE Cinema screen with surround sound good enough to make us feel as if we were part of the kop! We could not believe our luck. I couldn't hear when we left but I could never forget either. Needless to say we were back to the same venue a few days later when Liverpool took on Everton and then West Brom. We won all three and it was a good week.There's never a dull moment as a Reds Supporter in South Africa ! We've got the
Right man as our Captain (he plays there too nowadays) and the perfect man holding it all together in Rafa Benitez !
Its about time we REDiscover our glory days of yesteryear…
Do it for the fans across the globe, Boys
Really, really exciting times ahead watching all the way from the Tip of Africa
YNWA
Ejaz Khan
Johannesburg, South Africa
ejaz@ciinetwork.net
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