Liverpool Football Club: Small Changes to Make a Big Difference
As the football world awaits the return of the beautiful game, Liverpool fans are left with a gap in their lives that they never expected. With the season on hold, fans are left with nothing but time to think of small changes that the club could make to improve the matchday experience. From squad numbers to the Shankly Gates, here are some of the small changes that could make a big difference for Liverpool Football Club.
Squad Numbers 1 to 11
The iconic squad numbers of Liverpool Football Club have been worn by some of the greatest players to ever grace the Anfield turf. With Luis Diaz set to take the No. 7 shirt from next season, fans have already begun to speculate on which other changes we could expect to see. Recent departures have seen some of Liverpool’s most iconic squad numbers become available, with many calling for Darwin Nunez to be handed the No. 9 shirt vacated by Roberto Firmino.
As traditionalists, we’d like to see players wearing the numbers of the positions they are typically associated with. For instance, as full-backs, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson ought to be wearing No. 2 and No.3 respectively. Despite wearing it for five seasons, the No. 3 shirt doesn’t quite suit Fabinho as a defensive midfielder. We’d prefer to see him take either the No. 4 or No. 6 to reflect his role within the team as it would have done in the past. Nunez is free to take the No. 9 shirt, but only if he operates as a centre-forward next season!
Move the Shankly Gates to a Better Location
The famous Shankly Gates, built to honour one of the most significant men in the club’s history, were placed in safe storage while work was carried out to expand the Main Stand in 2015. Upon the completion of the development, the gates were moved from one corner of the Anfield Road Stand to the other, making them far less visible and putting them away from supporters walking to the stadium from Stanley Park.
With road bollards clumsily placed in front of them, and a backdrop of the least attractive area of Anfield – a car park – it’s far from the iconic image you’d expect. Moving them back to the Anfield Road-Main Stand corner, on the approach from Stanley Park where a walkway creates the perfect backdrop of the two new stands, would be a prime spot. Hopefully, though, with the Anfield Road Stand completion this summer the area they’re currently at will be improved significantly.
Commit to Wearing Away – and Third Kits – a Certain Times per Season
Last season we had one of the best looking Liverpool kits of all time with the green away kit – so it was a shame it was only worn four times. Let’s be honest, the home kit isn’t really a home kit at all is it, it’s a ‘default’ kit, worn unless there’s a colour clash.
With the price of kits these days, all clubs should be committing to wear their change kits for a minimum number of times per season. It would make a lot of sense for everybody!
Get Rid of Transfer Rumours on the Official Website
There is something that doesn’t look quite right about seeing transfer rumours and reports on the club’s official web site. Liverpool’s website is typically a place where fans go to find news, interviews and information, any form of speculation would usually be found elsewhere and can be misinterpreted as fact and mislead supporters at first glance.
There are plenty of other places for Reds to go and get their dose of transfer gossip. The club shouldn’t be peddling transfer stories from other media outlets.
Play You’ll Never Walk Alone as Players Enter the Pitch
You may have heard players talk in interviews about leaving the tunnel to the sound of Liverpool’s anthem, but that has not strictly been the case for quite some time. The famous song is now instead played through the stadium’s speakers after the players have entered the pitch, just before kickoff – or even before the teams have left the changing rooms on European nights.
The sound of You’ll Never Walk Alone starting, creating the anticipation for the players to emerge, then the players entering the field midway through the iconic song, is what Anfield became known for. Hearing You’ll Never Walk Alone ahead of a big game can be a spine-tingling experience and letting it be the first noise the Reds hear as they enter the pitch adds to the sense of occasion.
Conclusion