All football fans have good and bad - even a Kopite in the 1969?70 championship season - on the run in to the title as a young schoolboy my older brother, and his mates or just the pair of us were if possible going to every game home and away as it was a two horse race between us , and Leeds with the other lot with an outside chance if both teams slipped up - The Derby game came in that run in, and I begged my older brother to try, and get tickets standing in those days for the many -
He told me only if it was anywhere but the KOP - I actually agreed to this all week he tried, they were like gold dust - on the day at 12 30 pm he said get your gear on scarf bobby hat we will go on spec as my late father had chipped in to pay over the odds for two tickets - we walked to the dreaded Anfield - for two hours he went to touts all around the ground - nothing other than Kop tickets as it held approx 20 ,000 fans in that end it was huge the noise from their fans as we got up that end made my stomach turn it was deafening, I suggested ok thanks for the effort that was it lets go home - when two guys shouted tickets going -
He come back smiling so I turned towards the Anfield road end, no he said its in the Kop they were the cheapest Ive been offered today but still over the odds it was now 2-45 pm 15 minutes before kick off - through the turnstyle que we rushed - our position was right toward the back, it was crammed tight, the pub drinkers were also coming in and with the swaying my older brother and I got split up - I ended up on the wrong side of a metal barrier, and fell down on my knees only to be hauled up to my feet by a big strong Coloured guy who in his red , and white scarf guarded me from the barrier with his Knee, as the pushing , and swaying continued ,and held me safe. it was five minutes later when my older brother found me even he at 6 ft 1 was having problems moving freely - he thanked the Guy and Liverpool fan -
Then with the guys advice he took me lower down into a safer place in front of a barrier it was a carnival atmosphere their wer at least 3 thousand blues fans in an area of the Kop lower down chanting away opposite was a mas of Blue , and white scarf's in full in the anfield road end - To witness a great 2-0 blues win in style,the atmosphere I will always remember that day going from fear to delight, and also remember it was a nice friendly Kopite who saved me to make it possible!
