History

I've noticed that in online public forums other teams' fans often criticize Liverpool fans for referring to their team's history. The gist of the argument is that nobody cares what happened in 2005, 2001, 1987, 1977 or any other year. A slanging match usually develops which goes on until the participants give up.

So I'd like to propose a short argument as to why history does matter, and not only to fans of Liverpool FC.

Unless you have Alzheimer's disease or some other mental deficiency which keeps you 'living in the present', history is all that really matters. Yes, I know that successive Liverpool managers always talk about "taking each game as it comes" and that this attitude of not dwelling on results or looking too far into the future has served the club well. But from the fans' perspective, part of the reason for our existence is thinking about seasons and games gone by.

And anyway, where do you draw the line? Should Man Utd. fans (and certain Sky commentators) stop harping on about 1999? Should Arsenal fans never bring up the last-minute win at Anfield in 1989? Should Chelsea fans forget that they won the title last May? Surely, it's all or nothing, where history is concerned? Every single fan likes to reminisce about great victories of the past. If all they did was show up at 3pm on a Saturday, cheer for 90 minutes, then forget about the result, they wouldn't be fans.

As far as Liverpool are concerned, with more English titles and European Cups than any other English team, the fans are bound to cherish the club's history. Nobody goes on about us winning the league in 1900, but if you were around for any of the club's triumphs, you're entitled to relive that memory. And because that's what football fans do, you're entitled to remind fans of other teams about it. Every single team's fans do that (except the MK Dons, of course).

Besides, history means something. For better or worse, human culture is based on history. Maybe without it, the Jews and the Arabs would be walking hand-in-hand with flowers in their hair, but it exists and affects reality. As a Liverpool fan who moved to North America, I'm always amazed at how many Europeans I meet think of Liverpool first when they think of English football. It's even happened to me more than once to meet a Frenchman (not even a St. Etienne fan) in a bar who knew David Fairclough's name because of a goal scored in 1977 in a quarter-final!

So, LFC fans, don't get het up when someone criticizes you for referring to the club's past achievements. And as for the rest of you, you're only jealous...

posted by John