This article is about the football stadium. For the area of Liverpool in which the stadium is located, see Anfield (suburb). For other uses, see Anfield (disambiguation).
The stadium has four stands: the Spion Kop, the Main Stand, the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand and the Anfield Road End.[5] The record attendance of 61,905 was set at a match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1952.[6] The ground converted to an all-seater stadium in 1994 as a result of the Taylor Report, which reduced its capacity.
Two gates at the stadium are named after former Liverpool managers: Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley. Both managers have been honoured with statues outside the stadium: Shankly's unveiled in 1997 by the Kop Stand and Paisley's in 2020 by the Main Stand. The ground is 2 miles (3km) from Liverpool Lime Street railway station.
It was proposed in 2002 for the club to relocate to a new stadium in the adjacent Stanley Park, but after the acquisition of Liverpool by Fenway Sports Group in 2010 it was made clear this would not happen, with the decision being taken to expand Anfield instead. Construction for an extension to the main stand began on 8 December 2014.[7] This extension, one of the largest all-seater single stands in European football, opened to the public on 9 September 2016, increasing the stadium capacity to 54,074.[8] The Anfield Road Stand redevelopment completed in 2024 increased the stadium capacity to over 61,000.
The stadium is named after the surrounding area, Anfield. The word originated in the combination of Old and Middle English words, which mean "a field on a slope". Anfield, and its deviations, has been associated with the area since at least 1642.[9][10] It has been suggested that the name is linked to the influx of Irish people into the spreading city in the 1850s, and was associated with Annefield, outside New Ross, County Wexford, Ireland.[11][12] Opened in 1884, Anfield was originally owned by John Orrell, a minor land owner who was a friend of Everton F.C. member John Houlding.[13] Everton, who previously played at Priory Road, were in need of a new venue owing to the noise produced by the crowd on match days.[14] Orrell lent the pitch to the club in exchange for a small rent. The first match at the ground was between Everton and Earlestown on 28 September 1884, which Everton won 5–0.[15] During Everton's tenure at the stadium, stands were erected for some of the 8,000-plus spectators regularly attending matches, although the ground was capable of holding around 20,000 spectators and occasionally did. The ground was considered of international standard at the time, playing host to the British Home Championship match between England and Ireland in 1889. Anfield's first league match was played on 8 September 1888, between Everton and Accrington F.C. Everton quickly improved as a team, and became Anfield's first league champions in the 1890–91 season.[16]
In 1892, negotiations to purchase the land at Anfield from Orrell escalated into a dispute between Houlding and the Everton F.C. committee over how the club was run. Events culminated in Everton's move to Goodison Park.[14] Houlding was left with an empty stadium, and decided to form a new club to occupy it. The new team was called Liverpool F.C. and Athletic Grounds Ltd, and the club's first match at Anfield was a friendly played in front of 200 people on 1 September 1892, against Rotherham Town. Liverpool won 7–1.[17]
Liverpool's first Football League match at Anfield was played on 9 September 1893, against Lincoln City. Liverpool won 4–0 in front of 5,000spectators.[18] A new stand capable of holding 3,000spectators was constructed in 1895 on the site of the present Main Stand. Designed by architect Archibald Leitch,[19] the stand had a distinctive red and white gable, and was similar to the main stand at Newcastle United's ground St James' Park.[17] Another stand was constructed at the Anfield Road end in 1903, built from timber and corrugated iron. After Liverpool had won their second League championship in 1906, a new stand was built along the Walton Breck Road. Local journalist Ernest Edwards, who was the sports editor of newspapers the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo, named it the Spion Kop; it was named after a famous hill in South Africa where a local regiment had suffered heavy losses during the Boer War in 1900. More than 300men had died, many of them from Liverpool, as the British army attempted to capture the strategic hilltop. Around the same period a stand was also built along Kemlyn Road.[20]
On 14 February 1921, Scouse comedian Harry Weldon invited Dick, Kerr Ladies to Anfield to compete in a match between themselves and a side made up of the best players from the rest of Britain, for The Harry Weldon Cup in aid of unemployed ex-servicemen. Weldon’s side was made up of the best individual players from teams throughout the UK, with one player even travelling from the island of Unst in the Shetland Isles. 25,000 fans were in attendance that day as Dick, Kerr Ladies went on to emphatically win 9-1. The trophy is now on display at the National Football Museum in Manchester.[21][22][23][24][25]
The ground remained much the same until 1928, when the Kop was redesigned and extended to hold 30,000spectators, all standing. A roof was erected as well.[26] Many stadia in England had stands named after the Spion Kop. Anfield's was the largest Kop in the country at the time—it was able to hold more supporters than some entire football grounds.[27] In the same year the topmast of the SSGreat Eastern, one of the first iron ships, was rescued from the ship breaking yard at nearby Rock Ferry, and was hauled up Everton Valley by a team of horses, to be erected alongside the new Kop. It still stands there, serving as a flag pole.[20]
The Kop in 1974, before the Taylor Report recommended standing areas in football grounds be outlawed following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.
Floodlights were installed at a cost of £12,000 in 1957. On 30 October they were switched on for the first time for a match against Everton to commemorate the 75-year anniversary of the Liverpool County Football Association.[27] In 1963 the old Kemlyn Road stand was replaced by a cantilevered stand, built at a cost of £350,000, accommodating 6,700 spectators.[28] Two years later alterations were made at the Anfield Road end, turning it into a larger covered standing area with refreshments under the structure. The biggest redevelopment came in 1973, when the old Main Stand was partially demolished and extended backwards with new roof. Simultaneously the concrete pylon floodlights were demolished with new lights installed along the rooflines of the Kemlyn Road and Main Stands. The new stand was officially opened by the Duke of Kent on 10 March 1973.[28] In the 1980s the paddock in front of the Main Stand was turned into seating, and in 1982 seats were introduced at the Anfield Road end. The Shankly Gates were erected in 1982, a tribute to former manager Bill Shankly; his widow Nessie unlocked them for the first time on 26 August 1982.[20] Across the Shankly Gates are the words You'll Never Walk Alone, the title of the hit song by Gerry and the Pacemakers adopted by Liverpool fans as the club's anthem during Shankly's time as manager.[29]
Coloured seats and a police room were added to the Kemlyn Road stand in 1987. After the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 when Police mismanagement led to overcrowding and the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans, the Taylor Report recommended that all grounds in the country should be converted into all-seater grounds by May 1994.[30] A second tier was added to the Kemlyn Road stand in 1992, turning it into a double-decker layout. It included executive boxes and function suites as well as 11,000seating spaces. Plans to expand the stand had been made earlier, with the club buying up houses on Kemlyn Road during the 1970s, and 1980s, but had to be put on hold until 1990 because two sisters,[31] Joan and Nora Mason, refused to sell their house. When the club reached an agreement with the sisters in 1990, the expansion plans were put into action.[32] The stand—renamed the Centenary Stand—was officially opened on 1 September 1992 by UEFA president Lennart Johansson. The Kop was rebuilt in 1994 after the recommendations of the Taylor Report and became all seated; it is still a single tier, and the capacity was significantly reduced to 12,390.[27]
The Shankly Gates were erected in 1982 in tribute to Bill Shankly (1913–1981)
On 4 December 1997, a bronze statue of Bill Shankly was unveiled at the visitors' centre in front of the Kop. Standing at over 8 feet (2.4m) tall, the statue depicts Shankly with a fan's scarf around his neck, in a familiar pose he adopted when receiving applause from fans. Inscribed on the statue are the words "Bill Shankly – He Made The People Happy".[33] The Hillsborough memorial was situated alongside the Shankly Gates before it was moved next to 97 Avenue in front of the redeveloped main stand in 2016.[34] The memorial is always decorated with flowers and tributes to the 97people who died as a result of the disaster. At the centre of the memorial is an eternal flame, signifying that those who died will never be forgotten.[34]
In 1998 a new two-tier Anfield Road end was opened. The stand has encountered a number of problems since its redevelopment; at the beginning of the 1999–2000 season, a series of support poles and stanchions had to be brought in to give extra stability to the top tier of the stand. During Ronnie Moran's testimonial match against Celtic, many fans complained of movement of the top tier. At the same time that the stanchions were inserted, the executive seating area was expanded by two rows in the main stand, lowering the seating capacity in the paddock.[35]
On 30 January 2020, a bronze statue of Bob Paisley was unveiled outside the Main Stand in Paisley Square. The statue was commissioned and donated by the club's main sponsor, Standard Chartered, to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the relationship with the club.[36] The statue is 8ft (2.4m) tall and depicts an iconic image of the club's history, Paisley carrying future club captain Emlyn Hughes off the field during a match against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in April 1968.[37]
Structures and facilities
Outline of Anfield pre-2015 redevelopment; The Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand (top), The Kop (right), Main Stand (bottom) and Anfield Road stand (left)
Anfield comprises 60,725 seats split between four stands: the Anfield Road end, the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand, the Kop, and the Main Stand. The Anfield Road end and Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand are two-tiered, while the Kop is single-tiered and the Main Stand three-tiered.[38] Entry to the stadium is gained by radio-frequency identification (RFID) smart cards rather than the traditional staffed turnstile. This system, used in all 80turnstiles around Anfield, was introduced in 2005.[39]
Plans to replace Anfield with a new 60,000-capacity stadium in adjacent Stanley Park were initiated in 2002.[40] The plans were revisited under the ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillett.[41] Following the acquisition of Liverpool F.C. by Fenway Sports Group (Then known as New England Sports Ventures (NESV)) in 2010, the owners have abandoned the proposed new stadium in Stanley Park, preferring instead to redevelop and expand Anfield,[42] thus echoing their decision to renovate Fenway Park. The Kop is a large single-tiered stand. Originally a large terraced banking providing accommodation for more than 30,000spectators, the current incarnation was constructed in 1994–95 and is single-tiered with no executive boxes. The Kop houses the club's museum, the Reducate centre and the official club shop.[43] The Kop is the most-renowned stand at Anfield among home and away supporters, with the people who occupy the stand referred to as kopites. Such is the reputation of the stand that it was claimed that the crowd in the Kop could suck the ball into the goal.[44] Traditionally, Liverpool's most vocal supporters congregate in this stand.[45]
The "THIS IS ANFIELD" sign above the old tunnel to the pitch at Anfield. Installed by former manager Bill Shankly in 1972 to instill fear into the opposition, it is now located above the new tunnel entrance.
The oldest stand at Anfield is the Main Stand, taking 76 years to complete. The stand was completed in 2016, however, the lower section dates from 1906. The bottom tier of the stand houses the directors' box. The directors' VIP box is located at the rear of the lower tier of the stand. The old large roof was supported by two thin central uprights, with a large suspended television camera gantry which has moved to the front of the third tier.[46] The players' tunnel and the technical area where the managers and substitutes sit during the match are in the middle of the stand at pitch level. Above the stairs leading down to the pitch hung a sign stating "THIS IS ANFIELD". Its purpose was to both intimidate the opposition and to bring the Liverpool players who touch it good luck. Liverpool players and coaching staff traditionally reached up and placed one or both hands on it as they passed underneath.[47]
The sign was temporarily removed during the most recent reconstruction of the Main Stand; it was placed at the exit from the new Main Stand tunnel to the pitch in advance of Liverpool's 2016–17 home opener.[48] Then Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp had banned players from touching the restored sign until the team had won at least one major trophy.[49] After winning the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final his players were allowed to do so again.[50] Praising the impact the Anfield atmosphere has on the home team and the effect it has on the away team, opposition manager Pep Guardiola states, "The motto 'This is Anfield' is no marketing spin. There's something about it that you will find in no other stadium in the world."[51] Following the 2005 Champions League semi-final second leg at Anfield which Liverpool won 1–0, defeated Chelsea manager José Mourinho recognised the role Liverpool fans played on the match: "I felt the power of Anfield, it was magnificent."[52]
The Paisley Gateway was erected outside the Kop in 1999 in tribute to former manager Bob Paisley (1918–1996). It includes a depiction of the three European Cups he won during his tenure.
The Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand is a two-tiered stand. Originally a single-tiered stand called the Kemlyn Road Stand, the second tier was added in 1992 to coincide with the club's centenary.[53] It is located opposite the Main Stand and houses directors' boxes, which are between the two tiers. The stand also houses the ground's police station.[38] On 3 May 2017, Liverpool announced the Centenary Stand would be renamed the Kenny Dalglish Stand in honour of the club's greatest servant, former player and manager Kenny Dalglish.[54]
The Anfield Road stand, on the left side of the Main Stand, houses the away fans during matches. The Anfield Road End was rebuilt in 1965, and multi-coloured seats were added in 1982. Originally a single-tier stand, a further revamp, which was completed in 1998, gave the stand a second-tier providing additional seating.[53]
There are 59spaces available in the stadium to accommodate wheelchair users who have season tickets; a further 33 spaces are available for general sale and 8 are allocated to away supporters. These spaces are located in the Main Stand, Anfield Road Stand and The Kop. There are 38spaces available for the visually impaired, which are situated in the old paddock area of the Main Stand, with space for one personal assistant each. A headset with full commentary is provided.[55]
The stadium features tributes to two of the club's most successful managers. The Paisley Gateway is a tribute to Bob Paisley, who guided Liverpool to three European Cups and six League Championships in the 1970s, and 1980s. The gates were erected at the Kop; their design includes representations of the three European Cups Paisley won during his tenure, the crest of his birthplace in Hetton-le-Hole, and the crest of Liverpool F.C.[56] The Shankly Gates, in tribute of Bill Shankly, Paisley's predecessor between 1959 and 1974, are at the Anfield Road end. Their design includes a Scottish flag, a Scottish thistle, the Liverpool badge, and the words "You'll Never Walk Alone".[57]
A panorama of Anfield from the Anfield Road Stand, showing from left to right the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand, the Kop Stand and the former Main Stand in 2012
The Kop; the atmosphere generated by the crowd in the stand led owner John W. Henry to reconsider the construction of a new stadium.
Plans to replace Anfield were originally started by Liverpool F.C. in May 2002.[58] The proposed capacity was 55,000, but it was later changed to 61,000, with 1,000seats given for segregation between home and away fans. Several attempts were made between 2003 and 2007 by the Liverpool City Council to instigate a groundshare of the proposed stadium with local rivals Everton, but this move was rejected, as neither club favoured it.[59] On 30 July 2004 Liverpool was granted planning permission to build a new stadium 300 yards (270m) away from Anfield at Stanley Park.[60] On 8 September 2006 Liverpool City Council agreed to grant Liverpool F.C. a 999-year lease of the land on the proposed site.[61]
Following the takeover of Liverpool F.C. on 6 February 2007 by George Gillett and Tom Hicks, the proposed stadium was redesigned. In November 2007 the redesigned layout was approved by the council, and construction was due to start in early 2008.[62] The new stadium, provisionally called Stanley Park Stadium, was to be built by HKS, Inc. It was scheduled to open in August 2011 with a capacity of 60,000.[63] If the new stadium had been built, Anfield would have been demolished. The land would have become home to the centrepiece for the Anfield Plaza development, which would have included a hotel, restaurants, and offices.[64] However, the construction of Stanley Park was delayed following the economic crisis of 2008 and the subsequent recession, which directly affected the then American owners. The situation was worsened because the club was bought with borrowed money, not the owners' capital, and interest rates were higher than expected.[65] Hicks and Gillett promised to begin work on the stadium within 60days of acquisition of the club, but had trouble financing the estimated £500million needed for the Stanley Park development. The deadline passed and the plan was eventually cancelled by the Fenway Sports Group, as their preference was to re-develop Anfield.[66]
Anfield redevelopment
The acquisition of Liverpool F.C. by Fenway Sports Group in October 2010 put into question whether Liverpool would leave Anfield. In February 2011 the new club owner, John W. Henry, stated he had a preference for staying at Anfield and expanding the capacity. After attending a number of games at Anfield, Henry stated that "the Kop is unrivalled", adding "it would be hard to replicate that feeling anywhere else".[66] On 15 October 2012, Liverpool City Council announced plans to regenerate the Anfield area after securing a £25m grant, with a housing association also set to invest.[67][68]
The Main Stand redevelopment in March 2016
On 23 August 2013 Anfield was listed as an Asset of Community Value by Liverpool City Council.[69] On 11 September, current owner, John W. Henry announced that they had the funds to afford the expansion but they are waiting for the City Council to finalise the purchase of houses in the area before they commit to plans to expand the Main Stand and the Anfield Road end of the ground.[70] In April 2014 Liverpool F.C. signed a legal agreement with Liverpool City Council and Your Housing Group to redevelop the surrounding Anfield area. This was seen as a significant step towards the renovation of the stadium. The redevelopment was worth around £260million.[71]
Phase one (2015–16): Main Stand redevelopment
In April 2014, Liverpool F.C. revealed plans for an expansion of the Main Stand, which involved adding a new third tier, new matchday facilities and enhanced corporate facilities. The new stand would add 8,500 seats and take the capacity of the stadium to 54,742.[72][73] Construction of the new Main Stand was made possible by the complete demolition of all the houses in Lothair Road as well as some of those on neighbouring Alroy Road and Anfield Road.[74] Liverpool F.C. had started to purchase housing immediately surrounding Anfield in 2000.[75] The houses were left empty, including at least 22 in the roads backing onto the main stand, and Liverpool were accused of deliberately allowing the area to become blighted, thus depressing the property prices.[75][74]
Exterior of the completed Main Stand (pictured from Stanley Park)
Work began on 8 December 2014, with the club aiming for the new stand to be match-ready and operational for the start of the 2016–17 season. The work was undertaken by Carillion. The structure of new stand was uniquely constructed around the existing main stand to enable the existing stand to continue to be used at full operational capacity during the 2015–16 season.[76] Demolition of the existing stand took place in summer 2016, allowing for the construction of the lower tiers of the new stand during the off-season. Consisting of 1.8million bricks and blocks and over 5000 tonnes of steel, the stand was opened on schedule on 9 September 2016 for the first home game of the 2016–17 season, a 4–1 victory over Leicester City. Further internal construction work including new changing rooms and media facilities continued until April 2017.[77][78]
New club superstore and matchday experience enhancements (2016–17)
In May 2016, outline planning permission was granted by Liverpool council for the construction of a new 1,800 sq m club superstore development, situated on Walton Breck Road on the corner of the Kop and the new Main Stand. Construction began in December 2016, with the store opening early in the 2017–18 season.[79] The space between the new store and the stadium was developed into a "fan zone", with new catering outlets and pre-match entertainment.[80]
Phase two (2021–24): Anfield Road End redevelopment
The redeveloped Anfield Road End nearing completion in May 2024
The second phase of Anfield's redevelopment was to redevelop the Anfield Road stand. The club received initial outline planning permission in 2014 for the redevelopment, with seating to be increased by 4,825, giving Anfield a total capacity of 58,000.[81] However, in August 2019, Liverpool allowed the planning permission associated with the original 2014 designs to lapse, confirming their intention to submit "ambitious new plans" for the Anfield Road End redevelopment which are believed to increase the capacity further to take the overall capacity of Anfield to comfortably above 60,000.[82] The redevelopment focused on the upper tier of the stand, with the lower tier remaining unchanged. Construction work will be completed behind the existing stand and then connected to the lower tier, which was expected to be in the 2022 off-season. Therefore, Anfield's capacity is not expected to be affected throughout the duration of the works.[83]
The club spent the second half of 2019 finalising plans and consulting local residents, planning officials and other stakeholders with a view to submitting the new plans for approval in early 2020.[84][85] However, in March 2020 Liverpool delayed submitting a planning application for the project in light of financial uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[86][87] In December 2020, Liverpool announced that they would be moving forward with the project by submitting final planning application for the redevelopment, with the delay pushing back the initial completion date for Phase Two redevelopment from summer 2022 to summer 2023 at the earliest.[87][88] The plans were approved by the Liverpool City Council in June 2021. The expansion was expected to cost £60million and allowed Anfield Road stand to seat 7,000 more people, giving the stadium a total capacity of 61,000.[89]
Work by contractor Buckingham Group officially commenced on 30 September 2021, with the first sod being turned by manager Jürgen Klopp.[90] The stand was expected to be completed during the 2023–24 season and will also see the relocation of the Family Park to a covered position.[91] However, on 17 August 2023, Buckingham announced it would be filing for administration, jeopardising timely completion of the new £80 million stand.[92][93] On 7 September 2023, the club took control of the project, appointing Rayner Rowen Construction to complete the stand using as many of the original subcontractors as possible.[94] In October 2023, Liverpool announced that the upper part of the new developed stand will not be open to the public "until the end of 2023".[95] On 23 November, the club anticipated half of the new upper tier would be available for a Premier League match against Manchester United on 17 December 2023.[96] Much of the stand opened for Liverpool's home Premier League game against Burnley F.C. on 10 February 2024.[97]
Other uses
International football and Liverpool FC Women
Anfield has hosted numerous international matches, and was one of the venues used during UEFA Euro 1996; the ground hosted three group games and a quarter-final.[98] The first international match hosted at Anfield was between England and Ireland, in 1889. England won the match 6–1. Anfield was also the home venue for several of England's international football matches in the early 1900s, and for the Welsh national team in the later part of that century.[99][100] Anfield has also played host to five FA Cup semi-finals, the last of which was in 1929.[99] The most recent international to be hosted at Anfield was England's 2–1 victory over Uruguay on 1 March 2006.[101] The close proximity of the stands to the pitch prevents the club from extending the pitch to suit UEFA's parameter requirements; since 2006, the stadium has been ineligible to host England games, Champions League and Europa League finals, and UEFA tournaments (UEFA Euro 2028).[102]
England has played two testimonial matches against Liverpool at Anfield. The first was in 1983, when England faced Liverpool for Phil Thompson's testimonial. Then, in 1988, England visited again for Alan Hansen's testimonial.[103] Liverpool's arch rivalManchester United played their first home game of the 1971–72 season at Anfield as they were banned from playing their first two home league matches at Old Trafford after an incident of hooliganism. United beat Arsenal 3–1.[104]
In November 2019, Anfield hosted a Women's Super League fixture for the first time, with the 6th matchday of the 2019–20 season featuring the Merseyside Derby between Liverpool FC Women and local rivals Everton FC Women.[105] On 25 September 2022, Anfield played host to second Merseyside Derby between two women's first teams in the Women's Super League. Played before a record attendance of 27,574 for a Liverpool game for their women’s first team, it was also the first women's Merseyside Derby to be televised. This attendance would go on to become the 7th highest attendance of the 2022–23 season.[106] On 22 August 2023, it was announced that Anfield will host a third women's Merseyside Derby on 15 October 2023.[107]
Anfield was chosen as the venue for the 2019 Magic Weekend after two test matches were played there in 2016 and 2018. After previously choosing games that were local derbies or competitive games, in 2019 the fixtures were determined by the previous seasons league position. Robert Elstone, Super League Chief Executive, said “On behalf of the Super League clubs, we’re delighted to be taking the Dacia Magic Weekend to one of the most famous stadiums in the world.[110]
Other sports
Anfield has been the venue for many other events. During the mid-twenties, Anfield was the finishing line for the city marathon. Liverpool held an annual race which started from St George's plateau in the city centre and finished with a lap of Anfield.[99]Boxing matches were regularly held at Anfield during the inter-war years, including a number of British boxing championships; on 12 June 1934 Nel Tarleton beat Freddie Miller for the World Featherweight title. Professional tennis was played at Anfield on boards on the pitch. US Open champion, Bill Tilden, and Wimbledon champion, Fred Perry, entertained the crowds in an exhibition match. In 1958, an exhibition basketball match featuring the Harlem Globetrotters was held at the ground.[111]
The highest sporting attendance recorded at Anfield is 61,905, for Liverpool's match against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup fifth round, on 2 February 1952.[118] Since the Anfield Road end was expanded, Liverpool have seen bigger league attendances, and their most recent was 60,347 against Bournemouth on 21 September 2024.[119] The highest non-sporting attendance at Anfield was recorded during a Taylor Swift concert in June 2024 with over 62,000 in attendance.[120] The lowest attendance recorded at Anfield was 1,000 for a match against Loughborough on 7 December 1895.[121] The highest average attendance of 53,112 was set for the 2016–17 season.[53]
The stadium is about 2 miles (3km) from Lime Street Station,[125] which lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston. Kirkdale Station, about 1 mile (1.6km) from the stadium, is the nearest station to Anfield. Fans travelling by train for matches may book direct to Anfield or Goodison Park, changing to the Peoplesbus Soccerbus service at Sandhills Station on the MerseyrailNorthern Line.[126] The stadium has no parking facilities for supporters, and the streets around the ground allow parking only for residents with permits, although there are a small number of passes that can be allocated to over-65s. There are proposals under consideration for reinstating passenger traffic on the Bootle Branch, which would cut the distance from the nearest railway station to about 0.5 miles (1km).[127]
Liverpool Football Club is a professional football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. Founded in 1892, the club joined the Football League the following year and has played its home games at Anfield since its formation. Liverpool is one of the most valuable and widely supported clubs in the world.
Hillsborough Stadium is a football stadium in the area of Owlerton, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. With a total capacity of 39,732, it has been the home of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club since opening in 1899.
William Shankly was a Scottish football player and manager who is best known for his time as manager of Liverpool. Shankly brought success to Liverpool, gaining promotion to the First Division and winning three League Championships and the UEFA Cup. He laid foundations on which his successors Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan were able to build by winning seven league titles and four European Cups in the ten seasons after Shankly retired in 1974. A charismatic, iconic figure at the club, his oratory stirred the emotions of the fanbase. In 2019, 60 years after Shankly arrived at Liverpool, Tony Evans of The Independent wrote, "Shankly created the idea of Liverpool, transforming the football club by emphasising the importance of the Kop and making supporters feel like participants".
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Spion Kop is a colloquial name or term for a number of single-tier terraces and stands at sports stadiums, particularly in the United Kingdom. The steep nature resembles the Spion Kop, a hill near Ladysmith, South Africa, which was the scene of the Battle of Spion Kop in January 1900 during the Second Boer War.
Robert Paisley was an English professional football manager and player who played as a wing-half. He spent almost 50 years with Liverpool and is regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time. Reluctantly taking the job in 1974, he built on the foundations laid by his predecessor Bill Shankly. Paisley is the first of four managers to have won the European Cup three times. He is also one of five managers to have won the English top-flight championship as both a player and manager at the same club.
Joseph Francis Fagan was an English footballer and manager. He was a coach and manager at Liverpool for twenty seven years under Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley. As a manager he was the first English manager to win three major trophies in a single season and is one of only four English managers to win the European cup. He played for Manchester City in the Football League First Division as a wing half. As his playing career came to an end, he decided to become a coach and worked at clubs in lower leagues before getting the chance to join Liverpool in 1958.
Stanley Park was a proposed football stadium in Stanley Park, Liverpool. If built, it would have become home to the Liverpool Football Club. It would have replaced their current stadium at Anfield. The stadium had a planned capacity of 60,000 all-seated. It was also potentially expandable to 73,000 or more.
St Andrew's, known for sponsorship reasons as St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park, is an association football stadium in the Bordesley district of Birmingham, England. It has been the home ground of Birmingham City Football Club for more than a century. From 2018 to 2021, it was known as St Andrew's Trillion Trophy Stadium.
Ronald Moran was an English footballer who played as a left-back for Liverpool, also captaining the side. He later served as caretaker manager for Liverpool in the early 1990s.
John Houlding was an English businessman and local politician, most notable for being, the founder of Liverpool Football Club and later Lord Mayor of Liverpool.
Prenton Park is a football stadium in the area of Prenton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. It is the home ground of Tranmere Rovers Football Club since opening in 1912, and formerly the home ground of Liverpool Reserves and Liverpool Women. The ground has had several rebuilds, with the most recent occurring in 1995 in response to the requirement of the Taylor Report to become all-seater. The stadium now holds 16,587 in four stands: the Kop, the Johnny King Stand, the Main Stand and the Cowshed for away supporters.
Liverpool Football Club, commonly referred to as Liverpool or Liverpool Football Club Women if distinguishing themselves from the men's team, is a professional English women's football team based in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. They have served as the official women's division of Liverpool Football Club since 1994. Founded in 1989 as Newton LFC and subsequently renamed Knowsley United WFC, Liverpool Ladies and Liverpool FC Women over the years. The club was a founding member of the top-tier Women's Super League in 2011. A year later, Liverpool became the first English football club to offer every female player full-time professional contracts. This decision pioneered the professionalisation of women's football in England and led to Liverpool winning back to back Women's Super League titles in 2013 and 2014. In 2022, they also won the FA Women's Championship, earning promotion back to the Women's Super League, having done so three times previously in 2003–04, 2006–07, 2009–10.
The Kirkby Project was a proposed new football stadium in Kirkby for Everton. The stadium, if built, would have replaced Goodison Park as Everton's home ground. The plan originated in 2006, was the subject of a Public Inquiry in December 2008, but was eventually rejected by central government in November 2009. The stadium had a planned all-seated capacity of 50,401 with a provision to be expanded to 60,000.
The Liverpool F.C.–Manchester United F.C. rivalry, sometimes referred to as the Northwest derby, is a high-profile inter-city rivalry between English professional football clubs Liverpool and Manchester United. It is considered one of the biggest fixtures in English football and one of the biggest and fiercest rivalries in world football. Players, fans and the media consider the fixture between the two clubs to be their biggest rivalry, above even their own local derbies, with Everton and Manchester City respectively.
A large number of English football clubs have ongoing schemes to redevelop existing grounds, or to move to newly constructed stadiums. A trend towards all-seater stadiums was initially prescribed by the Taylor Report, and was originally a condition only of Premier League admission. It has now become a requirement that within three years of a club's first promotion to the Championship all paying spectators are seated, even if the club is subsequently relegated. This page provides an (incomplete) list and description of those clubs who have planned new stadiums or refurbishments, or who have already moved/refurbished since around the time of the Taylor Report.
Spirit Of Shankly (SOS) is the official supporters' union and leader of the supporters board for fans of Liverpool F.C. Named after former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly, the union was formed in early 2008 by disgruntled fans opposed to the former Liverpool F.C. ownership of Tom Hicks and George N. Gillett, Jr., quickly developing into a cooperative representing its members (and by implication other Liverpool F.C. supporters) on a whole range of issues such as ticketing, travel and community and regeneration issues. Its ultimate aim is to seek fan ownership of the club in the long term.
The history of Liverpool Football Club from 1892 to 1959 covers the period from the club's foundation, through their first period of success from 1900 to the 1920s, to the appointment of Bill Shankly as manager.
The history of Liverpool Football Club from 1959 to 1985 covers the period from the appointment of Bill Shankly as manager of the then-Second Division club, to the Heysel Stadium disaster and its aftermath.
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Kirkdale 
