We're Blackburn fans this weekend." And there were no smiles when they said it, either.
It was the climax to the 1994-95 season, I was playing for Liverpool and we had Blackburn at Anfield on the final day. They were in a title battle with Manchester United, two points ahead of them with a worse goal difference and United were going to West Ham, who were managed by my dad.
It's easy to see the parallels to this season, with Tottenham about to host Manchester City tonight and their fans worried that if they get a result it could set up Arsenal to win the league on Sunday.
It's a strange position to be in, the fans of your club not wanting you to win, and I remember seeing a scattering of Blackburn shirts in the home areas at Anfield.
Did it affect me as a player or any of my Liverpool teammates? Absolutely not because it just can't. The reason why footballers are footballers is that, since the age of five or six, they have wanted to win.
That's how they've been brought up and to act any differently would be to go against everything they are. How could you miss a challenge or a shot on purpose? It's not possible.
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Denne historien er fra May 14, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
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