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Liverpool FC (England)

by Jose Alegria

Description of the flag

Description of the Flag

Liverpool Football Club, long a powerhouse in the world of English Premiership Football, flies a flag consisting of a 'Canadian pale', indeed, in the Canadian colors of red stripes at the hoist and fly separated by a white central stripe. In place of the Canadian Maple Leaf, however, there is a Liver Bird facing towards the hoist; beneath this bird are the words 'Liverpool F. C' in red block lettering using a square-letter font, while above the image are the words 'Walk On - Walk On' written in red block sans-serif lettering separated by a red hyphen and placed in an arc rather than horizontally.

The words are from the song 'You'll Never Walk Alone', written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II for their musical 'Carousel'. This song has long been the team song for Liverpool FC, and is written over the entrance to Anfield, the home of Liverpool FC. It is not known whether either Rodgers or Hammerstein ever visited Liverpool or knew anything about either the team or football (or soccer, as it is called in the US).

As for the Liver Bird itself, both Jarig and Valerie Sullivan have written entertainingly about the origins of this bird, which they claim is unknown to ornithology. This is absolutely and totally untrue; whenever Liverpool beats Everton in their Derby matches, several flocks of these creatures can be seen by the naked eye performing aerial acrobatics over such Liverpool landmarks as both cathedrals, Lime Street Station, and the Adelphi Hotel. Of course, it helps if the naked eye in question has previously been lubricated by several pints of Cain's Liverpool Ale.
Ron Lahav, 16 April 2005

The version of the song more closely related to Liverpool Football Club is that by Gerry and the Pacemakers, who are from Merseyside, published in 1963. They are probably more famous for the hit song Ferry Cross the Mersey, published 1964 and played on the loudspeaker system on the ferry every time you cross said river at Liverpool. You'll Never Walk Alone has long been chanted on the terraces and some might argue that it has a certain quasi-religious status. Gerry and the Pacemakers are still playing sixties shows around the UK, with other groups of that era, although I am not sure that it is the original line up. Certainly Gerry Marsden is still in the band and still active in other fields of artistic endeavour as well as music.
Colin Dobson, 18 April 2005