Liverpool Football Club Stadium Tour

...on the guided tour of Liverpool Football club and Stadium back in March, as part of my brothers 21st birthday present.

As fanatical Liverpool supporters this was a must do thing, once and a while, although admittedly this was my first time.

We approached the ground amongst hundreds of people, some who i'm sure were just milling around, while others were joining the huge Que to buy champions league match tickets for the ...
...bronze statue of a great Liverpool manager, who i'm sure most people will have heard of, Bill Shankley.

He was the Manager from 1959-1974, in that time he won the club, 3 League Championships 1963-64, 1965-66 and 1972-73.

2 FA cups 1964-65, 1973-74,
1 UEFA cup 1972-73.
1 Second Division Championship 1961-62.
3 Charity Shields 1964(shared), 1965(shared), 1966.

He is without a doubt ... more

My brother and I, went on the guided tour of Liverpool Football club and Stadium back in March, as part of my brothers 21st birthday present.

As fanatical Liverpool supporters this was a must do thing, once and a while, although admittedly this was my first time.

We approached the ground amongst hundreds of people, some who i'm sure were just milling around, while others were joining the huge Que to buy champions league match tickets for the Juventus match.

Outside the main Liverpool retail shop, stands a bronze statue of a great Liverpool manager, who i'm sure most people will have heard of, Bill Shankley.

He was the Manager from 1959-1974, in that time he won the club, 3 League Championships 1963-64, 1965-66 and 1972-73.

2 FA cups 1964-65, 1973-74,
1 UEFA cup 1972-73.
1 Second Division Championship 1961-62.
3 Charity Shields 1964(shared), 1965(shared), 1966.

He is without a doubt one of the best managersof his time, and his managerial skills as a coach won him the hearts of all Liverpool fans to this day.

He was once quoted as saying "Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that." Bill Shankly.

The Tour
**********
We joined the que for the tour, and were greeted by our two tour guides, they gave a quick run down of what we would be doing and where we would be going.

As we passed through the still very long que for match tickets, we were taken around the side entrance, were the players park their cars on training and match days.

We entered the same door that they would use and it was explained that on training days, the players would be taken by coach to Melwood, the training ground in West Derby.

On the return they would be brought back on the coach and the coach door would park exactly outside the door to the changing room, and two stewards would stand either side so that no fans were able to get close to the players.

This was not always the case, as I have witnessed myself at times before, but has been brought in to place due to an incident in which a player was hurt by an over zealous fan.

On walking through the corridor to the changing rooms, we were able to get a feel for ourselves, of what it must be like for the players, after a hard days training.

We were first shown the visitors changing room, basically a white tiled room, very clean inside, a table for treatment of injuries was on one side of the room, while the benches with coat hooks were on the other, there was also a whiteboard for displaying tactics of the game on.

Next we went into the Liverpool dressing room, a slightly smaller room but much the same layout, chilled drinks cabinet, with Lucozade sport in on one side with the treatment table, and on the other were the Football shirts of the players all hanging ready for the next game.

The only room we did not see was the shower room, due to hygiene.

We were given a talk by the tour leaders which was both interesting and full of humour, as to some of the things the players get up to on matchday, such as practical jokes on each other.

After the talk, we were allowed to take as many photographs as we wanted with the shirts, and even pick them up.

As we approached the tunnel and steps to view the Football terraces and pitch, we were given a short talk on the history of players that would touch the Anfield Crest above the steps as they would go onto the pitch for good luck.

After a few more photos here, it was time to feel like a player once again as we came out into bright sunshine, and face to face with the hallowed green turf of Anfield.

It looked absolutely stunning, and as flat as a snooker table, immaculately manicured, with its different shades due to the way it is mown, there had been a shower of rain moments earlier, which made the grass glisten in the sunlight and extra special.

Unfortunatley, we were not allowed onto the pitch, and were warned that anyone caught doing so would be prosecuted, as it was an offence to do so.

We sat in the dug out where all the substitutes and Manager and coaching staff would sit, and were told more of the history of the football ground and the possible move across the park to a new and bigger seat stadium.

We were allowed more photo opportunities and that concluded the tour, in all it lasts about 45-55 minutes.

You are then given the opportunity to go into the Liverpool Football Club Museum upstairs, and view the trophy room.

This is a must, as it is here you can see the history of the club through the early years, to the present day.

There are lots of glass cabinets in here with old football shirts and boots worn by ex-Liverpool players, their medals, football programmes, cups and other memorabilia.

There is a 60 seat cinema, were recordings on a loop are played, presenting the history of the club,

sounds from the Kop are played when in the late 60's and early 70's, they would sing Beatle songs, can you imagine 40,000 fans singing "she loves you, yeah, yeah yeah".

As you approach the trophy room, you pass several glass cabinets with various cups and trophys, and then you see it, the long cabinet with the "Fab Four" in it, (no not the Beatles), the four European Cups that Liverpool had won prior to the 5th in May 2005.

An awesome sight, all that silverware gleaming at you from every glass cabinet, also here are, the treble Trophy's the Worthington Cup, F.A. Cup, UEFA Cup of 2001, various League cup trophies, Championship trophies of Division One, Super cups, European Super Cups and Charity Shields and even the World cup medal from 1966 from Roger Hunt who helped England to victory against Germany.

The tour guides are very knowledgeable and witty, and will answer any questions that you may throw at them, this is a wonderful tour for all the family, even mum would like this, and comes with my recommendation as must do.

I hope you enjoyed the tour, but please take a look for yourselves, and take your camera.

Getting There
***************
BY BUS
**********
There are bus services that run from Liverpool City centre every 15 minutes and stop right ouside the main entrance, these are 26 or 27, 17B,17C,17D, 217 or the 68 and 168 from Bootle.

BY CAR
*********
From the North
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Leave the M6 at Junction 23 and take the A580 (East Lancashire Rd) signposted to Liverpool. Follow the A580, passing under the M57 (11 miles) then under a railway bridge (2.75 miles) finally (0.75 mile later) turn left onto the A5058 (Queens Drive) towards Widnes.
Proceed for 0.5 mile turning right at the lights into Utting Avenue. Pass under the railway bridge which continues into Arkles Lane. Please note that this area is a residents parking zone and a valid permit is required to park your car in any street within this vicinity. The ground is just to the right at the far end of Arkles Lane.

From the South and East
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
At the Liverpool end of the M62, keep in the right hand lane and take the signs for A5058 (Queens Drive).
Stay on the A5058 passing St. Matthews Church (2.5 miles) finally turning left (in 0.5 mile) at the lights into Utting Avenue (Asda should be just visible on the right as you approach the lights).
Pass under the railway bridge which continues into Arkles Lane. Please note that this area is a residents parking zone and a valid permit is required to park your car in any street within this vicinity. The ground is just to the right at the far end of Arkles Lane.

From the Wirral and North Wales
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
From the end of the M53 or A41, pass through one of the Mersey Tunnels (Toll Fare). Whichever tunnel you use you should take the A59 (North/Preston) as you leave the tunnel. Follow this road until you see signs for the A580 (St. Helens and Manchester).
As you reach the junction where the A59 meets the A580, keep in the right hand lane (A580), which turns right after the lights onto a hill (Everton Valley).
Please note that this area is a residents parking zone and a valid permit is required to park your car in any street within this vicinity. As the road climbs up the hill at the start of the A580 (Everton Valley) keep in the right hand lane. After the first set of traffic lights, use the right hand filter lane to turn onto the A5089, signposted Anfield. Anfield is down this road (Walton Breck Road) on the left hand side.

BY TRAIN
************
Lime Street Railway Station is two miles from Anfield. A taxi from Lime St. will cost about £4.00 for up to 5 passengers. Buses go from nearby Queen Square Bus Station.

BY AIR
********
Liverpool John Lennon Airport is approximately 10 miles from the ground, and taxis should be easily obtainable. Alternatively, you can catch the 80A bus to Garston Station and change at Sandhills for the Soccerbus service.

Opening times:

Every day of the week from 10am until 5pm. Last admission 4pm. ON MATCH DAYS ADMISSION IS FOR MUSEUM ONLY. THE LAST ADMISSION IS 1 HOUR BEFORE KICK-OFF.

NO STADIUM TOURS ON MATCH DAYS.

Cost:

Museum & Tour: Adults £9.00, Children/OAPS; £5.50 Family: £23.00
Museum only: Adults £5.00, Children/OAPS £3.00, Families: £13.00
Special deals for schools & groups.

IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED BOOKING IN ADVANCE FOR STADIUM TOURS.
All times and prices subject to change at short notice.

BOOKING HOTLINE: 0151 260-6677

The Museum & Tour Telephone booking line (0151 260-6677) is open between 9.30am-4pm only. The Museum is trying to meet the intense demand for bookings, but cannot respond outside these hours. Please try to be patient at this very busy time!.

Special birthday cards, unique to LFC tour available for £2.50. Can be presented to the person celebrating their birthday on the tour in the dug-out! Just let them know and pay in advance.

LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB
MUSEUM & TOUR CENTRE
Anfield Road,
Liverpool
L4 OTH  

...less