15 April 2013, Anfield, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Bill Kenwright was chairman of Liverpool’s great Merseyside rival, Everton. This is one of the most beautiful sporting speeches of all time.
[Fans singing for the 96] I'm not going to stop you!
When I was asked if I would say these few words, I was worried on two levels. One, I've had the most emotional day of my life earlier this year, actually nine months ago, and I knew that this was going to be a really emotional one for me too. To be honest with you, I didn't really feel half of what I'm feeling now and my life will never be the same after today, I promise you that.
I was one of those kids brought up in the late forties and early fifties who lived in a soccer mad family, but would go one week here, and one week to the other place. [laugh] And these were the days when a kid could play out at night, when you could go to see your team on your own. And I was quite a small, timid kid, and I used to enter the Kop - there was an entrance there and there was a big stanchion here. And the main reason I came to the Kop to see Liverpool was because of my family, because I loved my uncle Cyril Immoderately, and I just wanted to be him with him and his mates on a Saturday afternoon when Everton were playing away.
And there was this big stanchion here, and if you stood a couple of inches on it, you could see right up in the Kop. And my uncle always used to stand around about there. And all he had to do was put his hand up like that, and this little eight year old would see him. And I would start my journey. And I promise you, I wouldn't get a yard before someone would pick me up and I would be handled over heads until -- it's true! - until I'd found my uncle in the Kop.
And I've never forgotten that. And I've never forgotten the warmth of this amazing site here. And two dates stick in my memory of when I was closest to Liverpool Football Club. One of them was when my all-time idol, Dave Hickson joined you, and alongside 10,000 other Evertonians on a December night in 1959, we came and watched you beat Aston Villa two one and you worship Dave as we worship Dave.
The other day, of course, was 24 years ago today, when I was at Villa Park, not as a chairman, not even as a director, but as a fan. And I know you know all this, but from an Evertonian point of view, that was an extraordinary day for us, Because that was a time when you really wanted to win a semifinal. It was probably more precious to you than getting to the final because it was in the days when the final was at Wembley, and you got there.
And that day, all of my mates and I gathered together afterwards as the news came trickling in, and it was a trickle. And we felt like we'd been relegated. We didn't feel like we just got to Wembley. The journey home was terrible, not nearly as terrible for what you go through. But we all knew people, had people. We all thought it could have been us. If those balls that come out of the bag differently, it could have been us. And it happened tragically to you. And I hope since that day, you have known the support of Everton Football Club for you. [applause]
I don't want to go on too much longer. But like all of you, I watched that Liverpool documentary a few weeks back. And of course the words Hillsborough, the words justice were mentioned all the time. But there were two words that were mentioned an awful lot and resonated to me hugely. And I think to me that the two most important words in the English language, certainly to people from Liverpool, that the two most important words in the English language, the words were 'Me mum'. And all of us here are lucky enough, some of us have got our moms beside us, but we've all got mums. And I saw your banner on Saturday at Reading saying, 'you've taken on the wrong city'. Well, you've taken on the wrong mums too!' Because we all know about Liverpool mums and the way they fight for their kids and their family. And you mums here today, you mums here today. I know the pain ... I don't know the pain because I'm not you. But I appreciate the pain that you would've felt on that day. But let me tell you, the 96 are here with you today as much as they've always been.
And I hope by next year, the 25th anniversary, you'll be celebrating the greatest victory that any team in this country has ever had. Not just in football but in life. Everton Football Club, our manager, David Moyes over there, we salute you. And if you ever want to come and have a service for them over at our place with some blues, the door's always open for you. God bless you.