Soccer/Champions League 2005/Follow-up: The city of Liverpool gave its European Cup winning football club a rapturous home coming last night as half a million supporters poured on to the streets in celebration.
A sea of red and white greeted the victorious team as they took their trophy on a victory parade. It was a night to savour for the fans who waved flags, scarves and banners and climbed up trees, traffic lights and even on to the roofs of houses to catch a glimpse of their heroes. Many clutched camcorders, cameras and mobile phones to capture the most important image their club has seen for the past two decades - captain Steven Gerrard clutching the European Cup.
When the team's open-topped double decker bus moved through the streets, led by 20 mounted police officers, crowds broke into wild cheering, screams and applause. Many blew fog horns, whistles or other instruments to add to the din.
Lifelong fan Roy Heany (22), from Broadgreen in Liverpool, was at the front of the crowd with his two-year-old son Brandon. He said: "He's probably a bit too young to understand what is going on but I wanted him to be here so he can tell all his friends when he's older."
Denise Dalziel, from Wavertree in Liverpool, joined the sea of fans with her two sons Richard (12), and Lee (16). She said: "We got here about three hours before the start of the parade to make sure we had a good spot to watch it from and it was certainly worth the wait. It was a brilliant experience and something we will all remember forever."
Ged Poynton, stadium manager at Anfield, said: "Early indications are that we could be looking at up to half a million people, including those who come to St George's Hall at the end of the parade."
Earlier, Liverpool legend Bruce Grobbelaar, the goalkeeper who inspired Liverpool to European Cup glory against Roma 21 years ago after a penalty shoot-out, applauded goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, whose goal-line gyrations may have distracted Milan penalty takers.
"He did a much better job than I did," said Grobbelaar. "He looked like a starfish with jelly legs to me - but it worked."
Dudek revealed Jamie Carragher inspired him to such antics: "Carra came up to me like he was crazy," Dudek said. "He grabbed me and said, 'Jerzy, Jerzy, Jerzy - remember Bruce (Grobbelaar). He did crazy things to put them off in 1984. You have to do the same'. He told me I would be the hero."
As Liverpool woke up yesterday, residents around Anfield stadium realised Wednesday night's exploits were not a dream. There were flags, honking car horns, smashed beer glasses from the night before and, above all, the ear-to-ear grins to prove it. Prayers had been answered, none of them more fervent than the one left at the Hillsborough memorial at the stadium: "Twenty years we have waited patiently for this. Please God, grant us this victory in Istanbul. Make this really for keeps: 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984. 2005?"
