This brings me to another point. Your family makes a huge song-and-dance about being Catholic. Lots of
Scousers are Catholic. In Liverpool it’s not the upper-class, dinner-party talking-point version of the
religion, though. It’s the poor people’s type. On the other side of the divide there’s a dwindling Orange
Lodge presence in the city. I’m sure you and the boys would be interested to see what it’s like to be in a
place where people are allowed to parade the streets expressing anti-Catholic rhetoric. It would provide a
small glimpse of the sort of extreme Protestantism you find in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland,
where your co-religionists are considered second-class citizens by some – including the Democratic
Unionist Party who are propping up your government. Anyone who’s seen this sort of divisiveness up close
knows how dangerous the politicking around the Irish Border has become.
Which brings us to the European Union. A significant part of Merseyside’s revival was bankrolled by
Europe. The Echo Arena, John Lennon airport, the cruise liner terminal and many other symbols of the
city’s regeneration benefited from EU money. That’s why a majority voted Remain. Westminster has not
been so generous to Liverpool.
I hope this explains the booing. There’s no single cause but a complex set of cultural and historical reasons.
Feeling like outsiders makes us all the more welcoming and we’d be pleased to have you and the boys as
guests. Over the years I’ve come across a number of people who have purported to love the club but
expressed contempt for the city and Scousers. It would be terrible if your children became that sort of
Liverpool fan. They would have much more fun joining us. They wouldn’t even have to boo the anthem.
But it would be wonderful if they grew up to be Kopites. It would be funny if they returned to the country
pile in Somerset after a trip to Anfield quoting Shankly about socialism, raging against the injustices over
Hillsborough and extolling the positive effects of immigration and Europe. Just let me know the game you
fancy and we’ll sort it out.
Best,
Tony