Anfield

Lore & Background

The stadium is named after the surrounding area, Anfield. The word originated in the combination of Old and Middle English words, which mean 'a field on a slope'. Anfield, and its deviations, has been associated with the area since at least 1642. It has been suggested that the name is linked to the influx of Irish people into the spreading city in the 1850s, and was associated with Annefield, outside New Ross, County Wexford, Ireland. Opened in 1884, Anfield was built on land leased from John Orrell; the ground was later purchased by John Houlding from Orrell's estate. The first match at the ground was between Everton and Earlestown on 27 September 1884, which Everton won 5–0. In 1892, negotiations to purchase the land from Orrell escalated into a dispute between John Houlding and the Everton committee, culminating in Everton's move to Goodison Park. Houlding formed a new club, Liverpool F.C. and Athletic Grounds Ltd, whose first match at Anfield was a friendly on 1 September 1892 against Rotherham Town, won 7–1. The stadium has four stands: the Spion Kop, the Main Stand, the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand, and the Anfield Road End. The record attendance of 61,905 was set at an FA Cup 4th round tie between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1952. The ground converted to an all-seater stadium in 1994 as a result of the Taylor Report. Two gates are named after former Liverpool managers: Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley. Statues of Shankly (unveiled in 1997) and Paisley (unveiled in 2020) stand outside the stadium. The club proposed relocating to a new stadium in Stanley Park in 2002; after Fenway Sports Group acquired Liverpool in 2010, the decision was taken to expand Anfield instead. The extension opened on 9 September 2016, increasing capacity to 54,074. Redevelopments to the Anfield Road Stand in 2024 increased capacity to over 61,000.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights hummed overhead, casting long shadows across the pristine turf. A Manchester City defender stepped onto the pitch, the roar of the Kop rising like a physical force against his chest. The air smelled of damp earth and anticipation. As the teams lined up, the familiar melody began to swell from the stands, a haunting anthem that echoed through the stadium's brickwork. It wasn't just noise; it was a challenge. The City player tightened his laces, knowing that on this hallowed ground, history demanded more than just skill—it demanded heart.

Reader's Guide

The ground is 2 miles (3 km) from Liverpool Lime Street railway station. The stadium has four stands: the Spion Kop, the Main Stand, the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand, and the Anfield Road End. The Shankly Gates were erected in 1982, a tribute to former manager Bill Shankly; across the gates are the words 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. The Hillsborough memorial is situated alongside the Shankly Gates before it was moved next to 97 Avenue in front of the redeveloped main stand in 2016.

Did You Know?

• Anfield was originally the home of Everton from 1884 to 1891.
• The record attendance at Anfield is 61,905, set in 1952 in an FA Cup 4th round tie between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
• The Spion Kop stand is named after a hill in South Africa where a local regiment suffered heavy losses during the Boer War.
• The topmast of the SS Great Eastern stands at Anfield as a flagpole, erected in 1928.