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 originally owned by John Orrell. The first match at the ground was between Everton and Earlestown on 28 September 1884, which Everton won 5–0. In 1892, negotiations to purchase the land from Orrell escalated into a dispute between Houlding and the Everton committee, culminating in Everton's move to Goodison Park. Houlding formed Liverpool F.C. to occupy the empty stadium. The Spion Kop stand was built in 1906 and named after a hill in South Africa where a local regiment had suffered heavy losses during the Boer War in 1900; more than 300 men had died, many of them from Liverpool. The Shankly Gates were erected in 1982, a tribute to former manager Bill Shankly. A bronze statue of Bill Shankly was unveiled in 1997 in front of the Kop. A statue of Bob Paisley was unveiled in 2020 by the Main Stand.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights flicker on as dusk settles over Anfield. The Kop, a sea of red and white, begins to hum with anticipation. A young boy, clutching his father's hand, feels the vibration of thousands of voices rising in unison. The air smells of grass, rain, and history. As the teams emerge, the roar swells, and for a moment, time stands still—this is not just a game; it's a pilgrimage to a place where legends are made and memories are forged.

Reader's Guide

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 a match 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 at the stadium are named after former Liverpool managers: Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley. The ground is from Liverpool Lime Street railway station. The club proposed relocating to a new stadium in the adjacent Stanley Park in 2002; after Fenway Sports Group acquired Liverpool in 2010, the decision was taken to expand Anfield instead. This extension opened to the public on 9 September 2016, increasing the stadium capacity to 54,074. Redevelopments were made to the Anfield Road Stand in 2024, which increased the stadium capacity to over 61,000.

Did You Know?

• The Spion Kop stand was named after a hill in South Africa where a Boer War battle in 1900 claimed more than 300 lives, many from Liverpool.
• The topmast of the , one of the first iron ships, was rescued from a ship breaking yard and erected alongside the new Kop in 1928, serving as a flagpole.
• The Shankly Gates were unlocked for the first time on 26 August 1982 by Bill Shankly's widow Nessie.
• The Hillsborough memorial was moved next to 97 Avenue in front of the redeveloped main stand in 2016.