Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Andy Dunn

A wholehearted message to Liverpool fans who might boo the National Anthem this weekend

If you want to sing the National Anthem, then just before one o’clock, when the King and Queen emerge from St Edward’s Chapel in their change strip, would be a good time.

According to the order of service, that - after Charles and Camilla have switched to a different set of robes - is when it will be belted out in Westminster Abbey and, presumably, across the land as part of the interactive, public allegiance-swearing coronation.

As it remains as dull a national anthem as you could imagine, once should be enough, but the Premier League decided to get involved and ‘strongly suggested’ it is played ahead of Saturday’s fixtures. It is what King Charles - once an accomplished polo player with zero affinity for football - would want, obviously.

As soon as the Premier League encouraged the National Anthem to be played, clubs really had little choice and, so, the debate about what would happen at Anfield ahead of the Brentford game began.

Liverpool Football Club was never going to go rogue and give the anthem a miss - it is far too respectful an institution for that.

If other clubs are giving their supporters yet another chance to show their royalism, then Liverpool would obviously do the same, only the Anfield constituency will not be as royalist as most.

Liverpool fans booed the national anthem vs Chelsea at Wembley last year. (John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

The king they bow lowest to is Kenny, although one of Dalglish’s proudest moments was when King Charles - then the Prince of Wales - tapped both his shoulders with a sword at Buckingham Palace. It is unlikely Sir Kenny will be booing the National Anthem but those inside the Sir Kenny Dalglish stand might.

So what? It is their right, the right to protest being one of the things - a list that is, alas, getting shorter by the day - that makes this country great.

But while I am from the city of Liverpool and while I am absolutely no fan of the monarchy, on this occasion I would choose a dignified silence to make the point.

For one, if people want to sing it, then they should be respected.

Secondly, I would be loath to give any fuel to the idiots who characterise Scousers as whingers.

And a third, almost trivial, reason would be similar to the one why Jurgen Klopp should kick his habit of harassing officials and behaving like a fool on the touchline.

The hysterical reaction to the simple and permissible act of jeering the National Anthem would reduce the good things Liverpool do on the pitch to footnotes, just as Klopp’s antics did in the wake of a fine win over Spurs last weekend.

So, if you are thinking of booing the National Anthem, fine - it really should not be a big deal and it is actually quite amusing how some people get wound up about it.

But, on this occasion, it probably isn’t worth it.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.