Jordan Henderson has hailed Liverpool fans for their incredible effort in raising money for the city's foodbanks in the face of pay-per-view costs to watch their team.
With fans still unable to attend matches due to the coronavirus pandemic, there was anger when it was announced earlier this month that additional matches not covered by the existing broadcasting agreement - initially shown at no extra charge following Project Restart - would only now be available at a £14.95 a match.
Thousands of fans boycotted the Reds' pay-per-view Premier League match against Sheffield United last weekend and instead chose to donate the cost of a televised match or whatever they could afford to foodbank charities.
An incredible £130,000 has so far been raised by fans boycotting the PPV matches and donating to a fundraising page set up by Merseyside's groundbreaking Fans Supporting Foodbanks initiative .
And now, Reds captain Henderson has outlined his pride at how supporters have turned "negativity into a positive".
“I’ve said it before many times and it’s not cliche: our fans do make a difference," he wrote in his pre-match programme notes before West Ham.
"And we’ve had yet more evidence of that over the last week with our fans raising an incredible amount of money to support the foodbanks in Liverpool.
“I know that many of you have not been happy about pay-per-view costs but have turned this negativity into a positive and in doing so have shown the kind of solidarity that is going to continue to be needed as the crisis carries on.
“I’m not able to tell you in words how proud I am of you and to play for you.
“As players, we thrive on the appreciation of supporters, but right now our supporters should know that we appreciate you more than ever.
"At some point, and hopefully one not too far away, we will be able to show this in person.
"But until that moment arrives we will show our appreciation in the best way possible - by continuing to give our all on the pitch so that every Liverpool fan who is following from home knows that even if you are not with us in person, we are still playing for you.”
