A virtual evening of music, quizzes, workshops and discussions in support of Liverpool fans mental health takes place this Friday night.
The Big Red Talk is a joint initiative between the LFC Foundation and Liverpool supporters union Spirit of Shankly and is funded by LFC Lotto.
Tickets are still available for the free event which runs from 7pm to 9pm on Friday 11 December and is focused on promoting open discussion on mental health, speaking your mind and caring for personal wellbeing in difficult times.
There will be live and pre-recorded sessions from Jamie Webster supported by Boss Nights, Chris Kirkland hosted by The Anfield Wrap, workshops by LFC Foundation, The Mind Map and James’ Place, fan discussion supported by Spion Kop 1906 and Spirit of Shankly, and a Liverpool FC quiz hosted by the Voice of Anfield, George Sephton.
Earlier this year, Jurgen Klopp and Andy Robertson opened up about mental health as part of the Heads Up campaign.
Liverpool left-back Robertson has revealed his own mental struggles after being released by Celtic as a youngster as well as he how personally coped during the initial coronavirus lockdown.
“Uncertain I think, for all of us,” Robertson said.
“You know, we have parents that are older, we have family that are in the so-called bracket of high-risk.
“I think football kind of took a step to one side, but we were all wanting the season to end.”
“There were moments in the lockdown when we thought it is a proper setback from all of our dreams,” Klopp added.
“So it was a setback but it was a setback for all of us together, and we could calm each other down.
“[It] helps if you don’t feel all the burden on your own shoulders. If you have a group of friends or a group of colleagues and you can create an atmosphere like this, that helps.
“I think there is no problem big enough or small enough that you cannot talk about it.”
The discussion prompted Robertson to assess the impact that his early career struggles had on him as a teenager, having been released by Celtic at under-15 level.
The Scotland international had to work his way back up before making it at Liverpool, going from Scottish Third Division side Queen's Park to Dundee United, then to Hull City and eventually to Anfield after the Tigers’ relegation in 2017.
“When I started making it professional, I think that’s when I struggled the most,” he admitted.
“I think only since probably since the last year or two, since we’ve had kids and that then I’ve started to open up more.
“I used to be one that blocked everything up, I thought my problems are my problems. I think mentally it has been a lot easier because I have opened up a lot better and [that’s] something I wish I had done earlier.”
You can get tickets for the free Big Red Talk event HERE and for support, you can text ‘HeadsUp’ to 85258 to connect with a trained crisis volunteer who will chat to you by text message. This service is available 24/7.
