Liverpool v Olympiacos Match Thread ***Steven Gerrard Testimonial***

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Hello and Welcome the match thread for our inspirational Captain Steven Gerrard!
Place Anfield Date 3rd August 2013 Time Kick off 12:45

Steven Gerrard

Birthdate: 30 May 1980
Birthplace: Whiston, Liverpool, England
Other clubs: None
Bought from: Local
Signed for LFC: Joined 1988
International debut: 31.05.2000 vs. Ukraine
International caps: 102/19 (26.03.2013)
Liverpool debut: 29.11.1998
Last appearance: 05.05.2013
Debut goal: 05.12.1999
Last goal: 31.03.2013
Contract expiry: 2014 (signed 12.01.2012)
Win ratio: 52.38% W: 330 D: 150 L: 150
Games/goals ratio: 3.96
LFC league games/goals: 441 / 98
Total LFC games/goals: 630 / 159


Steven Gerrard will walk out the tunnel at Anfield on Saturday afternoon as he has done so many times before, although – even taking into account the dramatic highs, and occasional lows, of his career at Liverpool – he admits that this occasion will be especially emotional.


It will be his three young daughters who walk with him on to the pitch of his hometown club, and his team-mates and the opposition, Olympiakos, who form the guard of honour. Almost 15 years after his debut, as he approaches a decade as captain, Gerrard will be honoured with his first testimonial. Anfield sold out weeks ago.

He smiled as he considered the prospect – not least the sense of excitement and anticipation among his family, who he says have been looking forward to it for months. The Gerrard girls have, he says, “had new frocks made and they are getting their hair done”, although they have also been told by dad that they will not be staying up all night at the dinner for 1,000 guests that will follow on Saturday evening.

Anfield can feel like a big family gathering at most home games: raucous, disputatious but with the sense that, when push comes to shove, everyone pulls together. And at the centre of that family for the last generation has been Gerrard. It has not always been easy being the local boy who ended up captaining Britain’s most successful club – and England – but looking back now, at 33, he would not have wanted it any other way.

All the money raised on Saturday from the game, broadcast by BT Sport, will go to his foundation which works with charities on Merseyside, throughout the country and overseas. Gerrard has visited many of the projects and has a clear idea of what is required to help.

“I have been to some different places all round the area,” he says. “It has been a real eye-opener to see how some of these charities run and what they need to keep their heads above water. But also some of the conditions that children and families are in. We have seen some really difficult cases. But when you come away from the places and you see that you have made a big difference and you can help financially, it’s a good buzz.”

Olympiakos have a special place in Gerrard’s history. It was against them that he scored the 86th-minute goal at Anfield in December 2004 that gave Liverpool a 3-1 win, clinching the necessary two-goal margin that saw them through the group stages on their way to winning the Champions League in Istanbul that season. For Saturday, Olympiakos have donated their match fee to charity and have been “superb”, Gerrard says, in playing their role on the day.

As for the memory itself of that night in 2004, it still feels, Gerrard says, “like yesterday”. “When you are in that position and one falls for you it’s make or break at that moment. Luckily for me it was one of the sweetest strikes I have ever hit. Just such a relief to see the net go. If I had to pick my favourite goal for connection and also the reaction of the crowd – that’s the one.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/p...ail-liverpools-captain-fantastic-8740850.html

[video=youtube;fGOTZ7XuBBI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGOTZ7XuBBI[/video]

[video=youtube;0ppgUDpTT1Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ppgUDpTT1Q[/video]

 

#bringbackchris




PS...anyone else noticed that STD and Magic are fighting over these?


PPS...good effort STD. Despite me being a ****, its appreciated

 

Lol Thanks
No fighting we have been in PM contact through pre-season taking turns doing the threads. We thought it would be good for two of us to get a bit of practice in, if we are going to keep it going into the new season. Takes the pressure off if we can do them as a team rather than one person having to get them done.

 

Nice one SJD. Still a bit gutted that we won't see former players. But hopefully the ball will drop to Stevie 20 yards out in extra time.

 

Who won?

 

Will be interesting to see what sort of reception Suarez gets.

 

Are we really given him a testimonial match as part of our pre-season with the current squad against a normal Olympiacos team?!

Surely we could have waited and given him a proper game...

 

This is a popular thread

 

"Olympiakos have donated their match fee to charity"

Didn't know that

I'll be watching the game on BT sport, can't wait to see the reaction Gerrard gets

 

Everyone should remain deadly silent for a laugh

 

Can't believe we don't have the old faces back. Many are still playing or still fairly fit and could make the game interesting. Real shame I think and wondering if the club have something up their sleeve.

 

Maybe I'm just being hopeful because I'm going. But I genuinely think there'll be some sort of surprise in store. There is absolutely no way this will be treated as a normal pre season match, if it is I'll eat my hat, video it, and post the video here.

 

Bookmarked

 

Well this was good timing too...

Liverpool FC ‏@LFC 1m
We can reveal that @Robbie9Fowler and Jamie Carragher will both feature for #LFC in #GerrardTestimonial v Olympiacos on Saturday.

Liverpool FC ‏@LFC 1m
Both Fowler and Carra trained with the first team at Melwood today. The game is live on LFCTV Online #GerrardTestimonial

Both from a minute ago!

 

That's more like it

 

A start but wish there were more!!!!

 

I have a sneaky feeling there will be...

 

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According to my mate, there will be.

 

That's a ****ing awesome photo!