In a football landscape that is ever-changing, the sport is moving further away from its traditional roots. But while the construction of futuristic stadiums continues, there are still footballing colosseums of the past up and down England that have survived the torrents of time to remind matchday goers of where it all started.
Liverpool's historic home, Anfield, is one such example, and Football FanCast covers everything you need to know about the 139-year-old stadium. From its glorious history to its modern redevelopments and information on getting there, no stone is left unturned.
Anfield history
Having been built in 1884, Anfield was originally the home of Everton. In 1892, negotiations to purchase the land at Anfield from John Orrell escalated into a dispute between John Houlding and the Everton F.C. committee over how the club was run.
Events culminated in Everton's move across Stanley Park to their current home of Goodison Park. Houlding was left with an empty stadium, and decided to form a new club to occupy it. The new team was called Liverpool F.C. and Athletic Grounds Ltd, and the club's first match at Anfield was a friendly played in front of 200 people on 1st September 1892 against Rotherham Town. Liverpool won 7–1.
Anfield underwent several developments in the late 19th and early 20th century, which included the construction of a new main stand designed by Archibald Leitch in 1895, and a decade later, the construction of the famous Spion Kop. The ground remained more or less the same for the next two decades until the Kop was expanded in 1928. Once completed, it could hold about 30,000 fans, becoming the biggest of its kind, while a roof was revolutionary in its heyday.
In 1982, the famous Shankly Gates were erected, while a start was made to convert the stadium into an all-seater after the Hillsborough disaster. The next significant changes to the stadium were made in the 1990s, first with the rebuilding of the two-tiered Centenary Stand, then with the conversion of the Kop into an all-seater stand. Finally, 1998 saw the construction of a second tier on the Anfield Road Stand.
In the late 2000s, Liverpool contemplated moving away from Anfield to a larger and more modern stadium, and even obtained planning permission for a new 60,000-seater at nearby Stanley Park. However, insufficient funding delayed the plans, which were finally discarded in 2012 by the new owners of the club.
Instead, the ownership opted to redevelop and expand Anfield. It was a decision favoured by Liverpudlians since the illustrious four walls held the secrets to immeasurable success. Reds' fans have a special place in their heart for the stadium, and any relocation plans would have been vehemently protested.
From the murals on nearby houses, and the Shankly and Paisley gates that memorialise the club's two greatest fathers, to the famous Spion Kop and Anfield Road ends, there would be too much to leave behind for the club to relocate.
Anfield is a spiritual home for Kopites, and it inhabits a trophy cabinet holding 19 league titles, 6 European Cups, 8 FA Cups, 3 UEFA Cups, 4 UEFA Super Cups, 9 League Cups, and 1 Club World Cup.
Anfield capacity
With a current capacity of 54,074, Anfield's size fails to reflect the club's stature in world football. A much older build with limited room for expansion (because of its residential location) until recently, Liverpool's stadium is traditional. For many older fans who value sentimentality over the ultramodern, oval-shaped stadiums, Anfield keeps English football's roots unsullied.
Each stand's close proximity to the pitch is what makes the stadium unique, as the Kop's sound travels and struggles to leave the four walls. But when compared to other stadiums in the country, it only ranks as the seventh-largest, despite the club's history as one of Europe's most successful powerhouses.
But apart from Manchester United's Old Trafford, which was built in 1910, the other five stadiums above Anfield in seated capacity were built within the last 20 years, becoming modern testaments to how far football has developed across a century.
Wembley Stadium
90,000
2007
Old Trafford
74,031
1910
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
62,850
2019
London Stadium
62,500
2012
Emirates Stadium
60,704
2006
Etihad Stadium
55,097
2003
Anfield
54,074
1884
Main Stand & Anfield Road renovations
Once upon a time, walking up to Anfield alongside or through Stanley Park, matchday goers sometimes struggled to see the stadium behind the tree line. And when you did get a glimpse of the concrete cladding of the exterior of the stands, it didn’t look particularly impressive.
But this has now dramatically changed with the construction of two additional tiers above the Main Stand. These extra tiers have made this stand simply huge, having increased the capacity of it from 12,000 to 20,500, and increased the overall capacity of Anfield to over 54,000.
The next project looks to add further seating in the Anfield Road end, which is shared between home and away fans. With construction ongoing and expected to finish in 2024, the third phase of Anfield's long overdue redevelopment will see the Kop-facing stand increase in capacity by 7,000 seats, leapfrogging both the Emirates and Etihad Stadium to become the fifth-largest stadium in the country and fourth in the Premier League with an overall capacity of 61,000.
Anfield's renowned atmosphere
For as long as time, Anfield has been renowned for its atmosphere, particularly on European nights in the Champions League.
Gianluigi Buffon, Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Cristiano Ronaldo are among just some of the opposition managers and players to have flagged it as one of the hardest places to win because of its hostile and belittling atmosphere.
Rival supporters suggest it's a myth. However, the proof is in the pudding. The reaction of non-English fans when 'You'll Never Walk Alone' bellows through the stadium tells the story of even some of the continent's loudest fanbases being taken aback, while their 68-game unbeaten streak at home in the Premier League between 2017 and 2021 under Jurgen Klopp proves just how difficult a trip to Merseyside is.
Although that record no longer stands, Liverpool remain a force to be reckoned with when they play beneath the historic canopy of the Spion Kop.
For those in doubt over whether Anfield exercises a great matchday atmosphere, a quick watch of any of their famous Champions League comebacks will help to remedy any lingering uncertainty. It is not to pity other stadiums in the country, as English fans have proven they are some of the most passionate around. However, Anfield sets the benchmark.
How to get to Anfield By train
Liverpool Lime Street Railway Station is Liverpool's mainline station for regional and national journeys. It is two miles from Anfield and taxis are also available at the station. The average journey time of trains travelling between London and Liverpool is 2 hours and 35 minutes.
For those making the journey from the city's area, Merseyrail operates regular services across 67 stations throughout Merseyside. Passengers can get regular services into Liverpool from Ellesmere Port, Chester, West Kirby and New Brighton on the Wirral Line, and Southport, Ormskirk, Kirkby and Hunts Cross on the Northern Line. You can also take advantage of park and ride; a number of Merseyrail stations have car parks, which can be found here.
Another way to travel between the city centre and Anfield is via bus. On matchdays, there is an express service, and more details can be found here.
By car
Anfield is accessible from all major routes; the postcode is L4 0TH. However, it is warned that the stadium parking is limited, and since it is located in a built-up residential area, enforcement will be monitoring anyone parking in areas they shouldn't.
It is best to park in the city centre and use public transport to get directly to Anfield instead of trying to drive all the way.
How to get away tickets to Anfield
Just under 3,000 away fans can be housed in the Anfield Road stand at one end of the ground, although this allocation can be increased for domestic cup games.
Until the renovation is complete, views at the back of the stand can be restricted, with the upper tier overhanging the bottom, while standing supporters in front can create a field of vision more comparable to a letterbox.
Unlike a lot of clubs, Liverpool tickets are priced consistently across their Premier League campaign – as opposed to varying prices based on different category games like many sides do nowadays. Of course, some tickets are still cheaper than others, but that’s purely down to where you sit within the stadium. Premier League ticket prices are detailed below in the form of minimum and maximum prices:
£9 to £59
£9 to £44
£9 to £29.50
£9
The best way to get tickets for an away game is by keeping up to date with sales windows on your respective club's website.
