Watch: Liverpool celebrate Premier League success with fans in city centre parade
Red smoke cannisters were let off as the team's open-top bus – emblazoned with the words 'Ours. Again' – crawled its way through the heaving mass of supporters who defied the rain to celebrate a record-equalling 20th championship.
They and the club had been denied this occasion when they ended a 30-year drought in 2020 due to coronavirus restrictions but they made up for the missed opportunity on a dank day by the Mersey.
The 10-mile long parade took three-and-a-half hours but the finale on the Strand was worth the wait for those who had gathered in the shadow of the Liver Building before 10am to ensure a prime spot.
Liverpool City Councillor John Hughes estimated in excess of one million people were attending, beating the 750,000 present for the 2019 Champions League parade.
Hundreds ignored police advice not to climb on structures – or adhere to the 'no pyro' request – as every vantage point, ranging from multi-storey car parks, scaffolding, rooftops, on top of petrol stations, traffic lights and lamp posts, was taken.
Head coach Arne Slot said it was the best day of his career. 'By far the number one, far more than you could expect or dream of maybe,' he said.
'I won a few things before but this cannot compare with anything.'
It began at Allerton Maze in a relatively calm environment with Henry, in dark glasses and dressed in a red hoodie and poncho to keep out the rain, availing himself of the refreshments aboard the bus early on.
The players were taking Van Dijk's advice to make sure they enjoyed the moment, with Toxteth-born Curtis Jones front and centre for most of the route alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and the departing Scouser Trent Alexander-Arnold at the back of the bus, standing on the seats to hold the trophy above his head.
Jones said: 'Unbelievable. It's my second one (title) but this one feels more special as I've played more of a bigger role in this.'
ADVERTISEMENT
The first two-and-a-half miles raced by in 40 minutes with the streets fully lined but not packed. The remainder of the route was more of a crawl, often stop-start, and where the bus made the turn towards the city centre at the Jolly Miller pub the crowd was 20 to 30 people deep in places.
That had almost doubled by the time they reached the closing stretch where on-board DJ Calvin Harris, originally recruited by fellow Scot Andy Robertson for the 2022 cup double parade but requested by Van Dijk this time, cranked up the fans' favourite tunes.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ange Postecoglou reacts after being given the sack by Tottenham
Ange Postecoglou has written a heartfelt farewell to Tottenham after being dismissed by chairman Daniel Levy. The Australian coach departs just weeks after guiding Spurs to a historic Europa League triumph — the club's first major trophy in 17 years. Tottenham's 1-0 win over Manchester United in Bilbao not only secured European silverware for the first time since 1984 but also earned them a spot in next season's revamped Champions League group stage. However, a dismal Premier League campaign which saw Spurs lose a staggering 22 of their 38 league matches and finish just one place above the relegation zone has cost the Celtic hero his job. Postecoglou's contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium still had two years to run and the veteran boss will reportedly receive a healthy severance package of around £4million. Brentford head coach Thomas Frank is the frontrunner to succeed the Aussie, with Fulham's Marco Silva also said to be on their radar. But a defiant Postecoglou insists he will look back with nothing but fondness on his two seasons in North London and his adamant that the group of players he has left will go onto prosper in the future having finally ended a long wait for silverware. His statement read: "When I reflect on my time as Manager of Tottenham Hotspur my overriding emotion is one of pride. The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. "Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget. That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. "There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible. "We have also laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success. I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them. "I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters. I know there were some difficult times but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on. "It's important to acknowledge the hard working people at Spurs who gave me encouragement on a daily basis. And finally, I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. "A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special. We are forever connected. Audere est Facere."
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
‘We want it' – Sadiq Khan tells WWE legend Triple H to bring WrestleMania to London for first time ever
LONDON MAYOR Sadiq Khan continues to push WWE to bring WrestleMania to the British capital. British WWE fans have been wanting professional wrestling's biggest show to come to the UK for decades. 3 London Mayor Sadiq Khan continues to push WWE to bring WrestleMania to the British capital 3 Khan has held talks with WWE about bringing WrestleMania to London 3 WWE chief content officer Paul 'Triple H' Levesque suggested he is open to bringing WrestleMania to London. And Khan, 54, is The UK has some of the most hardcore WWE fans around the world and London has hosted a series of major premium live events, including The mayor wants to make the pro wrestling enthusiasts' dream a reality and has held talks with WWE chief content officer Paul 'Triple H' Levesque, who previously And he made one more major call to Read More on WWE London has hosted a number of major sporting events throughout the years, including Champions League finals, NFL matches and of course the 2012 Olympics. Khan told "Triple H if you're watching, we want WrestleMania to come to London. "If WrestleMania came to London, my message to the team there is that we wouldn't just have a great weekend, we'd have a festival, of you know, legends in WrestleMania coming to London, current stars, but also future stars as a well. Most read in Sport "It will open a completely new market for them as well. "I think the potential has not been reached in terms of WrestleMania. Stone Cold Steve Austin 'embarrassed' as he explains WrestleMania 41 blunder "We are the sporting capital, in my view, of the world. And if WrestleMania wants to expand, the obvious place to come is London."
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Tottenham manager contenders compared after Postecoglou axe including boss who could pave way for England duo to join
TOTTENHAM are seeking a replacement for sacked boss Ange Postecoglou. Chairman Daniel Levy has axed Postecoglou despite the Aussie 9 Ange Postecoglou has been axed as Tottenham manager Credit: Alamy 9 Postecoglou, 59, lifted the Europa League trophy in Bilbao Credit: Getty The 59-year-old vowed that his work was not done after his side beat But following lengthy deliberations, With Tottenham having finished 17th in the Premier League table, the Spurs supremo will be desperate for a boss that can lift his side back towards the top four. And with the Lilywhites having qualified for the Champions League via the Europa route, Postecoglou's successor will have a tricky job on their hands juggling what will need to be an improved league campaign with European duties. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL SunSport assesses the pros and cons of the runners and riders in the race to replace axed Ange. THOMAS FRANK Pros: The The straight-talking Dane would be a common-sense appointment. An effective communicator with both players and the media, Frank should be well placed to navigate what could be an awkward start with a squad of players that were largely behind Postecoglou. Frank, 51, has used several different formations at Brentford and should be confident in improving Spurs' leaky defence, while he has a track record of getting his strikers scoring, with Most read in Football SunSport understand Frank is the strong favourite at Spurs. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 9 Thomas Frank has done an exceptional job at Brentford Credit: Getty Cons: Following the highs of Bilbao, Spurs fans and maybe even players may be quite underwhelmed by sacking the man that masterminded that success in order to hire a mid-table boss. For all of his positive traits, Frank has never won a major trophy, albeit having never managed a club realistically expected to challenge for them. Ange Postecoglou drops huge hint over Tottenham future with incredible mic-drop moment at Europa League parade Frank can at times deploy quite direct football, a style that has not gone down particularly well under the likes of MARCO SILVA Pros: The Portuguese gaffer has done a remarkable job at That sort of stability could be an attractive proposition to the Spurs board, who have overseen a chaotic six years since Mauricio Pochettino was sacked. Fulham performed well in London derbies last season, beating Cons: Silva's previous big move, from Watford to He is not known to be particularly charismatic, which could lead him to struggle in getting Spurs fans onside early on. Silva also hasn't won any trophies since lifting the Greek title in 2016, while he has never finished higher than eighth in the Premier League. 9 Marco Silva has led Fulham to mid-table stability Credit: Shutterstock Editorial MICHAEL CARRICK Pros: Having played for Spurs between 2004 and 2006, Carrick possesses an understanding of how the club runs and what their supporters appreciate. Carrick, 43, has therefore also worked with Levy, which could help him when dealing with the Spurs chairman. Following several years at Cons: Quite simply, Spurs fans will baulk at the idea of hiring a boss that has just been Carrick's first full-time gig as a manager has to be seen as a failure, having not been promoted with All three of his seasons at Boro faltered in the run-in - something Spurs fans and board members cannot accept. 9 Michael Carrick was sacked by Middlesbrough after missing out on the play-offs Credit: PA OLIVER GLASNER Pros: Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner knows what it takes to win trophies. The Austrian, 50, lifted the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, before going on to win Palace's first ever major silverware in the FA Cup last season. With the Eagles' participation in Europe next term Cons: Palace chairman Steve Parish will not let go of his manager without a fight - having scrapped to keep Glasner following Tottenham have targeted Palace stars Eze and Guehi, but may be unlikely to get them immediately should the Eagles be stung from losing their manager to the North Londoners. It could force a waiting game for the England duo. Glasner's three-at-the-back formation is not too dissimilar to Antonio Conte's, which broke down following his first year at Tottenham - while key Spurs defenders 9 Oliver Glasner won the FA Cup with Crystal Palace Credit: Getty XAVI Pros: Former Spurs supporters have always appreciated a dash of flair, so having one of the world's greatest-ever midfielders as manager would likely appeal to many. Xavi, 45, showed that he can work under difficult circumstances by winning the LaLiga title in 2022-23, while he also demonstrated that he was versatile enough to deviate from Barca's traditional 4-3-3 system when required. Cons: Xavi has no experience of English football, having never played or managed in the Premier League. His job at Barca, while impressive, was not particularly similar to what the task would be at Spurs - more a of a rebuilding effort than title charge, at least initially. A disappointing run mid-way through the 2023-24 season saw Xavi dramatically claim that he would quit Barca at the end of the campaign - only for him to later perform a U-turn... before being sacked anyway. 9 Xavi coached Barcelona between 2021 and 2024 Credit: Reuters SCOTT PARKER Pros: Like Carrick, Parker has a deep understanding of Spurs having played for the club. The Parker, 44, has previously been assisted by coach Matt Wells, who has spent the last two seasons on Postecoglou's coaching staff. Cons: Tottenham fans would be extremely underwhelmed by the appointment of Parker. The former midfielder has had previous cracks at the Premier League with Fulham and Bournemouth - being sacked by both clubs. Parker's football has been quite dour on the eye at times, something Spurs fans would struggle to accept unless results were extremely good. 9 Scott Parker guided Burnley to promotion last season Credit: PA ANDONI IRAOLA Pros: Iraola's high-octane pressing football could excite the Spurs faithful next season. The Spaniard's rise across stints in LaLiga and the South Coast is reminiscent of Mauricio Pochettino's career prior to joining Tottenham. Iraola has shown an ability to improve his players, with the likes of Cons: Iraola's football takes time to implement and patience may be in short supply following Postecoglou's dismissal. The Cherries did not win any of Iraola's first nine Premier League games in charge at the start of the 2023-24 campaign. Postecoglou was criticised for the amount of injuries suffered by his players, potentially down to his style of football - with similar accusations having been levelled at Iraola. 9 Andoni Iraola has impressed in two seasons at Bournemouth Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
