A self-proclaimed Liverpool supporter has initiated a petition to hold the team’s potential Premier League trophy parade in London, citing that the Reds have more fans in the south than on Merseyside.
With Arne Slot’s team poised to claim their second Premier League title in five years, having established a 13-point lead at the top of the table, a victory parade is becoming increasingly likely. However, the club was unable to organize the traditional open-topped bus parade through the city in 2020 due to lockdown restrictions.
It’s worth noting that an estimated 750,000 fans took to the streets to welcome Jurgen Klopp‘s team back from Madrid with the Champions League trophy in 2019. Liverpool also remains in the Champions League and is set to face Newcastle at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final later this month.
A fan going by the name King Koppite has started a petition on the Change website, arguing that any parade should be held in the capital rather than Liverpool’s hometown.
The petition states: “I, like many other loyal Liverpool FC fans, live in London, far from our team’s home city in the North. The South of England and beyond is home to a majority of Liverpool FC’s fervent fan base, creating a costly and time-consuming journey for us every time we aim to join in the club’s victory parades.
“What we propose is not a dismissal of Liverpool’s local heritage, but a recognition of the club’s national – even global – reach. With the prevalence of Liverpool FC supporters in the South, moving the title parade to London would simply be a more pragmatic and inclusive approach.
(Image: PA)
“Statistics show that London holds the largest concentration of football fans across the whole of England ( BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Fans Census, 2019). By moving the parade to our nation’s capital, more fans would be offered the opportunity to participate in the celebration, extending the sense of community and shared victory.
“Therefore, we propose a reassessment of the location of Liverpool Football Club’s title parades to better accommodate a larger portion of the fanbase and create more inclusive and accessible celebrations. Sign this petition to help bring the Liverpool FC title parade closer to fans in the South.”
Some Reds supporters might be inclined to think that the petition, which was launched on March 3, is the handiwork of a cheeky Evertonian rather than a devoted Kopite. However, the club boasts a massive global fanbase and Liverpool are a major tourist draw on Merseyside. Change claims to be “the world ‘s platform for change” – but so far, the petition has garnered fewer than 30 signatures.
