Anfield is known for its amazing colour and noise, which becomes all the more prominent and meaningful when accompanied by a mosaic, which has been the labour of love for one fan for almost 30 years.
Thousands of fans in unison, raising their individual cards to create a masterpiece that displays a message, a picture or a memory.
On Sunday, almost 24,000 individual cards created the incredible artwork that paid tribute to Jurgen Klopp, it was one of the most intricate designs ever undertaken and stretched over three stands.
It was the brainchild of Red All Over The Land fanzine’s Andy Knott, who has been responsible for every one of Liverpool’s mosaics for almost 30 years – a true labour of love!
The first mosaic at Anfield was back in 1996, it read ‘LFC’ across the Kop, and in the years since there has been one masterpiece after another, and Andy has never sought publicity or payment.
“We were looking at ways at how we could improve the atmosphere,” Andy told This Is Anfield of the mosaics origins.
“We’d played Genoa a month before and they’d done a mosaic, someone said ‘what about doing this’.
“I said I’ve got my own printing company, I can do it. As long as I’ve got a seating plan, I can work it out.”
It takes a lot of organising and work behind the scenes to get to the final product that we see on matchdays, and Andy explained the process using Klopp’s tribute as an example.
“We couldn’t put ‘Jurgen said to me’ because it would be too small, it wouldn’t have the effect,” he said. “Try and keep it simple with bigger symbols is the best way to do it.
“The design doesn’t take that long because I have a grid sheet now, so as long as I know what I want to put into it, I will fit it in.
“I’m normally nervous on the Hillsborough ones because it means so much, however, I was hoping this day would never, ever happen, but we’re here doing it for Jurgen.
“I always wake up early on the days we’re doing it, nerves, anticipation or whatever it may be. I don’t think we’ve had one where it’s not turned out how it should.”
They always prove an incredible sight, and Andy summed it up himself by saying, “For me, it is a labour of love.”
* Andy Knott has been responsible for Liverpool’s mosaics since 1996, and a fundraiser has been started to see his work recognised with his season ticket for 2024/25 paid for. You can donate here!
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