27 APRIL 1963, YOULL NEVER WALK ALONE WAS BORN.
By John Christie
April 28 2012
When Rogers and Hammersteins wrote the musical Carousel, in their wildest dreams they could not have imagined YNWA would become the most famous football anthem in the world. Its sang by football fans, with spiritual reverence, all over the world, but it was on a wet stormy afternoon in Sheffield were it was sang first.
Onthe 27th April 1963newly promotedLiverpoolplayed their bogey team,LeicesterCity, at Hillsborough in the FA Cup semi final.Leicesterhad already beaten us twice so it was no great surprise we lost again 1-0 on the day.
As the players left the pitch, under a black thundering stormy sky, a young joker piped up to break the moroseness of the travelling kop.
Gerry Flaherty sang "WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH A STORM, HOLD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH”.
The words were met with laughter and more joined in the old musical song. At the remaining home games the song gathered momentum. Gerry and the Pacemakers reached number 1 in the November of that year, and as our song was played before the kick off, as all the number ones of the day were, our scarves were lifted for the first time.
Ironically, it was Leicester at home who duly won again 1-0.
It’s the first song we learn, and it’s the one we’re buried to.
Our song has become the football worlds, but it will always be our anthem