HOW THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CITY, THE CLUB AND ITS FANS ARE ENTWINED IN LIVERPOOL’S UNIQUE FABRIC.

WRITING & PHOTOS BY OSCAR H. PHOTOS

Football is an essential part of Liverpool as a city. Without football, the passion, love and international appeal for the city would feel like something was missing. Both Liverpool and Everton alike are strong parts of the city's identity and the makeup of its unique fabric.

As a Liverpool fan, I have mainly documented the club through film photography over the years I have been here. Although I aim to document more football games, both at Liverpool and Everton, and the atmosphere they bring to the city, I would like to highlight the significance of Liverpool FC as a club in particular through my documentation of its fans over the years.

Despite the club's international fanbase, it remains a proud part of the local football community in the city, alongside Everton. For many, football forms a part of their own identity, which naturally comes from the passion for the club, its players and their achievements.

The club has not only become a strong part of local communities across the city, but it has also brought fans together from across the world. It is a passion brought from the fields of Anfield Road to different countries, bringing people together for the shared love of the club, where its players and importance in the city are recognised internationally.

Significant club events such as this year's 2025 Premier League Victory Parade demonstrate how important the club is for many in the city and further afield. With over 1 million people in attendance, there was a sea of red flares, flags, scarfs and club chants engulfing the city. The atmosphere at events such as these prove the strength of Liverpool's fanbase. On this day, there were those who both came from Liverpool, and those who made the train or flight to the city to partake in the celebrations, demonstrating the club's appeal both on a community and international level.

The pride for the club shows not only on match and parade days, but also throughout the city all year round. This red pride shows through splashes of red in the form of flags, banners and scarfs decorating houses across the city, blending into part of Liverpool's urban canvas. The connection between the club and the city is strong in this sense. Although it is common to see houses bearing football flags in support of where the local club is based, Liverpool seems to be unique in the sense that you could walk down just one street in some areas and see at least one Liverpool flag displayed in somebody's window.

Often, there are times where I will walk up to Anfield, film camera in hand, to capture the pre-match buzz and atmosphere the fans create. I attempt to document the different fans who attend the game, from locally and afar, showcasing their shared passion and love for the club, engulfed in red scarfs, shirts, and badges. I continually seek to capture unique qualities Liverpool fans possess, and how they display their passion for the club through their appearance at the game. Whether this be through a unique badge or a kit from a particular season, Liverpool fans across the world bear emblems that pay homage to the club and its history. I attempt to capture short stories from my interactions with fans through my images, or show how they feel about going to the game.

In September, I went to Anfield to photograph the pre-match atmosphere before the Liverpool vs Atlético Champions League game. Before the game, I had an interaction with Liverpool fans that I ended up photographing. On my way up to Anfield, I saw Atlético Madrid fans being escorted by police down Walton Lane. In the distance, I heard fans kicking off, so I ran up the road to see what was going on. There was a group of a few young lads holding a big flag bearing tribute to former player Diogo Jota, who sadly lost his life along with his brother André Silva in a horrific car crash in Spain in July 2025.

Despite there being quite a few Atlético fans, the young lads stood their ground, even when some of the Atlético fans started chucking bottles at them. I almost got caught in the crossfire, but I managed to get a few photos of the lads holding their flag and shouting back at the Atlético fans. Nothing escalated as there were a lot of police around, but I would’ve never seen that moment happen if I hadn’t trusted my instincts and ran down Walton Lane to see what was going on. In street photography, particularly at football games, a philosophy of mine is to always wander down the street that isn’t necessarily where the main action happens. You never know what you might find at the end of the road.

I continue to utilise film photography as a way of interacting with these fans. I believe it is very important to engage with the subject you are photographing from time to time during street photography. Although it is also important to visually capture individuals candidly, breaking the ice with people a bit and learning more about their story before photographing them can strengthen the bond and create a more natural photo through doing so.

I have done this a few times on my recent visits to Anfield, both before the Liverpool vs Atlético game and also the mid-week Premier League game against Southampton at the end of September.

Whether striking up a conversation about a vintage Liverpool FC strip, or a certain badge someone is wearing, or even just simply speaking about what their predictions might be for the game or telling them what you are photographing-these brief interactions bring so much more context to the person than the image initially displays, and leaves the viewer learning that little bit more about the individual among the thousands attending the matches every week.

I continue to visit Liverpool FC home matches, interact with the fans and document the stories of the fans that share the same love and passion for the Reds, both locally and further afield.