Sunderland first for travelling Liverpool supporters

Liverpool’s tour dates for next season, along with the dates for their home performances, have been revealed this morning. However, unlike a rock group or comedian who would actually do all they could to get their list of dates out as far and wide as possible, football teams demand payment before you give them this advertising space.

The fixtures are distributed by PA Sport, who maintain that it is a breach of copyright to announce the fixtures without first obtaining an expensive licence from them. They handle these rights for all league clubs, in England and Scotland. There is some debate as to whether it is actually possible to hold a list of events subject to copyright.

For a full list of Liverpool’s fixtures visit the official Liverpool FC website, in particular the article: REDS TO START AT SUNDERLAND.

The article serves as advanced notice for anyone who travels between Merseyside and the North East. The Sunderland area is likely to have a lot of Liverpool fans visiting on August 16^th, the opening day of the season. And a week later the travelling will be from the North East to Merseyside, with an influx of Middlesbrough fans expected to exchange the smog of their own town for the bracing air from the Mersey on August 23^rd.

The shortest journeys for football supporters in Liverpool are those that consist of a walk across Stanley Park. September 27^th sees Liverpool’s supporters doing the walking – possibly past the construction site of their new stadium, because work should be underway by then. On the 17^th of January it will be the Everton fans walking past the site of Liverpool’s new ground, on their way to Liverpool’s current ground, their old ground, Anfield.

Another relatively short journey is the one fans take down either the M62 or the East Lancs. The Manchester United team bus will be using one or other on September 13^th when it takes their players to Anfield. Six months later Liverpool fans will be travelling the opposite way for a chance to out-sing despite being outnumbered, on March 14^th.

All of these dates are of course subject to change, with TV companies now working out which of these events they would like to move by a day or two, or just by a couple of hours.

If you’d like to see the rest of tour dates for the various performers in the league, see the BBC Website.

The announcement of the fixture list allows the LFC Supporters’ Union, Spirit of Shankly, the chance to make firm arrangements for improved travel for Liverpool fans to away games, which is one of their main long term aims.