One such person is Hariharan Subramanian, who has been a Liverpool Football Club (LFC) supporter since 2004, and has been collecting LFC merchandise since then. He says, “What started as a way of expressing love and solidarity for my favourite club, became a hobby of sorts.” Now, seven years later, he boasts of a huge collection of club merchandise that is a source of envy for any football fan in the City.
This 22-year-old is an engineering graduate and takes pride in his well-stocked collection. About how it all started, he says, “When I first saw LFC’s Premier League game against West Brom, I was bowled over by the support they received from the fans at the stadium.
It was awesome to see people in red jerseys waving red flags. Moreover, it was the brilliance of the club’s former manager Rafael ‘Rafa’ Benitez and the class the
players showed on the field which made me like the team instantly.” He adds, “Liverpool has a great history too which makes anyone fall in love with this club.” So what is it that made him start his collection? His answer is simple — it makes him feel closer to this club.
“You feel a sense of pride when you have your favourite team’s merchandise. It is a sign of your support to the club.” This is especially true when you are surrounded by fans of various other Premier League clubs. And Hariharan asserts that he doesn’t mind flaunting it to his group of friends, which consists of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal fans.
He also swears by the famous adage, ‘If your team wins, wear your shirt with pride, if your team loses, wear your shirt with pride’, which was another reason for him to pursue his hobby. He avers, “I have seen many a time, when the club you support loses, there are some who feel ashamed about it. But if you are a true football fan, you will realise that how your team played is more important than the goals they scored.”
He says, “No matter if your team is down or not, you should say with pride that you are a Liverpool supporter and it doesn’t matter if you say it in words or not.” He says when you buy official Liverpool merchandise, a certain percentage of it goes to the club. So, this way he can even do his bit for the club.
From jerseys and pullovers to flags and shoes, he has it all in his collection. But what stands out are the posters of his favourite LFC player Steven Gerrard. “His energy, work rate, fearless attitude and long passes are what I admire. But more than all this, it is his love for the club that is very inspiring,” says Hariharan, who is a football player himself.
Another item that is close to his heart is the club flag that has Liverpool written all over it. There is one phrase that aptly describes Hariharan’s collection and that is ‘Red for life’.
