They said it couldn't happen and then when it did they said it would fail spectacularly.
Thankfully, "they" were wrong on both counts.
The theme from Z Cars was played at Anfield and it was treated with nothing but the respect it deserved.
The idea may have started on here but that is all it was - an idea.
From that point on Liverpool Football Club were inundated with requests from fans who wanted to hear Z Cars played in honour of Rhys Jones.
Quite understandably, there were those who had misgivings about it, after all Z Cars isn't just any old song, it's the battle cry of our biggest rivals.
But as the days went by, it soon became clear that the vast majority of Liverpool fans were in favour of playing it.
Still, it was up to the club to do the right thing and they did just that. It should be borne in mind that it would have been safer for Rick Parry to take the easy way out, for him to opt for a minute's applause and You'll Never Walk Alone being dedicated to the tragic youngster.
But Parry showed great courage and no little faith in the Liverpool fans by giving Z Cars the go ahead.
He deserves all the credit in the world for this.
Similarly, unbeknown to many, Rhys' uncle Neil (A Red in a family of Blues) helped make it all happen by liaising between the family and the club.
The courage and compassion he showed during what was clearly a terrible time for himself is a lesson to us all.
Last night, the efforts of Rick Parry and Neil Jones were repaid in the most spectacular fashion.
The way the Liverpool fans at Anfield responded to Z Cars and the Jones family was nothing short of brilliant.
The whole occasion would have been soured had just one idiot spoiled it and in a crowd of over 40,000 the odds are you will find at least one clown.
But there wasn't one at Anfield last night.
So I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who made it happen. I know for a fact that you helped ease the suffering of one very special Merseyside family ever so slightly.
Well done.
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Paul Moorcroft wrote...
Last night's gesture was absolutely magnificent. Everybody associated with Liverpool Football Club should feel pride in what happened before the Toulouse game. Is it really so many years ago that we sang You'll Never Walk Alone at Goodison, tied our Blue scarves to the Shankly gates and Wembley rocked to the chants of 'Merseyside, Merseyside, Merseyside'?
Thank You Liverpool FC.
Paul Moorcroft. Evertonian.
Posted by: Paul Moorcroft | August 29, 2007 11:16 AM