Superfan Deborah Rowe delighted to be at Anfield football stadium, the home to Liverpool FC.
(Photos courtesy of Deborah Rowe)
How far would you go for your favourite football club? Some devotees would read about news or catch every game played by their club, without fail. Others would create a shrine at home filled with memorabilia and collectibles. Then, there are those we would go the “extra mile” by getting a tattoo as a permanent symbol of their love for the club.
Liverpool Football Club (FC) fan and public relations consultant Deborah Rowe, 31, is one such superfan who got inked with the club’s motto. She tells us why the Reds are part of her life – and what her tattoo is a celebration of.
How long have you been a fan of Liverpool FC?
I’ve been a fan since 2004, when I was 13. So, it’s been like 18 years now. I first started following Liverpool because I came across Michael Owen and liked his style and how he played.
I remember watching the highlights of the 2005 Champions League final win against AC Milan. I knew there was something special about this football club and I connected with it, despite being thousands of kilometres away from Liverpool, England.
It’s easy for anyone to be a fan, but how did you become a superfan?
From the moment I found the connection with the club, Liverpool has become a part of my identity. I watch every Liverpool match without fail — even if it’s played at 3 am (Singapore time) on a weekday.
I truly became a superfan — or at least realised I am one — during one of the lowest periods in the club’s history under the previous ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillett. I remember how Liverpool were languishing in the bottom half of the table in the relegation zone. Yet I’d watch and support my team every game, despite knowing the pain, anger and sadness that I would feel if they indeed got relegated. You know you’re a fan when you’re there through all the highs and lows.
What lengths have you gone to show your loyalty and dedication to Liverpool FC?
I have a tattoo of the iconic Liverpool anthem/motto “You’ll Never Walk Alone” on my inner forearm. It’s not so much to prove my loyalty, as it is a promise I made to myself. I told myself I’d get this tattoo when Liverpool wins the Premier League title. Just four days after Liverpool were declared champions in 2020, I got my ink.
Deborah Rowe’s tattoo of Liverpool FC’s motto is a testament of her passion for the club.
What else do you hope to do as a superfan of Liverpool FC?
As much as I am a huge fan, I have yet to watch a game live at Anfield, and I plan to do so this season or next.
I was actually at Anfield in July 2019 to support Team Singapore, as the Netball World Cup was happening in Liverpool at that time. I am a competitive netball player and used to be on the national team. Unfortunately, my visit was in the off-season of the English Premier League, so I couldn’t catch a game live. Even then, it was an incredible experience being at the stadium and I teared once I stepped inside. I would definitely want to catch a Champions League game live at Anfield – the Champions League atmosphere is simply unrivalled.
Speaking of tearing up, when was another time you cried for Liverpool FC?
I cried at the end of the match against Wolves (Wolverhampton Wanderers FC) on the final day of last season, when we missed out on the title. To be given the hope that we would be champions in less than 30 minutes (Manchester City were down 2-0 then), only for it to be cruelly taken away so quickly, that absolutely killed me. I remember going through a roller-coaster of emotions that night, from being ecstatic at one point to being downright devastated.
What do your friends and family think of your passion for Liverpool FC? Do they share in your love of the club?
They know and understand that Liverpool is a part of me and it’s something I’m strongly passionate about. I have close friends who are fans too, but I also have friends and colleagues who are big Manchester United fans. Ew!
I tend to watch Liverpool matches on TV on my own. But whenever the club is in town, my Liverpool-supporting friends and I would meet up to go to the game. It was great watching the recent match against Crystal Palace live at the National Stadium!
Deborah Rowe at the National Stadium on 15 July 2022 for the Standard Chartered Singapore Trophy 2022, where Liverpool FC beat Crystal Palace FC by 2-0.
If someone were to ask why you love Liverpool FC so much, what would you say to them?
Liverpool is more than just a football club. It’s a family, and I’m proud and delighted to be a part of the family.
Have you ever had any awkward encounters with fans of rival clubs?
There was an incident during work. I went for a business meeting and the person I was meeting was a big Manchester United fan. My boss — who is also a big Manchester United fan — made a joke about how he can’t believe he hired a Liverpool fan and told me to show the other party my tattoo. I swear it looked like he wanted to throw me out of the room because of my tattoo!
