Plenty of legendary Liverpool figures have bid farewell to Anfield at the end of recent seasons, with Jurgen Klopp rightly being given a rousing send-off this time last year.
Kopites have also granted an emotional goodbye to fan favourites like Bobby Firmino in the not-too-distant past, and while a certain England right-back won’t be shown anything close to the same affection this Sunday, another man at the stadium will depart with the fondest of wishes from the Merseyside faithful.
Liverpool icon George Sephton to retire at end of the season
On Friday, LFC confirmed via their official website that George Sephton, affectionately known as the ‘Voice of Anfield’, will retire after more than 50 years of service to the club.
The long-serving stadium announcer will take to the microphone in L4 for one last time tomorrow when Liverpool host Crystal Palace on the day that Arne Slot’s side are presented with the Premier League trophy, thus ensuring that his final match will be an unforgettable occasion.
Paul Cuttill, the club’s vice-president of stadium operations, has rightly hailed Sephton as ‘part of the fabric of Anfield’ who has ‘soundtracked countless unforgettable moments’ and whose ‘presence in the gantry will be deeply missed’.
Liverpool home games won’t sound the same without his dulcet tones
A lot has changed at Liverpool since George began his stadium announcer roll in 1971, but his voice has been a constant throughout that time, and a matchday at Anfield just won’t sound the same without his dulcet tones ringing around the iconic venue.
His softly-spoken delivery has been greatly appreciated by generations of match-going Reds supporters and makes for a welcome contrast to the needlessly shouty PA operators who frequent other Premier League stadia and insist on drowning out goal celebrations with booming music.
It isn’t just Sephton’s voice which has seen him being dubbed a ‘legend‘ by Jamie Carragher and a ‘great man‘ by Henry Winter – his consistent promotion of local bands by playing their music on matchdays has given well-deserved exposure to their talents.
Such is his popularity that there have even been calls by many Liverpool fans on social media for him to have a seat on the bus along with players and coaching staff for the club’s Premier League victory parade through the city on Monday.
George’s humility and modesty would probably see him eschew any such invitations, but his status as a true icon of Anfield is beyond question. We wish this legend of LFC all the best in his retirement and also extend a warm welcome to whoever succeeds him in the role.
