Date: 26th June 2011 at 3:00pm
Written by:

My name is Jason Mohr. I’m an American from just outside of Philadelphia, and I’ll be contributing to OurKop.com.

I began supporting Liverpool in earnest last year. After watching every minute I could of the last World Cup, I knew I had fallen for the beautiful game and wanted a team to follow. Philadelphia had recently added an MLS club (The Union), and I knew I would monitor their progress. But to truly commit to a club, and ensure I would be motivated to watch every match, I would need to select a team from the greatest football league in the world.

The selection process was brief yet thorough. I knew the team had to meet a few conditions. It couldn’t be a club with a lot of recent success – I wanted to earn the right to enjoy a trophy, not have one handed to me. It couldn’t be a team in danger of relegation, because the chances of me finding an npower Championship match on American television were significantly less than zero. And most importantly, I wanted the team to have some American presence.

I quickly narrowed my choices to Aston Villa, Everton, and Liverpool. Aston Villa had a respected American owner and goalkeeper Brad Friedel. Everton had our Cup hero, Landon Donovan, but his future status with the club was uncertain. Liverpool had an owner that was hated on both continents, for simultaneously driving baseball’s Texas Rangers and Liverpool toward bankruptcy.

But despite the ownership situation and lack of American players, Liverpool was the clear choice. I loved reading about the club’s history – it’s glory days, as well as it’s tragedies. I knew they weren’t on the cusp of a trophy, but also that they were unlikely to ever be relegated. And I knew the Beatles loved them. Game, Set, Match.

I watched nearly every Premier League match for Liverpool last year, even resorting to low-quality, illegal-somewhere-in-the-world web streams of the broadcasts when they were unavailable on Fox Soccer Channel. My understanding of English football grew with each passing week. Maybe I didn’t suffer as all of you did during the brief Roy Hodgson era, but I knew the Kop was tortured and I was determined to follow the club until I was capable of similar pain.

My development as a Liverpool fan isn’t nearly complete, but I knew the exact moment I passed the initiation phase. I had been hoping to see Blackpool win their last two matches, as I wanted to see the plucky underdogs secure another season in the Premiership. I pulled up the results during the final matchday, did some quick math in my head, and sunk as I realized Blackpool was doomed to relegation. I felt sad for the club, but only for a moment. My brain interrupted, reminding me of the tense moments during the January transfer window. Something just became possible. Something just became very possible…

“WE’RE GONNA GET CHARLIE ADAM!”

Maybe we will, maybe we won’t. But if that’s the thought that pops into mind after reading a Blackpool score on my iPhone, then I feel quite comfortable calling myself a member of the Kop.

But really, the judge of whether I am accepted by the Liverpool community will be you – the readers. I ask you to share your thoughts in the comments, or by messaging me on Twitter at @JayHD. Do I belong on this site, or is this not the place for an American still learning the intricacies of the game? What would you like to see me write about? Should I stick to only Liverpool news, or should I write more personal, longform pieces about my general development as a Football fan?

The decision, truly, is yours.

OurKop.com would like to welcome Jason Mohr from the USA to the team.

 

26 responses to “The journey from Philadelphia to Liverpool”

  1. Gerrardious says:

    welcome bro. well dont be surprised that not every one is as excited as u are to see Charlie Adam join us.
    welcome all d same

  2. JayHD says:

    Thanks Gerrardious. I agree with many fans that if signing Adam means Meireles will be moved, I’d just as soon stick with Raul.

    But if having both midfielders is an option, I’d like to see what the Scot can do.

  3. StevieG, Walton, Liverpool says:

    Welcome Jason!! You chose well – Liverpool are the classiest club in Britain and still the most successful, despite a lack of success in the last couple of decades (Istanbul apart). With King Kenny in charge, next season Liverpool are going to “Kick some ass” to use a good American expression.

  4. Alex m. says:

    I am also from outside Philadelphia. Fell in love with the worlds game when Torres led Spain to the 2008 Euros. Fell in love with the player then the club! Instantly read as much as I could on the club and began my journey of being a Reds supporter.

    Philadelphia actually has a pretty big LFC following I find more and more on twitter and at Union games wearing an supporting the club.

    Congratulations and we will get Adam!

  5. patrick says:

    Well that was interesting lol Also like to say if you’re a Irish American (which most seem to be) that Liverpool are loved in Ireland. ye couldn’t of picked a better team either way..

  6. Dave N. says:

    I went through a similar experience as you, albeit 11 years ago. I’m from Rochester, NY…I’ve always been a fan of sports but something was missing. I grew tired of the endless commercials in the NFL, the meaningless marathon (162 games +) that is called the MLB and the ghetto that the NBA has become. One day while flipping through channels I caught a Liverpool European night game. After fighting myself to turn the channel I finally gave in and made it through the first five minutes. It wasn’t the team that had me hooked, it was the fans. They were chanting in unison and you could feel their passion through the screen. I knew there was more to this game than I had previously given it credit for. Today I have to charge my smart phone half way through the day because I’m constantly reading transfer rumours and general LFC news. My fiancee knows that I only accept Liverpool gear for Christmas and I feel nauseous when someone mentions Man U. Having the urge to write a blog about LFC shows you’re well on your way…just don’t let some of the fans deter you. I’d say for every 25 great fans LFC has, there’s always one prick who thinks you’re a worthless Yankee and since you’re not born in Liverpool you can’t be a true supporter. Ignore them. They are the white trash hooligan fans who are angry at the world and don’t really represent this club like the majority does. There are greener pastures ahead with King Kenny back, and I don’t think it will be long before we’re enjoying trophy success again. PS, I had mixed feelings about Charlie Adam, but with KD at the helm, we’re going to see just what Adam is capable of. He may be the fan favorite by the end of the year….if Suarez miraculously drops off the face of the earth!

  7. Sam Wanjere says:

    Welcome to the Kop Nation Jay. None is more a Kopite than another. It’s always about love for all things Liverpool FC 🙂

    Glad mostly that you aren’t a fair-weather fan. I think anything that boasts fans can do WITHOUT glory hunters. You’ll struggle to find another institution with a closer connection to fans; as you will passionate, diehard, knowledgeable supporters.

    Welcome again to the famed LFC fan club. YNWA!

  8. Paul, Aintree, Liverpool says:

    Jason, I enjoyed your article. I have to say that in my opinion everyone is accepted with open arms as a Liverpool fan as long as they are true to the club and not just a trophy chasing wannabie. You seem to have done your research and I look forward to your comments during the upcoming season about your thoughts on the game.
    I would say to you and every other fan that you need to sometime in your life get a ticket and stand on the Kop. The people in my city are very welcoming and being at the match will instill in you the true brotherhood/sisterhood that is Anfield. The beer in town is good too contry to what you may have heard. YNWA.

  9. Raizal says:

    Any true liverpool fan will welcome you to this footballing institution . About Charlie, King Kenny knows what he’s doing.Can’t wait for the tour in Malaysia this july . Have been a kopite since 1983! They will be playing in my con for 1,t wait for

  10. habbab says:

    i almost cried when i watched the very fast lfc match back in 2001. The fans were fantastic. They support their club with their heart, how passionate they were. Ever since then i joined them spiritually from a very far place called moyale. No matter where they finish in da epl or dnt qualify for cl i still luv em. You’l neva walk alone jason. Welcome to lfc.

  11. Durgeshkopindia says:

    Iam a lfc fan frm mumbai india.many ppl here support manu b.coz of their recent success football gained popularity here frm 2005-6 while lfc didnt win anythin durin this period.i watched my 1st match when milan beaten reds in ucl final.then i came 2 know last final which we won dramatical n i became lfc fan frm than. YNWA

  12. snipe says:

    I am not a LIVERPOOL FAN.But a SUNDERLAND FAN. And can only say to someone from USA. LIVERPOOL were the number one club, and will be again. SOON.

  13. fidelis says:

    u re’ welcome jason,i joined lfc when i saw them play ac milan in 2oo5 in d cl final.am in Nigeria,we d lfc fans here are very few,bt we are optimistic dat kenny wil make us proud.we all welcome Adam.up reds.

  14. pooben says:

    i am a south african and have been a liverpool fan from the age of 20 some 25 yrs ago, love the club to bits, hate man u and the cud chewing ferguson. I feel sick when lfc loses. love to see them win the premierleague next yr, i’m a red 4 life. ynwa.

  15. KopKing says:

    I loved the article and welcome you to the community. The only problem I have with you is your selection process. You wanted a team to “follow” so you “narrowed” it down between three. Two of which were Everton and Liverpool-bitter rivals. The fact that you even considered supporting Everton should make you sick if you are now a real Liverpool fan. You need to understand that a true Liverpool supporter hates Everton and would never be caught dead admitting what you did. You´re new so it is ok, but if you walked into a pub in Liverpool and explained your story of how you became a fan every true scouser in the room would laugh.

  16. Neil says:

    Welcome to the family mate! Im a fan from just around the corner from anfield and am lucky enough to be a season ticket holder for 17 years(through thick and thin). We’re all the same no matter where we’re from and no matter how long we’ve been supporting! We all stand and fall together! you’ve joined a unique bunch (I dont care what anybody else say’s) who love there team like no other.
    Again, welcome, hope we might see ya at the game sometime. YNWA

    Neil.

  17. crazyhorse says:

    Jason,

    I am a liverpool fan from the city of Liverpool and I would like to extend a warm welcome to you and I hope you enjoy following the Reds. I have followed the club for over 40 years and for as long as I can remember Liverpool have had a lot of support from other countries. In fact when I was young I had a scarf which bore the flags of many nations and the emblem “Supporters All Over The World”.

    You’ll Never Walk Alone Jason

  18. Ste Thompson says:

    Jason. Nice little article. Thanks to my sister who linked this to me. I am a Liverpool fan living in the Philly suburbs. We have an un official Liverpool supporters group, currently we have about 50+ people on our email list. Send me an email @ stetomo1@gmail.com and I can get your details on the list. We meet at the Iron Abbey in horsham for all televised games. The owners of the bar have allowed us to turn the bar into a Liverpool specific supporters bar we have scarfes, flags and shirts up in there and the collection and lfc fans grows almost weekly.

    Hope to hear from you soon

    Tomo

  19. abdallah Lubambula says:

    jason u are not alone I came from philadelphia`ve supported liverpoolfc since 1985 when they played the european finals with Juventus i was young but i remember since then it`s the team.

  20. Dare Johnson says:

    Welcum jason. I’m frm Nigeria nd i love lfc to death. We’ve so little of lfc fans here bt they all knw dat every lfc fan is a diehard. Glory days are here,so welcum again. YNWA!!!

  21. Scouser Tommy says:

    I’m a born and bred scouser from Toxteth, lost friends in 89 and can’t explain to none reds what MY club means to me or how it makes me feel standing in the Kop in the middle of all that love and shared Passion……… and every time I hear that we have new member join our family it brings a smile to my face…… welcome to the family lad and remember now that your a red make sure you wear your colours where ever you are in the world and you’ll be surprised how many of us are around………. YNWA

  22. snosman says:

    Reds till the day we die. welcome

  23. PakNdak says:

    Hi Jason,
    You had made the right decision to support Liverpool FC. I am from Malaysia and I had studied at Temple Univ. in Philly, but, I had been a Liverpool fan as far as I can remember. Yes, I had suffered for the last 20yrs, for we are still chasing for the elusive Premier League championship. Yet, my love for LFC had never wavered. Same goes for my love of the Eagles, Phillies, 76ers and the Flyers. Ok Buddy, keep on cheering for the best football (or should I say soccer) in the world.

  24. Sammy says:

    Hi Jason, welcome to Liverpool, u have chosen the right team, myself am from US(pennsylvania), an d I only support Liverpool, i have been a Liverpool Fan since 1980″s when I was living in Africa, and till now I follow and Love my Team, I am a Fanatic Fan of Liverpool.

  25. Ian says:

    Just ran across your article and I too am a Liverpool supporter in Philly. We are in the process of getting an official LCF Philly branch up and running. We have made trips to LFCNY and they are helping to guide us in the development of LFC Philly. Send me your email so that I can add you to my Liverpool email list. iacooper_73@yahoo.com
    Cheers!
    Ian…
    At The End Of The Storm Was King Kenny!!!

  26. JayHD says:

    Thanks to all of you for the overwhelming support. I’ve been pushing myself to start writing again and all the great feedback has convinced me I should keep going. I’d like to respond to a few of you…

    Patrick – I’m mixed Irish, Italian, and German.

    Paul – I know I’ll visit Anfield one day, likely not for a few years however. I hope you’ll still be posting on this site when the time comes, because I’ll probably need a couple free beers after paying for the flight.

    Durgesh – I spent two months in Mumbai in ’06 on business and met more than a few football fanatics. I love your city.

    Neil – A LFC season ticket holder. Think about how many millions wish they were in your shoes.

    KopKing – I’m glad you liked the post. I could understand Liverpool lifers being amused that I considered Everton, but since I was a “blank slate” at that point, I’m sure they’d understand. Those of you that really despise Everton would be happy to know that their keeper Tim Howard allowed 4 goals against Mexico in the Gold Cup final last night, keeping the US out of the Confederations Cup.