Why Liverpool FC Are Back

"You’ll never walk alone." 

I have been hearing this for over a decade and have nothing short of respect for the KOP and the way it has held its head despite failing to win the Premier League title since the time I was born. 

After being a major powerhouse in England for the better part of the 70s and 80s, Liverpool have consistently fallen short of what is expected from them as arguably the biggest English club in history.

Time and time again they disappointed their fans, first dropping out of the Champions League, then being kicked out of the "Big 4" of England, and now failing to secure a European spot—and that is certainly a disappointment, considering their past success and glory.

It looked certain that Liverpool were going the way of Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, and Newcastle United by losing the prestige they had earned in the last quarter of a century.

However, the way their supporters have stuck with them through these hard times shows everyone that the passion for the game is still alive. Everyone wants to win, but it is your character in defeat that defines who you are, and Liverpool and their fans have thus earned my complete respect.

And, as they say, the night is darkest just before dawn.

Kenny Dalglish, or King Kenny, as he is called in Merseyside, came like Liverpool's knight in shining armor and ignited a revival that was reminiscent of the club's past. He brought along with him some big-money signings that appeared to be questionable but have, in fact, been useful and given a team that was struggling to find ambition the tag of being genuine contenders to play in Europe.

The ever-reliable Dirk Kuyt stepped up yet again and, along with the help of "top signing" Luis Suarez and the inspirational Raul Meiriles, helped Kenny Dalglish propel the Kop back to the top half of the table in the absence of their influential captain, Steven Gerrard.

Along the way, Liverpool also lost Fernando Torres, who left the club for Premier League rivals Chelsea despite being a fan favourite. He cited the a lack of ambition showed by his former employers as his main reason for departure and was rightly criticized for his immaturity towards the club that he at one point had said he was ready to do anything for.

I suppose justice prevailed eventually as he endured a terrible start to his Chelsea career, going 10 games without a goal.

At the same time, "ambition-lacking" Liverpool forged their way back into the reckoning with impressive starts to the careers of both Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll, two players that came in the January transfer window mainly due to the money financed by the transfer of Torres.

Liverpool will surely be back next season, and going by the manner in which they have been dealing early on in the transfer window, it looks as though they won't be satisfied with mere qualification in European football anymore.