LIVERPOOL fans played a big part in their team’s penalty shootout victory in the EFL Cup final against Chelsea on Sunday, but the messages they sent throughout the day were more important. 

As with any final, the experience begins well before kick-off with the preparations and the journey. 

Train, coach or car rides down to Wembley saw Liverpool red mixed in with blue and yellow flags as fans showed solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

These flags were scattered around the Liverpool end once in the stadium, along with numerous other LFC banners, that filled the available space on the ledge below the top tier.

They became prominent as the stadium announcer spoke before kick-off of football standing together with Ukraine, prompting those in attendance to rise to their feet. The Liverpool fans belted out  “You’ll Never Walk Alone” to show their support.

Moments later, “God Save the Queen” began to be played over the tannoy. It almost felt like a ruse to get those showing solidarity with Ukraine to continue this into the singing of the UK national anthem.

It didn’t work. At least not in the Liverpool end. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” continued but boos crept in as this unwelcome honours music for the UK establishment hijacked a show of support to Ukrainians.

In a matter of moments Liverpool supporters managed to show, en masse, a kind of nuance on issues often ignored in mainstream coverage of current events. 

Their booing eventually drowned out the national anthem towards that end of the stadium and is the result of a longstanding distrust of the establishment. 

The underlying reasons for this distrust have been increasingly in the spotlight during recent events, from the mishandling of coronavirus to the Ukraine war.

Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is the result of an escalation of something that has been developing for some time. The events and actions leading to this have been conducted for decades in full view of the capitalist leaders throughout the world, but especially under the noses of those in London, many of whom have even facilitated it. 

The combination of the eastern expansion of Nato and the acceptance of Russia’s authoritarian capitalism has led to a farce directed by greed. The West has aided the growth of Putin’s regime while at the same time poking the bear from the other side.

To Putin, the expansion of Nato will appear like the opening titles to Dad’s Army. 

While those arrows have been edging closer to their border, Russian money has been passing through the London establishment unquestioned for years. 

It is only now the optics have changed that the West wants to appear to have nothing to do with it.

This is reflected in football where the powers that be have had a sudden change of heart, including realising overnight that Gazprom might not be the ethical private energy company they thought it was.

It’s revealing to see where these governing bodies decide to draw the line. As sportswriter Jonathan Liew wrote yesterday, “the real red line was not morality but PR.”

All of this may not be the direct reason behind Liverpool fans booing the British national anthem, but in a roundabout way, it is, as all of this is connected.

Liverpool fans have a natural opposition to the British establishment due to their city’s treatment by it over the years. 

They fight their own battles with the authorities as well as supporting others in similar situations, from Orgreave to Palestine, from Grenfell to Ukraine.

They, and many others across the country, know this is not a new problem. 

They know that it will be working-class people who will suffer, from those stranded in Ukraine fearing for, fleeing for, and in some cases fighting for their lives, to Russians who didn’t want this war but will nevertheless be the people in their country most affected by economic sanctions.

Just as the poorest areas of Europe will be the ones most affected by the knock-on effects on energy supply and prices.

In Russia, thousands of people protesting against the war have been arrested. Over here this might be reported as the actions of a dictatorial regime in a far off land, but the British government currently wants to give police in this country similar powers as part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

During the break between full time and extra time the Wembley DJ played “Papa’s Got A Brand New Pigbag” by Pigbag (or maybe the Perfecto Allstarz remix), which just happens to be the tune to which Liverpool fans sing “F*** the Tories.”

This was belted out as it often is back in Liverpool at Anfield, in pockets at Everton, and en masse at the non-League side, City of Liverpool FC.

Again, the direct reason for this chant may not be the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, but it’s all connected, and following the cover-up and injustices in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster, Liverpool fans certainly know the importance of protest.

These messages sent by fans at Wembley were infinitely more important than the football match. Because the sport at the top level has facilitated the flow of this money and control over the game from east and west, such an arena is apt for displaying them.

The Chelsea fans carrying Ukraine flags with them were fewer in number, but given their club’s owner is Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, it was an admirably bold statement for those supporters to make.

Many still question why Liverpool fans boo the national anthem or sing anti-Tory chants, but the reasons are becoming ever clearer, and others should join them.