Sydney FC will meet English Premier League giants Liverpool next week on May 24 at ANZ Stadium. And there’s one Hyundai A-League striker who knows exactly what the new A-League champions are about to experience.
The Central Coast Mariners winger Connor Pain was just 19 when he played for Ange Postecoglou’s Melbourne Victory against Liverpool in front of over 95,000 fans at the MCG in 2013.
“It was spine-tingling,” remembers Pain.
“It was a big one to get thrown right in the deep end.
“I know it was a friendly but it certainly didn’t feel like it when you’re coming out against those sorts of players and in front of that sort of crowd,” he said.
YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE
One of the night’s most memorable moments was a stirring pre-game rendition of Liverpool’s iconic anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
“I was out there wondering if they were going to play it because it was getting really close to kick-off,” said Pain.
“They played it and it was ridiculous – you can’t really put it into words how amazing that song is when so many people are singing it.
“I was surprised how many people knew the song and how many die-hard Liverpool supporters were actually at that game.
“We couldn’t hear each other talk, it was so loud.
“We were just giving each other looks and thinking, ‘how good is it that we’re part of this and how lucky we are that they’ve come to Australia’.”
THE SIGNIFICANCE SINKS IN
With a number of players away at a Socceroos camp, Victory coach Ange Postecoglou selected a young side for the game.
“I was 19 and fresh on the team and it was sort of a blur,” recalls Pain.
“I don’t think you realised how big that occasion was for the Melbourne sporting scene in general until a couple of years later when you [remember] we played in front of 95,000.
“I was just in awe of the atmosphere and the players we were playing against.
“As a 19-year old, I was thinking, “What just happened?
“It didn’t really sink in until much, much later what we were actually a part of,” he added.
