In 2026, Liverpool FC's Kop celebrates its 120th anniversary. At this event, one of Liverpool's favourite sons tells its incredible history

Join Stanchion Books for the launch of The Kop: A Fan’s History of Football’s Most Famous Stand by Brian Reade.

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The book:

This book examines, for the first time, how and why the Kop became the globally-renowned stand it is today.

It is told through the eyes of Brian Reade, an award-winning journalist, Sunday Times best-selling author and Anfield regular for 60 years, the majority spent on the Kop where he is still a season-ticket holder. In that time he has witnessed, and written about, all the highs and lows of Britain's most successful football club.

Reade traces the Kop's history back to the South African hill it was named after and unearths astonishing parallels between that "acre of massacre" in which Merseyside soldiers were killed and the Hillsborough Disaster almost a century later.

He explores how the Kop invented mass terrace singing in the 1960s, elevated a Broadway number into a global anthem of solidarity, inspired some of European football's greatest-ever comebacks and was at the forefront of supporter protest against exploitation.

Featuring exclusive testimonials from key players, managers and fans from the past 60 years, THE KOP is the definitive celebration of one of the most revered, and feared, spectator stands in world sport.

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“The ultimate take on Liverpool’s heart and soul” - Jamie Carragher

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The venue:

The Blue Monk is a sanctuary for artists and fans who are tired of flashy gimmicks and London’s soaring prices. They focus on what actually matters: local decent beers, a welcoming atmosphere, and a "music venue done properly" ethos. Whether you’re a jazz purist, a blues enthusiast, or looking for the next big indie or rock act, you’ve found your local.

The Blue Monk has step-free access at the front and an accessible disabled toilet. The event takes place on the mezzanine, and there is no lift or alternative access, other than the staircase. If you have any questions about accessibility, please email hello@stanchionbooks.com.

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Can't make the event?:

If you are not able to make the event, you can still preorder a signed copy of The Kop: A Fan’s History of Football’s Most Famous Stand by Brian Reade, just click the link below:

https://stanchionbooks.com/products/the-kop-a-fan-s-history-of-football-s-most-famous-stand

Orders are sent via tracked shipping, and we ship worldwide.

Description supplied by the event organiser.