Liverpool FC fans head south to Wembley to face Cardiff City in the Carling Cup final

Feb 25 2012 by Mark Johnson, Liverpool Echo

A MASS exodus of the city will begin today as thousands of Liverpool FC fans head south for tomorrows’s Carling Cup final against Cardiff City.

Dozens of coaches and trains were scheduled to leave Merseyside today with the main migration of Reds set to converge on London tomorrow.

Today the travelling Kop told the ECHO of their excitement, their travel plans, their Wembley memories and their desire to see Kenny Dalglish’s charges lift the League Cup for the eighth time.

Roy Bentham, travel officer for LFC fans’ union Spirit Of Shankly, said all places on their coaches were “snapped up” earlier on in the week.

He said: “We have four coaches going to Wembley. One will be heading down today. Our members want to savour the atmosphere so they will be staying in hotels tonight.

“Three more coaches will be going on the day of the game. They are going at 6am and 6.30am so fans will be getting into Wembley quite handy.

“We have been given a list of pubs that we can go to when we get there, which is very useful.

“We are all excited and we all hope for a good game and to continue the good performances that the team have put in during all the away games in the Carling Cup this season. It’ll be a difficult decision for Kenny Dalglish to leave out some players.”

Luke Daly, 38, from Wavertree, is staying in the London district of Kilburn with eight of his mates.

He said: “It’s a new stadium for the fans and that is always a bonus, especially one that is meant to be really good. We will be going to the Golden Goose pub in Kilburn. There will be a great atmosphere and plenty of drinking. I just want a professional performance from the team on Sunday and hopefully a victory.”

Adrian Killen, from Bromborough, will be visiting Wembley for the 32nd time as a Reds fanatic.

The 64-year-old said: “Since the FA Cup final of 1950 I have only ever missed one ‘competitive’ Liverpool match at Wembley – the 1974 charity shield. I missed that because my wife was pregnant with our daughter Andrea.

“I will be heading down to Wembley this Sunday with Andrea and we are looking forward to it. Cardiff was always a great occasion for the cup finals while the new Wembley was being built, but I’m looking forward to see the new Wembley. The ground holds many special memories for me.”

Lloyd Stephens, from Aigburth, is travelling with his mates on a train from Lime Street tomorrow.