Explained: Fan inspiration at AXA Training Centre
The passion and loyalty of Liverpool FC’s fanbase is displayed throughout the new AXA Training Centre.
Located in the atrium of the visitor and U23s’ section of the facility stands the Fan Wall – 100sqm of high-quality photographs of supporters and their flags and banners from matches at Anfield.
The wall also features a club crest, 3.5 metres in height, to reinforce the fact that those Reds in the stands and all around the world are the very fabric of the club.
“You walk through the doors and it is obvious that you’re in a Liverpool environment,” explains David Keirle, chairman of architects KSS. “The area that we’ve created for visitors not only deals with some of the history of the club, but there’s one wall that goes right the way through the entrance which has the Kop, the fans.
“The fans are the very heart of the training facility. The players are there to ensure that these guys have a great time and that the glory of this club continues.
“We wanted this space to be something that the fans were part of – literally built into the fabric of the building. This space is quite a dramatic space as you enter it.”
Those visiting the atrium can also sit on the staircase to obtain an Anfield-like experience.
Keirle continues: “There’s a very interesting staircase which has kind of like theatre seating that looks back at a big screen so you can present the club.
“On one side you’ve got the manifestation of the Kop literally carved into the concentrate, and on the other side you’ve got everything there is to say about the heroes of the club that have gone before.
“Because it’s got these high-level windows, the manifestation – in order to give you some solar shading – is this mass of red. As it descends down the window it becomes clear that it’s the words of You’ll Never Walk Alone. That anthem of the club is embedded within the very heart of the building.
“From a public point of view, as you walk in there as a visitor, member of the media or visiting team coming in, you’re going to know that this is Liverpool and this is what Liverpool stands for.”