The British Deaf Association (BDA) has told Liam O’Dell that translating Liverpool’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone” into British Sign Language (BSL) is “the first step”, as it hopes other football clubs will become more accessible to their deaf fans.
The exclusive interview came after supporters signed the anthem in BSL ahead of the team’s home match against West Ham on Saturday, which ended with a 5-2 victory for the Reds.
Rebecca Mansell, the BDA’s chief executive officer, said the pre-match moment was “emotional”.
She continued: “They were singing. I could feel it, and I don’t know what it was. It was just the rhythm, and I’m thinking, ‘well, what word was it’, and then I saw the signing, and I just felt, ‘wow’. I just felt part of it all, amazing.”
Meanwhile Robert Adam, chair of the charity’s board of trustees, said the signing of the anthem was “so exciting”.
“It’s rare that you have that opportunity as a deaf person to be involved so much in a football match, to see it. Also, to see the BDA being published across everywhere, as well, seeing the BDA’s name is absolutely amazing,” he said.
As part of the ‘Signs of Unity’ campaign – which brought together the BDA, Liverpool Football Club and beer brand and club sponsor Carlsberg – the charity has taught BSL to staff at 16 Greene King pubs, while Liverpool has confirmed “fan interpreters” will interpret pre-match announcements and the anthem at future home games at Anfield Stadium.
When asked what the BDA’s message is to other clubs following the signing of “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, Adam said the organisation has spoken to other deaf fans who have said gaining access to their clubs by buying tickets is “really difficult”.
“So I think, from today, I think we’ve got some sort of case study we can use. We can roll it out with other fans, and hopefully other clubs become more accessible,” he said.
Ansell added: “The fans are the breath of the club, really, aren’t they? So it’s important for them to be involved in this process.
“It’s an opportunity to open doors for fans to be part of enjoying what’s here. This is the beginning, this is the first step.
“Obviously, what we want to do is roll it out to other clubs.”
More information about the ‘Signs of Unity’ campaign can be found on the BDA’s website.