Golden Times

有一种离别叫“桃花潭水深千尺”，有一种离别叫“西出阳关无故人”，有一种离别叫“天下谁人不识君”，而这家伙呀，把三样全占尽了。

致我的所有球迷们，

说再见并非易事。

自我8岁起，利物浦足球俱乐部一直都是我生命中举足轻重的一部分。我知道自己将会有多么想念这里。

对于我和我的家人而言，最后一场在安菲尔德对阵水晶宫的比赛、之后最后一次代表利物浦出场对阵斯托克城的比赛，都是令我们百感交集的时光。

但球迷们在送别中所给予的支持，令我印象深刻。我想感谢你们每一个人。对此我倍感谦恭，并将在我之后的岁月中永远珍惜。

能这么长时间代表这家俱乐部，绝对是我的荣幸。

当我还是个孩子、在海顿的Ironside路上踢野球时，我一心只想着能为利物浦效力。我的梦想只是能穿上一次那件球衣。

我从未想过自己居然真的能做到，现在回看自己一线队17年710次出场的职业生涯，我感到无限自豪。

为全世界最棒的球迷们踢球，每一分钟我都无比热爱。

这是段无与伦比的旅程。有过荣耀巅峰，也有绝望低谷，但自始至终，你们给予我的是无限支持，我永世不忘。

因为能在我从小支持的球队取得成功，那些高峰时刻变得更加甜蜜。我们一起分享了那些特别的时光。

当然，我职业生涯的巅峰，就是10年前的伊斯坦布尔之夜。那是我生命中最好的夜晚。当我举起欧冠奖杯时，我的骄傲这个星球无人能及。

能为你们带来这座奖杯，对我意义非凡。在那场对阵AC米兰举世闻名的大反攻中，球迷们扮演了举足轻重的角色，鼓舞了全队。在经历过如噩梦般的上半时后，他们给予球队的支持令我们感到吃惊，也令我永生难忘。

人们时常问起，带领利物浦获得荣誉，我肩上要担负多少压力，但我从未将此视为负担。天降大任于我，我便欣然接受。

长期担任这家俱乐部的队长，是极大的荣耀。一直以来，我都竭尽全力，试着通过树立榜样来领导全队。

非常幸运的是，我和一些杰出的球员一起并肩作战过，所有的主教练也都帮助我进步和成长。我也对自己所给予的回报——这些年来的牺牲、奉献和忠诚——感到自豪。

但最令我感到三生有幸的是，自己有机会能在你们这些球迷面前比赛。

利物浦是我的家，我爱这座城市。但我相信，现在是时候前往美国开启一段新的篇章了。

在我职业生涯的最后几年，我想要继续每周上场比赛。我期待在美国职业大联盟同洛杉矶银河一起迎来全新的挑战。

之后几年时间，我将离开这里，但这绝非我和利物浦长存关系的终结。我打小就是利物浦的球迷，这一点不会变。

希望有朝一日我有机会回来，继续为俱乐部效力。我觉得未来自己能在某些职位发光发热。

但今天写这封信的目的，是回顾过去，并向二十年来给予我无比支持的你们说声感谢。你们助我一次又一次地圆梦，这些回忆拿什么我都不换。

谢谢你们。

史蒂芬-杰拉德

原文：

To all my fans,

Saying goodbye hasn’t been easy.

Liverpool Football Club has been such a massive part of my life since I was eight years old and I know how much I’m going to miss it.

It’s been an emotional time for my family and I with my final game at Anfield against Crystal Palace and then my last appearance away to Stoke City.

But I’ve been blown away by the send-off I’ve been given by the supporters and I’d like to thank every one of you. It’s been very humbling and it’s something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.

It’s been an absolute privilege to represent this football club for so long.

When I was a kid, kicking a ball around in Ironside Road in Huyton, all I ever wanted to do was play for Liverpool. I dreamed of pulling that shirt on just once.

I never thought I’d get close to achieving that so to be able to look back on a first-team career of 710 appearances spanning 17 years I’m immensely proud.

I’ve loved every minute of playing for the best supporters in the world.

It’s been an amazing journey. There have been some glorious highs and some crushing lows, but throughout you have given me fantastic support and I’ll never forget that.

The highs have been all the sweeter because they have been achieved with my boyhood club. We have shared those special moments together.

Of course the pinnacle of my career arrived in Istanbul 10 years ago. That was the best night of my life. When I lifted the European Cup, there was no prouder man on the planet.

It meant so much to me to deliver that trophy for you. The supporters played such a big part in helping to inspire that famous comeback against AC Milan. I’ll never forget how they helped to lift our chins off the floor after that nightmare first half.

People have often asked me about the pressure on my shoulders to deliver for Liverpool but I’ve never seen that as a burden. There’s been huge responsibility on me but I’ve always loved and embraced that.

It’s been a massive honour to be captain of this club for so long. I’ve always given my best and tried to lead by example.

I’ve been very fortunate to play alongside some incredible players and for managers who have all helped me to improve and develop. I’m proud of what I’ve given back - the sacrifices, the dedication and the loyalty over the years.

But more than anything I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to play in front of these fans for so long.

Liverpool is my home and I love this city. But I believe the time is right to open a new chapter as I prepare to move to America.

I want to keep playing every week in the final few years of my career and I’m looking forward to embarking on a new challenge with Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS.

I’ll be away for the next couple of years but this isn’t the end of my long association with Liverpool FC. I’ve been a supporter all my life and that will continue.

I hope to get the opportunity to come back and serve the club again one day. I feel that I can make a contribution in some role in the future.

But today is all about looking back and saying thank-you to the fans for the magnificent support you have given me over the past two decades. You have helped me to fulfil my dreams over and over again and given me memories I wouldn’t swap for anything.

Thank you.

Steven Gerrard