Jurgen Klopp had us all on strings - I will always love what he did for Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp will walk down the Anfield tunnel as Liverpool manager for the final time this weekend having been at the club for almost nine years.

During that time there have been many moments in front of the Kop. away from home and in Europe that will be remembered forever by fans.

Just before 6pm on Sunday, Klopp's 3,146-day reign as Liverpool manager will be over.

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Ahead of the German's last game as Liverpool manager, some of our writers shared their favourite memories of Jurgen Klopp and what he meant to them.

And for balance, we've also included an Everton fan.

Steve Graves - Klopp knew where this team could go, and we sensed he’d take us there

Villa Park is a great place to watch football. A brilliant place for a farewell. A dreadful place to drop points. But really, truly, few on the final away trip of Jurgen Klopp’s reign cared too much about the result. We were there to show our appreciation, and the manager showed his in return.

We’ve seen fist-pumps, we’ve seen bear hugs, we’ve seen last-gasp wins hewn from granite and sunlit strolls against top sides who couldn’t live with his teams at their best.

We’ve rarely seen kisses - but Jurgen blew us plenty, showing his appreciation for an away support who’ve never fallen foul of his occasional grumpiness with Anfield’s Main Stand moaners or those for whom “beating the traffic” with an early dart is worth as much as beating the opposition.

In many ways that last away trip was similar to the first, when we arrived at White Hart Lane (the very fabric around that October day already a fading memory) less concerned about a win than about the man in the dugout.

A 0-0 draw didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Nor did some patchy form surrounding big wins at the Etihad and Stamford Bridge in those early weeks. Klopp knew where this team could go, and we sensed he’d take us there. He took us everywhere.

Football moves on - it always does. We’ll have more days out, more big occasions and definitely more heartbreaks along the way. I’m already googling pubs in Ipswich. I’d like to think it’s what Klopp would want - that the man who gave us so much takes nothing away by leaving.

Paul Philbin - He was never normal. He has given us stories to match the older generations

Jurgen Klopp felt like a perfect fit from day one. I remember working the night he arrived in the city and there was already a buzz about him. He was soon spotted having a pint in Liverpool city centre and from that moment you just knew he would be far from normal.

Following Liverpool in my 20s and into my 30s was my favourite time as a fan because of the journey Klopp took us on.

From the first day, he has had us all on a string and allowed us to have the biggest celebrations we could have wished for. His first two big wins at Stamford Bridge and the Etihad were just the appetisers of what was to come over the next eight years.

Madrid in 2019 was the peak but around that we had some parties at home and abroad.

You can add Barcelona, Bayern Munich, hammerings of Manchester United, Merseyside Derby wins, Wembley victories and also days like Kyiv can be added to the list.

Finally after a lifetime of hearing stories about how great were 70s and 80s were from people older than me. The night Liverpool won the league at MolIneux in 1976, Paris 81, Rome 84, and the 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest in 1988. I could go on forever.

I was jealous but loved hearing all these stories and tried to imagine myself in these situations. Thanks to Jurgen Klopp I don’t have to imagine. I’ve experienced them all and will be forever grateful for this. The miles on the clock, the beers drank, the money spent and the friendships created.

But now we have those stories to tell the next generation and one day I can’t wait to be sat in the pub being able to do just that. Even when Liverpool didn’t get over the line it was the best time.

Ryan Paton - I’m so glad he will always be a Red

It's hard to fall in love in an era of modern football devoid of soul and romance. When my childhood hero, Steven Gerrard, departed the Reds in the summer of 2015 and I was into my early 20s, I wondered if I would ever have the same strength of feeling for a single individual just because of our shared affiliation with Liverpool Football Club.

However, it was only a few months later when a charismatic German walked through the doors at Melwood, declared himself the normal one and I could have done my best attempt at a dodgy Al Pacino impression: "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."

It was love at first sight with Klopp and he restored the team to the top of our perch by playing the most thrilling football imaginable. The state of play across football has never seen a greater divide between fans and what's happening on the pitch. It is a testament to Klopp's magnetic genius how, against this backdrop, he has made us feel such a vital part of the ride across his nine-year spell and it has been a privilege to experience moments that could have been from a Hollywood film unfold from my spot in Block 305 of The Kop.

4 - 0 against Barcelona and the 2 - 0 win over Man United on the way to the league will live with me for the rest of my life, but it was everything Klopp represented away from the pitch that made him more than a manager and the perfect figurehead for the club.

I was always slightly envious when my dad spoke about being able to experience Liverpool when Shankly was manager, but I now feel blessed I have been there for his modern day equivalent. Klopp's outlook on society and the way he understands life have been truly representative of my own and, incredibly, a man who grew up in the Black Forest has been able to perfectly articulate my point of view while speaking his second language.

His official time as Liverpool manager may only have 90 minutes remaining, but Jurgen will always be a red as the memories he has created will last a lifetime.

Every last minute winner, every trophy lift, every fist-pump, every Klopp inspired hangover, I will always be in love with them. Danke Jurgen.

Courtney Eales - He had an impact on the city, not just the team

While Klopp may be leaving Liverpool after nine years, the lasting legacy he leaves to both the club and the city will remain forever. And while we may not see the famous fist pumps anymore, it will always feel like he never really left us.

The countless memories Klopp and the teams he has built have given the supporters over the years is a testament to his character and a nod to the unbreakable bond he has built with the fans. If it were down to the supporters, Klopp would be Liverpool's manager forever. There would never be a right time for him to go.

But from trips to Wembley to watching Liverpool go to the wire on the final game of the season at Anfield multiple times, these are memories I’ll never forget and I feel lucky enough to have experienced them.

With murals thanking Klopp popping up across the city, it’s a reminder of his impact on not only football but the city itself, he is someone who understands the people of Liverpool and has embraced everything about the city since day one.

It is fair to say that Jurgen’s passion on and off the pitch has earned him a well-deserved rest. He will always be an honorary Scouser.

Dan Haygarth - My biggest compliment is I am glad he’s leaving

I guess the biggest compliment I can pay Jurgen Klopp is that I’m delighted he’s leaving Liverpool Football Club.

Over the past nine years, he has rebuilt that team in his image. It is an image that haunts me and my fellow Blues.

Liverpool have been so much better than us over the last decade (as other contributors to this article will have no doubt pointed out) and they’ve won derbies in any manner you could possibly think of, so I have little to offer on that front.

But there is a lot to admire about Klopp that goes beyond football. At risk of delving into cliche, he always understood what it means to be a Scouser - he does really ‘get’ the city. Whether it’s debates about booing the national anthem or his notable distaste for Boris Johnson, he has always stood up for Liverpool and its values. His Freedom of the City is more than deserved.

As for a favourite moment from his time on Merseyside? I’ll go with last month’s derby. We couldn’t have sent him on his way without turning him over at Goodison.

All the best Jurgen, I wish you every success in whatever comes next. As long as it isn’t a u-turn and a return to Anfield.

Jamie Greer - He reminded us who we are

A lot will be said about Klopp as a person as he departs Liverpool, and quite rightly so. But amidst all the remembering about his humanitarianism, his manic touchline antics and his inspiring quotes, it shouldn’t be forgotten that he is a serious football coach.

As soon as Klopp arrived, players who had struggled at the club such as Adam Lallana and Joe Allen were transformed into all-action pressing midfielders. Meanwhile, Roberto Firmino, who looked lost playing on the left wing, quickly moved into the false nine position and was soon tearing opposition defences apart.

Over the next few years, he made promising players such as Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane into world beaters and turned Liverpool into ruthless winners on the pitch. Over a 38-game stretch from February 27 2019 to February 24 2020, they won 36 and drew two, which eventually clinched Liverpool’s first league title in 30 years. A sixth European Cup was thrown in for good measure too.

Of course, his teams could and should have won a lot more. But collecting every trophy cannot be taken for granted, especially when you’re competing against a team like Manchester City. As they continue to win with controversy hanging over them, more people outside of Merseyside will recognise that.

My favourite memory? Seeing Liverpool beat Manchester City and then Chelsea in a Wembley double header with my dad to win the 2022 FA Cup. My dad saw Liverpool when they were a bastion of invincibility in the 1970s and 1980s. Klopp gave my generation a large glimpse into what that was like.