Friday 12 February 2016 10:46, UK
Liverpool have completed a "topping out" ceremony at Anfield - a significant milestone in the expansion of the iconic stadium.
The club are planning to transform their Main Stand into one of the largest all-seater single stands in Europe, capable of housing an extra 8,500 supporters, for a capacity of over 20,000.
Topping out, a tradition in the construction industry to bestow good luck on a new building, is held when a structure has reached its maximum height.
The expanded Main Stand is now more than double the height of the previous existing stand - after a year of construction work at Anfield.
Chief executive Ian Ayre, joined manager Jurgen Klopp, former player and manager Kenny Dalglish and a host of Liverpool legends to mark the occasion with construction workers on site on Thursday.
Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler, Gary McAllister, Jamie Carragher, John Barnes, Ian Saint John, Phil Neal, Alan Kennedy, Ian Callaghan and Roger Hunt signed a piece of structural steel, which will later be lifted and secured into the Main Stand's new roof. The signatures will remain on the steel for the life of the building.
The roof has been specially designed to project the noise from fans down onto the pitch, which it is hoped will maintain the unique Anfield atmosphere.
"We have today reached another important milestone in this fantastic project," said Ayre.
"We are absolutely delighted with the progress and are looking forward to having even more fans (redevelopment will add an extra 8,500 seats) supporting the team at Anfield when the Main Stand opens next season."
