The Players' Record: Oliver Gildart
23 May 2019
It’s going to be a special occasion for Super League this weekend, to take the Magic Weekend concept from Newcastle to Liverpool was a great decision and I can’t wait to see all the Rugby League fans out in support.
It pains me to say it (as a massive Manchester United fan) but Anfield is one of the most historic football stadiums in the world and everyone who follows football knows of the iconic stand, The Kop.
To play at Anfield is a special occasion, I’m lucky enough to have played and won an international test match against New Zealand at Anfield for England, and my father actually played for Wigan Warriors at Anfield in the 1991 World Club Challenge against Penrith Panthers.
The biggest commercial deal in the history of the competition 🙌??@Betfred and Super League extend the current three-year partnership until the end of the 2021 season #NewBeginnings pic.twitter.com/wxHDTqkSE2
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) May 22, 2019
He’s pretty honest and normally we have pretty lengthy chats about the game in general after our games, he will let me know if I’ve done something wrong, but he watches my game as a player himself and helps me out in that way.
Last time I was at Anfield the atmosphere was electric and the fans were great that day, hopefully a lot of the neutrals from around Liverpool can come out and support the game again.
I’m hoping that having the experience of playing at Anfield will help me out in regard to knowing the stadium. Sometimes, you can get lost in the occasion and be in awe of where you are.
Growing up as a sportsman you dream of playing in iconic stadiums in your homeland, as a Rugby League player you dream of playing in the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley and the Grand Final at Old Trafford.
Within 7 days I will have had two completely different experiences and playing at the best stadiums in the world, last weekend, playing at Camp Nou against the Catalans Dragons was special.
That is something I’ll never forget, and it was an unbelievable experience, the result didn’t go our way, but I managed to score at the Camp Nou and no one can take that away from me now.
When I was 11 or 12, I was on trial at Everton academy, so I used to play football on a Saturday and rugby on a Sunday, and I had to choose one or the other, in the end I chose rugby.
But I always have that doubt in my mind that maybe I could have done something in football.
Shoulda stuck at footy 😳 pic.twitter.com/2PswPBTjWe
— oliver gildart (@OliverGildart3) April 26, 2019
Don’t forget to get down to Anfield on Saturday and Sunday, it’s a great party atmosphere and along with that atmosphere you can sit in your seat with a beer watching some fast-paced intense rugby!
Click here for tickets to the 2019 Dacia Magic Weekend!
