The Coral

The Coral's Nick Power relives his life as a Liverpool supporter to regale us with his Football Firsts.

The Coral's Nick Power relives his life as a Liverpool supporter for the benefit of Sky Sports

Fresh from a UK tour that concluded in their home town of Liverpool and the release of their critically acclaimed 'Butterfly House' album, The Coral are ending 2010 with their stock continuing to rise. Acoustic performances of Butterfly House were so well received the band have decided to unplug for a version that was recorded live in a day and will be available from December 6. Conceding he 'doesn't know what to do with himself' now the tour's over and vowing to return to the studio next year, organ/keyboard player and co-songwriter Nick Power took time out to speak to us about all things Liverpool. The affable Anfield regular, who refuses to blame Roy Hodgson for a squad he claims 'Jesus Christ would struggle to sort out', was in a talkative mood as he contemplated his life as a Liverpool fan.

Liverpool

My dad used to be obsessed with Liverpool. He'd go everywhere watching them and loads of my family were big fans too. My granddad was an Evertonian and we lived with him as well. It was an interesting one. I think the rivalry is becoming a bit more spiteful now on matchday with the more hardcore supporters of both sets of fans but traditionally it's not as bitter as other rivalries. The grounds are so close together you couldn't really have that type of bitter rivalry as we all lived on top of each other. United's ground is in Salford, isn't it? There's a bit of distance there but it's not like that with Liverpool and Everton - there are different loyalties within families. In the band we're mostly Liverpool fans now. Bill (Ryder-Jones, who left the band in 2007) is an Evertonian, Paul doesn't really follow it but the rest are Liverpool fans. Me and Jay followed Liverpool everywhere a while back but since we got signed it's been harder to do it. I want to get back on it like...If it quietens down. I haven't been able to get to anything like as many matches as I'd like recently.

Liverpool v Aston Villa

My first memory of going to a game was against Villa. I was standing on the Kop with my dad. He used to sit me on the old crush barriers that they had because I couldn't see anything. I can't remember the year but can recall John Barnes scoring a free-kick. It was the one of the best goals I've ever seen but I s*** myself as soon as it went in because the Kop went nuts. It erupted, I wasn't expecting it. I was about eight or nine at the time.

John Barnes & Pele

For Liverpool it would be John Barnes. He was the first player to mess with my head. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing with Barnes, he was a Roy of the Rovers hero. He was unstoppable. I was really young when he used to take people on. I haven't got many memories of Liverpool as a whole back then but I can still remember really clearly how Barnes played. My first hero non-Liverpool was Pele. My dad brought me a video called Boys from Brazil. It's unbelievable, I know that tape off by heart. He used to brainwash me about the Brazilian way, he managed my Sunday team as a kid. He loved the team of the 70s and tried to get us playing in the same way.

Michael Thomas

He ended up signing for us but I remember the day he scored in the last minute to deny Liverpool the title and I cried my eyes out. I has tucking into my spaghetti hoops on toast when he scored. I was seven at the time. Football was always on in our house. I remember even before that they used to open the gates of the Kop 15 minutes from time. My dad would take us in to get a taste of it. I can't remember a time when footy wasn't on in our house.

Dad's unique volleying ability

When my dad used to take me to the park when we got there he'd boot the ball on the volley. Because he was a fella and I was a little kid I always remember thinking the ball had gone for miles. I couldn't believe it, even though he'd do it every time. Hillsborough It was a disgrace. I remember it happening, then watching the Jimmy McGovern film about it. It was massive for everyone in the city. It was an absolute outrage, a disgrace, so many people on Merseyside were affected. I just remember being really, really sad and the anger as well that everyone experienced. I didn't know anyone who was actually at the game but I know people who did and were affected by it.

Wasps

I always played and at one time wanted to make it but I ended up loving music too much. If I had the choice? I'd always be a musician. I played for Wasps as a kid. My dad managed the team. We were midtable really, we got to a cup final once but got beat. I played for my county for a bit and then was at Wrexham but didn't get the YTS. I was there when I was about 15/16. I really wanted to make it but at the time music and football collided head-on and it became a choice of one or the other.

Brazil 1970

It was the Brazil 1970 kit, my dad's influence again. I got it from Kelly's in Liverpool and we had to order it in. I think I got it for Christmas one year. As I said, he was obsessed with everything Brazil at the time.

New Kids on the Block

I think it was Madness, no it couldn't have been. I know my brother had New Kids on the Block, it might have been that. I'd say they were the biggest influence on our music and my career to date. Yeah, you can quote me on that.