Z Cars to be played at Anfield.

[edible]

Liverpool Football Club will tonight pay Rhys Jones the ultimate tribute by playing his beloved Everton anthem at Anfield before the clash with Toulouse.

The Z-Cars theme tune 'Johnny Todd' - the song which traditionally greets the arrival of the Everton team onto the Goodison Park pitch - will be played prior to 'You'll Never Walk Alone' ahead of this evening's 8.05pm kick-off.

Following a suggestion from Liverpool Echo feature writer Tony Barrett to mark the youngster's tragic death in such an unprecedented way, the newspaper was inundated with requests for the unique tribute to be staged.

Anfield chief executive Rick Parry spoke with Rhys's family who agreed they would be delighted if the Reds paid tribute to their son's memory in such a fitting way.

After the two songs there will then be a minute's applause and the Liverpool players will show their respect by wearing black armbands during the game.

Rhys's parents Stephen and Melanie will also be at Anfield for the game.

The youngster's uncle Neil Jones admits the family have been overwhelmed by such a show of support from the Blues' city rivals.

He said: "When I told them about the proposed tribute at Anfield, Melanie said playing Johnny Todd at Anfield would be a unique event, a complete one-off, just like Rhys, and a fitting tribute to him as it was his favourite tune.

"She's also pretty sure he'll have a little mischievous grin on his face at the thought of being the cause of it."

link to suggestion -
http://www.tonybarrett.merseyblogs.c...d_tonight.html

hats off to liverpool for doing this, as much as i hate them, this is a wonderful gesture, and a wonderful tribute to little rhys.
i think it's a great gesture from Liverpool, and i would hope to think that everton would do the exact same thing, which in my opinion, would not be horrible at all. it shows that football rivalry will not stand in the way of a city mourning the passing of one of it's younger generation.

now does anyone think we could suggest liverpool loosing tonight big style as another wonderful great gesture & tribute
that'd be sure to have little rhys & every evertonian grinning
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your thoughts on all this?! xx

[Jamie!]

Nice of 'em.

[:Hazel]

great credit to liverpool, thats a cracking gesture and i'm glad the rivalry can be put to one side. i'm sure the young lad would have been proud.

[edible]

..he would be even happier if liverpool loose

but yeah, basically what i said up there! x

[Jordie]

awww thats nicee

[piddle2k6]

Great idea in concept i guess:
But i wonder if all the liverpool fans will respect it?!

Hopefully they will but we will have to wait and see.

It will be a bad reflection of english football if The fans do not fall silent or boo.

[edible]

Great idea in concept i guess:
But i wonder if all the liverpool fans will respect it?!

Hopefully they will but we will have to wait and see.

It will be a bad reflection of english football if The fans do not fall silent or boo.

well from what i've read alot of liverpool fans are well up for it and think it'd put a big grin on rhys' face.
and all my mates are up for it.

[piddle2k6]

Yer but your mates are probably nice people..

Some of the liverpool fans are not