The original "This Is Anfield" sign from Liverpool's Anfield stadium, which hangs above the tunnel leading to the pitch, has sold at auction for £115,000—far above the estimated £15,000. The sign, a cherished piece of football history, was traditionally touched by Liverpool players before matches. It was chosen by legendary manager Bill Shankly in 1972 after he rejected the phrase "Welcome To Anfield" as being too welcoming. The original sign was removed from the stadium in the 1970s and given to Ronald Wilson, a former member of the club's boys' team. Wilson's family displayed the sign in a hotel on the Isle of Man for over 20 years before it was put up for auction. According to the auction house Budds, the sign remained at Anfield during Liverpool's first two European Cup victories in 1977 and 1978. The idea for the sign was proposed by a groundsman to club secretary Peter Robinson, and Shankly suggested the change from "Welcome To Anfield" to "This Is Anfield." The sign was meant to remind Liverpool players of the identity they represented and to act as a psychological edge for visiting teams as they entered the stadium. Former Liverpool player George Scott recalled that Shankly wanted opposing players passing beneath the sign to feel they were "going into a cauldron" and that they "weren't going to come out with a win." Budds noted that famous players such as Alan Hansen, Kenny Dalglish, and Frank McGarvey were photographed with the sign after joining Liverpool between 1977 and 1979. The auction house also stated that former Liverpool player Roy Evans, who managed the club from 1994 to 1998, gave the sign to Wilson. It was displayed in Wilson's family's Rutland Hotel in Douglas from 1979 until 2000, after which it was passed to his children. The sign was later displayed in Wilson's son's office until his retirement in early 2026. The new owner of the sign has not been disclosed.