The mural had only been there for one day before it was sprayed with an unknown substance
13:38, 26 Apr 2025Updated 14:24, 26 Apr 2025
A Liverpool FC mural which was created in celebration of the Reds’ imminent 20th League title win has been vandalised just 24 hours after it was unveiled. Footage captured by security cameras at The Sandon showed a man approaching the mural at around 6.50am on Saturday, April 26.
The footage shows a man in a dark hoodie and shorts looking up and down the street with his hands in the front pocket of his hoodie. A number of vehicles go past before the man takes a white bottle out of his hoodie and walks over to the celebratory mural.
He can then be seen spraying an unknown substance all over the mural, before looking around the corner and doing the same thing again. The two minute clip was captured on security cameras outside the pub.
The ECHO visited The Sandon yesterday, Friday, April 25, in the run-up to Sunday’s monumental fixture at Anfield and our photographer captured a striking image of the recently-finished mural at The Sandon.
Danny Claeys, 41, from Maghull is the general manager at The Sandon pub. He told the ECHO: “I came in this morning about 9am and I didn’t even get onto it and then another member of staff said ‘have you seen it?!’
Vandalised mural outside The Sandon pub in Anfield
“We’ve had hundreds of people coming since it has been done and I just can’t believe it. I just thought ‘are you joking?’. It’s just so disappointing.
“We posted it on our social media yesterday and the feedback was amazing and he’s just spoiled it for everyone. We were really excited to have it done. 24 hours it has been up.”
Danny added: “The staff are a bit disheartened to be honest. There’s this electric buzz around the area and we are really excited for tomorrow, and this is a bit of a kick in the teeth.”
Vandalised mural outside The Sandon pub in Anfield
The ECHO understands the damage has not been reported to Merseyside Police.
The mural was created by John Culshaw, an artist who is responsible for some of Liverpool’s most eye-catching and best loved murals, including those of Ringo Starr and Nelson Mandela.
Last summer, John created a mural celebrating Liverpool FC’s first black footballer Howard Gayle, who signed for Liverpool FC in 1977, becoming the first Black player at the club since it was formed in 1892.
The mural, before it was damaged
The mural, on Upper Warwick Street in Liverpool 8, was commissioned by Mandela8, with John having previously created the mural of Nelson Mandela at the side of the Kuumba Imani Centre on Princes Road.
John has created some of the city’s most striking Liverpool FC artworks, including a mural of former Reds manager Jurgen Klopp on the side of the Spanish Caravan building on Slater Street, and the Anfield Road Mo Salah mural, opposite the King Harry pub.
The Reds look set to win the Premier League this weekend as Arne Slot’s side only need a point at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday to claim a record-equalling 20th top-flight title.
The fact their previous success – which came after a 30-year wait – arrived during the Covid pandemic, when fans weren’t allowed into stadiums, will make this time round even sweeter.