Tour guide: LFC saved my life

Alan, who has been an employee of the club for 14 years, was forced to undergo a quadruple heart bypass after suffering a heart attack in 2009. Back then he was 40 years old and weighed 19.5 stone.

He entered rehab from January to April 2010 where a blend of healthy eating and exercise, especially running, helped him to recover and lose seven stone in the process.

Alan after the LFC Action for Health programme

And on Wednesday morning he took time out from giving his hourly tour of Anfield to talk to Liverpoolfc.tv about his experiences and to offer advice to those in a similar position to the one he found himself in three years ago.

"In 2009 I had a massive heart attack. I was over 19.5 stone and I needed to change my lifestyle," said Alan. "Between the September of 2009 and Christmas that year I had to go for a quadruple bypass.

"At one point it was actually looking like I was going to be involved in a heart transplant. At the time I was a taxi driver. I wasn't exercising; I was drinking like everybody else but not overly so. From then to now I've got into a fitness regime and I have been road-running as well as other things.

"And on March 18 this year I'm going to be involved in the Liverpool half marathon and hopefully with the fitness I'm at now, it will actually bring me down to a time of about 2 hours 10 minutes. That's what I'm looking to do!"

Alan explained how Mark Haig, of the Liverpool FC Action for Health programme, asked him to consider becoming a 'guinea pig' for a new method of training called Techno Gym.

The scheme uses an electronic key that acts as a pedometer which can be plugged into a laptop to measure the distance a person has run and to digitally set challenges for their day.

Alan Herr before the LFC Action for Health programme

Alan was keen to point out the profound affect that being linked to Liverpool Football Club can have on the success of a health programme.

He said: "If you see something like the Liverpool badge or the Liverpool emblem promoting something, as a Liverpool fan you just think: 'what's this about and how can I get involved?'

"If Liverpool FC are involved in a health programme you think: 'I might have a look at that and see what it's all about'. So it makes a massive difference."

Mark Haig echoed his sentiments, adding: "The whole of the programme is in partnership with Liverpool PCT and for me it's the power of the Liverpool badge that enables us to engage and meet and work with these people in our community.

"Firstly, we have to say a fantastic well done to Alan because, of his own volition, he started to change his life style because he did have a scare. But he is quite typical of a lot of the guys we see. In particular, in this city, we know that men die too early and too often and that's what this club is trying to address.

"We advise them on everything from healthier eating, cutting down on drinking and taking up more physical activity but we are giving people information about other services and agencies as well."

Alan's parting message was a thoughtful and important one. When asked what he would say to someone who was in a similar situation as he was three years ago, the tour guide replied: "Have a good look at yourself because life is precious.

"You don't know what's round the corner; you don't know what hand you are going to be dealt. I was lucky because I caught it at the right time. If someone is feeling a twinge, or thinking, 'I'm not quite right', get it seen to, whether you are a man or a woman. That's the major thing - your health. It's your number one priority."