Crowds line streets to welcome Reds
Liverpool's Academy players got their trip to Northern Ireland underway with a parade through the streets of Coleraine on Sunday.
The Reds have sent two teams over to compete in the Milk Cup, where U17 and U15 groups will contest the tournament's premier and junior titles.
To mark the launch of the competition, all 44 sides who are involved in the six-day event converged on the town of Coleraine, where thousands of supporters lined the streets in anticipation.
Despite the rainy conditions, locals turned out in force to welcome their guests - and Liverpool's starlets were warmly cheered as they made their through the town centre.
There was the odd light-hearted heckle from the Manchester United and Everton fans who had also turned up to welcome their players, but the lads took it all in their stride and with a smile they shook the hands of many an excited young Kopite as they made their way through the streets.
The military-style march culminated at the Showgrounds, the home of Coleraine FC, where there were even more fans waiting in the stands to cheer the teams onto the pitch.
Gerry Marsden's 'You'll Never Walk Alone' rang out as the Reds entered to rapturous applause and the youngsters watched as teams from as far as Mexico and Chile entered the ground for the opening ceremony.
