FORTY seven years.

That is how long local deejay Mark van Cuylenburg has been a Liverpool fan.

And yesterday, he finally got to meet players of his favourite team up close and personal at VivoCity.

Van Cuylenburg, who is popularly known as the 'Flying Dutchman' or FD, was hosting a charity event which was attended by Liverpool players Dirk Kuyt, Albert Riera, Emiliano Insua and Martin Kelly.

The 53-year-old also served as a moderator in a closed-door media conference at the shopping mall's adidas outlet immediately after.

When The New Paper caught up with the popular radio personality after both events, van Cuylenburg was still trying to take in the moment.

'I feel almost giddy. You wait 47 years to meet the guys who play for the team you have supported, you have cried with, laughed with, and you finally sit beside them and it is very, very special,' said the Class 95FM deejay.

But if he had a choice, he would have wanted to meet Reds legend Kenny Dalglish, who was at Victoria Junior College; or captain Steven Gerrard, who did not join the team on tour.

'(I would have loved to meet) Stevie G if he was here, because he is such a lynchpin,' he said. 'He's an incredible player and for what he does he's the best player in the world.'

But not that he is complaining anyway, since he got to sit between the likes of Riera and Kuyt.

'I've met a Dutchman (Dirk Kuyt), so it doesn't get better than that,' he said, smiling.

- Lim Say Heng

'I wasn't even born then'

THIS was an exchange between the 'Flying Dutchman' Mark van Cuylenburg and Liverpool winger Albert Riera at the start of the second-half of the closed-door media conference:

Van Cuylenburg (turning to Riera):

'Before we all start I want you to know that I have been a fan for 47 years...'

Riera:

'Not bad, I wasn't even born then.'

Van Cuylenburg:

'Yeah, I was a fan even before you were born. How cool is that.

Now I really feel old. Thank you very much (laughter)!'

- Lim Say Heng