CREDIT: RONNIE MACDONALD ON FLICKR (CC BY 2.0)
It's always a treat to see Fernando Torres back on the pitch and what a treat it was for Torres fans as he joined a wealth of other star players for the charity match.

With the Premier League taking the weekend off for the international break, Liverpool Football Club, in association with the LFC Foundation and a number of local charities, hosted a one-off all-star match at Anfield. Featuring sides captained by current LFC captain Steven Gerrard and recently-retired defender Jamie Carragher, the two men selected sides made up of Liverpool players past and present as well as a number of star names that have come up against the club over the years.

While these sorts of events often wind up being a showcase for youth players due to it happening middleof- the-season and with many current players having commitments to their various nations, there was a truly impressive roster of players. For any Liverpool fan of my generation, it was a true treat to see some of our favourite players take the pitch at Anfield again.

Among the non-Liverpool group, the highlight names were certainly Chelsea legend Didier Drogba playing for Carragher and Thierry Henry – if he needs an introduction then you’re reading the wrong column. Local players such as Kevin Nolan and Scott Dann returned to their hometowns to benefit their childhood areas, and even Chelsea captain John Terry was there, despite being one of the Kop’s least favourite faces.

Despite the presence of such illustrious names as Drogba and Henry though, the true excitement was in the returning Liverpool players, all of whom had played with Gerrard and Carragher at some point during their careers. Instead of the usual legends tour featuring the likes of Rush and Fowler, this was a return of far more contemporary names, heroes of some of the club’s more recent triumphs from the last decade.

Returning veterans of the 2005 Champion’s League victory included Luis Garcia, whose goal got the team to the final in the first place, and Harry Kewell. Perhaps Kewell is an odd inclusion, but the constantly injured Aussie is held in high regard by Liverpool fans despite his relatively unsuccessful spell with the club. Another big name back was Pepe Reina, the goalkeeper who broke just about every goalkeeping record the club had before making a rather unceremonious exit. Also returning was Xabi Alonso, widely regarded as the best passer the club has ever seen, and one of the premier central midfielders in all of Europe. Alonso’s departure is still held up as the point when Liverpool’s fortunes began to take a turn for the worse. I’d be lying if I said that seeing him back at the stadium didn’t brought up all kind of nostalgic feelings.

But nothing compared to the sight of Gerrard playing football on the same side again as Luis Suarez, who allegedly had to beg his coach so he could play, and Fernand Torres, who returned for the first time while not a Chelsea player. It was no surprise to hear the stadium explode at the announcement of Suarez’s name. After all, he had only just left, but it was the reception of Torres that stirred up more than a little bit of emotion.

Finally, fans were treated to a glimpse of what could have been if Torres had stayed and partnered Suarez as the board originally intended. Who knows where the club would be today. They’ve both moved on, but something about having the two best strikers during my time as a Liverpool supporter back again made this match something extra special.