It’s a sweltering afternoon down by the Bosphorus.



“Fresh, fresh, fresh,” chant the fruit sellers close to Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Mosque as they try to push cups of orange juice and tubs of apricots and cherries. Others are persistent in their attempts to flog fake designer watches, sunglasses and polo shirts. But it’s those offering ice cold bottles of locally brewed Efes beer who enjoy better luck among the sea of red that has congregated.



Some 550 Liverpool fans from across the globe are waiting patiently to board a specially chartered boat for a four-hour cruise. Tickets for the trip have long since sold out and there’s a buzz of anticipation with the UEFA Super Cup against Chelsea to follow in the evening. The boat ride is the brainchild of Tahir Karabas, whose story provides a fascinating insight into the lasting legacy of Liverpool’s most famous visit to Istanbul in 2005.



Back then, he was a dedicated Fenerbahce...