British singer Gerry Marsden, whose song 'You’ll Never Walk Alone 'became the anthem of football, has died

Gerry Marsden, lead singer of the 1960s British group Gerry and the Pacemakers that had such hits as "Ferry Cross the Mersey” and the song that became the anthem of Liverpool Football Club, "You’ll Never Walk Alone,” has died. He was 78.

His family said that Marsden died on Sunday "after a short illness that was in no way connected with COVID-19" and that his wife, daughters and grandchildren are "devastated.”

Marsden was the lead singer of the band that found fame in the Merseybeat scene in the 1960s. Though another Liverpool band -- The Beatles -- reached superstardom, Gerry and the Pacemakers will always have a place in the city’s consciousness because of "You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

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Marsden is best known for his band’s rendition of the song from "Carousel,” which was a 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that became a feature film in 1956.

The Pacemakers’ cover version was released in October 1963 and became the band’s third No. 1 hit on the British singles chart. It was adopted by fans of the soccer club Liverpool and is sung with spine-tingling passion before each home game of the 19-time English champion - before coronavirus restrictions have meant that many matches have been played in empty stadiums.

 Gerry Marsden leaps over his band, the Pacemakers. AP

"I was saddened by Gerry Marsden’s passing. His voice will always lead the way at Anfield, in times of celebration or lament," singer Elvis Costello said, referring to Liverpool's stadium.

The song has also been adopted by supporters of Scotland’s Celtic and Germany’s Borussia Dortmund.

Liverpool tweeted alongside a video of the fans in full voice that Marsden’s voice "accompanied our biggest nights” and that his ”anthem bonded players, staff and fans around the world, helping create something truly special.”

The song was embraced during the outset of the coronavirus pandemic last spring when a cover of the song, which featured World War II veteran Tom Moore, reached number one. Moore had captivated the British public by walking 100 laps of his garden in England in the run-up to his 100th birthday in April to raise some 33 million pounds ($40 million) for the National Health Service.

In 1962, Beatles manager Brian Epstein signed up the band and their first three releases reached No. 1 in 1963 --- "How Do You Do It?” and "I Like It” as well as "You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Later hits included "Ferry Cross the Mersey,” and "Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying.” The group split in 1967 and Marsden pursued a solo career before re-forming the band a few years later.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood singer Holly Johnson, who is from Liverpool and covered "Ferry Across The Mersey,” tweeted that Marsden was a "Liverpool legend.”