better than 1-1 at theirs, a match notable for the kind generosity of the Boro defenders, and the ref and Rafa not rotating the team, save for Carra’s suspension…

Well the main talking point was that Liverpool have answered their critics and finally bought a 20 goal a season striker. Our Fern pops in his first hattrick, and we’ve now taken 13 out of 15 points from the North East clubs…

Talk of Tom Hicks’ son holding a bring and buy sale in the Sandon are as yet unconfirmed. (Bring all the disgruntled fans in to meet me and my pals from the US in, then I’ll say bye… quickly…)

He is my favourite Liverpool manager, the one I grew up with. As much as I revere Shankly, Bob was the man for me, the manager of the Liverpool of my childhood.

What he won is a matter of record, but here it is:

Honours: 6 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS 1975-76, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1982-83
3 EUROPEAN CUPS 1976-77, 1977-78, 1980-81
3 LEAGUE CUPS 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83
1 UEFA CUP 1975-76
1 EUROPEAN SUPER CUP 1976-77
5 CHARITY SHIELDS 1974, 1976, 1977 (shared), 1980, 1982
6 MANAGER OF THE YEAR AWARDS 1975-76, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1982-83

 but for me it was the fact that this unassuming, quiet but humourous man ran the greatest team in the world, for me, at their greatest times.

You can keep the Liverpool of the 80’s, you can keep your Fergie’s league lists, in an age when the words “sports science” would only be together because your teacher had forgotten the word “and” in between them (Hines is useless at sports and science), in an age where a win was only worth 2 points, so those teams who drew matches weren’t that far off, in an age where the tactics in England were typified by the type of game at the Baseball Ground: “Pass the ball, when it gets stuck in the sand, build a castle and then kick it in their goalie’s face”, Bob Paisley won the European Cup three times. Not once, and a failed final, not once and then was unlucky to get close to other teams, but 3 times. In the space of four years. He built a team that held the pace in England, but could play against the might of Europe.

St Etienne - one of the most famous night’s of Liverpool’s illustrious history? That was one of Bob’s.

“I’ve been in Rome twice, but last time it was in a tank” that was one of Bob’s.

“Keegan leaving? Get that young lad in, Kenny Daglish, he’ll be alright”. That was Bob.

or what about Hansen, or Souness? Bob signed em.

In 1978/79 we played 42 games. We let in 16 goals all season and scored 85. We lost four games all season. All season

Bob Paisley died Valentine’s day 1996. Many a heart was broken that day.

Bob, you were the best. RIP.

Sheer madness.

I’m listening to David Gold, chair of Birmingham, say on Radio 5 Live, that he leads the vanguard in reducing ticket prices. Well I’ve now got stew coloured curtains at utter hypocrisy of the man who charges £45 for an away ticket at St Andrews.

He’s on the radio talking about his support for the notion that the Premier League teams will play an extra game in January of any given season, but in a far flung land, effectively to the highest bidder.

Well I’ve listened to the arguments for and the arguments against and have to say its bollocks. Complete bollocks.

 And here’s why:

1. Most managers accept the 38 games a season is already too much. Players are knackered, there’s no winter break, injuries are more common and the national team suffers from player exhaustion if not the club come the end of the season.

But no, now its ok to add in a possible 12 hour flight, a game in extreme heat conditions and the jet lag there and back, before playing the rest of the season.

2. Lets be honest here, there are several clubs who have worldwide brands, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea for instance. Possibly Everton, possibly er nope, that’s it. So who on Earth wants to see at their local ground, Wigan v Reading. Or next year, Watford v West Brom? Seriously? Each city is supposed to get one ‘big’ team, who draw out another ‘lesser’ team (top 5 don’t play eachother) and then the next day, two others play. No-one will give a shite about the other game.

3. Who are the top five, lets say for instance that Liverpool are 6th come January, or Man Utd, or Chelsea and so on, Bolton were top of the league a few years ago and certainly in the top five most of the autumn, are they going to be the seeded teams?

4. Who is going to pay a higher sum to watch Liverpool play live, when you can watch all of their games in a sports bar anyway?

5. Imagine your team gets drawn against Man Utd, thus playing them 3 times in a season, they win, you get relegated, whilst your relegation rivals play a lower team and get a draw and suddenly they stay up. How you going to feel?

6. all of the above.

Once again, the fan is being left out, the teams wishes are being ignored, and the £ sign has ‘chinged’ in greedy money grabbing eyes. Its a shite idea. never mind OOT’s we’ll soon be all OOC’s. Out Of Continents..

I would like to send my condolences to those families who were bereaved by the tragedy of the Munich Air Disaster in 1958. My thoughts are with the families and friends and colleagues of those who knew someone who was killed in that accident.

Full Stop. 

However:

Now I don’t care what Manchester Utd fans sing, what they eat, what they think. I care less of them if they mock the dead of Hillsborough, and I despise the pettiness of their mindless supporters that think that’s in order. Otherwise they don’t enter my mind, and on any day never mind a day like this, what they do or don’t do, doesn’t justify any backlash of anyother fan let alone us.

I won’t let any other fan of any other club dictate to me how I should behave and I won’t use the media interest in that tragedy affect the way I see things. As far as I am concerned, anyone who thinks its clever to sing about tragedies are to be pitied for their weakness.

RIP to those who died, may god rest their souls.

As the players’ heads go down at Upton Park, whilst some try to buy the club, whilst there are those who say hang on, we’ve been paying for it for years, I’ve noticed frustration at the impotence we fans have - our energy has no direction, and I’m ashamed to say many of us are now fighting amongst ourselves over the next step forward, groups forming giving out rallying calls, only to be pettily put down, positivity a negative name round here, and suggestions from boycotting the shop (can’t remember last time I was ever in there anyway) to walk outs, to shout outs, its not the best time for our club.

If I could ask for one thing, it would be that fan stands with fan, united in agreement that we want our club back. Back to the principles of decency, hard work and good football. On and off the pitch. That shouldn’t be pie in the sky. But who knows.

In 2008, as the city celebrates its culture, Liverpool FC are in danger of losing theirs.

So for the time being, lets stop the petty bickering, choose a group/direction/plan of action you want to support and for gods sake, lets not us, the fans, fall out. There’s enough of that elsewhere at our beloved church.