Liverpool’s ‘Untouchables,’ Part one. A new world and a new team assembles.

Liverpool football club’s history has been littered with success since the formation of the club in 1892, the early history is largely forgotten about.  There are the doldrums of the second division and then the great messiah of Bill Shankly dragging Liverpool into the second division and making them the bastion of invincibility from the 1960s onwards.

Yet, there is a history prior to Shankly with a Liverpool side who set the groundwork of making Liverpool the footballing giants that they are.  It is a story well worth telling not just because of the glory and memories, but of a different era that had just come out of the first world war. 

Prior to the war, Liverpool had reached the 1914 FA cup final which was played at the Crystal Palace for the first time in their history but were beaten 1-0 by Burnley. It was also the first final that a reigning monarch was present as King George V handed the trophy to the winners. 

When war was declared against Germany after the invasion of Poland in August 1914 there was a patriotic fever to join up and support the war.  Yet, football continued despite the growing disapproval across the country who felt sport should not be continuing whilst people died in the trenches. 

So it was, that the 1914-15 season would be the last until the war ended.  A lot of speculation has been written as to why Liverpool and Manchester United players agreed to fix a match on Good Friday.  The consensus is that they agreed Liverpool would lose 2-0 and make money via betting.  Some believe it was the players ensuring that they had some income for their families whilst being sent to the front.

Either way, it was a scandal when it was discovered that the match had been thrown.  The players involved were given hefty bans with one only being rescinded in 1947.

When football did reconvene in 1919 the world was completely different to the one prior to August 1914.  Kings and empires had collapsed with the map being redrawn.  In Russia, the Tsar had been overthrown with the Bolsheviks taking charge.  Over in Germany the Kaiser had abdicated whilst the Austria-Hungary empire had collapsed. 

Britain itself was to start losing its power and influence with its empire starting to crumble as Ireland would gain independence in 1922. 

What is not widely discussed was the political uncertainty in the UK after the end of the first world war.  1919 has been described as the year of near revolution such was the unrest of that year.  Soldiers had mutinied due to poor conditions, not being demobbed as quickly as they were promised and in once incident a mutiny had broken out when they had been told that they would be shipped to Russia to fight the Bolsheviks. 

Civil unrest had broken out across the country which gave the government bigger jitters after what they had seen happen in Russia.  Liverpool was not to be immune, and when the Police went on strike for trade union recognition, riots had broken out that were so bad, the army was sent in with tanks patrolling the city centre.  Machine guns were also placed across London Road and Churchill sent another gunboat up the Mersey in case the riot took a political tone with an attempt at revolution.

The general feeling amongst the populace was the relief that the war that never seemed to end was now over.  Everyone had been affected by it, whether it was losing a relative, friend, or just surviving, the world was a completely different place.

Promises had been made by the Lloyd George and the Liberal party that they would make Britain a land fit for heroes, but the reality was different.  Work was hard to find, poor housing and bad working conditions. 

As usual, there was scapegoats with racism rearing its ugly head.  Although the Liverpool docks and port had always employed various nationalities before the war there were those that believed these foreigners had stolen their jobs whilst they had been fighting at the front. 

The Liverpool race riots of June 1919 was to be a stain on the city’s soul after a Bermudan sailor was murdered due to the colour of his skin.  Unrest broke out that summer, but it showed the volatile times that the country was in. 

Watching and indeed playing football was a chance to return to some sort of normality as the leagues got ready to resume.    Attendances were high all over the country and Anfield was no exception. 

Liverpool was in the process of re-building like most teams, especially with players who had been killed during the war.  After the death of their talented manager Tom Watson or ‘owd Tom,’ who died of pneumonia in 1915, aged fifty-six it was a worry on how they would be able to replace someone so influential on the club.

Hailing from Newcastle Upon Tyne, ‘Owd Tom,’ played for local clubs Woodbine, Rosewood and Heaton.  Prior to joining Sunderland, Watson was involved in a secretarial capacity which was pretty much the norm during that era with Newcastle West and East End.

The six years at Sunderland saw ‘Owd Tom,’ bring three league titles in 1891-92, 92-3 and 1894-95, which lead to William McGregor one of the founders of the football league to declare Sunderland ‘the team of all talents.’

So, when Liverpool managed to convince Tom Watson to swap the north-east for the north-west it was certainly a coup, considering that Liverpool was only four years old. 

Watson was certainly seen as an innovator as he had contacts’ the breadth and length of Britain of promising players in particular Scotland.  On one occasion he was pelted by Glaswegians when in charge of Liverpool after an attempt of signing one of their star players for the reds. 

One of his prominent signings for Liverpool was goalkeeper Elisha Scott who even now is still regarded as a Liverpool legend and regarded one of the greatest between the posts.  Ephraim Longworth was another Liverpool great and was Liverpool’s first ever England captain.

 Both Ephraim and Elisah were to become stalwarts of the ‘untouchables,’ Liverpool team.  Then there was the striker Harry ‘Smiler,’ Chambers a Geordie who was signed from West Bromwich, as well as local lad Walter Wadsworth.

The Liverpool Echo declared the reds signing of David Ashworth as general secretary and manager as something of a coup in June 1920.  Born in Fylde, he had spent eight years at Oldham Athletic taking them from the Lancashire Combination league to the first division. After that, Ashworth moved to Stockport before Liverpool came calling. 

A maverick manager with a fine waxed moustache, ‘Davie,’ as he was nicknamed was known to curl his moustache upwards or downwards depending on the team’s results.  At Oldham, Ashworth was known to run up and down the stand at Boundary Park to keep tabs on the action.

For a lot of clubs, it was a case of re-building but Liverpool despite the lean years prior to the war had the nucleus of a good side.  It was just a case of putting all the pieces together. 

Although everyone wanted to return to normality, life was never to be the same.  Everyone though was affected by the war either directly or indirectly. 

Danny Shone who was believed to have signed amateur papers for Liverpool aged fifteen in 1914 (no records exist to confirm this) but almost lost his life when he was called up in 1917.  Hailing from West Derby, Danny Shone was a promising footballer until the war rudely interrupted when he was posted to the 5^th Manchesters. 

His battalion joined the front line at Villers-Bretonneux before being relieved and marched to reserve billets in Blangy-Tronville, a small town in the Somme region of France. 

The rest was to be short lived as the Germans launched a surprise attack at Villers-Bretonneux.  Danny took part in the third battle of Aisne when his battalion took enemy fire and Danny was hit in his abdomen.  Any penetrating wound to the abdomen was potentially life threatening.  Add into the fact that time was of the essence to get Danny to a military hospital due to the high chance of picking up infections and blood loss, it was a miracle that Danny recovered, never mind play football again. 

Tom Bromilow and Harry ‘Smiler,’ Chambers also served in the first world war and like many veterans would no doubt have suffered from fighting on the front.  Chambers, incidentally, was the last signing by Tom Watson prior to his death in 1915. 

For Tom Bromilow, it was an unusual path that saw him arrive at Liverpool aged twenty-four.  The story goes that Bromilow still in his army uniform, knocked at Anfield asking for a trial.  George Patterson the Club Secretary at the time, described signing Bromilow as ‘the luckiest signing I ever made.’

Like all successful teams, there was also a talented backroom staff in William Connell, Charlie Wilson, and Joe Hewitt.  All three knew Liverpool well and ensured that the players were well drilled. 

The role of manager differs very much to what we would expect today.  Ashworth like his predecessors were more administrators with the daily role of coaching and tactics the responsibilities of the coaches.  Indeed, the weekend line-ups were chosen by the board which didn’t end until as late as 1959. 

What can’t be denied is that Liverpool after Patterson’s brief stint were now more consistent and balanced.  It might be the case that Ashworth’s skill was recognising and signing talent as well as having good listening skills plus charisma. 

Liverpool’s opening game for the 1920-21 season started at Anfield against Manchester City.  The late August game saw a high crowd of forty-five thousand with the average Anfield gate during the season being forty thousand.  This was despite an entertainment tax being imposed.  It seemed that people wanted to get back to some sort of normality by going the football.

It seemed that the crowd got their money’s worth as City raced into a two-goal lead in the first half.  Liverpool got themselves back in the game and went on to win 4-2. 

Naturally the first Merseyside derby in years was highly anticipated with fifty thousand witnessing Liverpool beat Everton 1-0 at Anfield and a week later amongst fifty-five thousand at Goodison saw Liverpool do the double over their neighbours by winning 3-0. 

The chase for the elusive FA cup ended in the second round away to Newcastle United who beat the reds 1 – 0.  Nevertheless, the season saw Liverpool finish fourth and was to be the catalyst for the Untouchables.

By now Elisha Scott had established himself as Liverpool’s first choice goalkeeper.  It seemed that Everton had the chance to sign Scott but spurned the chance and thus allowed Liverpool to sign Scott who hailed from Belfast. 

What made Scott stand out was how serious he took goalkeeping.  Elisha knew the importance of a goalkeeper and how they could win you points ‘Get it into your head that a goalkeeper is as important,’ Elisha told the Topical Times in 1938.  ‘A centre can make a mess of things, and a pal will come to his aid.  If a goalie makes a mess of things, he’s sunk.  A goalkeeper is a footballer.’

In some training matches, Elisha insisted on playing up front to get in the mind of a forward and therefore anticipate his moves when he was in goal.  He wrote extensively about his art and how goalkeeping was about anticipation and a knowledge of angles.  ‘A goalkeeper’s job is to give him as few angles as possible to shoot at.’

One thing that Elisha was good at was controlling and commanding his box.  Any defenders refusing to listen would suffer an earbashing.  During the game Elisha would swear so furiously that it would make a docker blush. 

In one infamous episode, Jimmy ‘Parson,’ Jackson (nicknamed as he took a job in the clergy after football) once turned round to Dixie Dean after being berated from Elisha for a goal conceded, turned round, and said ‘William, I shall never play in front of this man again.’

Competitiveness and a desire to win is required to win the big prizes which was shown with Elisha Scott.  One story told is that on the eve of the Merseyside derby both Elisha and Dean met in Bold Street.  Dean sent an imaginary header towards Elisha who promptly dived to save the imaginary ball.  Sadly, there is no truth that anecdote, but it shows competitive Scott was that it became was believable. 

The opening game away to Sunderland at Roker Park didn’t start off well as Liverpool were beaten 3-0 but got their first two points on the board a week later as the reds beat Man City 2-1 at Anfield. 

Danny Shone was on a good run of form after getting the first goal for Liverpool against Everton at Anfield only for the Toffee’s to equalise late on in the game.  A fortnight later, Liverpool went top of the league on 19 November with Danny Shone grabbing a hat-trick on the 4-0 demolishing of Middlesbrough at Anfield. 

The Liverpool Echo declared, ‘The sun did not shine at Anfield but Shone.’ 

A popular player amongst players and supporters and likes most footballers mingled with supporters as he made his way to the match.  On one occasion as Danny got the bus to get to the ground the bus driver said ‘Goodison Park, then, Danny?’

Back in the day when a direct transfer between Liverpool and Manchester United would not court any controversy, Liverpool signed winger Fred Hopkins from United.  His crosses for Harry Chambers would prove vital during the next couple of seasons. 

With all successful teams the camaraderie between the players was so strong that they were like a band of brothers.  It was this that spurred them on through the cold, wet, winter months playing on muddy pitches when May and certainly the Championship seemed a long way off. 

Somehow ‘the untouchables,’ kept themselves in the driving seat and with four games to go, Liverpool were five points clear of Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley in third, six points behind the Reds. 

As always, there were stumbling blocks along the way such as the surprise 4-0 defeat away to struggling Oldham Athletic.  Liverpool though quickly bounced back after they drew 1-1 away to title challengers Burnley, blew Cardiff City away 5-1 with Harry Chambers grabbing a hat-trick at Anfield and forty-eight hours later beat Burnley at home. 

This was all done in the space of four days with no time to breathe never mind rest.  It was a set of fixtures that would have had Jurgen Klopp in a rage, but Liverpool blitzed their way through it.  So strong was Liverpool’s performances that the Liverpool Echo’s headlines joyfully declared ‘Hail to the Champions, Liverpool.’

Even the Liverpool board was getting carried away that they told the Echo reporter nicknamed ‘Bee,’ that they were already planning a ‘social do,’ to which they would invite as many former players as possible. 

Nevertheless, the maths was simple.  If Liverpool in forty-eight hours beat Burnley at Anfield and Tottenham lost, then the title would return to Anfield after a sixteen-year absence. 

The tension at Anfield was palpable as 50,000 plus supporters crammed into the stadium hoping that this would be the moment Liverpool sealed a third league title.  Moments like these make champions as they have to dig out the result required.  The players have to ignore the pressure and stress from the crowd who are yearning for Liverpool to get over the line. 

Newspaper reports state that Burnley’s goalkeeper Jerry Dawson had kept Liverpool at bay and an injury to Liverpool’s Harry Lewis (no substitutes in those days) stopped the Reds giving Burnley a hiding. 

Harry Chambers broke the deadlock in the twenty-second minute and was enough to give Liverpool the lead at the break.  With no way of knowing the Spurs score it must have been a anxious feeling wondering if Liverpool had done enough or would need to take it to the next game.  No doubt, most of the crowd may have believed it would take another game before Liverpool got their hands on the title.  Spurs after all, were playing a struggling Oldham.

Typically, Liverpool had to make hard work of it as Burnley equalised in the sixty-second minute via George Richardson.  It was a cracker of a goal with the Liverpool Echo declaring the equaliser as a ‘tribute to individual flair.’ 

Down to ten men, Liverpool knew that they had to dig deep, and Ephraim Longworth moved further up the field, allowing him to win possession closer to the opposition and set up attacks.  It was a case of having to take chances and Liverpool pulled it out of the fire as Longworth found Dick Forshaw.  In the blink of an eye Forshaw raced towards the goal and coolly dispatched it past Dawson with ten minutes left on the clock. 

Anfield erupted with joy like it has done on many occasions after doing it the hard way.  The noise was turned up another notch when news filtered through that Tottenham had been beaten by Oldham Athletic 1-0.  After a sixteen year wait, Liverpool was the Champions of England once more. 

With three games remaining and Liverpool winning the title with fifty-five points, they had the chance to surpass West Bromwich Albion’s sixty-point tally in the 1919-20 season.  Maybe the celebrations had an impact, but Liverpool lost the following two games but did beat West Bromwich Albion 4-1 away to end the season on a high. 

A lot of history picks on political events and turmoil.  Certainly, the 1920s had plenty of this, certainly as the world had been turned upside down.  ‘The land fit for heroes,’ was fading as fast as the shiny slogans on the leaflets.  In 1926 there was the disastrous May General Strike in support of the miners who were expected to take a reduction in wages despite the cost of living rising. 

Consequently, it is also important to look on events that were joyous to people.  After all, our ancestors were the same as us.  Each had their own interests and celebrated special occasions that brought a bit of happiness in their lives.

Liverpool winning the title saw a lot of celebrations with the team being mobbed by fans on their return to Central Station.  Donald McKinlay was picked up and carried out of the station in triumph.’  It showed that even in the 1920s, Liverpool supporters knew how to celebrate. 

It was a memorable season and looking at the league table a Liverpool supporter would have a grin bigger than a Cheshire cat.  Not only had Liverpool won the title by six points, but Manchester United had finished bottom and were relegated.  Everton had finished third from bottom but escaped the drop as only two teams were relegated. 

The title had been won on the strength of a strong defence, quality forwards and players who fitted each part well and played for each other.  By digging out results when games were tough in the midst of a cold winter, rain, and muddy pitches, Liverpool showed that they had the mettle of Champions. 

However, once the celebrations had died down and the champagne gone it was back to business and whether Liverpool could make themselves immortal by winning back-to-back league championships. 

To learn more about this fabulous Liverpool side I recommend the brilliant ‘The Untouchables,’ band of brothers by Jeff Goulding and Kieran Smith.

The art of defending – Virgil Van Dijk

There are moments when a signing is the final piece of the jigsaw.  It wasn’t a straightforward transfer as Southampton was furious at Liverpool for tapping up Van Dijk without their knowledge that a possible summer transfer to Anfield ended abruptly. 

In a sliding doors moment that was captured on Amazon’s All or nothing documentary on Manchester City, there is a moment when Manchester City refuse to up their offer for Virgil and allowed Liverpool to land their man and become the catalyst that has seen the Reds enjoy success and push City every inch for trophies. 

No one knows how a signing will work out.  Back then, there was frustration at Liverpool not getting a centre-half.  However, Klopp was adamant in getting his man.  There was little point in settling for second best as far as Jurgen was concerned and was proven right for holding out. 

A FA cup tie against Everton saw Virgil make his debut and make himself a hero by scoring in the 2-1 against Liverpool’s city rivals.  The impact that Virgil was made was what he was bought for and that was defending. 

Liverpool’s defence looked more composed without any of the erratic defending that had impaired Liverpool previously. 

2018 saw Liverpool reach the Champions League club where they were beaten 3-1 by Real Madrid.  The calamitous goalkeeping of Karius and the cynical fouling of Madrid’s Ramos who took out Mo Salah, helped Madrid win the European cup. 

There can be no sentiment in football and one of Klopp’s strengths is making the tough calls for the benefit of the team.  Karius and Mignolet were seen as liabilities due to their unreliability in goal that cost Liverpool points.  So it was, that Klopp signed Allison Becker from Roma and instantly the pieces fell into place. 

Although Virgil had settled in quickly, a good pre-season without jumping into the deep end proved to be beneficial. 

Liverpool were organised, good at the press, and scoring goals from fun.  Virgil was like a colossus in the defence especially as he didn’t have to worry about his goalkeeper doing something silly. 

Watching Virgil was a joy for those wanting to watch a masterclass in defending.  The basics such as positioning came easy but it is the reading of the game that is Virgil’s biggest strengths.  You can see Virgil surveying the pitch and sniffing a potential pass he will either move forward, back or instruct a teammate to move to snuff out the option for the attacker. 

You can also see the movement of Virgil who will flawlessly nip in to intercept a pass or pick a loose ball.  Liverpool’s defence which was flaky and subsequently caused panic amongst the team and supporters now looked a well organised machine.  Each piece knowing their job and doing it to the best of their abilities. 

Any successful team is due to having a well-balanced team who can do the job required of them.  You don’t need big names or the lists that some supporters read from their media feed and playing FIFA to produce a team.  Just someone who is good and follows instructions.

Virgil is also a leader and Liverpool were missing this type of leader at the heart of the defence which you need.  Communication and respect are key which Virgil shows by organising teammates into positions as well as covering spaces. 

It’s also the speed of hoovering up loose balls to stop them becoming a danger. Against Everton where Liverpool won 2-0, Virgil effortlessly swooped in to get the ball and quickly switch from defence to attack. 

There are different types of centre-halves from the ale house defenders who hoof the ball and kick the opposition, to the centre-halves that are solid defenders but get a nosebleed if they get anywhere near the halfway line. 

Then you have the Rolls Royce of defending which Virgil belongs to.  Composed on the ball that Virgil is calm as he brings the ball out to start an attack.  You’ll very rarely see Virgil lose possession or give the ball away.  In some ways, Virgil is more of a centre-midfielder in the way he reads the game and makes the precise passes. 

What is good about Virgil is that there is no unnecessary fouls or last gasp sliding tackles.  Like all players there is an element of the dark arts of having to make that necessary foul with a slight nudge.  Even then, it is only done if someone has made a mistake and there is the last resort. 

Slide tackling should never be an option.  The only time it happens is due to either the player not being any good and resorts to cover up their own inadequacies and get the crowd believing that it is commitment.  Another reason is that someone has made a mistake and it is the last resort.  Slide tackling is dangerous because if it is mis-timed can result in a free kick or penalty and even worse injure someone. 

It is very rare for Van Dijck to resort to slide tackling.  Even when a mistake has been made, Virgil has anticipated it and already intercepted or got a foot in. 

Set pieces such as corners is something that Virgil improved as soon as he stepped onto the pitch in a red shirt.  Previously, there would be panic in the crowd with the defence being jittery and Mignolet flapping.  Now with Virgil and Alisson bringing much needed confidence there is no anxiety within the stands. 

Just watching Van Dijk is a lesson in defending.  Positioning and ready to tackle the ball when the corner is taken.  More often than not Virgil will head clear.  There is also no panic as Virgil makes the correct pass.  No passing it across the middle of the box it is cleared out wide. 

Some defenders such Martin Skrtel were notorious for pulling shirts and grabbing hold of his opponent.  How Skrtel never gave away many penalties is another thing, but you will never see Virgil make any silly mistakes like that. 

At times, Virgil looks a centre midfielder in the way he carries the ball up the pitch and makes the correct pass.  Even at Liverpool set pieces, Virgil poses a threat and has scored from many a corner such as his debut when Van Dijk scored against Everton in the FA cup. 

In my opinion, Virgil Van Dijk is certainly one of the best centre-halves to play for Liverpool.  The flawless reading of the game, his leadership, passing and control of the ball is second to none.  As the Liverpool song goes ‘Watch him defend and we watch him score, he’ll pass the ball, calm as you like, He’s Virgil Van Dijk.’

The UEFA champions league changes is just an official super league

When the twelve so-called super clubs brought out a statement last year announcing their intention to create their own super league, there was indigenous fury from supporters and UEFA.

This super league was strictly invitation only and was in essence a closed shop. The figures were eye watering at the money being offered and that wasn’t including the TV rights and sponsorship that it would have entailed.

Protests broke out amongst the supporters of those clubs who wanted nothing to do with this artificial league that was about money.

UEFA spluttered like a cuckolded husband catching his wife in bed with his best mate. As far as they were concerned, the super league was against sporting integrity and values. Heavy sanctions were proposed with the threat of any players even setting foot on a pitch to play a super league match being told that they would not be allowed to play international football.

Sky sports Gary Neville was vocal in condemning the actions of the club and once again the integrity of football was brought into question.

Jurgen Klopp was hung out to dry by the Fenway group as he was asked about his thoughts about the proposed super league in a post match interview. Not surprisingly, Klopp was not a fan and made a good point about the extra amount of games players would be expected to play.

Like a trail of dominoes the clubs one by one withdrew their intention to join the super league such was the furore. This was apparently a triumph for the ordinary supporter who showed what they could do if they stuck together and let their voice be heard.

A year later, UEFA announced their proposed changes for the 2024-25 season

https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0268-12157d69ce2d-9f011c70f6fa-1000–new-format-for-champions-league-post2024-everything-you-need-to-know/

Quelle Surprise! The new proposed changes was only a super league but with the official UEFA stamp.

There is a interesting turn of phrase from UEFA as they state that have spoken to ‘key stakeholders.’ By that, UEFA mean the club owners, sponsors, and the television companies. The fans, players, and even the coaches have not been consulted.

No one has asked the fans if they are happy to pay more money for the additional games, taking the time off work etc to make these games at times that are convenient for the television.

UEFA have tried to lamely sell it as a exciting chance to see even more quality games. Yet the format is geared towards making sure the big names and television pullers will progress. Out of the thirty-six teams only eight will be knocked out. The top eight qualify for the last sixteen whilst the rest will have to play a playoff game to play in the last sixteen.

You can be sure that the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Man Utd will not meet each other in their ten games. It is less quality and more saturation of football.

Recently, UEFA have also mentioned about a coefficient scheme, so for example if Man Utd do not qualify for the Champions league by finishing fifth and UEFA’s super league was taking place next season, then Utd would be given a place due to past performances in the Champions league.

Forget about whether you have earned the place it is all about how much money certain clubs bring through their fanbase and in turn satisfy UEFA’s sponsors plus the TV companies who have bought the rights to the Champions league.

Another issue is where exactly UEFA are going to fit in these games. The calendar is already packed and although the top professionals are paid well, they are only human. No one has bothered asking the players if they are happy to play more games or how much have an impact it will have on their bodies in continually playing at a high level. These days, footballers are athletes and their bodies can only take so much. Also, footballers do have a life outside of football and the question is whether they too are happy for more time away from their family.

The whole UEFA Champions league revamp is about pandering to those clubs who got itchy feet and wanted to break away. UEFA’s squealing about the ‘integrity of the game,’ was more about the prospect about losing money from their sponsorships, TV deals etc. and losing power as a result.

For UEFA losing power, money, and prestige was what worried them. Not about the good of the game. Consequently this revamp is to placate those clubs and give them a super league but with the official UEFA stamp.

It is interesting that there was not one word of open dissent from the media or supporters groups who were quite vocal in their opposition to the super league. Not even a column from any of the leading sports writers condemning it for what it is. UEFA consolidating their power by giving the big clubs what they want.

I sent two emails to Liverpool’s supporters union the spirit of Shankly which stated the following

Good afternoon,
I am writing about the proposed UEFA changes to the champions league & what we as a union can do. In essence this is a Super league but approved UEFA. Nobody has asked the match going fans on whether they are happy with the proposals. Nor the extra expense or time to get to the games. Equally, no one has asked the players and taken their well-being into account. If UEFA’s changes go ahead, it will be a detriment to the competition with the supporters taken for granted. Your opinion on this matter would be most appreciated.

The response from spirit of Shankly was as follows

“Our position has not changed on this and remains in line with the FSE. We reject the reform as a whole as fans weren´t part of any consultation process even though we are the ones affected by a lot of consequences of this reform.

We have and will continue to lobby LFC and other clubs to ensure the voice of fans is heard and listened to.“

So I asked if Spirit of Shankly will make a personal and open statement to this effect. The reply was as follows

“As I said we are working with FSE on this and liaising with other clubs on what to do on behalf of fans.

We will make our members aware of the next stage when this happens.”

Now I am not naïve to believe that UEFA or the clubs will back down over a statement, but you do have to fire a arrow across the bows to let them know that the paying fans are not happy with this.

To me, it seems that this new system or the official super league is going to happen. If none of the supporters groups are going to be openly vocal against it then it’s fait accompli. A lone voice is just pissing in the wind, which is the whole point of a Union in that everyone together can make their voice heard louder.

Being a supporter is being like paying for the privilege of a movie extra. At least a extra can make £80 whereas supporters are expected to get to Newcastle on New Years day for 12pm with no trains running.

Television just see the supporters as something to sell their product, such as the special European nights at Anfield. They know it isn’t great without supporters as last season showed during when football had to play behind closed doors during the pandemic. Yet supporters are still casually disregarded.

I believe that the prominent clubs will make another attempt for a super league and this time UEFA won’t be able to stop it. With money comes power and that’s why the clubs will tire of UEFA’s attempts to placate their insatiable appetite won’t be enough. After all, why dance to UEFA’s tune when you can just take the whole cake and along with it the sponsors, television deals etc.

There is so much that angers me with UEFA’s sanctimonious proposals. A procession of a competition in the early stages so that the big clubs can soak up as much money.

If UEFA was for the integrity of the game then they would be trying to sort another way of bringing financial fair play to bring a level playing field across Europe. The fiasco surrounding Man City was due to their lawyers including stuff that was timed out so it was no wonder that Man City won their case.

Either way, I am making the most of the next couple of seasons because after that we have a super league albeit with an official stamp. Football is close to no longer being a sport and once UEFA’s format starts for the 2024-25 the coffin lid will slammed shut and nailed when it finally becomes a commodity to sold and used as power chips.

The drama and excitement of the 1986-87 football league season

For some reason, the 1986-87 is forgotten in the annals of time. Some seasons are still talked fondly about such as Liverpool’s samba like football of the 1987-88 season with John Barnes, Peter Beardsley, and Aldridge terrifying defences. There is also Arsenal’s dramatic win at Anfield to seal the title in 1989 or Man Utd’s treble season in 1999.

Yet the 1986-87 had more than its fair share of drama, excitement, upsets, stories that were gut wrenching such as the career ending tackle on Jim Beglin.

Then there was the story of Wimbledon who had powered their way up the Southern league in 1977 to earn a place in the football league fourth division. Nine years later, they were ready to debut in the first division.

Not that it was a Roy of the Rovers story as Wimbledon’s football and approach was akin to a rough Sunday league team.

Foundations were also laid that season with managerial changes at Manchester United, George Graham was starting at Arsenal with Kenny Dalglish building one of the most exciting Liverpool teams.

It was also the start of the decline of one of the 1980s powerhouses (not that Everton knew it at the time) as well as one of the exciting FA cup final in years. The 1986-87 was a season full of goals (Spurs Clive Allen and Liverpool’s Ian Rush who enjoyed a goal spree) that the season deserves to be revisited and fondly remembered.

The previous season had produced an exciting climax as Liverpool hauled in the reigning champions Everton to seal the title on the final day at Stamford Bridge 1-0. It was a story that belonged to Roy of the Rovers with Dalglish chesting the ball before hitting a sweet finish with the ball in the back of the net.

As Liverpool’s new player-manager held his arms aloft it became an iconic image in the football history books.

For Everton, it became a season to forget as a week later Liverpool came from a goal behind with their kryptonite Ian Rush scoring a double with a goal sandwiched in-between the bubble permed Craig Johnston to win the FA cup 3-1 and win the double.

To rub salt in the wounds, the Everton team had to endure a tour of the city behind the Liverpool bus who proudly showed off the trophies that they won. Graham Sharp recalls that the only highlight of the day was a furious husband kicking out the Everton team after his wife kindly let the players use their toilet. Her husband, being a red saw it differently.

The 1986-87 season saw both Liverpool and Everton clubs as the favourites for the league championship. Manchester United who started the season previously on a ten game winning streak with the pundits declaring them as champions elected, came down as quickly as the Christmas decorations in January to finish nowhere near the top. Consequently, there was pressure on their manager Ron Atkinson to go one step further.

Changes were afoot for Liverpool as this would be the last season Ian Rush would wear the red shirt after agreeing to join Juventus in time for the 1987-88 season for £3.2 million. In effect, Liverpool were loaning Rush for another year.

It was also a season as to how long Kenny Dalglish could keep playing, especially as he was now manager. The question mooted was whether Liverpool could wean themselves off the influence that Dalglish had on the team.

Everton themselves saw Lineker join Barcelona after one season with the toffee’s, after he had finished top scorer in the Mexico world cup. The Catalan giants paying Everton £2.8 million for his services.

The big signing for Everton in the summer of 1986 was Dave Watson from Norwich for £900,000. Watson incidentally was a former Liverpool youth team player who was unable to break into the first XI so sought his chances elsewhere.

Also signed that summer was Neil Adams from Stoke City and Kevin Langley from Wigan Athletic.

For Liverpool they signed Barry Venison the young Sunderland captain who had captained the Black cats to the 1985 Milk cup (league cup final) where they were beaten by Norwich. Venison was a young exciting prospect as Liverpool also signed Steve Staunton from Dundalk.

However, Sammy Lee who had worked his way through the ranks and been a major player in previous years was sold to Queens Park Rangers for £200,000.

The curtain raiser was the Charity shield with Everton hoping to gain revenge for being beaten at the death for the double by Liverpool.

Once again it was to be Everton’s arch nemesis Ian Rush who was to snatch victory after Adrian Heath had given Everton the lead with ten minutes to go. Rush equalised with two minutes to go, and ensured that Everton and Liverpool would share the shield.

Everton were also beaten by Liverpool in the Football league super cup 7-2 on aggregate. The tournament was as much loved as Cinderella’s ugly sisters and dragged on like a crap song as it went from 1985-86 into the 86-87 season with the final two legs taking place in September.

Once the trophy was lifted by Alan Hansen it was never to see the daylight again. A bit like the Queen’s cousins Nerissa and Katherine, such was the poor attendance and lack of interest.

Due to Wimbledon’s rise from the Southern league and going right from the fourth division to winning promotion to the first in 1985-86, there was a lot of media focus on the club.

Much as the media tried to paint Wimbledon as a fairy tale they were anything but, despite the nickname of the Crazy gang. Although the Don’s football was route one and being physical, the likes of Vinny Jones and John Fashanu behaved liked thugs and bullies.

Team mates such as John Scales and Terry Phelan spoke of the bullying culture that went way beyond the lines of socks and ties being cut. Players would be either tied to a car rack whilst being driven at high speed or locked in the boot.

During the BT sports documentary on Wimbledon, John Fashanu was accused of trying to break a teammates legs and throwing one teammate around the dressing room like a rag doll.

Although there was a funny story from Mark Crossley on how Brian Clough stormed into the Wimbledon dressing room and smashed their ghetto after refusing to turn it down.

‘Play your fucking music now Wimbledon,’ Brian Clough was meant to have told the gobsmacked Crazy gang.

Wimbledon actually led the table for the first two weeks in September and finished the season in sixth place defying the critics who had Wimbledon as a cert to get relegated.

For the early part of the season, Nottingham Forest led the table and George Graham in his first full season as Arsenal manager saw the Gunners lead the table from November to early January.

Over at Old Trafford, matters on the pitch was not great for Ron Atkinson’s Manchester United. Pressure was already on Atkinson to deliver after the way United faded way into the distance in the second half of the 1985-86 season.

It took until 13 September for Utd to get their first three points on the board with a 5-1 against Southampton. However, it didn’t give the Red Devils the kickstart required as they went into another slump and were hovering around the relegation zone around Halloween.

This was a horror show that United fans were not happy to accept and after Utd was dumped out of the Littlewoods league cup 4-1 by Southampton in a replay on the 4th November, the man from Old Swan Ron Atkinson and his big leather coat was shown the door Another manager who failed to banish away the ghost of Matt Busby which still lingered around Old Trafford.

It was to be a seminal moment for Manchester United as they appointed former Aberdeen manager Alex Ferguson. The signing had hardly been a surprise, and due to the Glaswegian smashing the hold of the old firm Celtic and Rangers in the Scottish Premier league, was seen as the man to break up the hold of Everton and Liverpool.

Ferguson certainly had the credentials having won three Scottish Premier League titles, four Scottish cups, one league cup, and of course beating Real Madrid in 1983 with Aberdeen winning the European cup winners cup.

Although United didn’t set the rest of the season alight, Ferguson led them to eleventh place. The next few years would be tough, but Ferguson not only banished the ghosts of Matt Busby but created a dynasty where it is his legacy that other managers since he left the Utd hot seat in 2013 have failed to match.

The Christmas period and the second half of the season was certainly memorable. Some of the football from Tottenham, Liverpool, Everton, and Nottingham Forest was entertaining.

January saw no runaway leaders with the leading pack all confident that a good run could be enough to see them over the line.

Back then the FA cup was a prestigious trophy which was also seen as a chance to rescue a poor start to the season. With the introduction of first and second division teams for the third round of the FA cup there was the anticipation of the draw. As usual there were the usual potential hopes of giant killings with the romance of the cup of anyone being able to be heroes for one day.

For Liverpool, they started their defence of the cup away to Luton Town at Kenilworth road. This tie was to be controversial and it wasn’t just the plastic pitch that was to anger Liverpool.

Not many teams were happy at having to play on the plastic pitches of QPR and Luton Town. Unlike the artificial pitches of today, Kenilworth and Loftus road were awful to play on. The ball bounced unexpectedly high and there were genuine concerns about the damage the hard pitches had on the knees and joints of the players who had to play on the surface.

With a cold freezing spell gripping the UK with places under snow, it was a chance to get out the orange ball. There was always something iconic, even exciting at seeing the orange tango coming out and although the match wasn’t a classic, it finished 0-0 there was still something iconic about seeing Paul Walsh on the ball as the Luton Town defence give chase.

The replay at Anfield was to be the controversial point. Although Liverpool had managed to ensure the pitch was in good enough condition to play, Luton Town messed up their travel plans and were stranded in Luton due to the cold snap and not being able to get a flight to Liverpool.

Not surprisingly, Liverpool were furious, especially as Luton Town fans had managed to make the trip to Anfield. ‘If you can’t turn up for a match, you shouldn’t be in the competition,’ Dalglish commented.

Another gripe was that the coin was tossed prior to the Anfield replay as to whether to play at a neutral venue or go back to Kenilworth road should the Anfield game be a draw. Dalglish knowing that Luton would be extra defensive when they won the toss questioned whether the toss should have been after the game.

That game finished 0-0 with Luton Town winning in the third game 3-0 knocking the holders out at the first hurdle.

Other notable results from the third round was Aldershot beating Oxford United 3-0, Leyton Orient taking West Ham to a replay, whilst Wimbledon beat under pressure Lawrie McMenemy’s Sunderland 2-1. McMenemy had promised to take Sunderland out of the second division that season. He duly did, as Sunderland dropped down to the third division.

With no European football due to the Heysel ban, the league cup took on extra importance. The quarter-finals had pitted Everton and Liverpool at Goodison park.

A solitary goal from Ian Rush gave Liverpool victory but it was overshadowed by Jim Beglin suffering a leg break following an horrific tackle by Everton’s Gary Stevens.

So bad was the tackle that Liverpool captain Alan Hansen responded that ‘apart from being a mile high and an hour later it was fine.’

The leg break in effect ended Jim Beglin’s football career. He had broken into the team in 1985 and was ever present in the team as well the Ireland national team. Although Beglin later moved to Leeds United, he only played an handful of games before being forced to retire due to the leg break.

As the football started entering the business end of the season it wasn’t a surprise that the usual suspects Liverpool and Everton were the ones competing to be champions.

Tottenham were having a good season with the likes of Glenn Hoddle, Chris Waddle, and Ossie Ardilles adding a flamboyant touch to the side. However, it was Clive Allen who stole all the plaudits as he scored forty-nine goals in all competitions with thirty-three in the league.

Although Spurs were easy on the eye, they were too inconsistent in their results, dropping points when they needed to take advantage when Everton or Liverpool didn’t win.

Liverpool already had an eye on a future without Ian Rush as they signed John Aldridge from Oxford United for £750,000. Being a boyhood Liverpool fan and hailing from Garston, Liverpool, it was every Christmas and birthdays all at once for Aldridge who used to stand on the Spion Kop.

Nigel Spackman was also signed from Chelsea for £400,000 whilst Liverpool lost out to sign Leeds United Ian Snodin, who decided to join their arch-rivals Everton.

The first major final was played 5 April 1987 as Arsenal and Liverpool met at Wembley to decided the winners of the Littlewoods league cup.

Arsenal had overcome a 1-0 deficit against North London rivals Tottenham to win the second leg 2-1 and the subsequent replay at White Hart lane 2-1. There had been controversy as Spurs openly declared on how to apply for tickets for the final. Arsenal ensured that it was more than literally jumping the gun.

Over at the south coast, a bad tempered first leg that ended 0-0 saw Paul Walsh sent off for punching Kevin Bond after the Southampton defender spat in the Liverpool striker’s face. In his autobiography Walsh states “We had a bit of a grapple but no more as I backed into him and though it was handbags at that point, he crossed the line when he leant in and spat in my face.”

 “I checked to see that the ref wasn’t looking and then turned around and smashed him as hard as I could in the face.”

“What I hadn’t noticed in my eagerness to plant one on him was the linesman, who was stood about five yards away and saw the whole thing.

“I was sent off and I was waiting for my bollocking in the dressing room when Kenny walked in after the final whistle. We’d drawn 0-0 and he said,

‘Wee man, you know you were wrong don’t you?’ I nodded, waiting for the inevitable, then he said, ‘But if there’s one person I don’t mind you smacking, it’s that twat.”

Liverpool as they always did back then, ensured the job was done at Anfield by beating Southampton 3-0 and facing George Graham’s young Arsenal team.

It was a bright spring Sunday afternoon that looked more in tune with a FA cup final. Two classic strips were on display, with Arsenal wearing their red home shirts and white sleeves. Liverpool were in their away of white shirts, black shorts and white socks.

Much had been made of Ian Rush’s record of going one hundred and forty-four games of Liverpool remaining unbeaten when he scored. A early goal by Ian Rush made the omens favour Liverpool, even when Charlie Nicholas equalised seven minutes later.

This game was to be the highlight of Charlie Nicholas’s Arsenal career. There had been a lot of clubs including Liverpool who had been interested in signing the young Glaswegian from Celtic in 1983. However, Nicholas had failed to live up the hype and was seen as more of a playboy, hence his nickname ‘champagne Charlie.’

It was Nicholas’s second goal that was deflected off Ronnie Whelan that won Arsenal the Littlewoods league cup and meant that Ian Rush ended up on a losing side despite scoring in the game.

For George Graham, it was an important win as it gave his young side the catalyst to challenge for the bigger honours which resulted in the Gunners clinching the league title in dramatic fashion in 1989.

As for Liverpool, they had no time to lick their wounds as there was the matter of defending the title with it becoming a shootout (yet again) between the reds and Everton.

In early March, Liverpool put themselves into pole position after beating Luton Town 2-0 at Anfield to go top. Liverpool had been in this position so many times before in the final run in that many expected Liverpool to go on and finish at a canter.

This certainly seemed to be the case as the next three games were won on the bounce. A 1-0 defeat away to Spurs was seen as a minor setback, but then Liverpool lost to Wimbledon and Norwich which both ended 2-1.

Although Everton had a injury crisis they had still kept it together and took advantage of Liverpool’s wobble by winning seven games on the bounce after the defeat away to Watford.

Chelsea were beaten at Stamford Bridge on the 4th April 2-1 which saw Everton leapfrog Liverpool who were playing Arsenal in the Littlewoods league cup final the following day.

It was to be a position that Everton wouldn’t be shifted from. Certainly the Easter Monday game saw a gap open between the pair as Liverpool were beaten 1-0 by Manchester United with Everton beating Newcastle United 3-0.

Liverpool might have beaten Everton 3-1 in the Derby in April, but it was a case of winning the battle not the war. Especially as the following week Liverpool lost to Coventry City at Highfield road 1-0.

The Toffee’s strong run of form saw them cross the line after beating Norwich 1-0 at Carrow Road 4th May and lifted the league championship on the 11th May with a 1-0 win against Spurs.

Some might view that league campaign as run of the mill, but it was anything but. There had been drama, a newly promoted team in Wimbledon whose style was akin to a Sunday league football team, roughing up the established teams.

More importantly, there had been good football with the two marksmen Liverpool’s Ian Rush and Clive Allen competing for the golden boot. As it was, Allen won that race with his thirty-three goals to Rush’s thirty.

This was also a period of change, although at the time nobody realised it. Alex Ferguson had took the job at Old Trafford and started building the foundations of his dynasty at Manchester United.

For Liverpool there was a sea of uncertainty as many supporters including critics wondering if this was the end of Liverpool’s dominance. Many wondered where the goals would come from after Ian Rush’s departure to Juventus and whether player-manager Dalglish could still influence matters on the pitch.

Indeed, during the late stages, Dalglish was still having to play at thirty-six when it was expected that Dalglish would quietly drop himself out of the team to concentrate on managing.

Liverpool fans were to have a nice surprise when the arrival of John Barnes and Peter Beardsley, shook up the Kop and the footballing world with the scintillating football that would be played next year. It was to be one of the most attacking Liverpool teams as they went twenty-nine games unbeaten in 1987-88 on their way to clinch the title.

Sadly, for Everton, this was to be their purple patch, especially after Howard Kendall left to manage the Basque club Athletic Bilbao. Although Kendall’s number two Colin Harvey took the hot seat, he was not a Bob Paisley that could keep the success going.

It didn’t help that the likes of Trevor Steven left for pastures new joining Everton right back Gary Stevens at Glasgow Rangers a couple of years later.

Big money was spent in the attempt to keep Everton fighting for trophies such as a record transfer fee for young West Ham striker Tony Cottee. Pat Nevin, Stuart McCall, and Peter Beagrie but none reached the levels expected.

Colin Harvey did lead Everton to the 1989 cup final, but were beaten 3-2 with that man Ian Rush coming off the bench to score twice. The move to Juventus had turned sour with Rush coming back to Anfield for only one season.

Back to 1987 and there was still the small matter of a FA cup final to play. David Pleat’s Spurs were gaining all the plaudits for the their football. Unlike ‘Diamond lights,’ a song performed by Spurs stats Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle.

Undeterred of bad cup final songs, Chas and Dave released the Tottenham cup final song with ‘Spurs are on their way to Wembley.’

Coventry City had reached their first FA cup final beating Man Utd away in the fourth round, amongst others before dispatching second division Leeds United 3-2.

As per usual in that period, Tottenham were hyped by the media who felt that Spurs had too much for Coventry and would keep their one hundred percent record of never losing a FA cup final. Wins against Newcastle, Scunthorpe, Crystal Palace and a 4-1 against Watford in the semi-finals saw Tottenham reach the final.

What isn’t talked about is how much of a classic the 1987 FA cup final was. Right from the whistle it was a game that you couldn’t take your eyes away. It had everything that a blockbuster film could only envy.

A Coventry team who were the plucky underdogs against the glamour boys of Tottenham Hotspur. Even the weather was classic cup final with blue skies and a warm spring afternoon.

It took only three minutes for Tottenham to breach Coventry’s defence as Clive Allen claimed his forty-nine goal of the season. Many expected Spurs to turn this into a rout but Gary Bennett equalised six minutes later.

The game was back and forth with either side having chances to take the lead. As it was, a free kick from Glenn Hoddle fell to Gary Mabbutt who scored the goal to give Tottenham a 2-1 lead prior to the referee ending the first half.

A diving header from Keith Houchen in the second half saw Coventry City equalised and take the game to extra time.

It was to turn into agony for Spurs and Gary Mabbutt as a McGrath cross deflected off the Spurs defenders knee to go past Ray Clemence.

Spurs could not get the equaliser with Coventry deserved winners as they won the FA cup for the first time in their history. The smiles on the Coventry players, manager, coaches and fans showed how much it meant to them as they milked every minute of it.

Back then it was about the memories and enjoying the special moments of winning the cup rather than celebrating a solitary fourth place finish in the Premier league.

The FA cup final was a perfect end to the season that had provided drama, stories, and good football.

Messi, the leaving of Barcelona and the arrogance that leaves Barca in limbo

The thing with football is that time passes by so quickly that it is ten years since Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona outplayed Manchester United in the 2010-11 UEFA Champions league final at Wembley 3-1.

In that same year they also won the league with ninety-six points, four more than Real Madrid as the two clubs went head to head. That year it was a clash of styles and personalities as the then coach Mourinho used every trick in the book to get in the minds of Barcelona’s players and particular the manager.

Pep Guardiola’s team was a fantastic team to watch. Breath taking football, that neutrals outside of Madrid also admired.

When Guardiola took charge of Barcelona in the summer of 2008 the club were at a crossroads after Frank Rijkaard had took the club to two La Liga titles and a much coveted second European cup after beating Arsenal 2-1 in Paris. After the 2006 final, Barca were off the pace with players such as Deco and Ronaldinho coasting.

It was a massive risk by the Barcelona board. Guardiola was a new coach who had managed the B team but the board knew that Guardiola knew the club inside out and crucially knew that he had the players to turn it around.

Guardiola stamped his authority from the off as Deco and the club’s biggest star at the Ronaldinho were sent packing.

Fortunately, it wasn’t a massive rebuild that was required. Just a professional attitude and getting the players to buy into his tactics which the team did. Added to which, there was the emerging talent of a young Lionel Messi.

The Barcelona team at the time was strong in every area of the pitch. From the goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders, and forwards, every player was strong in their position. They could press aggressively, and make the quick pass and move required by Guardiola that blew teams away.

Iniesta and Xavi finally got the recognition they deserved whilst Lionel Messi became the global star to rival Ronaldo.

Supporters around the world enjoyed watching Barcelona with many becoming fans of the club as they bought into ‘more than a club.’

As the big money continued to slush around the game it propelled Barcelona into one of the global giants. Sponsors wanted to be associated with the success and plaudits that was showered on Barcelona FC.

The only thing is that nothing lasts forever. A player like club captain Puyol may not be a glamourous name nor have the skills of Messi, but he is a fundamental part of the team.

In essence a successful team is built like a swiss clock. Every part, even the smallest ensures the team functions well. Not that the Barcelona board at the time was aware of this.

When Puyol called time on his career due to injuries a centre half didn’t seem to be a priority. Mascherano a defensive midfielder was put in defence alongside Pique. Not that it seemed to matter at the time as success still came but there was not the eye on the future. So long as Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi were still the heartbeat of the team, Barcelona were always in the running.

La Masia was always talked about producing players and to listen to the board and certain critics, they bragged that they built teams and not bought stars like Real Madrid.

This wasn’t true as it was only during Guardiola’s reign as manager that La Masia graduates like Xavi, Iniesta, Pique, and of course Lionel Messi came to the fore. Barcelona were just as committed to buying big stars as their history shows. If you want to look at a club that is committed to their youth team then look no further than Athletic Bilbao.

Big money was splashed around like a drunken sailor on leave. In modern football it isn’t so much the transfer that is the killer it is the colossal wages that can hurt a club, especially if the player isn’t as good as they thought.

You can accept a lower transfer fee but unless you can afford to pay the player the remaining years of his contract, or a club is willing to match the wages there is not much you can do to force the move unless the player is happy to take a cut in pay.

This though is what Barcelona did consistently after Guardiola left. No thought to their finances, no thought as to whether the player would fit the tactics and style of the team. Money was spent as a form of status that they were a big and global club.

When Neymar joined Barcelona in 2013 for a stated £57 million Euro fee from Santos it transpired, following an investigation into tax evasion that the transfer had cost Barcelona £86.2 million euros with £40 million euros going to Neymar’s Parents. The jokes knocked around that Neymar’s Dad cost more than a top flight transfer fee.

By now Barcelona’s influential players such as Xavi and Iniesta were looking towards the end of their careers. Dani Alves who had been their marauding right back was on his way out as he was in his mid-thirties. Yet Barcelona didn’t look at bringing in players that could do a job but were obsessed with the star dust that comes with a superstar footballer.

The thinking was that they always had Messi. Someone who would always get them out of trouble and more than likely score the crucial winner. However, whereas previously the team could cope without Messi, this time they relied more and more on Messi.

Just by having their talisman coming on as a substitute after injury boosted his teammates and the crowd.

Luis Suarez was signed from Liverpool in the summer of 2014 with Barcelona winning the treble that season of La Liga, Champions league and Copa Del Rey. That though was to be Barcelona’s Indian summer.

Nothing was done to ensure the balance of the team was still in place. Not even after Xavi and Iniesta left. When Neymar left for PSG (apparently, Barcelona had become fed up with the circus that came with Neymar’s entourage) the club signed Dembele from Borussia Dortmund for £105 million euros with another £40 million euros in add ons.

The only problem was that Barcelona gave no thought as to how Dembele would fit in the team. A talented player, but could Dembele adjust to a different style that meant that you had to create, work hard, as well as being a striker.

Unfortunately, the move did not work out as Barcelona continued to spend lavish amounts on players with no thought to balancing the books. Phillipe Coutinho was signed from Liverpool for £105 million rising to £142 million with various add on clauses.

Maybe Barcelona was expecting Coutinho to be a Neymar but he is a completely different player to his fellow countryman. Instead the move was a disastrous flop that saw Barcelona putting him out on loan to Bayern Munich.

To add more salt into the wounds, Coutinho scored twice against Barcelona in a Champions League quarter-final as Bayern Munich thrashed Barcelona 8-2 in Lisbon.

Bayern Munich went on to lift the European cup that year with Barcelona having to pay Coutinho a hefty bonus as they failed to stipulate that Coutinho had to win the European cup with the Catalan club.

Major cracks had already appeared. The debacle against Juventus in 2017 as they were beaten 3-0, blowing a 4-1 first leg lead against Roma to lose on away goals as Roma won 3-0 in the return leg in 2018.

Then came the humiliation at Anfield a year later as they blew a 3-0 first leg lead to be blown away by Liverpool who thrashed Barcelona 4-0. The players physically wilted on the pitch, withdrawing further back with Messi a passenger in that game.

Despite all the money that came from sponsorship, ticket sales, kit deals etc, Barcelona had managed to squander the money that now saw the club in a financial mess. The high wages was crippling the club and despite Messi wanting to leave last year, the club still put a stop to him moving.

It wasn’t just because Messi is one of the best players in the world but the fact that as their talisman, it would make them less of a club in status as well as igniting more anger from their fans due to the mismanagement.

The summer of 2019 saw lessons not learnt from Barcelona. Rather than re-focusing on what was needed for the team, they decided to activate Griezmann’s 120 million euro buyout clause from Atletico Madrid.

Again, no consideration was given as to how Griezmann would fit into Barcelona’s style and tactics. Atletico are more direct in their play and feed their strikers whereas as a Barca forward who are expected to create and pull defenders out of position as well as finding the back of the net. Not surprisingly, the move hasn’t worked out.

Maybe it was to cut down on the wages bill (which was like throwing a glass of water on a house fire), Barcelona let Luis Suarez join Atletico Madrid who not only scored goals but knew how to play for Barcelona.

The pandemic hasn’t helped any clubs although the likes of PSG, Man City, and Chelsea due to their rich owners have managed to cushion the blow. Barcelona’s mismanagement for the past ten years kicked them even harder in the sense that they can scarcely afford anyone.

Even when Messi was happy to stay and take a fifty percent paycut, Barcelona still couldn’t afford it, which led to the unthinkable of Messi leaving the Camp Nou and joining Neymar at PSG.

Matters are so bad that Pique has had to take a pay cut in order for Barcelona to register their new players.

There always was a time when Messi would hang up his boots but that was thought to be at Barcelona. Now they not only face having to live without one of the best players to grace a football pitch they now have to rebuild whilst heavily in debt. This was one of the reasons why Barcelona along with Real Madrid were happy to form a European Super League which collapsed quickly.

Nothing lasts forever and that’s why if you support Barcelona or enjoy the football that Barcelona produced during the past sixteen years, you have to enjoy every minute of it before the sun goes out.

Barcelona are back to earth with a nasty bump and will have to live with being ordinary. Whether they can reach their former glory remains to be seen, but they have not helped themselves with the arrogance that the board believed that success lives forever.

Throw in the financial mess, giving mind blowing contracts to players that didn’t balance the books, didn’t think about where these players would fit in, and more importantly, realise to be successful you have to build a team, it is not surprising that Barcelona are in the mess that they are in.

It is one of their own making and without Messi there is a good chance that they will hit new lows not seen for a long time.

Scouse not English

A banner on the Kop can be sometimes seen that proudly says ‘Scouse, not English,’ as though Liverpool is a separate region from England. Similar to the how the Basques and Catalans see themselves as separate from Spain.

For those born outside or have never lived in Liverpool there is a sense of bewilderment and even anger that some Liverpudlians see themselves as separate from England, even more when supporting the national football team is a shrug of couldn’t care less from Liverpudlians.

I can’t speak for everyone, but I can give my view on why I feel this way. Of course there are Liverpudlians who support the national team and even have the flags out during the tournaments. It would be daft to say otherwise, but for those wondering about why some Liverpudlians do not want to identify as English or support the national football team, here is an explanation.

Liverpool’s identity

Due to Liverpool being a metropolitan city back when it was the second city to London in terms of economic importance and wealth, it was a beehive for immigrants making Liverpool their home.

It truly was a melting pot with every type of nationality taking residence in Liverpool. The biggest group was Irish, followed by Welsh which made Liverpool the biggest Celtic city in England. Added to which there was Scandinavians, and Italians who built huge communities.

Not surprisingly, it had an impact on the city’s culture and the Scouse accent evolved from a Lancastrian accent into the Scouse accent that we know today. Even the Liverpool’s famous meal ‘Scouse,’ is a take from Scandinavian stews.

Liverpool seemed different to other parts of England and with huge communities from across the globe, it was no surprise that they drew support from each other in times of strife.

Take the 1911 Transport strike which was a national strike as the main artery of the British Empire was cut off, when the strikers decided what could and couldn’t come through the docks.

The city took on two gunboats sent by Winston Churchill who pointed the guns at the city. Not forgetting ‘bloody Sunday,’ when the army cavalry charged a peaceful crowd of thousands at St. George’s plateau.

To stop it escalating further and a possible civil war, the government ordered the businesses to concede to the demands of the strikers to end the dispute.

It is the 1980s though where you can see the foundations for the Scouse not English taking roots and lead to Liverpool forming a separate identity from the rest of England.

The 1980s was a tough time for the north and Liverpool was one of the hardest hit. Geoffrey Howe declared Liverpool as a lost cause with the infamous letter that spoke of ‘managed decline,’ which Margaret Thatcher’s government carried out.

That was never going to be taken laying down, and with a militant council fighting the cuts, it seemed Liverpool was involved in its own war with central government.

It is a city that will always fight its own corner. The Hillsborough disaster in 1989 where ninety-six people were unlawfully killed at the FA cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, due to Police incompetence, poor stewarding, and a stadium whose safety licence had expired.

A cover up was attempted, which started with the Sun newspaper headline blaming fans for the disaster, knowing that it was untrue. The Lord Taylor report exonerated the Liverpool fans but didn’t push for the Police commanders like Duckenfield, FA, Sheffield Wednesday board to be prosecuted for causing the deaths that led to ninety-six supporters being killed as well as the mental impact it had on the survivors, family and friends.

Once the Taylor report had been concluded with its recommendations, it was assumed by the establishment that the families and survivors would just go away. Only they didn’t, and had to fight every inch of the way over the years to get justice.

Even now, it is hard to contemplate at the sheer scale of the cover up, altering witness statements, mud throwing that went on led to those in high government and the establishment being viewed with suspicion, and not wanting to be associated with anything that was willing to lie and demonise a city to cover the failings of those in high positions.

Besides which, those establishment figures loathed Liverpool and its politics. Instantly looking at anyone from Liverpool as a second class citizen and troublemaker that filtered down onto to the away terraces.

Chants of ‘sign on,’ ‘feed the scousers,’ ‘Liverpool slums,’ sang at Liverpool fans. This was particularly more galling when it came from areas in the country that had high unemployment and needed investment. You can actually feel the venom of some people when they even hear the word Liverpool.

You can argue that all areas of the UK are subject to stereotypes which is true but when people are going over and over with the same digs, you realise that it is personal. Others viewing you with suspicion and thinking that the majority of city were on benefits and always on the take.

Is it any wonder why any Liverpudlian would want to support England when you are made to feel like an outsider?

There is also a difference between the different parts of the country that support England and Liverpool in the sense of their views and behaviour. For England supporters they don’t seem to be able to go anywhere without trying to intimidate and bully the locals.

It is as though they take great delight in thrashing a bar and fighting the local Police. Throw in the songs from World War II and the ‘no surrender,’ chants, it isn’t something that I want to be associated with. Patriotism with a snarl, is what I call it.

When Liverpool play abroad, it might be loud, but there isn’t any intimidation with the mood normally relaxed.

Let’s not forget the clip of England supporters chanting ‘we hate Scousers.’ That isn’t a joke but real venom at a city who they look down their nose at.

That incidentally isn’t just football rivalries, it is more personal when you read some of the comments on social media. The insults such as ‘bin dippers,’ aimed very much at the city rather than the football team.

You could feel the panic as Liverpool marched on to win the European cup in 2019 and even more so in 2020 when Liverpool won the Premier League and becoming Champions of England for the nineteenth time. The ‘unbearables,’ as Liverpool were called, became a badge of honour.

So if you are wondering why Scouse not English is a thing it is the hostility directed at the city and not feeling any connection to England. After all, Liverpool’s politics and views differ to the rest of the country.

Finally, if you make someone feel like an outsider, then don’t expect them to suddenly jump on the England bandwagon, when the majority of people have been sneering at a city that they probably have never visited.

The seeds of the European Super League Was Sown In 1992.

It was all done with the subtlety of a bulldozer crashing into your house when news seeped through of Perez’s ‘dirty dozen,’ announced that they would be setting up a new European Super League on a Sunday evening.

None of that dicey business of relegation and of having to earn a place through your domestic league. You was in, because you either had money or the stardust to attract fans all over the world. This was invitation only.

Shock and anger engulfed social media as fans let rip their revulsion of such an idea. To make matters worse, the managers and the players didn’t know and had the rug pulled out from under them.

Jurgen Klopp was thrown to the wild and left like Withnail’s Uncle Monty ‘naked in the corner,’ as Klopp had to bat questions about something that he only knew as much as the reporter and detested the idea of a European Super League.

As the fury erupted like a flame across gunpowder in a fireworks factory the clubs started to drop out one by one. Man City’s manager Pep Guardiola was openly critical of the Super League as it all started to resemble a mess of Eton proportions.

Probably the biggest factor in the clubs withdrawing from the Super League was the players and Managers. UEFA, who had thought the new Swiss style tournament that would come into force from 2024, would be enough to placate the ‘Dirty Dozen,’ were furious. Retribution was threatened that any player touching a ball in a Super League match would be banned from representing their national sides.

There was also the complex matters of players contracts that was tied up in bonuses and wages that was related to the Champions league, Premier league, plus sponsorship money. It was probably the players and managers anger that saw the clubs drop out. After all, without a team you can’t play.

Fans celebrated as others decried the lack of understanding from the owners of the clubs. Did they not understand the identity of their club or the heritage of the game in this country?

In short probably not and neither do they care. For the US owners for example, it is about making money. Franchises which is what the Super League was, is a model they are used to working with. Plus the added billions from JP Morgan, it would be mad to turn it down, especially whilst we are in the midst of a global pandemic.

Some fans are talking about wresting back control and citing the Bundesliga fifty plus one rule. Others want new owners as others wonder how on earth it had come to this.

The truth of the matter is that seeds of destruction was sown back in 1992 when the then big five of the English football league, Arsenal, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur, wanted a bigger slice of the pie.

It was about making more money and protecting themselves from any intruders who might stand on their toes. One Sunday Mirror journalist (unfortunately, the name escapes me) quite rightly called the new Premiership ‘The Greed is good league,’ a quote attributed to Gordon Gekko, a character in the film Wall Street.

Out went one hundred and four years of football league history and in came the ‘The Greed is good league,’ (Premier league as it is known) with the chasm between the big clubs and other clubs matching the Grand Canyon.

What accelerated the gulf was the money from Sky or BSkyB as it was known back in 1992. In Adrian Tempany’s book ‘And the sun shines now,’ it recounts how Alan Sugar the then Chairman of Tottenham Hotspur and the owner of Amstrad, phoned the Chief Executive of BSkyB Sam Chisholm and told him ‘to blow ITV’s bid out of the water.’

Although Sugar came clean to the other Chairmen of his conflict of interest, it still seems questionable, judging the shares in Amstrad soared once the BSKYB bid was accepted.

This was the moment that the genie was let out of the bottle, never to return. With Italia 90 seemingly starting to see a new interest in football, everybody flocked to watch football and subscribed to Sky and undoubtedly saved Rupert Murdoch’s ailing satellite station.

Football was now a product to be consumed and with the shiny new all seater stadiums or upgraded on the recommendation of the Taylor report after the Hillsborough disaster that led to the unnecessary loss of ninety-six lives, it fitted in with the new image Sky wanted to sell.

Richard Keys the host of Sunday football never tired of telling the audience that the Premier league ‘was the best in the world.’

As the money rolled, it was spent on players across the world, especially after the 1995 Bosman ruling, which ruled players could move freely without any restrictions such as the three foreigner ruling at the time.

The likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Viera, Jurgen Klinsmann, Ravanelli, Juninho, Ruud Gullit, Gianfranco Zola, to name a few, graced the pitches and added the stardust for Sky.

Now it really was ‘the best league in the world,’ when the best players strutted their stuff on English pitches.

Once Arsene Wenger brought success to Arsenal it paved the way to managers from around the globe to coach the big sides. The Premier league was truly global and attracted a huge audience from overseas which increased the revenue for Sky and the Premier league teams.

Some football clubs like Derby County and most notably Leeds United gambled to stay in the Premier League or in Leeds case staying in the top four for a Champions league spot but failed spectacularly even with the parachute payments to soften the blow out of dropping out of the Premier league.

That brings us onto the UEFA Champions League which also plays a part in this sordid affair. After Real Madrid were knocked out in the second round of the European Champions Cup in 1990, they furiously reacted against the dice of chance and wanted a system that still gave them a chance and more money. As did the other top European sides at the time.

So was born the UEFA Champions League that was restructured into a round robin of a group and knock out stages. Most notably, you no longer had to be a Champion but finish up to fourth in some leagues to get the golden ticket of participating. Thus ensuring that the big clubs always had a chance of competing in Europe’s Premium club knockout competition.

Like the Premier league, money from TV and sponsors, splashed into the coffers like Blackbeard the pirate after a summer of pillaging. You didn’t even have to win the competition to make a lottery style killing.

Money became King and whereas UEFA once frowned so heavily on the hint of sponsorship tainting their competition (teams who had shirt sponsors had to have them removed if they reached the final. In the 1981 European cup final, Liverpool even had to cover the Umbro logo, prior to beating Real Madrid 1-0), now threw it at you. Official beer, official soft drink, official video game console, you name it, UEFA were willing to embrace it.

As the clubs gained more influence and wanted an even more bigger share of the cake, it wasn’t any surprise that rich businessmen wanted a piece of the action. Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea and instantly gave them a blank cheque to bring in the best players. Then there was the Glazer’s who upon purchasing United plunged them straight into debt, in order to purchase the club.

Outside of the big clubs there were owners willing to take a quick punt. Some like Portsmouth were asset stripped and dropped down like a stone, before fans rescued the club and helped rebuild the club.

Nobody asked the fans what they wanted or whether they were happy with the changes in the game. Ticket prices soared, kick-off times were re-arranged to suit television. Never mind the distance between Newcastle and Liverpool on New Year’s day and lack of public transport. That kick-off will be 12.30 if television says it is.

Football was turning into a product. Fans were customers, preference was given to those who were willing to pay package deals and spend hundreds in the club shop rather than the old timers who at best would buy a match day programme.

Every game whether it was Stoke City vs Burnley was an event, with the Premier league anthem and the players stood there in their pre-match tops shaking hands. The crowds just added that bit of extra colour and noise to sell to their overseas audience.

When the Fenway group bought Liverpool in 2010 it was a relief for many reds that the club was no longer in the incompetent and greedy hands of Hicks and Gillette.

For John Henry who had no interest in football and never even heard of Liverpool football club, it was a chance to buy a distressed asset on the cheap. This would be how it would be sold to him. Liverpool had a huge global fanbase, an established club, with the money from the Premier league and European competition help boost their return, along with the prospective sponsors who would be happy to chip in, to be a part of their product.

The Main Stand was rebuilt to accommodate more fans and with the success of Jurgen Klopp winning the Champions league and the Premier league it seemed that the good times would roll.

Of course there had been a bumpy ride with the U-turn over the proposed £77 ticket but that was all in the past. The fact is, that the Fenway group are venture capitalists who are willing to do anything that will make a profit. John Henry for example, is a baseball and Red Sox fan, but has received criticism in the running of the team from their fans. Money is what drives the likes of Fenway and Glazers. Not leaving a legacy or being a benevolent owner who buys into an identity. That is something to sell, to make your club somehow special ‘this is more,’ more than a club,’ etc.

That’s why it shouldn’t come as a surprise when they were willing to sign up to the European Super League. A couple of billion to enter a franchise and the extra dough that would come with it.

For Real Madrid and Barcelona who are heavily in debt, it was a chance to wipe the debts clean as well as protecting their interests that comes with being in a closed shop.

Maybe they were initially taken aback from their own fans protests against the proposed European Super League, but if it wasn’t for the players and managers, would have tried to have still railroaded it through. After all, even for those that dropped out, there are enough on the season ticket waiting lists to take that place.

Sky sports might use Gary Neville to protect the threat to their product in saying how the European Super League would destroy competitive football. The truth is that this was a ticking bomb started in 1992. As the clubs got richer, those of the elite wanted more and more as well as protecting their status.

That was why UEFA are still going ahead with the Swiss system leading to more games and a wild card entry for those clubs not good enough to qualify for the Champions league through their past history. More precisely, their global audience.

Nobody asked the fans who actually go the game what they wanted. We are the ones who are expected to pay more money, find the time from work to travel, in order to sell their product.

For those wondering after the protest at Old Trafford what Utd and Liverpool fans want is keeping hold of their identity and values of the communities that the club were born from.

The problem is whether it is too late. Ever since the birth of the Premier league and the revamping of the UEFA Champions league, football has become a commodity to consume across the world. When there is huge bundle of cash involved is it any surprise that capital ventures like the Glazier’s and FSG start sniffing around the big clubs?

Even if the owners of Man Utd and Liverpool did sell would the new owners be any different or even worse? From my point of view, I wasn’t surprised by FSG. I knew that they were in it for the money and at the time were preferable to the two cowboys Hicks and Gillett.

Is it a case of just making the best out of a bad hand? After all, FSG have delivered on redeveloping the main stand, providing support for Klopp in bringing in the players that helped win the league and the European cup.

There are those that argue that you can’t have your cake and eat all of it. If David Moore who was Liverpool through and through, still owned Liverpool, then the identity and principles of Liverpool would still be kept. However, Moore does not have the money that you need to compete which is why he unfortunately sold to Hicks and Gillette.

All of this stems from the formation of the Premier league. It encouraged greed and the protection of the big clubs. Once Sky pumped in the money as well as the money generated by the Champions league, the clubs involved were always going to grow away from their roots. Money talks and selling a dream of principles is something to get extra support from across the globe to buy into.

The die hards are there to make the noise and colour for the cameras in order to sell and the sad reality is that we are viewed as customers.

What happens next is anyone’s guess. The fans need to have more of a say in the running of the club but whether the owners would entertain that is another matter.

As for Sky they can’t hold the moral high ground. They are just as much responsible for turning football into a bloated version of Disney land where everything can sold with the latest transfer news turned into a drama to rival the Sopranos. Everything to keep that Premier league machine going.

Liverpool v Atletico Madrid -The Covid game

The last game before lockdown

What started off as an outbreak restricted to China and the far east had now already hit European and British shores by the time Liverpool got ready to play Atletico Madrid for the return leg on the 11th March 2020.

The news of the impending pandemic had been building it up as though it was a blockbuster film which may have led to people to believe that it was exaggerated.  After all, the last time there had been a pandemic that engulfed Europe was the black plague back in the 17^th Century.

Nobody envisaged that the country would enter lockdown and that life as we knew it would drastically change.  Nor did anyone really know how deadly Covid-19 is, and even for those who have come through it, still suffer the after affects. 

There had been the coaches taking passengers from China to Arrow Park hospital over in the Wirral to be quarantined to much fanfare, or according to some, the ‘four coaches of the Apocalypse.’ 

However, as Italy started to suffer an outbreak and other parts of Europe, nobody was preventing people from travelling, quarantining visitors or simply keeping a trace, especially during the school half-term holidays.  It was as though nothing was happening and despite being an Island was ill-prepared.  That though is another story with regards to the Government’s handling of the pandemic. 

Back then the concerns was whether Liverpool would win the league in time before the inevitable happened and the season was suspended due to the pandemic.  Despite all this, nobody really understood the severity of the situation.  Sure, people were frightened because it was the unknown but there was still the naïve hope that it would miraculously go away.

The match

Lockdown and restrictions were being imposed right across Europe when Atletico Madrid were due to travel to Anfield for the second leg after winning 1-0 in the first leg. 

The debate was whether UEFA would suspend the competition and whether the UK government would let the game play with spectators’ present.  Not only were Liverpool fans allowed into Anfield, but also Atletico fans even though teams in La Liga were now being played behind closed doors, and COVID cases was rising across Madrid and Spain.

Normally, there is an atmosphere of excitement and with Klopp’s Liverpool there was always the confidence of overcoming a 1-0 deficit at Anfield.  After all, Barcelona was given a 3-0 start last season.

This game though carried a weird feeling.  Not the same one as the Champions league semi-final against Chelsea in 2005 where you just knew history was going to be made and Liverpool would reach their sixth European cup final.  Nor was it the feeling that it just wasn’t going to be our day that I felt on the morning of the 1988 FA Cup Final against Wimbledon.

It was a tense, worried feel that engulfed the city that day.  Articles such as the Daily Mirror journalist David Maddock was vocally opposed against the match taking place.  He described it as a ticking time bomb.  So too did Professor John Ashton the North West public health advisor.

Many including me, expected the game to be called off or played behind closed doors from the following Monday after Liverpool had beaten Bournemouth 2-1 at Anfield on Saturday. 

The only advice from the government was to wash your hands regularly whilst ‘singing happy birthday.’ Despite staring into the abyss Boris Johnson seemed to do his usual trick when something tough came along and that was to bluff it hoping something would come along.

In the meantime, people were bizarrely buying and hoarding toilet rolls as if it gold. Supermarkets were being stripped of tinned food and pasta. One Tesco customer was outraged to find that she only had four tins of chickpeas and not eight as ordered for the Home shopping. Maybe she was intent on making the ultimate hummus.

Tuesday came and went with no indication that crowds wouldn’t be allowed in for the Wednesday night game.  By then Atletico Madrid fans were already in the city with more flying into Liverpool that day.  Still, there was the half expectancy that common sense might prevail.

I went the game after work.  Strangely, this season it was just me going the European home games this season.  Of course, there were still people I knew going the game, even a steward who I know. 

Due to a late kick-off I was one of the last ones to leave work as I went to get something to eat and drink from the chippy in Bold street.  Normally I went to one of the chippy’s by the ground but someone had recommended Johnny English and I went there to check it out.

Nothing had changed.  There was still the hustle and bustle of people walking around town, buskers, pubs packed and people going home from work.  Anybody would think it was a normal night as people talked about the match but there was still that Jaw shark like feeling that the Great white shark was stealthily moving in.

Maybe if it had not been a Liverpool game and I had tickets to go the cinema, theatre or a gig then I might have just swerved it.  I don’t know why I still went despite the sixth sense banging away like John Bonham on drums.  Maybe I was still in denial that it wasn’t as bad and that surely spectators would be stopped if their safety was at risk.

I got the train from Liverpool Central for Sandhills to get the footy bus up to Anfield. My thought at the time was just to avoid Atletico Madrid fans (mad I know) and maybe just maybe, I would get through unscathed.

There were already some Atleti fans on the train as they got on the bus, draped in their scarfs, and flags. On the bus I saw someone from work Andy who had a quick drink at the Lion. We chatted about the match with Andy joking with an Atleti fan who tried to put a flag up on the top window.

German and Spanish fans who I have met in previous ties have been the friendliest. Just there to have a drink and support their team. Not like the Russians, Italians, or even Swiss fans Basle who are not the friendliest of fans.

We got off the bus by Stanley park and right on cue as we walked up towards the King Harry pub and up to the fabled ground of Anfield when we walked slap bang into the Atleti fans who were being marched up to the ground by the Police.

Nothing heavy went on. In fact, it was just Atletico Madrid fans singing ‘Allez, allez, allez,’ loudly whilst the programme seller shouted ‘Get yer matchday programme!’ As usual I got my Liverpool programme as the Atleti fans marched towards the Anfield road.

Once through the entry there was the new main stand that gleamed brightly. People were taking photos, others stood around chatting, as a huge screen showed previous screens and music blasting. It was just a scene from any other match day.

I went straight in, sent a few texts to my brother about the line up and then went up to watch the warm up.

George Septon was welcoming everyone to Anfield and suddenly everything was focused on the match. Only it wasn’t a normal atmosphere. The one moment that caught that strange mood was Jurgen Klopp angrily (and quite rightly) telling supporters who wanted to shake hands to ‘put your hands away, you fucking idiots,’ which I saw the next day on the highlights.

The two old fellas came to sit next to me on my left. You could tell that they had been going for years. I remember a moment when the fella who sits a couple of rows below us ‘shouted at everyone to get behind the team,’ against Napoli as though he was Mr Liverpool.

You get to know people’s habits when you sit at the same seat for years. Even the ones you don’t speak to. ‘Mr Liverpool,’ always got off a few minutes before the final whistle. Something that I never understand. Anyhow, I wondered if he would get off early and sure enough he did to the cries of the two old fellas shouting ‘there is, Mr get behind your team getting off before full time.’

As with the big European games, the atmosphere was loud and buoyant that Liverpool would do this. I love European games, especially as they take place at night. Somehow the floodlights make the grass seem greener and it seems a more dramatic setting.

Once ‘You’ll never walk alone,’ was sang and the whistle went, everyone was focused on the game. One of the old fellas had something against Simeone and his dirty tricks. Costa was another one who got it from him, but I reckon Diego Costa thrives on being a niggling little shit that winds you up.

Liverpool were imperious that night and really should have won. We expected to get that second when Gini made it all level on aggregate just before half-time. There was no social distance as people jumped around and hugged each other with loud victorious yells. With hindsight it was paradise for a contagious virus.

Robertson almost got us the winner but his header hit the crossbar which meant that as it was 1-1 on aggregate, extra-time and possibly penalties beckoned.

Everyone was focused on the match. The crowd was loud and as usual the Kop and Anfield’s energy surged the team forward. Everyone was yearning for Liverpool to win this game and hopefully make the season even more memorable by winning the league and retaining the European cup.

When Firmino gave Liverpool the lead on aggregate, everyone thought that was it. There was bedlam in the stands as people hugged and danced at witnessing another memorable night at Anfield. No thought about Covid that probably spread like wildfire that night.

Adrian was in goal that night for the injured Alisson and it was his mistake that let in Atletico Madrid when he made a dreadful clearance for Llorente who took advantage to give Atleti the edge. Suddenly they had the away goal.

Llorente struck again, much to the frustration of the old fella and everyone. A silly mistake had cost and when Morata got the third it just stuck the boot in.

Once the final whistle went no one envisaged that this would be the last time that Anfield would witness a full attendance. Most thought playing behind closed doors would be a temporary measure. How wrong were we.

I walked down the long stairs of the main stand and followed the tide of people as I started the twenty minute or so walk to Sandhills. Brushing past people, hearing conversations of went wrong. Some of it shite, some of it what I agreed with.

At Sandhills I text my brother about the match and positioned myself at the platform in order to be the first on the train and snatch a seat.

Twenty years I had been making that journey from Anfield to getting back home. Streets, buildings, that became so familiar that I could probably walk blindfolded to the train station. Now it’s a year, and this is the longest time that I have gone without going the match and I miss more than anything. Even those cold miserable nights when there was nothing to really play for.

I believe there is no doubt that the Liverpool v Atletico Madrid match led to a spike in Coronavirus cases. Atleti fans were freely mingling in bars, with some probably staying in hotels for at least one night.

Over fifty-thousand fans were mixing freely which is why Professor Tim Spector who runs the Covid-19 symptom study at Kings College, believes that there was a surge of Coronavirus cases in Liverpool as well as Cheltenham after the horse racing festival had taken place. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.

Once the Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was tested positive then that was it. The season was suspended.

At the time the Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared people to go about their ordinary business despite this ticking bomb waiting to go off. There was suspicion that the government was following the herd immunity theory but once they realised that the hospitals wouldn’t be able to cope with the surge of Covid-19 cases put the country into lockdown.

It says a lot that a football manager Jurgen Klopp acted more of a statesman than Boris Johnson. In his statement to fans he stated ‘First and foremost, all of us have to do whatever we can to protect one another. In society I mean. This should be the case all the time in life, but in this moment I think it matters more than ever. I’ve said before that football always seems the most important of the least important things.’

Then there is Marcus Rashford, the Man Utd centre-forward doing his best to ensure that school children had a decent meal. So much so, that Boris Johnson had to do a U-turn.

Much can be written about the Government’s handling of this pandemic but that would take another article.

For Liverpool, we did go on to win the Premier league when the season resumed, although behind closed doors. It wasn’t the same as it would have been being there, but at least it brought much needed happiness to the red half of the city and the Liverpool family across the world.

For now though, we just have to hope there is a light at the end of the storm with the vaccination. There is still a way to go, but hopefully we will get back to going back to going the match.

I know my brother and my mates who I go the game with, have been safe so far. Although I might not know them but I hope that they are all okay. From the old fellas, ‘Mr Liverpool,’ and the group I used to know when I was sat in the Kop.

As for the Liverpool v Atletico Madrid game and the Cheltenham festival, in years to come, people will think it was crazy and downright dangerous that people were allowed to go into a packed venue in the midst of a deadly pandemic.

Football Memories – The miracle of Istanbul 2005

People that say football is just a game, don’t know what they are talking about.  I can talk about identity, even culture but ultimately it is about the memories that it brings as well as the emotions.

‘Der, der, der,’ as soon as I hear the opening of Johnny Cash’s ‘ring of fire,’ no matter where I am, it transports me all the way back to 2005, the Ataturk stadium, and Istanbul.

Not even the biggest optimist would have openly declared that Liverpool would be the Champions of Europe for the fifth time when the 2004-05 football season kicked off.  We had a new manager in Rafa Benitez, and it was more a case of consolidating and re-building for the future.  Our league form wasn’t great and we finished fifth that season, which wasn’t good enough to qualify for next year’s Champions league.

Somehow Europe was different.  Maybe Benitez tactical acumen was more suited to a tournament competition like the champions league.  Either way we looked better organised and capable of beating anyone.

For me it was that Olympiacos game in December 2004, that made me believe that something magical might happen in Europe for Liverpool.  It was the resilience and never say die attitude of digging out the result against all odds. It was a taster for what was to come at the Ataturk in May.

Rivaldo had scored from a free kick meaning Liverpool now had to score three to get through.  I remember talking to mate Tony on whether he would bother going the UEFA cup games which Liverpool would drop into if they went out.  Even then it was more doubters than believers.

Pongolle equalised as a sub two minutes into the second half and Neil Mellor got the second.  It was now officially game on with all the agony and hope rolled around like a sweet and sour gobstopper in your mouth.

I was in the Kop that night with my mate Tony.  Those European night games with the floodlights make the grass look so green that it adds to the drama of what happened next.

The clock was ticking like the villain’s bomb as the hero races against time to deactivate it, when the ball went to Steven Gerrard from twenty-five yards out. Gerrard’s first instinct was to go for goal and Gerrard struck it so sweetly, that you that it was going to nestle against the back of the net.  I can’t tell you what happened in the next minute or of how Steven Gerrard celebrated, I was too busy jumping around and hugging anyone in sight.  We were through.

I mention that game because it was the first glimpse of Liverpool coming off the canvas and punching a knockout blow to win.  That high and happiness was something that money can’t buy. 

Even so it was a long way to the final.  I won’t go into detail except that Evertonians and Man Utd fans declared we wouldn’t get past our next opponents.  The panic was heaped on as Liverpool manoeuvred through each round.  By now panic was on their faces as Liverpool faced Chelsea in the semi-final.

After drawing 0-0 at Stamford Bridge I knew would go through, especially the noise of the crowd that night.  People got in early and it was a raw, wild, atmosphere akin to a hurricane.  You could taste the desperation of each and every red present that night.  This was our moment, our generations chance of making history to match the great teams of yester year.

When the Chelsea players stepped up onto the pitch for their warm up you could see that they were taken aback by the noise that sizzled and snarled like a piece of live electricity.  There was only going to be one winner that night and it was the men in red after Garcia’s first half goal was enough to see us through. 

Dubbed the ghost goal as Chelsea manager Mourinho didn’t believe it crossed the line, I’d like to think it was the Kop that dragged that ball over the line.  What is forgotten is that even if the goal had not been given, a penalty would have been awarded and Chelsea’s goalkeeper Cech would have been sent off for taking out Baros.

Not that it mattered.  The goal had been given and as we stood on our seats after the final whistle, waving our scarves to ‘Ring of fire,’ as we joined in.  We were on our way to Istanbul as we sang ‘You’ll never walk alone.’

Don’t ask me how long I stayed in the stadium.  All I know is that we didn’t walk back to Sandhills for the train but floated.  We had a celebratory whisky when I met up with my brother Patrick who was sat elsewhere in the Kop as we then went our separate ways to get some shuteye before getting up for work the next day.

News for tickets was waited as anxiously as watching each lottery number drop matching your ticket as you sat in front of the TV.  For me I had to look twice to see that I was entitled to a ticket.  Text messages, phone calls whizzed around like transfer deadline day in sealing a last-minute signing. 

Passports were sought, flights sought out as we went with the official Liverpool arrangements.  The only problem that I had was getting the time off work.  For me getting to the European cup final was as far removed as getting a flight to Mars.

Nobody that I knew, made any plans to take time off, never mind book accommodation and flights at the beginning of the season.  If anything, you would have got laughed at if you said we would get to the European cup final after we just scraped past GAK 2-1 on aggregate.  Incidentally, they had beat us 1-0 in the second leg at Anfield.

So, it was with great trepidation that I checked if there was leave available.  My heart lurched as though I had gone a goal down within the first minute.  Options suddenly flashed around my mind as though I was doing some huge physics puzzle. 

Now I could always throw a sickie and hope that I don’t get spotted by the cameras or bump into someone from work.  However, that doesn’t sit right with me. 

Maybe because people know that I follow Liverpool but I successfully managed to get the two days off. If the truth be told, I would have done anything to get time off for the European cup final in Istanbul.

The 1970s and 1980s was just littered with success and tales of European cup finals from Rome to Paris.  For my generation, this was our chance to enjoy the travels and the possibility of being there with Liverpool claiming their fifth European cup and get to keep the trophy. 

Go to John Lennon airport at five am and it is as quiet as a graveyard.  Sure there are a few people trawling through for the early flights but not a mass of people like Heathrow. 

The 25^th May 2005 was different.  It was full of Liverpool fans in full voice and high spirits.  A bit like being a kid on Christmas Day as you race downstairs ready to open your presents.  Even the statue of John Lennon was draped with a Liverpool scarf and a Fez hat. 

I admit that I am not keen on flying and my nerves were shredded when news came that the Turkish airline that we were on had been recently grounded but just lifted in time for the final.  Looking at the battered plane that looked like it had flown a mission too far, I would have turned around and refused to get on it if it had been a ordinary holiday. Pausing, I wanted to get to the final that badly that I would have flown on a Sopwith camel plane to watch Liverpool in Istanbul. 

Singing loudly, as we sit down on the plane with my brother Charlie, Tony, and his mate Alan we are all ready to enjoy this.  Every minute up in the air and travelling there is a memory and experience of what will hopefully be a great day, where we can boast that we were there when Liverpool won ‘old big ears,’ for the fifth time. 

A big cheer went up as the pilot wished Liverpool all the best with someone getting a hat to pass round for the pilot.  Normally this is done on the away coach for the driver.  The pilot got a good whip round by the way.

With the plane shaking as we descended my nails are dug into the arm rest with every minute seeming like an hour.  Relief oozes through me as the wheels hit the tarmac and races down as we hit terra firma. 

‘Der, der, der, der!  Der, der, der!’  Like everyone else, I am waving my flag as ‘Ring of fire,’ by Johnny Cash starts us off on the bus to take us to the designated city centre park for Liverpool fans. 

As soon as we got off the bus there were just masses of Reds and flags draped around the buildings by the park with various European Cups painted on them with words such as ‘Forza Liverpool,’ and ‘Yew Tree Reds.’  However, the one flag that really sticks in my mind even now is ‘Them Scousers again.’  Maybe because it installs a sense of pride of the City, the history of the club, as well defiance against those willing Liverpool to be beaten.

The mood was friendly with the atmosphere more of a party atmosphere with all of us determined to enjoy this trip no matter what.  It was quite good chilling out in the park with other Reds and even joining in a game of footy, although admittedly the Danish beer we bought was like drinking treacle! 

On top of that a fellow Red allowed us to pose with a silver tinfoil cardboard replica of the European Cup which he took a photo of on one of our camera phones which we then shared with each other.  A copy of that picture is proudly in my house in memory of that day.

As the clock was ever ticking near to kick off we decided to set off slightly early by getting a cab.  However, the cabbie refused our offer of thirty Turkish Lira and left us stunned as he furiously jumped out of his cab with his mate jumping in and saying he’ll take us.

Driving in Istanbul is something akin to Wacky races with our cabbie leaving us on the edge of our seats as he casually cut up cars and fiercely braked inches away from crashing into a van!  To add even more insult to injury the cabbie dropped us off at the beginning of the Milan end of the stadium cheerfully telling us ‘it was just up the road.’  It was anything but as it took us over an hour to get to the actual ground itself.

We did wonder if he had dropped us off at the right place as we appeared to be in the middle of Mad Max country as it was just desert and rubble as far as the eye could see.  As we continued walking, local kids suddenly appeared from nowhere shouting ‘Liverpool!’  Thankfully we knew we were on the right path as buses containing the Milan fans drove past us with a couple of them giving us the finger which must be an international symbol for all opposition fans.

Eventually we got to the Liverpool end and right across the barren roads one could just see a mass of Liverpool fans which looked like a red river.  With the clock ticking ever closer to kick off we went straight into the Ataturk stadium.

Nerves were jangling as I looked over the ground to see it was mainly of Liverpool fans with flags drapped behind our goal.  As the teams came out our dreams were either going to be met or shattered as the referee’s whistle began the game. 

‘Oh no!’ I thought as I held my hands in my face.  One minute into the game and Paulo Maldini had put Milan into the lead.  Prior to the game all of us thought that the one goal would win it and now we were chasing the game.

It’s weird looking back at the first half of that game on DVD as we didn’t look as bad as I thought we were that night.  Nevertheless, Liverpool looked out of there depth and I was just hoping that we could reach half time without conceding another.  Then it happened again with Crespo making it two and with a minute before half time it was three-nil to AC Milan.  We were all totally despondent as Tony and myself argued over the way Liverpool’s defence had been torn apart for Crespo’s goal. 

All I could think of back then was the humiliation that we faced.  I remembered watching Milan thrashing Barcelona four-nil in 1994 and the hassle of getting to Istanbul only to be humiliated across the world was too much to bear.  Already I could hear Evertonian’s gloating about how ‘we had been found out.’  For me it was just about salvaging pride and not conceding anymore.

Much has been said about the Liverpool fans singing ‘you’ll never walk alone,’ in an attempt, to raise the, but it was more an act of defiance in the face of self-resignation at our impending defeat.  Even the shouts for ‘we’re going to win four-three,’ was more black humour especially with the cynical laughter that followed it.

What happened after even now I find hard to believe.  Ten minutes into the second half and Gerrard had headed us a goal back.  ‘Good.’ I thought.  ‘At least it won’t look too bad.’  Gerrard was waving his arms to encourage the fans which did stoke the fire a bit. 

Then two minutes later Smicer who was playing his last game for Liverpool scored a cracking goal and the mood was changing.  Could we make a game of it?  Could we even make the come backs of all come backs?  Cheering and hugging everyone in sight the miracle happened when Gerrard was brought down for a penalty.  My heart was beating fast as Xabi Alonso stood to take the penalty as I forced myself to see if we could do it.  The penalty was saved but Alonso professionally followed up the rebound and the place erupted as Tony almost knocked the fella in front of him over.  I hugged my brother Patrick tightly as I then waved my scarf wildly along with everyone else as we broke out into the song ‘ring of fire.’

It seemed to be like a fantastic dream but there was the reality that it could go quickly wrong.  Extra time came and I prayed that we would get that goal as I couldn’t bear the prospect of the agony of penalties.  Disaster almost happened when with five minutes remaining Dudek produced that fantastic save at point blank from Shevchenko.

The whistle blew and it was penalties.  ‘We’re not going to do it.’ Said the bloke in front of us.  As I looked at the scoreboard to see it was still three-three to make sure it wasn’t a dream, I just didn’t know what to expect as I saw Carragher grab hold of Dudek yelling at him.

Everything about that match was a strange feeling, almost magical.  I think you would have to be there to get what I mean.  Maybe it was the fact the stadium was in the middle of nowhere, but there was a surreal feeling even before kick-off.  It could have been because the game was dramatic and your brain couldn’t register at the fight back that we had seen from Liverpool.  From humiliation to standing toe to toe with AC Milan.  It was the equivalent of Rocky coming back against Apollo Creed in the Sylvester Stallone.

All I can say is that it had a vivid dream like feeling to what we were witnessing.  I had to pinch myself a few times to make sure I wasn’t dreaming and the hugs certainly made that it clear with the masses of hugs and delirium at each of our goals. 

Whistling as hard as we could Milan took the first penalty which was to be at their end and Serginho missed much to our delight.  Then came our turn and I knew Hamann wouldn’t miss and sure enough he didn’t.  Pirlo took Milan’s second and to our disbelief and joy he also missed!  Cisse strode forward for us and I wasn’t too sure if he would score but when he did I thought for the first time that night that we could do it.  It was third time lucky for Milan when Tomasson scored.  Riise was our third taker and again I felt confident he would find the net, but he missed!  Kaka scored for them and once more I felt wary when Smicer took our fourth but he didn’t let us down as he calmly put the ball away.  Shevchenko the best striker in Europe took Milan’s fifth and Dudek saved!

My brain didn’t register and again I wonder of Rocky felt like this when he was declared a winner in of Sylvester Stallone’s films.  You know, a bit punch drunk.  Then it hit me as I looked over at the scoreboard to confirm that Liverpool were the new European Champions.  We had won!  Against all odds, we had won. 

It was then that it hit me.  We had won!  Liverpool FC were the Champions of Europe once again.  All the anguish and desperation vanished as we hugged strangers and waved scarves.  To put it bluntly it all went mental as we savoured this victory which was so unexpected but so sweet. 

The miracle of Istanbul as it is called, was a rollercoaster of emotions.  From the build up of anticipation of a final in twenty years, the blows that felt that you were on the floor as Milan raced into a 3-0 lead.  All the effort of getting to the final (not just getting there but the matches) and to be used as a mop with Milan using Liverpool as a mop. 

But then Liverpool never give up.  The impossible became reality in those made six minutes when Milan stumbled and rocked as Liverpool drew level.  Every bit of emotion was released as each goal went in and the relief of each penalty scored and cheers when Milan missed. 

All that joy just fired into the Istanbul air like the fireworks that every ounce of emotion was used when we got back to the buses, even the vapour fuel.  Normally after a final the party still continues but after the early start, people started to tire.  Sure there were a few beers drank with kids on scooters selling beer with one fella left gobsmacked as the bus moved after the lights with the kid trailing back with his beer. 

Getting home was surreal as well.  It was chaotic at the airport as they shouted all the different flights to the same gate.  In the end it was like getting on a bus. 

‘Where are you going?’ 

‘Liverpool.’

‘Okay, get on.’  Even though there was people who were not booked on that particular flight. 

Unfortunately, we missed the parade as our plane was just getting into Liverpool.  I do wish Liverpool had waited for the weekend but at least we had been there to see Liverpool win their fifth European cup and subsequently get to keep it. 

Memories are special and if I could replay any day then it would be that trip to Istanbul. Football is a sport that messes about with your emotions. That’s why it is more than a game when it can make you question your sanity of watching a dire match on a cold midweek January night. But then it can make you feel that everything is right with the world. Football might be the most important of the least important things as Jurgen Klopp said, but it can bring you joy and pride.

In some respects it is a community sport as the game draws a collective response from the support who all feel the ups and downs of the game. Memories are a big part and it is the whole getting to the airport, the ground, the panic of the MC as everyone got on the stage, being in the middle of Mad Max country, and literally seeing a sea of red.

It’s also about sharing experiences with my brother Patrick as well. An adventure along with Tony and Alan that we went through every three act structure as though the match was a blockbuster film.

Football is like an electric socket that can plug into the crowd and produce a charge that can make you feel on the verge of something.

It can also tell you about a person. Take those that left at half time. They are the people who wouldn’t rely on when matters are tricky and against the odds. For me, Liverpool showed that no matter what the odds are, never give up, and I guess we didn’t as we gained memories that will live on forever.

Pausing, I understood.  That first half hurt and unlike others (we only found out that some idiots had left at half time) we stuck it out and had seen Liverpool do the unthinkable to win against all odds.  You have to stick together and give everything you’ve got.  For me, Liverpool that night taught me that you must never give up. 

When stardust was sprinkled on Middlesbrough in the 90s

Back in the autumn of 1993, the stench of relegation from the Premier league still hovered over the Boro like the smoggy smoke from the ICI towers. Morale was low as the supporters tried to shake off the hangover from the indignity of being sent down to the second tier or League Division one as it was called at the time.

Back then nobody envisaged that in three years time Middlesbrough would be playing their football in a state of the art stadium with a squad that included Brazilian and Italian internationals.

Lennie Lawrence who had plyed his trade as a semi-professional player at Croydon before working his way up the managerial ladder by taking charge of Plymouth in 1978 and then Charlton Athletic in 1982, helping the South London club to promotion to the First Division in 1986.

It was a feat that Lawrence was to achieve in his first season at Middlesbrough as they finished runners-up to Ipswich Town in the 1991-92 season. Interestingly, Blackburn Rovers who had appointed Kenny Dalglish as Manager with Jack Walker’s millions to help, finished sixth and won promotion by winning the play-offs.

For Middlesbrough, it was pretty much par for the course of plodding along in the lower division intertwined with promotions to the First Division. Of course there had been periods of highs. Jack Charlton had built a good side during his four year tenure in the 1970s. Later, Charlton would say it was one of his regrets that he did not stay on longer as Charlton felt that if he had obtained a couple more players then Middlesbrough could have challenged for the title.

With the likes Graeme Souness and Craig Johnston who would later join Liverpool and help them to extend their success in the league and Europe it was a possibility.

Other notable players was Wilf Mannion who became a club legend that a statue stands proudly outside the Riverside stadium. Then there is another local legend Brian Clough who scored 204 goals in 222 games before becoming one of the managerial greats.

Most of Middlesbrough’s history was turbulent with the peak year being 1986, when the gates had been padlocked and were ten minutes from being folded until Steve Gibson the club chairman managed to get a consortium to save the club.

The ambitions for the Boro back then was simply to get back into the top flight and become a permanent club rather than a yoyo club.

So it was that Lennie Lawrence’s objective was to get Middlesbrough back into the top flight at the first time of asking, especially as plans were already in motion to build a new stadium just on the edge of the Town centre at the Riverside.

Only Middlesbrough couldn’t even make the playoff’s that season and faded away.

A local businessman and life long fan Steve Gibson bought into the club and was to show the first intent of ambition by persuading Manchester United’s Bryan Robson to become player manager.

Everyone assumed that Robson seen it as a stepping stone to either the Man Utd or the England job. Nevertheless it was seen as a signal of intent that Middlesbrough were not content with just getting into the Premier League but establishing themselves as one of the top sides.

Middlesbrough were crowned league one champions and earned promotion to the Premier league in Robson’s first season in charge. It was also to be Boro’s last season at Ayresome Park as they moved to the Riverside stadium.

In many ways it was symbolic of Middlesbrough intent and they were to surprise the footballing world when they beat a host of clubs to sign the highly rated Brazilian international Juninho for £4.75 million in October 1995.

The 1996-97 season was a rollercoaster that began with dreams of challenging the big boys, reaching two cup finals and the nightmare of relegation.

A few years back nobody would have envisaged Fabrizio Ravanelli, the Brazilian Emerson, Juninho, Danish international Mikkel Beck, and Norwegian Jan Age Fjortoft rubbing shoulders the likes of Phil Stamp, Craig Hignett and Nigel Pearson.

Due to the money spent much was expected and Middlesbrough certainly delivered in their opening home game against Liverpool. Ravanelli snatched a hat-trick as Boro drew 3-3 in a pulsating and entertaining game.

This was the touch of stardust that Middlesbrough fans could only previously look on in envy with other clubs signing big names. For them the Teessiders had arrived.

It was an impressive start to the 1996-1997 season. An impressive ten points from the next five games saw Middlesbrough rise to fourth place. As autumn arrived it promised to be a memorable season. Unfortunately it would be but not for the right reasons.

The Brazilian international Emerson did not like living in the north east and frequently flew back to Rio De Janeiro without the club’s permission. At one point Emerson’s agent was indicating that his client would be playing for Barcelona in the new year.

To add to Middlesbrough’s woes their results had been poor and now saw them in a relegation battle after Christmas.

There was further controversy when Middlesbrough was unable to fulfil a fixture against Blackburn Rovers citing injuries and a illness crisis that they could not field an XI.

The FA Premier League believed that Middlesbrough had given too late notice to call the match off and fined the Teessiders three points. It was to prove costly at the end of the season.

Although the league was proving to be a struggle, Middlesbrough found themselves on a cup run that would see them reach the League cup and FA cup for the first time in their history.

This was the type of excitement what Boro supporters had expected with their summer signings. A chance to win silverware and not one but two trips to Wembley.

It was a memorable run in the League cup as they beat their northeast rivals Newcastle United 3-1 and then Liverpool 2-1. The semi-final saw Boro play beat Stockport County 2-1 over two legs which earned them a place in the final to play Leicester City.

The final itself was a tense game with no goals scored in ninety minutes meaning extra-time. Ravanelli broke the deadlock in the 95th minute to give Middlesbrough the lead.

As the clock ticked down to the remaining two minutes of time, Leicester City’s Emile Heskey equalised to take the game to a replay. To rub salt in the wounds, Heskey was lucky to be still on the field after committing what many thought was a bookable offence on Middlesbrough’s captain Nigel Pearson after previously receiving a yellow.

Once again the replay which was played at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough ground, saw the match go to extra-time. Leicester City won the League cup as Steve Claridge got the only goal.

Like waiting for a bus another final followed as Middlesbrough reached the FA cup final for the first time in their history.

Chester City were dispatched 6-0 in the third round with Middlesbrough playing Goliath in the fourth round as they beat non-league Hednesford Town 3-2. Manchester City were beaten at Maine Road 1-0 in the next round and a 2-0 win away to Derby County saw Boro drawn to Chesterfield in the semi-final.

Although Middlesbrough needed a replay against Chesterfield they did not miss their opportunity as they beat Chesterfield 3-0 to play Chelsea in the FA cup final.

The final itself was a mixed feeling as the week before Middlesbrough saw relegated after drawing away to Leeds United. To kick the boot in even more was that if the three points had not been docked then Middlesbrough would have stayed up.

Boro supporters hoped that winning the cup would be a sweetener of some sorts and that history could be made. They knew that the likes of Ravanelli and Juninho would not be staying to play in league one.

The dreams of being one of the glamour clubs who attracted the top stars had now gone. It was nice whilst it lasted but stuck in the craw in the manner that it happened. Consequently, it was no surprise that the FA dignitaries were booed as the players were introduced at the cup final.

Chelsea themselves were undergoing a renaissance under Ruud Gullit with his brand of ‘sexy football.’

It took Chelsea’s Di Matteo forty-three seconds to give the West London club the lead. The goal was the quickest scored beating Newcastle’s Jackie Milburn by two seconds.

Middlesbrough could not get themselves back in the game and when Chelsea’s Eddie Newton got the second with seven minutes on the clock knew that the FA cup would not be going back to Teesside.

Hopes were high at the beginning of the season. Middlesbrough were showing ambition with their signings but it was to end in heartbreak. Not just in losing two cup finals but the indignity of being relegated.

Middlesbrough did win their first major trophy in 2004 by beating Bolton Wanderers 2-1 in the League Cup final. Incidentally, Juninho had returned back to Middlesbrough and was in the starting XI.

Teesside was buzzing at claiming the League Cup but there was still something special about that 1996-97 Boro side where like a shooting star it soared high but unfortunately crashed to the ground.