''Oh, my, was it really that long ago?''

Hope you have a great day (I know you will)

Gerry I hope your trip is one of the best moments of your life. And I mean that most sincerely.

Have a brilliant time!

I too am on the way back for probably the last time, a bit like like you my initial target was OFM, TGT and the Man Utd game, but flights and stuff plus a feeling before Christmas that we were going to Wembley made me move my time forward a week or so, just in case... As it is, I will be here for the Man City and Hull City games and will have to explain to the Mrs that the special weekend break to London I had planned for her and me (coincidentally over the Cup Final weekend) has been cancelled.

I toyed with the various Lounges/ ticket options and, without a suit and tie to my name, not being an office wallah, and being no big lover of large meals in the afternoon (it was still a 3:00pm KO then) I decided to take the more down market option of spending 3 hrs or so walking around soaking up the atmosphere aka Ken Buckley’s fat wagon for curry and chips and various ale houses. (Just where is this famed ’Room of Nonsense’?? )

My last game was the Rooney/Arsenal game in 2002; the one before that was Joe Royle’s first Derby in 94... plus all the others both big and small going back to 5th Nov 1960 (or was it 61, the old memory again eh) and Bobby Collins squaring up to a grokish WBA defender... and the defender having the good sense to not get involved... wise decision.

I keep meaning to write it all down (especially the 18+ X-rated bits) all this football and bygone days memory stuff, when the world was black and white TV, at 45rpm, and beer was 1 and 8 a pint, that pop in your mind when a trigger goes off ( like that 8-1 game )

That’s basically it then, we’re on the downward slope and you never know the day.

So will we ever see the good times roll again? even if it’s just on tv?

Well I’m a lot more confident now with Martinez than I ever was with Moyes.

But hey this is Everton and you sign up for life...and as they say...

If you can’t take a joke, you shouldn’t of joined

It’s a pity you only have 4 days as Liverpool has changed one hell of a lot. For a start, many pubs around Goodison are gone and the Winslow is one of them, unless it has reopened since I was last there earlier in the season. I think you will also be surprised at how many non-Scouse voices you will hear compared to back in the 70s when that was very rare.

Hopefully you might meet some other ToffeeWebbers, I’ll not be there as it is Mrs Masters’ birthday (shared with Hitler, as I remind her when suits!) so I’m going to be at the Palace match, but maybe you’ll spy the lesser spotted Tony Marsh taking a pop at Moyes.

There must be some relatives from 12 uncles and aunts offspring still left in the City, or did the whole family leave Liverpool like so many others?

Anyway, I’ll be thinking of you when I’m watching it on TV. I’m sure you are going to enjoy welcoming OFM back!!!

Enjoy every minute of it, Gerry, I love your wonder-filled ’childish’ anticipation & excitement. Brilliant.

Now, as for the Missus following Partick Thistle ’cause of the name and then being dumped for expense reasons, or Karl’s Missus with same birthday as AH - made my day. Thanks.

RIP, Sandy Brown (Yet one more thing to make us feel older, Gerry, sadly, just a baby meself at a mere 62 and holding till later this year.) So many of our idols have passed away over the last decade (or longer) or so it seems, Bally (My idol), Brian Labone, Westy, Royston Vernon, Bobby Collins, Davey Hickson, Gary Speed [sigh].

That Southampton match, as I recall, we had snow that day & for some reason me & the mates ended up in the Bullens Rd stands, instead of our usual spot in the Gwladys St; why we did, I have no earthly idea, but the view we ended up having of the 8 goals was a treat for sure, with Big Joe Royle 4, Dave Johnson 3 & Bally I think doing the honours!!

What I didn’t remember was, Gerry, that was the last home game I saw Bally ever again in a blue shirt. Truly one of my saddest days as an Evertonian, I never did forgive Catterick or the board for selling him for a paltry 220,000 pounds – it could have been 2 million quid, it wouldn’t have mattered.

I remember me & some of the mates going to the ground before he left for Arsenal, to see if we could say thank you & goodbye to the maestro, but as I recall somebody had laid down in front of his car refusing to move & the bizzies were very... busy in dealing with the many Evertonians who had similar ideas as ourselves.

All I can recall is Bally crying his eyes out & unable to say much of anything to us, but wave as he finally was allowed to drive off..... OMG, I still tear up thinking back over 40 years ago to that awful time in our history as a football club re: Alan Ball, truly an Evertonian & greatly missed to this day!

Didn’t we also stick 7 past the Saints some 25 years later too, 7-1 perhaps in the mid 90s with Gary Speed bagging a hat-trick, along with some cracking players like, Andrei Kanchelskis, Hinchcliffe, Graeme Stuart, Barmby (yuk), Horne, etc??

We actually check in to the Adelphi on the Thursday before the match, so if you are in the vicinity, by all means drop in to say hello and then you can buy me a Stella — and always remember the Gerry Quinn motto...

"If Everton were predictable, they would cease to be Everton!"

NSNO - COYB

You'll see a much changed city but one with lots of familiar loved places. You will love the new Pier Head. (Next time, stay in the old Cunard Building, now hotel).

I guess you might not have the time to head down to Central Station to get a train to Crosby, but the Crows is still the Crows, George and Angelas is still George and Angelas, the beach isstill the beach, the Volly is still the Volly .......

Enjoy!

What a match to pick mate. I'll be there too and might even make it to the Winslow if the lads want to bevvy there – we usually bevvy in the Mons and County before the match.

Have a great time mate and the very lovely Mrs Quinn.

I will go out of my way to visit the Crows Nest and the Blundellsands (BS) to name a couple as I want to soak in the old haunts. I'll draw the line at knocking on the door of 60 Victoria Road though...

My first trip there was as a 16-year-old St Mary's pupil, in that basement bar that was soon closed, but it was a regular for many years on nights out with schoolmates as part of night out that always ended with a late one (or several) in the Old Boys.

Is the Liver Building still there?
Have they filled in the Mersey Tunnel and built a bridge?
Is Lime Street Station now a Vegetable market?
Is the East Lancs now the West Lancs?
Is the Viccy Road Duck Pond now a Salmon Farm?
Is the butcher's shop still in Cooks Road, or did all my Mum's bitching and moaning about the excess fat cause it to shut down?
How many years jail did the Christian Brother's at St Mary's get between them?

I didn't realize you were from Crosby; there's a great new-ish wine bar on the corner of Endbutt Lane (I think that's the street). It was only when I went home with an American and did the touristy things that I realized what a fascinating place we come from.

Toying with idea of getting home for last games (my better half has sussed that I always manage to get a game or two in when I go home!!) We are from the same era and your article really reminds me how innovative we used to be. What we did, other teams followed... When did it all change?

Have a great time there...
Cheers.

Is the Viccy Road Duck Pond now a Salmon Farm?

It's still there, still got all that green mange over it

Is the butcher's shop still in Cooks Road, or did all my Mum's bitching and moaning about the excess fat cause it to shut down?

Gone mate. That was Frank's place right?

How many years jail did the Christian Brother's at St Mary's get between them?

The sadistic bastard Carey was never brought to trial! They shuffled him off back to Ireland. Remember how when he strapped you it was not your palm but he skimmed your finger tips with the strap - agony!

Enjoy mate

You're kidding, you can get a room there (a big one) for thirty five nicker during the week.

Gerry, I don't know if you're a smoker or not (guessing if you live in America, not) but if you are and you're staying at the Adelphi, ask for room 254.

Big room, big bathroom and..you can smoke.

Karl Masters - "For a start, many pubs around Goodison are gone and the Winslow is one of them, unless it has reopened since I was last there earlier in the season"

http://www.clickliverpool.com/sport/everton-fc-news/1220826-iconic-everton-fc-pub-the-winslow-finally-reopens-for-business.html

I used to live in the little gothic cottage just inside Merchant Taylors boys school as I was a groundsman there.
Does the Marine still serve the worst pint of lager in the world?
Can you swing a cat in the volley yet?
Are Satterthwites sossy rolls still yummy?
Is the Ko Sing still open?
Does the picture house still stink of piss?

Happy days...

Many pubs have gone though, like the Stanley Park which is now some sort of noodle bar or similar.