This week... After the season

It was only by being the OSB that I am, that I discovered this a few years ago.

On 6th May we beat QPR (5 games still to play) and secured the title. Even accounting for the aged Peter Reid (29) and the almost geriatric Andy Gray (29½) - the average age of the team that day was 24¾.

Take those two out and the other 9 had an average age of under 24. We could have gone on for years getting better and better and more and more dominant.

Barry, being born in 1971 and having been fortunate enough to have my teenage kicks in the '80s, when we look back, it was a blip.

If you were to represent it on one of those Covid-like line graphs, we dipped and fluctuated in the 70s, almost flatlining until the final Gordon Lee seasons.

A few wobbles under Kendall and the "Kendall Must Go" winter only to go and win the FA Cup and appear in the League Cup final (cursed in that competition). The next 3 seasons are history.

Joe Royle's Dogs of War and the FA Cup, an even briefer spike before heading south.

Then the Moyes years eventually bringing us another flatline after a few bumps.

Martinez giving us an even briefer spike followed by a fall from grace.

A slight reprise and then it just headed downhill.

We are the ultimate rollercoaster ride. An aircraft in permanent turbulence.

Somehow, we keep going, because we love that club and back the team whoever they are.

One day soon, we will get our reward — once Billy Smart's Circus is finally stood down.

Forty years ago is a long long time ago, and most of the leading players at the leading clubs were heavy drinkers, Robson and McDermott for example, but they could play a bit too.

I'd love another blip in our history, because I was lucky enough to be there the last time we had a very good side, and it was magical.

It was Reidy's autobiography when he said Howie asked him around to discuss a move from Bolton and brought out 2 bottles of red wine and they both got pissed.

My biggest disappointment was basking in the glory of Rotterdam and Atkinson eulogising on the TV how good we were that night (and we were good) and hoping that the team all went out and got blind drunk to celebrate as they were playing Man Utd on Saturday.

Roll on 25 years and I was at the dinner and Reidy was speaking and saying how in the first couple of minutes he threaded a great through ball for Sharpy who just watched it. When Reidy said "What the Fuck???" Sharpy's retort was that he is knackered and still hung over. Bo Jangles got his wish.

Whilst we may think it was a blip, I think without the European ban then Howard Kendall would have stayed, we would have won the European Cup in 1986 (no question), Lineker would have stayed, and we would be the team to join over the next few years as we built a dynasty.

As I said earlier, the core of the team was 24 so many more years together – and all before Sky where we would have been at the top. Until my dying day, they robbed us. But I am not bitter. 🤞

I think the word "era" covers your point plus the shite turning us over in a cup final we were strolling hinted at a rising dawn that would not last.

Unlike them of course - they simply never go away.

If they weren't blaming someone else, they were trying to brush it under the carpet, although a lot of Liverpudlians, actually thought flying the Steau Bukarest flag on the kop to wind up Evertonians 12 months later was hilarious.

It's different now of course, they have come a long way, and you only have to watch Sky or read the papers that are dominated by so many people with connections to Liverpool football club to realize this.

We have been a football club in decline since the Heysel stadium disaster, but although some Liverpudlians were responsible for Heysel, our club has been a shadow of its former self for a very long time now, and this is something that we can't keep blaming others for. The time for real change is upon us.

I didn't even open the conversation. I couldn't rise to it in front of his family but I managed to whisper in his ear, without his family realising, as I left the shop. A complete wanker!

Two legitimate angles to this debate.

For me, I will never forgive them. It changed my relationship with them and I have family who are on the unholy side, who I can't have the same conversation I had with them 30-odd years ago. Condescending. Belittling.

How fucking dare they call us bitter (sorry, John Senior). They are more bitter than us with anyone who doesn't agree with them. They were bitter about Man Utd under Ferguson. Jealous school children when Chelsea had their moment. Reacted like the hooligans they are with Manchester City.

Wait until the stadium is opened and we compete and win something again. We'll see who is bitter then.

They can drink their bitter in the apparently "world famous" Arkles. It's not world famous, it was my Grandad's local, an Everton season ticket holder. I'll stand in there proud amongst them as I do after most visits to Goodison when they were taking the piss after yet another bad result.

Heysel, Athens and Paris. Is it just a coincidence or just them? Someone tell me otherwise.

They denied us our moment on the big stage. It should have been them alone banned, not everyone and not Everton. No forgiveness.

See, I wish you hadn't started me.

But on the other hand, we can't point to that alone. Other clubs suffered, but came out of it looking forward and embraced the modern era to achieve success.

We stood still. Walked backwards.

We can rightly point to that event as something that impacted us more than most, but it doesn't hide the fact that the club has been mismanaged for decades.

My middle brother always posts on Social Media on the anniversary "Remember the 39".

And that Steaua Bucharest flag / banner is just antagonism. Gobshites. Every single one of them.

I told you I wish I hadn't been triggered. Everton is what matters to me, but I honestly can't stomach them and their attitude even though I understand rivalry.

We're ninth!! 🥳🥳🥳

Agree 100% with everything you posted Danny, and apologies for stoking the fire mate.

I have always openly supported the dead, injured and family/friends from the Hillsborough carnage a very few years later. They were clearly as innocent as those who died and were injured at Heysel.

That said, the Heysel dead/injured have long since been air-brushed out of this country's history in a way that've made Goebells proud.

Heysel crucified us like no other club in the country, by miles.

For anyone to thereafter describe us as "bitter", and especially so-called Liverpool fans, on account of the damage we suffered as a result of the lethal rampage of their fellow fans is, was, and always will be sickening to folk with a mere scintilla of compassion.

Instead of keeping their heads down and their mouths shut and accepting the shame they'd brought on their club, and English football in general, they chose to wave Steaue Bucharest flags and wallow in the feeling that they'd "done" us.

As recently as 2007 in Athens they were actually "caught" stealing the tickets from their fellow rs supporters when some of those portable metal barrier/fences were pushed over in a crush.

I remember reading about it (and being told about it), before that too was airbrushed from history, and feeling physically sick that so called supporters with their own tragedy forever imprinted in their minds would stoop to such fucking depths.

Shit, I've done a Danny O'Neill here.

Liverpool fans branded worst in Europe

"I'm an Evertonian, get me out of here!"

This topic always raises the blood pressure.

It might not be the sole reason for our fall from grace, but it was most certainly the most significant factor that prevented us from achieving what we could have.

I still have family and friends who support them. Genuine supporters, who live in Liverpool and some who regularly attend matches. But there are not many I can have a decent conversation with anymore. And as for the ones that surround me in west London. Well, don't start me again. I sadly know more about their club than they do.

They ignore it. They laugh at us. They claim victims insults being related to Hillsborough even though that was around years before.

As Don indicates, a cult of denial.

Shame on football. Shame of the city of Liverpool, whose name they don't deserve.

The bird is blue. 1878, the originals.

Ticketless fans caused mayhem in Athens although Liverpool placed the blame on UEFA? Always the victims it's never their fault!

UEFA said no trouble in Athens from Milan fans and at Hillsborough no trouble from Forest fans regarding ticketless fans.