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Liverpool 1  Chelsea 0 - League (h) (16th Oct 99)  
   This was a well-deserved, hard fought for victory owing more to perspiration and tenacity than to inspiration and guile. Chelsea were below their best and ended up with 9 men on the pitch but we shouldn't let that belittle this victory. The Liverpool Footy Echo slyly headed their report 'Reds overcome 9-man Chelsea' or something similar. Let's nail this shite here once and for all. We scored against a full Chelsea team, they lost their first player when Desailly brought down Spud for the penalty. We were already leading 1-0. So we SHOULD have been 2-0 up before Chelsea kicked a ball as a ten man team. The 2nd sending off came with just minutes to go and had no effect on the course of the game at all. In all Chelsea played over an hour before the first sending off - got that, Messrs McNulty, Rogers and George? 

Southampton 2 Liverpool 1 - League Cup (a) (13th Oct 99)  
   JJP to report. This was Leicester away again.

Borussia MGB Friendship mini-tour (30th Oct 99)  
   There'll be a small advance party from Moenchengladbach travelling over to London for the West Ham game late in November. If you see any of them at the game in their distinctive half-Borussia, half-Liverpool scarves say hello.

Aston Villa 0 Liverpool 0 - League (a) (02nd Oct 99)  
   JJP's report: I’ve always reckoned that the average Liverpool fan is pretty knowledgeable when it comes to football. So when the travelling hordes started singing "You’re not fit to be a ref." they must have had something to crib about. This man who goes by the name of R. Harris and was nicknamed ‘Rolf’ by the KOPITES was an absolute disgrace. This moron set out to spoil a game of football and he succeeded! For my sins I was sat amid the Villa fans [known by Birmingham fans as ‘The Vile’] and even they were spitting venom at him. At the end of the game I was hovering near to the players tunnel and as he walked off to a crescendo of jeers I noticed one of his helpers [we used to call them "linesmen"] looked at the Liverpool fans and you could see embarrassment etched on his face. He knew his boss for the afternoon had been the pits. John Gregory even went as far as saying that not only should Steve Staunton NOT have been sent off he should NOT have even been cautioned in the first place. However ‘Rolf’ did find an ally in the referees Premiership rep Philip Don who "thought the referee had a good game.’ Yeah, okay pal but we know what side the infamous ‘Peedon’ comes from. In the week he blasted the ‘derby’ ref. for not sending Michael off and who can ever forget that penalty he missed in the 92 Cup Final when Macca got scythed down? Or what about the handball that the Arsenal player gave away in the ’95 Fizzy Cup Tie? The only person inside the whole of Merseyside [let alone Anfield] who didn’t see it was ‘Peedon’ so no sign of an anti-Liverpool gripe in his judgement then. Don is like a lot of people in the modern game, he makes a living out of it but contributes nothing to it in the eyes of the many.
    Enough of that arsehole - what about the match I hear you all shout? Well if football is supposedly the beautiful game then this was it’s ugly duckling. Even before Stan took a very early bath it wasn’t looking like being anything like last seasons "Thriller at the Villa" and after he vacated the stage it went downhill from there. But after our recent run of looking like charity workers donating goals to each and every cause - worthy or not – we had to try and shut up the shop. Before the encounter we were saying that we needed a ‘clean sheet’ and we got one. Mainly due, I reckon, to the incredible fact that we actually played two central defenders who looked like they could actually defend – a rare sight indeed. Without being outstanding Henchoz did okay. Nothing out of the ordinary but okay. The fact was he knew how to play in his position. But Hyypia was outstanding and having another proper defender alongside him must have made the afternoon for him. However Westerweld still looked like the proverbial cat on a hot tin roof and he scares the shit out of me. He really does have the Dracula fear when it comes to crosses. To be fair Sander did make two or three brilliant saves the one from Thompson's free kick was exceptional, as was the one he made after Stephane Henchoz had made a mess of a back pass. It looked curtains when Joachin got the ball but the big Dutchman made a brilliant save from point blank range. So you see, I not just knock him. Up front we never really looked like scoring with Michael still looking off the pace. Gregory’s pre-match bullshit may have had an effect on him, I don’t know, but this isn’t the Michael we know and love – yet! For reasons only known the GH and Co. Titi was again on the bench until about fifteen minutes from the end and that is baffling. Erik Meijer is as honest as they come when it comes to effort but he doesn’t look like getting on the end of very much. In the old days he would have been Michael Robinson. In the middle Paddy is having more off days this season than he had in the whole of last, maybe he is missing Johnny Mac [stuck at home again] and his words of love.
    But at least we got through this one and I would love to think that we could start afresh from here onwards. Only time will tell but on top of all the injuries we’ve had we’ve now got a glut of paid leave coming up [suspensions they call them] so that’s another obstacle in our way. We might not be able to do a lot about the injury situation but the bookings and sending off’s could be resolved by a bit of discipline and leadership. Or as at this game, a decent referee wouldn’t go amiss.

Liverpool 0 Everton 1 - League (h) (27th Sep 99)  
  (JJP writes) At best we were awful at worst we were a disgrace. Let’s cut the crap and any attempts to be funny - this performance was shameful. If we still harbour any ambitions in the Premier Division this season could somebody please point out what those intentions are? For some they started as either taking the title or Champions League qualification. For others it was European qualification but at this very moment we are looking at SURVIVAL! Forget anything that we might like to accuse the blueshite of and let us at least be honest with ourselves. We had two players sent off – Westerweld for being stupid enough to get involved when there was no need and Gerrard for committing what looked a reckless high challenge. Some said he "showed commitment" but I think that there is a vast difference between "showing commitment" and being plain stupid and I know which category young Stevie fell into. We were one down and the last thing we wanted was that. If this is the best we’ve got we’re in a spot of bother. Michael could and maybe should have been sent off – it applies to Hutchinson though – and this was about as ill disciplined as we could get – at least I hope so! GH has to be given a chance to sort this side out but at the moment his team selection and tactics baffle me. Robbie didn’t look fit yet was chosen ahead of Camara who has been our best forward so far this season and why it took seventy minutes for him to be introduced into the game only those in control know. Likewise, if we had a game plan only those in control knew what it was. We were just hitting aimless balls up front from almost the off. We just seem to be trying to play everything through the middle and it’s not working and if Gerard has any tactical nous surely it’s plainly obvious to him as well. In this match with the possible exception of Hyypia it is hard to think of one player who came out of this game with any credit. They outfought us and at times outplayed us. I felt for our support [which was brilliant] we deserve better than this. We are eight games into the season, we still don’t look settled, the defence is nothing more of a continuation of the past few seasons although it did take four minutes this time before the mandatory gift goal was handed over. It’s time for someone to do something to sort out this mess because it cannot carry on for much longer. I know that we were all bright and cheerful after the two wins against Leeds and Arsenal but since then it has gone down the tube somewhat. Against the blueshite some fans blamed the referee but as bad as he was he wasn’t the reason we got beat – to be fair Houllier was pretty honest after the match in his summing up. I still say that his tactics leave a lot to be desired but at least he’s not reopening Roy’s old worn out phrases. The sadness for me, however, is that we started the season with high hopes – as we said earlier some higher than others – now those hopes most certainly have to be revised. We started the season with all those hopes but now we have to think about the ultimate embarrassment and that is will we finish above Everton? Maybe the mention of survival was a bit OTT but if we finish below where most of us suggested Everton would finish…well? Having said that we must still get behind the manager and the team. It doesn’t matter whether or not you are a Houllier fan or not, we are all Liverpool fans and this team needs us.
   (JohnMac adds) A great day - a fucking awful night. I spent the afternoon 'wetting the baby's head' with my mate Jimmy in The Grapes, Flannagans and Shenanigans (I know, I know) before moving on for a few beers with globetrotting Red, Gary Dempsey (Of New York, Paris, Buenos Aires etc). Gary was with his dad Stan (originally from Bootle, now living in Ohio) who is a mate of Brad Friedel's dad. Brad had sorted them out with tickets and so both guys had flown in (from France and the USA) for the match. I was thus, well prepared for this game after all this pre-match entertainment. If only I could say the same of the 11 men in red out there on the pitch. We were shambolic. 1 out of 10. Truly awful. That these dedicated Reds travelled thousands of miles and had to watch this! I can only apologise.

Liverpool 4 Hull 2  (Agg. 9-3) - League Cup (h) (21st Sep 99)  
   Match Report (by Mike Scott - Hull City fan) ... The Tigers put up a brave but ultimately futile performance against an assortment of Liverpool reserves and juniors, a performance which will surely give the ten outfield players heart for the crucial   matches in the next few weeks. As for the goalie, well hell be looking at himself with a critical eye today I hope, because It was his error of judgment which reduced City to ten men and made the second half fight back from 0-2 to 2-2 all the more impressive. As I approached Anfield from the east, picking my way through the tight residential streets that surround the stadium, I was struck by how the location mirrored that of Boothferry. Once inside, the difference cold not have been starker. As Messrs Lloyd and Hinchliffe allow the Tigers home to crumble into the ordnance dump below, the compact Anfield stadium was towering in proportions, smart in the lines of seat that circled the entire amphitheatre and capable of  generating a fearsome atmosphere. With the home support largely consisting of the flask-toting over 60s and the baseball-cap-wearing under 10s (eh? Ok - I did young Sean, aged 8 and ,yes, he was wearing his baseball cap...JMac) , the Tigers support took up the cudgel and generated a fizzling cauldron of song which spurred the Tigers into an early onslaught that produced three half chances in the opening minutes. Responsible for these chances, the details of which strangely escape me, were: Bracey, Harper Whittle Edwards Williams, Brabin Schofield, Eyre Brown Alcide Wood, Although Eyre and Wood tucked in tight alongside Brabs and Schoey when defending, this was a genuine four up front affair when we attacked, and why not? - we quite literally had nothing to lose from such adventure. The lynchpin of the City attack was the mighty Colin Alcide, and whether it was due to his salmon-like tendencies or simply because Traore and Henchoz didn't fancy an elbow in the mush, the fact of the matter was that Big Col was totally dominant in the air. As the half progressed Brown twice profited as he read Alcide astute flicks, only to be quickly closed down by swarming Liverpool backmen, mostly the original touchline sniffer (in Houlliers mind) Rigobert Song. By midway the Tigers were stringing together 15 pass moves across the field, and some of them were even intended, while the home sides only threat came from Stan Staunton, who was throwing some good shapes and standing up some tasty crosses. Back stick. On the half hour it was a Staunton cross that resulted in a free kick thirty yards out. As the left footed  Irishman took the kick himself, Song stole down the blindside unmarked and his thumping shot from a narrow angle was tipped onto the crossbar adeptly by Bracey. Soon after Staunton crossed again, his success mainly due to Eyres absence upfield, and as Riedle clearly obstructed Edwards, the ball squirted wide and the City players rather unprofessionally stopped. Alas, the referee failed to blow his whistle, and the diminutive Maxwell set aside his silver hammer momentarily and swung over an unchallenged back post cross which the new found goal machine Danny Murphy nodded home from six yards. 1-0. Next, the Lurch-shaped Friedel punted a high ball deep into the City half and as Murphy advanced Bracey came off his line to claim the ball. As Bracey came further it was apparent that he would meet the trajectory of the ball right on the eighteen yard line. As he advanced a little more, Bracey realised he was he was going to handle outside the box, and he threw his hands outwards and chested the ball away. Or did he? No, not according to the assistant referee anyway. And so Lee was dismissed for deliberate handball. Bizarrely, as the referee held the red card aloft he was surrounded, not by irate City players, but by Liverpool players pleading for leniency. None was forthcoming, and so once Matt Baker, making his third substitute appearance of the season, replaced Jamie Wood Staunton sympathetically lolloped the free kick into the stand. The sending-off stunned the City players and supporters alike, and when on the stroke of half time Thompson drove a 25 yard shot straight at Baker which fired 20 feet vertically upwards off the glovemans chest and back into his hands, it was clear that the 19 year old was suffering some big match nerves. Liverpool kicked off the second half and within thirty seconds Maxwell had cut in from the left, rode a couple of challenges and despatched a neat shot inside Bakers far post for 2-0. And so the ten men looked fit for a rout. But no. Remarkably, the players lifted themselves once more. A couple of meaty Alcide headers encouraged the fans to chant "ten men, weve only got ten men", and the players seemed lifted by this endorsement. Soon a free kick on the left was won as Song once again failed to deal even semi-competently with Alcides presence, and as the ball was crossed deep by Eyre, Williams ghosted in to turn it back "into the mixer". Except the ball struck a Liverpool hand, potentially belonging to Heggem, and the  guilt-wracked referee pointed to the spot. Eyre duly converted in the Torquay fashion, with a dinky chip, and general mayhem ensued amongst the City following. Five minutes later a long Baker clearance was misjudged by Traore, and with Alcide bearing down the skinny defender attempted to head back to Friedel. Hilariously, Traores header was too downward, and Col stole in ahead of Friedel and lobbed a lovely finish in from the edge of the box. 2-2, and pandemonium. But, alas, that was it. Harris replaced Alcide and did well, ditto DAuria for Schofield. A few half chances came up, but as the ten men tired, Riedle converted two chances and the Reds got their win. A good laugh, a proud second half, and a good atmosphere. But not up to Newcastle standards.
   (JMac writes...) Not much I can add to that. Yes, Hull fans did make all the noise but then we expect that these days don't we? Without meaning to be patronising - it is a big night out for them and they made the most of it. I wish them all well: apart, that is from the dickheads who made such a scene in 'The Albert' before the game. It's one thing to come to a big city club and sing and let them know you're here, but have some manners please boys!
   As far as the Reds were concerned: some good performances particularly from Maxwell and Murphy. Young Layton Maxwell had a great game wide on the left and gave the Hull defence a torrid time, capping it all with a fine goal. I was convinced he'd played himself into the squad for the derby. I thought the same of Spud. When he was teken off I believed it was to keep him fresh for the Everton game. What is it with GH and Spud that such a talented young player can't force his way into the team? Traore looked good in parts but a little inexperienced at this level (?) - however, he is still only a kid and if he keeps up his progress in the reserves then he looks a fine (if not great) prospect.
   It was a good turnout tonight - over 20,000 - and like everyone else I knew I hadn't bought a ticket. I wish I had - 30 mins before kick-off there were huge queues at every cash turnstile whilst ticket turnstiles lay completely empty. We eventually had to go up to the Anny Road end of the Main Stand to find a reasonable cash queue. And then the guy on the turnstiles shortchanges me by a fiver (which I only discover ten minutes into the game).
   Overall it was a five out of ten sort of evening.

Leicester City 2 Liverpool 2 - League (a) (18th Sep 99)  
   (JJP's report) So how long does it take a teams defence to gel? On the evidence at Filbert Street ours is a mile off and the problems that were so acute last season and previous seasons remain. Its alarming the way we cave in and concede goals and surely something should have been done by now – is anyone doing anything about it? I ask that question because the problems are as evident now as they have ever been. Long before we gifted Leicester the equaliser we had rocked on the edge more than once. Quite frankly a lot of the defending was nothing short of pathetic and questions also have to be asked about Sander Westerweld as well. To say we appeared to have communication difficulties would be an under statement. When they went one up – another case of our team saying "after you" and letting Cottee race away to score I thought it could a problem sort of day. That goal came following a corner for us and we gave the ball away not once but twice on the halfway line before letting the ex-blueshite run away and score. Somehow we ground out a 2-1 halftime lead after Michael had marked his return with both goals. I don’t think anyone could argue about the penalty and the second goal was all down to Titi - what a run. Then Leicester had Sinclair sent off and it should have been game, set and match. But instead of taking a dispirited Leicester to the cleaners we went backwards. Some of the football was woeful at times and how many times we gave the ball away – with Paddy being the biggest culprit – I don’t know. At times we looked ordinary, very ordinary, and other times we looked bloody crap and were bloody crap. In fact once Titi had gone off following the foul by Sinclair we seemed to lose all sense of direction. The Leicester equaliser was a joke. Nobody in our defence appeared to know what to do when the ball was knocked through. Westerweld hesitated and so did Heggem and that was it, two points thrown away.
    I don’t think that we can subscribe to the theory that we’ve too many players injured because we’ve supposed to have a squad but is it anywhere near good enough - not on this showing. A horrible feeling is beginning to form inside my head that things are not getting much better and I’m just a tad worried. Last season our main problems in defence were major weaknesses with our goalkeepers, a lack of full backs capable of defending and problems in the middle, the question now is have we sorted it? Henchoz might provide some of the answers but some of the other problems still remain.   I watched the game again on MOTD and they highlighted the weaknesses of Westerweld. For some reason he doesn’t appear to like coming out and catching the ball which, is something a goalkeeper should do especially when it’s coming across the six-yard box. It was also evident when you watched it on the box that Elliot should have been sent off for basically assaulting Owen but the referee standing about a yard away managed to miss it completely.

    John Mac adds: Due to a number of reasons I've only made it to about half our games this season and my poor run of attendance continued with Leicester away. Sitting at a bar, pint of Guinness and huge Irish breakfast in front of me, I had to be content to watch the game live on satellite, 3,000 miles away - at 10am local time - in The Kinsale Tavern in New York City. Knowing how cold, decrepit and uncomfortable the ramshackle away end is at Leicester I feel I made the right choice. The Kinsale is the new home of the New York Liverpool Supporters Club. Following problems with the satellite feed at their old base, O'Flanagans, they've decamped several blocks north to The Kinsale Tavern
    After a couple of night's alcohol abuse in the bars of Greenwich Village and the East Village (including a wet and windy night out in a near deserted city the evening that Hurricane Floyd hit), it took a Herculean effort to get up at 8am on the Saturday to make sure we (Davey Lane and I) made it from Dave's apartment on West 10th, up nearly 90 blocks, to the Kinsale by 9:30am.
    We got off the 4 train at 96th St and walked a few blocks south in bright, warm sunshine. As we're playing footy in the afternoon I'm in shorts and footy shirt. Dave has the sense to bring his shorts in a bag. The consequence is that I end up wandering Greenwich Village at 3am the following morning in these tight shorts and get accosted twice by cruising gays - but that's another story. Anyway, the Kinsale is up in Yorkville, a traditionally German enclave on the Upper East side. Ahead of us, bedecked in large Irish and American flags lay The Kinsale. Once inside we ordered the Guiness and brekkies and Dave chats to the owner about moving the NYCLFCSC here on a permanent basis. Down at the end of the bar stand a group of guys in suits swilling down bottles of lager and enjoying one of The Kinsale's excellent Irish breakfasts. We're not sure if they're making an early start to Saturday or seeing Friday off in fine style. As they look like Irish mafia we decide not to ask. The bar soon fills up and by ten when the game starts there's about 30 or 40 New York Reds in attendance. This is a good turnout given the confusion that arose when the satellite plug was pulled just minutes before the last televised game at O'Flanagans, and people drifted off to find alternative tv coverage. It's our debut in The Kinsale and the number of replica shirts and t-shirts being worn serves to heighten the sense of occasion. The good humour and banter lasts all of 2 minutes: Cottee scores and the bar is filled with cursing. Even 3000 miles away it's plain that Matteo is out of his depth. The one game in ten when he puts in a competent performance is just not good enough, it's obvious that the full backs are a weak, weak link. The miles between us and the shambolic defensive performance on the pitch at Filbert Street only increases the frustration: I almost wish I was there in the flesh where I feel all this screaming and swearing might at least spur the team on. In truth, Leicester are crap, and we claw our way back into the game: Titi again providing the inspiration. Two goals from young Golden Bollocks put us in front - one following a fantastic 40 yard run from Titi, who's quickly becoming a real Kop hero.
   At half-time I meet and greet some familiar faces (including Daragh Kennedy, who made it over to the Chelsea game a few weeks later - and Hank Edwards from Staten Island, who put in a sterling performance in our afternoon match in Prospect Park, Brooklyn several hours later). I also meet a Toronto Red (Norman, please get in touch) who turns out to be a big fan of RAOTL and one ex-pat, Mandy McKinney: originally from The Dingle, with her son Luis. Mandy's accent veers from broad 'Noo Yoik' to Scouse and back again, as the day wears on. Luis turns out to be a fine footballer for a novice, and an even better barman when we spend the late afternoon supping Whiskey Sours at a rooftop party in Brooklyn to welcome young Ian Antony Woods into the World. (Hello to Mandy's sister, Kerry, who works in the Rose of Mossley in Allerton).
   As the second half unfolds it becoms clear that this Liverpool side is sorley lacking in confidence. They decide (or are told?) to hang onto the one goal lead and play the game out. Even so, we could and should have won this game. How Matt Elliot stayed on the field following a truly disgraceful forearm smash into Owen's face, I will never, ever know. Anyway, true to form we leave acres of room at the back and let Leicester grab a late equaliser. This game seemed to sum Liverpool up at the moment: marvellously inventive and dangerous one moment; and the next they're as soft as shite as the back. For all the 'stars' and new signings there's no sense of a real 'team' out there; no solidity.
   Overall: 5 out of 10. Westerveld still seems reluctant to come for crosses. Matteo ... I'm saying nothing. He's a nice bloke and an honest player - a trier, but .... Staunton was, and is, a model of inconsistency. MOTM: Camara again - by a mile.

Hull City 1 Liverpool 5 - League Cup (a) (14th Sept 99)  
   Well you can only win can’t you? On the way I said we should get at least four regardless of what side we put out and in the end we got five so I can’t complain [Ed’s comment – Now there’s a first]. Mind you, we still managed to give away the almost mandatory ‘gift’ goal. GH took the opportunity to give what we can now call "fringe players" a game including full first team debuts for Djimi Traore and Erik Meijer. In the first half Danny Murphy took the opportunity to remind us of what he can do by slotting home a couple of good goals and Meijer showed his stuff in the second by doing likewise. Goal of the game had to be Steve Staunton’s and I think that could be his first goal for us since he left back in 91! In fairness it was all a bit too easy but knowing our recent reputation for falling flat on our arses in such games that wasn’t a bad thing. Mind you, it’s screwed up the gate for the second leg! I bet the ground was a culture shock for one or two of our ‘millionaires!’ Like I said in the pre-amble [Ed’s comment – getting a bit flash now aren’t we?] I remember the ground holding over 30,000 but now they just appear to have a decent stand behind one goal whilst the remainder is a bit – well, Goodisonish. One side is completely shut down [the old railway terrace] and the Main Stand where I sat was definitely akin to the Upper Bullens – in short, crap. But I hope Hull made a bit of cash out of this game and although the second leg is a formality [er, hopefully] I hope a few fans turn up to help them pay a few more bills. Michael made his first start since that night in Leeds but seemed way off the pace and I can’t remember him doing anything much above the ordinary. Smicer got injured – again – looks like missing a few [more] matches (writes JJP)

Liverpool 2 Manchester Utd 3 - League (h) (11th Sept 99)  
   It's Groundhog Day again. Every morning I wake up, travel to Anfield for this crack-of-dawn fixture and watch the home defence collapse into laughable, schoolboy amateurism against a team that really can do without favours like these. Before we know it we're 2 down at home, and it's a long way back up hill from there. The day had started well, despite my having to get out of bed at 7am, with a rousing YNWA from a spectacular looking Kop. The crowd were certainly up for the game and we can only wonder how things would have turned out had Carragher not headed past Sander from Big Ear's left wing cross as early as the 3rd minute. From that moment what game-plan we may have had had to be discarded and we had to chase the game. Of course, this is exactly as ManU would have liked it - being able to sit back, soak up pressure and hit us on the break with long balls aimed at Dipshit, Goofy, Big Ears and Twat (Perm any 4 from 10 to decode). A second goal was then conceeded from a similar cross, but this time wide from the right from the Twat. There are three points to address with these goals: (a) Carragher, despite having a great season last year and being a strong and committed player, is NOT a center-half. He certainly deserves a shot a  central midfield role - but for fuck's sake get him out of the defence NOW! (b) Why do we allow these balls to be crossed  virtually unchallenged? Twat, in particular, had an age in picking out his target in the six yard box. Matteo seeming to stand back and admire David's hair. (c) When will Westerwald come for a cross? The 2nd goal in particular was a cross dropped directly into his territory... You should hold your hands up Sander (Presuming you can?). We dragged ourselves back into the game when the worst goalkeeping mistake of the game allowed Sammi to dive and head into an unguarded net. There was a glimmer of hope: alas, this was wrecked when another cross was allowed to wreac havoc. The ball eventually ricocheting in off Carra after pinging and ponging off players in the 6 yard box. At 3-1 there was a steep, steep and rocky mountain to climb - and we were wearing plimsolls. 

Borussia MGB Friendship Tour (9th Sept 99)      The annual Borussia Moenchengladbach tour to Anfield will take place over the first weekend in February next year. Provisionally planned for the Leeds game which is scheduled to be played on Saturday February 5th. Sky's live game shedule might interfere with this. Our friends at Borussia, Tower and Jonny, will be sending us a full itinerary nearer the time. Borussia have had an awful start to their season in the 2nd division (!) following relegation last year: no points from the opening 3 games. Their visit will also co-incide with a few beers we'll be taking with our friends from the 'We Are Leeds' fanzine (who helped us raise over £1000 for the Hillsborough cause this summer. Following last year's massive piss-up, culminating in an almighty sing-song in The Albert, I fully expect a raucous, ribald and rousing roister.   Photo - Borussia MGB fans in 'The Albert' last year (Jonny is far left in the MGB/LFC scarf, Tower is the big guy at the back).

Everton game - ticket details (7th Sept 99)  
   Prices: Kop £21, everywhere else £23. Adult/child (Kop) £31.50, (Road End) £34.50. Arsenal stubs required and tickets supplied on a like for like basis. On sale from Wednesday 8th til Thurs. 16th: 9:15am to 4:45pm. Complimentaries, Road End visitors, ISC, Development Assoc, or stamped with a letter: these tickets not eligible.

Reds versus Omagh Town (2nd Sept 99)  
   The charity game to raise funds for the victims of the Omagh bombing is now confirmed for October 18th. RAOTL will have full trip report and photos from the game. Travel details etc will be on line shortly.

Interesting - but not surprising - statistic (28th Aug 99)  
   Those Carling Opta statistics are usually a load of a shite and give credence to the old chestnut about "Lies, damned lies and statistics". But here's one we surely can't disagree with, quoted in one of the Sunday broadsheets: "559 - the number of misplaced passes Everton have played so far this season - more than any other team, and 139 per match". By my reckoning, the blooze give the ball away, on average, every 45 seconds. School of Science - my arse.

Liverpool 2 Arsenal 0 - League (h) (28th Aug 99)  
   This time last year, after a couple of great wins and performances (particularly the 'Sexy Football' 4-1 at Newcastle) we were all getting a little carried away. 7 days after a solid home win against Coventry, and barely a month into the season, we came down to earth with a shattering bump at West Ham; and serious doubts were raised about the Evans-Houllier partnership. We were never to recover. This year, however, after a similar run of 2 great results, the mood is just as upbeat but a lot more guarded. There was no "We shall not be moved..." from The Kop this time, and most people are delighted that the next game is the Glams rather than the potential banana-skin of a trip to Leicester or Bradford. A good result in a fortnight could be the springboard for a good run in the Autumn... and who knows? We'll see, eh?
   I don't think there's a great deal to add to what you've probably already read in the papers or saw on Saturday's MOTD. We were just brilliant. We always knew we had attacking talent but we lacked teamwork and spirit, and were frail in defence. Well, against Arsenal Hyppia marshalled his defence superbly and always look assured and comfortable. Carragher, again, produced a gutsy performance and the fullbacks were just as good. Gerard and Thompson continued the fabulous form and absolutely over-ran Arsenal in midfield allowing Redknapp and Berger to shine again. Paddy's goal was particularly well deserved, he'd tortured the Arse all afternoon and his celebrations were as good as those in the derby game last April. Camara, playing in a less cavalier role than on Monday linked up with Fowler superbly up-front; some of their flicks and one-twos were an absolute delight. Then there was Fowler himself - sheer genius. His goal on ten minutes - fantastic as it was - was just a prelude to an outstanding display that destroyed the supposed 'best defence in England'. His instinctive first-time curler that thumped against the post from 18 yards in the second half would have been the icing on the cake had it gone in. And to think Shearer gets into the England team ahead of him. Camara was substituted to HUGE applause shortly before the end to allow Owen a few minutes on the pitch. Houllier may soon have the type of selection headache we've always dreamed he'd have. And when Henchoz and Smicer and Hamman are fit we'll have a squad as good as anyones.
   To quote Houllier from the Leeds game ... "We attacked as a team and we defended as a team. We showed spirit and pride.". It was even better against Arsenal. I don't think Westerveld was troubled once really - not even by the penalty in the last minute. How Dermot Gallagher saw that as a penalty is beyond me, given that he'd allowed Adams and Keown to get away with some clumsy challenges all afternoon. Perhaps he felt sorry for Arsenal. Arsene Wenger obviously does, complaining about their 3 games in 7 days schedule. Why, we won doubles and trebles playing that kind of schedule for 20 years. Admit it, you were well beaten by the much better team. The crowd too played their part, not just The Kop - but everyone. The 42,000 Liverpudlians created a wall of noise as good as Newcastle and GlamU (both at home) last season. As it said in The Observer: "Never mind Owen, Fortress Anfield is making a comeback". I've got my fingers crossed anyway.

   In brief: 9 out of 10. MOTM: God - simply superb. Honourable mentions go to .... well, everyone else. Even Matteo had a good 'un (Sorry, Dom). The support - another massive 10 out of 10. What with a Beatles Festival in town and the sun shining as I was taking my pre-match constitutional - it was a great day to be a Red.

RAOTL new issue (25th Aug 99)  
   The next RAOTL (issue 36) will be on sale at the home game with ManU on Sept. 11th. You have til this weekend to get any lengthy contributions to us. Please post any shorter bits to the RAOTL message board on this site.

ManU FlagDay (25th Aug 99)  
   Next FlagDay - not that you need telling - is ManU home in 3 weeks for the live SKY game. You know what to do. Can whoever had the excellent "Les Cosmopolitaines Viancra" (??) flag at Leeds please make sure it's on The Kop? Allez Les Rouges Fantastiques. After that it's Everton(h) and the Shankly FlagDay in December.

Leeds Utd 1 Liverpool 2 - League (a), Elland Rd, Leeds (23rd Aug 99)  
   Prior to this game a number of the tabloids were setting us (and Houllier in particular) up for a big fall. It seems that GH's reluctance to play 'ball' with the tabloid press, and Ince's 'sacking', has left the Mirror, Star and NOTW with their noses out of joint. The Mirror in particular has been scathing in it's coverage of The Reds since early last season, and it can't bear to say a good word about us. Not that I care - fuck them. Unless Brian Reade can pull a few strings and redress the balance I feel that particular bum-wipe will see sales plummeting in the city. Anyway you'd have thought this game was a do-or-die for GH. Just two or three weeks ago the press generally were praising him for weeding out the past-its, never wills and shirkers and saying that he'd need a season or two to turn things around. Two apparently unlucky defeats later and his job is on the line !! That's the new Premier League and 90s football for you in a nutshell - instant success or you're out. But we're not that stupid at Anfield and the fans knew it was time to rally around the flag and support the team. After all, if we don't - who will?
   It took us just over an hour to reach Elland Rd in Jimmy Conboy's nifty new Audi (very nice, Jim) and we were looking forward to a few pints in our usual pub - The Dry Salters. Unfortunately, it was closed for renovations (Why? It looked perfectly fine when we were there last year and seemed to be working reasonably well. The doors opened , people came in and out and you could drink beer and eat crisps. What more can you do with a pub???). The Peacock up by the ground was absolutely jam-packed, as usual, so we had to do without. The queue for the excellent chippy nearby was similarly off-putting so I settled for a grey Salmonellaburger from a stall next to the impressive Billy Bremner statue, at the corner where the South and East stands meet. I soon wished I hadn't. I was desperate for a pint to wash the taste away and so about an hour before kick-off I left JJP outside to earn his crust and went in. It took nearly 35 minutes to get served at the bar and by the time we'd downed our two pints each it was nearly kick-off time. The mood inside the cramped concourse was very upbeat and the support could best be described as 'rowdy'. As I manouevered myself along the row to my seat, the LUFC announcer was doing his best to whip up an atmosphere ... "Leeds United are IN THE TUNNEL!", he yelled with an excitement in his voice that couldn't have been bettered if it had been Elvis in the tunnel. Over in our corner - we didn't need any encouragment. I don't think the support has been bettered in years. Newcastle (a) last year came close, but this was pure backs-to-the-wall stuff. It made you proud: 1600 Reds outsinging twenty times that number. And it wasn't just the volume - the variety and panache of the songs was remarkable: and the players responded. In the openeing quarter we took the game to Leeds and we looked solid and spirited. Camara was causing all sorts of problems, ably assisted by the tireless running of God, and the forward forays of Patrik and Redknapp. Gerard and Thompson snapped and growled in midfield like pre-menstrual Rottweillers whilst Hyppia commanded the back line with poise and strength despite being ill with flu. At right back Song was magnificent, whilst on the left, though Matteo tried hard his woeful distribution made him look much, much less effective. It came as a shock therefore when we went behind to a soft own-goal. Westerwald must hold his hands up here: he lost the corner - he came for it and stopped - and the ball fell into the six yard box and rebounded off a surprised Song over the line. Two rows in front of me, right down in the apex of the enclosure by the corner flag, I could see JJP shaking his head and muttering. His hair was all askew a la Freddie Boswell and he looked like he'd been sucking a Van Der Graff generator. 'Best not to say anything', I thought. The support kept up the backing and were rewarded with an absolute peach of a goal from Titi. Twenty yards out he picks up a loose ball and slams a dipping, curling shot into the top corner. The clock read 44 minutes - what a time to equalise! We go ballistic, of course and we're still bellowing out his name as the teams troop off at half-time. Titi turned in delight to wave to the travelling Kop ... and we were still singing his praises five minutes later.
   Buoyed by that timely equaliser we come out looking even more detemined and Titi is murdering Leeds down the left flank. When he needs a breather Paddy takes over - Leeds haven't got a clue. The winner comes ten minutes into the half when a wicked cross from Paddy flies across the face of the goal. Fowler is set to pounce when Radebe panics and knocks it past Martyn - but it was the cross that did the damage. Some papers, notably the Mirror, harped on about the own goal, but let's face it if Radebe hadn't touched the ball Fowler most certainly would have. The end result would still have been 2-1 to the Reds. As the half wore on we looked stronger and stronger and this was reflected in the Herculean level of support. They were all being given an airing, even oldies like "Bring on your Manchester United" and "Bertie Mee said to Bill Shankly". I even heard (and it was quite loud) "Come Out you Everton bastards (we're the Billy Shankly boys)". Great stuff. It was funny to watch the bewildered reactions of the Leeds fans in the family stand when we not only refused to join in with their "Stand Up if you hate ..." but actively booed it! "Yer not playing the Manc twats!" a voice rang out. How true, sir. How true. Fowler almost grabs a third when he's a micron away from connecting with another peach of a cross from Berger, and Camara goes close in the dying seconds with another great run and shot. "TI-TI CAMARA!" booms out over Elland Road and there's just time for a passionate YNWA, sung in full, before the final whistle. At the end the team seem reluctant to leave the pitch and we're enjoying ourselves just as much in the stands. You had to be there ...
   Well, some of you probably wanted to be. But with a miserly ticket allocation of just 1600 you probably couldn't get a ticket. Well the fault lies with Liverpool FC (Well, Leeds are partly to blame). LUFC now offer tickets to away clubs but the away club must pay for all tickets - sold or not. Liverpool decided to play safe and took the smaller allocation guaranteeing they'd not have to fork out for any unsold tickets. Remember last season when we returned around 250 tickets out of an allocation of about 4,500?

   In brief: 8 out of 10. MOTM: Titi Camara, by a mile. Honourable mentions go to Fowler, Redknapp, Hyppia, Song, Berger and Carragher ... and Thommo and Stevie Gerard and ... well, if I'm being churlish: left back still looks a problem and Westerwald should come for a few more crosses. His indecision cost us the goal. The support - 10 out of 10.

Middlesboro 1 Liverpool 0 - League (a), Riverside Stadium, 'Boro (21st Aug 99)  
   Due to unforseeable circumstances I missed this. JJP will be posting me a report and I'll include it when I get it. Listened to this on Radio Merseyside where even the Echo's Ric George said we were the better team. From the commentary it appeared that Camara was our big threat and was unlucky on a couple of occasions not to score.

Liverpool 0 - Watford 1 - League (h)  (14th Aug 99)  
   Still on my hols. JJP sending a report. Honest. Trust me.

Sheff Wed 1 Liverpool 2 - League (a), Hillsborough, Sheffield (7th Aug 99)  
   My holiday in Cyprus meant that I could boycott this game at a distance. But some of the others chose to go. Anyone want to submit a report. How was the policing and stewarding?

Valerenga 1   Liverpool 4 - Pre-season friendly, Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo (29th July 99)  
   Due to a combination of fortuitous events I was able to make it to this game. It was to be my second trip to Norway following on from the Brann Bergen CWC tie two years back.  
   After my drunken bawling - along with JJP, Lennie Woods, Wilcox et al - in Maxim's nightclub that wild night in Bergen in 1997, the Scandinavian Supporter's Club thought it would be a good idea to get someone over from Liverpool for a spot of community singing the evening before the game. As I was the only one with the slightest intention of going they asked me. "You'll get free beer in the pub" said Olaf, standing back to watch my eyes light up. That did it - I had to go. I had a reputation to uphold.    
   With a combination of air miles and saved-up beer tokens I calculated I could do the trip in some style. Flights to Scandinavia are notoriously expensive and it worked out that the difference between economy and business class wasn't that great. So business class it was. I arrived at Manc airport two hours before the flight was to depart with the intention of getting a few beers in and winding down after a hectic 2 or 3 weeks at work (That's why the site isn't getting the attention it deserves, sorry folks!). As I checked in at the Scandinavian Airlines desk I looked around hoping to spot a friendly match-going face. There was no-one. 'Maybe tomorrow', I thought ... 'the lads'll be travelling tomorrow...'. "Here's your passport, sir", said the nice lady behind the counter, handing said document over, "... and your pass.". I took the piece of card. 'Executive Lounge', it read. "Bingo!!", I thought, as my brain leapt like a jack-in-the box. On the outside I attempted to appear cool and cosmopolitan in a 'Yeah-I-always-travel-business-class type of way', but on the inside I was all Gabriel-Batistuta celebrations.    
   I marched purposefully through a departure lounge crowded with gangs of lads off to Ibiza, and families sprawled across seats waiting for delayed flights to Corfu. In the distance I spied the sign, 'Business Lounges'... my pace picked up and there was an air of self-satisfied purpose in my stride, like Tom Courtney's march at the end of Billy Liar when he's on his way home from the station. A minute or so later, the automatic doors whooshed apart and I was in!    
   I attempted to appear nonchalant as I ambled over to a comfy seat, dropped my bag and plopped myself down into the comfy armchair. I could then have a look round: barely a dozen people in there and they all looked 'business' types. Glancing at my watch I saw I only had 90 minutes to enjoy my breakfast. To cut a long story short - after a couple of Becks' and two extremely large Jamesons and lemonade I was feeling pretty pleased with myself. Then to cap it all in walks Michael Owen and minder. Michael (in regulation tracksuit and trainers) sits down close by, then gets up and goes over to the fridge. "What a scoop!", I said to myself, "St Michael in Holsten Pils for brekky shocker!". A minute later he came back with a bottle of fizzy water and a packet of cheesy biscuits. I proffered a cool "Alright Mike" from behind the pages of The Independent. Mike nods and offers a "Alright mate" back. As we know he was injured I wondered what it was he was travelling for. In Oslo I was to learn that his visit was purely to aid a charity event in aid of Norwegian children ill with cancer.     
   It was only when he got up and left did I realise that the flight had been called, such was the numbing effect of such a filling breakfast.    
   What with a few sharpeners on the flight and some wine with lunch I was slightly dazed and confused when we arrived at Oslo airport, a bright new chrome and smoked glass affair about an hour's drive from the capital. I remember talking to Danny Murphy telling him to stick with it, and how much we all loved him (cringes!) and then trying (rather successfully I thought) to speak Franglais with Titi Camara. A Norwegian bird was doing her best to chat Davey Thompson up, but Thommo looked a bit embarrassed by it all. Over to one side, and behind the Norwegian beauty, the two Jamies - Carra & Redknapp - are giggling like 15 year olds and Carragher is nodding at Thompson with eyes that seem to be shouting "Go on! Go on! She's gagging for it. Gerrin there!".     
   I'm met in the arrivals lounge by a friendly face from the LFCSCSB who whisks me by high-speed, shiny new train into the centre of Oslo. Ten minutes later were propping up the bar in a pub on Torgatta, a pedestrianised street in the city centre. There we meet Bard Thoreson and Roger and Tjorben, three regular visitors to Anfield. Suddenly, I'm not feeling so alone and spend half an hour frantically gabbling about the days ahead and sorting out what needs to be done that night. The LFCSCSB have booked the downstairs hall of the pub for a sing song. An Irish band have also been booked and I'm then handed a pass that'll get me free beer all night. "Times don't come much better than this", I think to myself. In the dark cellar below we discover that the flag I've brought is far too big to put up behind the stage. It turns out also to be too big to take to the Ullevaal the next day. The LFCSCSB have a souvenir stall erected (manned by Bard's gorgeous sister Beatta, and Paul Moller's equally delectable teenage daughters) and take about 2 grand over the course of the evening. Around 8 or 9 when I am well and truly Manolo'd I'm egged onto the stage by Roger Dahl and Bard to 'entertain' the troops. The raucous - nay, hysterical - mood they're in leads me to believe that this could be accomplished by my just dropping my kex. I resist this and launch into a few old favourites: Scouser Tommy, YNWA, Every Other Saturday, Liverbird, Come All Ye Faithful and (what appears to be a Norwegian favourite) We All Live in a Red & White Kop. I debut the Shankly/Sean South song and new 'Irish Rover' I recently wrote, and both seem to go down well. Not that that's any recommendation: I forgot the words to one song and mumbled and hummed most of it and they still went mental at the end. After about an hour I'm dragged off stage and back to the bar but by this time I'm in Liza Minelli mode and haul myself back for an encore. All I can remember of the next couple of hours is talking to Phil Hammond from the HFSG and sweating a lot. I assure you Phil, that the latter owed nothing to the former. Wasn't it hot down there?  
   Several hours later Bard and I are in a quiet bar adjacent to the SAS Radisson Hotel where the team are staying. We are sipping cold beers and yapping about The Farm and Pete Wylie (Is there anyone in Liverpool that Bard doesn't know?) whilst over in the corner an LFC cabinet meeting is in progress: Phil Thompson, Sammy Lee and Joe Corrigan are there along with 2 or 3 I don't recognise. Also there is Peter Robsinson. I'm ashamed to admit that I give up around 1am and go to bed before Peter Robinson.    
   Next day I visit Oslo's famous 'Kop Shop' headquarters and I'm mightily impressed at the set-up the LFCSCSB have there. From around 10.30am when I arrive and for the next 7 hours the place is packed. During the afternoon I take a van trip up to the stadium to check things out and when I return the place is still heaving. Around 6.30pm I take a cab through Oslo's leafy suburbs up to the stadium and we eventually settle down in the busy 'Pele' bar right next to the Ullevaal. It's all a bit noisy. Valarenga fans (I saw about ten all day outside the ground) were being taunted by hundreds of Scandinavian Reds. Then the whole bar vibrates with "Stand Up if you hate ...". I bump into Belfast Jimmy, his mate Howard and Gary O (our favourite postman) who's already got his programmes, team sheets, press pass and stadium issue toilet paper souvenirs with him. Roger Dahl keeps slipping mysteriously off to the bar and returning with a wicked, stickly concoction called 'Jagermeister' that arrives in test tubes. "Skol!" we chorus and throw this alcoholic cough-medicine down our throats. (I've actually got a taste for it now, Roger). It comes as a disappointment to us all when we have to cease the festivities and go into the ground.   
   The Ullevaal is a weird stadium: from the outside it's only the presence of towering floodlights that give away the game. Below the floodlights it looks like an out-of-town shopping mall. Indeed, as we walked around the perimeter it became clear that the strange metal gates between Benetton style boutiques and the coffee & pastry shops were actually the turnstiles. Unlike England most of the 12,000 crowd were in their seats about 20 minutes before kick-off; but then they don't get much chance to see their Liverpool heroes in the flesh. And it was plainly Liverpool that they had come to see - 85% of the crowd were Reds' fans and our seats behind the goal faced a small knot of around 2,000 Valerenga fans. The Reds fans around the rest of the tidy little stadium were absolutely nuts and sang for the entire game. They've even got the banner making off to a fine art. There was one large and memorable 'Roma 1977, London 1978, Paris 1981, Roma 1984' effort dangling from the upper tier behind us, belonging (I believe) to a particularly dedicated supporters club from the Norwegian town of Floro. They've also produced an LFC song on cd which they played in the 'Pele' bar, and very impressive it is too (They've promised to send me a copy).    
   If you want to know about the match itself then visit the Mighty Reds; I can't remember too much about it anyway. Davey Thommo had a great game which can only prove that he resisted the lure of the Norwegian totty and was in bed nice and early. About 10 minutes before the end of the match - it was an extremely hot day and we were all tired, hot and thirsty - Roger nudges me and we decamp for the Pele bar. More beers, more Jagermeister and then the subway back into the city. We all converge (and I mean 'ALL') on my room in the hotel. Several crates of Carlsberg arrive and about 40 people are jammed into the room and overflow into the corridor. Then the mini-bar gets demolished and when we run out of drink (around 1am) we decide to find a bar. Gary O, his mate Byron and some fine-looking birds go over the road to the Ophelia Bar. Meanwhile I'm introduced to Oslo's premier nitespot: the expensive and cosmopolitan looking Smuget Bar/Club on Rosenkrantz Gate. It was certainly full of gorgeous Norwegian birds, all of whom seemed to be looking for Jamie Redknapp. Realising that a hairy-arsed Kop season ticket holder would prove no real substitute for a millionaire footballer I decide to concentrate on the drinking. There followed a parade of beers and it all gets hazy after this. I remember crawling into bed around 4:30am. Bard came in around 7am. Yes, I slept with a Norwegian man - but keep it quiet, please. When we wake up the room looks like The Who have partied here - it was just chaos. The mini-bar door is ajar and all that's left in there is a bottle of fizzy water. Where's Michael Owen when you need him?   (JMac)
   ** This is a condensed version of events and a full version (with photos) will appear in September's RAOTL: Issue 35. **

Feyenoord 0 Liverpool 2 - Pre-season friendly, Windsor Park, Belfast (24th July 99)  
   Watched this on the tele as I couldn't get time off to attend. Very impressed with some of our play, particularly in the second half when even Camara looked like he might be capable of something. Smicer was the star, however, and scored a splendid goal. Camara then scored a second when he followed up a brilliant Fowler volley (from Paddy's cross) which thumped against the bar and fell at Titi's feet. The rest was easy really, and Feyenoord (reigning Dutch Champions) couldn't really cope. I was disappointed with the mainly 'tourist' crowd belting out 'Stand Up if you hate You Know who'. Particularly as it drowned out a fine 'Scouser Tommy' being sang by the couple of thousand regulars. Andy Knott is, apparently, penning a trip report and I'm still waiting for it.

Linfield 0 Liverpool 4 - Pre-season friendly, Windsor Park, Belfast (22nd July 99)  
   Still waiting the report from our correspondent who is still, it appears, trying to teach himself how to write.

Wolves 0 Liverpool 2 - Pre-season friendly, Molyneux (20th July 99)  
   New season optimism and curiosity about the new signings saw the Reds take a massive following to Molyneux last night. We filled an enclosure that ran the full length of the pitch on one side (where I was) as well as a sizeable contingent behind one goal. JJP (at the rear of this last section) says that when we scored half the upper tier behind the enclosure I was in erupted in celebration as well, and seemed to contain a couple of thousand Liverpool fans. In total we had between 8 and 10 thousand there, out of a total attendance of 26,000. These games are very strange: everyone wants to see and evaluate the new signings - but the players appear at times to be going through the motions. None more so than Titi Camara. At half time someone said, "Maybe he's not used to the pace of the English game...". Well, maybe not, but you couldn't make that conclusion from this game as it was played - for the most part - at walking pace. In Wednesday's Liverpool Echo Chris Bascombe was most charitable and likened Titi to those other great enigmas Ronny Rosenthal and David Fairclough: both were as likely to dribble past 5 men and score a last minute winner as they were likely to fall flat on their arses. On this showing, Titi, I eagerly await your last minute winner. This was the first chance we'd had to see the new boys as well as casting our critical gaze over the rejuvenated Fowler and we were not disappointed. 'God' looked superb and his touch was as delicate as it was precise. He really is in a different league and scored a marvellous first half goal from 20 yards, firing low past the keeper into the bottom corner, with a minimum of backlift. Sheer poetry. As someone who was one of his harshest critics over the last two years it is a joy to see the lad (still only 24!) looking lean, sharp and hungry. His attitude appears spot on - he looks a completely different player to the fat, disinterested Fowler who hobbled off in the derby two season's ago with cruciate ligament damage. Whatever problems he may have had seem to have well and truly gone (and I hope they enjoy the paella - or is that also too harsh?). Of the others: Berger, Thompson, Carragher and Leonhardsen all had fine games: Hyppia and Westerwald were untested and so I'll reserve judgement. However, Westerwald's distribution is a joy to behold - as is Sammi's, who seems a comfortable on the ball as ... dare I say it ... Hansen??? For my part, the highlight of the evening was the tannoy blaring out Slade's "Gudbye to Jane" before kick off. It doesn't take much to keep a Glam fan happy, and if you - like me - were at The Liverpool Stadium for The Slade, Thin Lizzy, Suzi Quatro gig, on the Thursday evening in 1973 when this record charted at No. 2 then you'll know what I mean.     

Omagh Town setback (18th July 99)  
   It now appears that this game - originally scheduled for the 2nd week in September - may not take place til Monday, October 18th. Cheapo Easyjet flights from Liverpool to Belfast should make this a must-go fixture. The only problem it seems will be match tickets with ALL tickets being allocated to local supporters. Even so, the pubs in and around Omagh are spot-on and the craic will be good, so head on over anyway.

Liverpool 8 German Select XI 0 - Pre-season friendly, St Gallen, Switzerland (16th July 99)  
   Without details of the strength of the opposition it's impossible to gauge the significance of this result. The good news, I suppose, is that we kept a clean sheet (something we couldn't do last year against a semi-pro French 4th division side in Boulogne) and no injuries were reported; Danny Murphy appears to be in the reckoning again (and scored!) and Robbie Fowler has been appointed vice-captain of the side. This is a great move by Houllier and clearly shows how much 'God' is valued at Anfield. GH has done great work over the summer clearing the air over Fowler (believe me, many insiders honestly believed that Fowler would move over the summer) and this public display of trust and belief in Robbie - or is it a direct challenge to him to keep his (ahem) nose clean in the future? - appears to have worked well. Fowler is, by all accounts, looking leaner, fitter and sharper than for a couple of seasons. No wonder Arsene Wenger keeps having wet dreams about the lad, but if Anelka is worth £20m it is absolutely laughable that Wenger keeps trotting out this "12 million for Fowler" stuff without anybody in the press questioning it. That's right, Arsene, you flog your troublesome, disruptive striker and to solve your lack-of-firepower problem you take our best player, and come out with £8m to spare ... Am I missing something here or just playing into the Daily Mirror's hands again?  
  For the record the Reds' scorers were: Robbie Fowler(3), Paddy Berger(2), Danny Murphy, Titi Camara and Vegard Heggem

FlagDay News for news season (15th July 99)  
   Most important - December 18th 1999 is our Bill Shankly FlagDay. This December sees the 40th anniversary of Bill's arrival at Anfield and we at RAOTL intend to commemorate this, and celebrate Bill's achievements and life, by staging a Shankly celebration weekend; culminating in a FlagDay when we play Coventry City the Saturday before Christmas.
   The season's first flagday will take place at the ManU game on Saturday 11th September, followed by the usual derby day flagday on the 25th for Everton's visit. Watch this space for details as well as our Spion Kop pages and the usual matchday leaflets.

Extra Wolves tickets allocation (15th July 99)  
   Cease fretting - following our speedy sellout of the original allocation of 2,500 tickets for next week's friendly at Moulineux, Wolves have sent an extra 1500 that go on sale, to personal applicants only, at Anfield tomorrow (16th July). Tickets are priced at a reasonable £12. To add spice to the fixture we expect Vladimir Smicer to make his debut.

Granada Deal (14th July 99)   
   'The thin end of the wedge' or 'The best of both worlds'? Well, the facts are: Liverpool FC issued extra shares amounting to just under 10% of the total number of shares (valued at around £6,000 each). In exchange for these new shares Granada gave Liverpool £22 million. Granada are, therefore, a large shareholder but in no way do they hold any real power at board level. The Littlewoods family- in the shape of Chairman David Moores - still own a majority (51%) of the shares. Although the Daily Mirror portrayed it as a sell-out (Under the headline 'SOLD') this bears no comparison to Sky's proposed takeover of ManU plc or a stock market flotation a la Newcastle. No sovereignty has been sold and Liverpool FC is still owned and run by it's board of directors - businessmen who are, in the main, supporters like us - just a hell of a lot richer. Granada, like the other shareholders at LFC, will take no dividend. They have simply bought into the potential of a club that is valued at between £220 and £250 million even though it's at it's lowest ebb for a generation. Should the club ever wish to branch out into it's own cable tv channel then Granada are ideally placed to bid to be the service provider. However, no deal has been struck and the £22m does not cover this. Also, let's not be naive: should the collective TV bargaining of the Premier League be declared illegal (or rather "a restriction of trade") and the clubs then become able to sell their own tv rights, then Granada will also be ideally placed to bid for Liverpool's matches. But, again, no deal has been struck. Both parties are just preparing for this eventuality should it ever become a reality. In fact, Liverpool are totally behind the collective bargaining camp, something which Granada have to, and do, respect.
   Granada have also been appointed to manage the clubs catering, publishing and marketing concerns, including the creation of a club web presence (something that we at RAOTL have been considerably critical of - see RAOTL # 34 out next week). As these are all areas that the club lags woefully behind in, and are areas that Granada - as an international production, media, hotel and catering company - has considerable expertise in, I can't see what any real Liverpool supporter can object to. The better Granada performs in these areas, the more money Liverpool FC make. As they can't do any worse than the club do at present - it's a win-win situation for the Liverpool Football Club. One early indication of how the new 'deal' will affect the club's image: Granada local news in the North West mentioned tonight that Liverpool F.C. were "four times European Cup Winners". Those of you resident in Granada's catchment area will agree what a first this is. Maybe Granada's Anthony H. Wilson will - in true Zoe Ball fashion - turn turtle and declare an undying devotion to the Anfield Reds. (So the deal may have a dark side after all).
   What is most agreeable about this injection of funds is where the money will be going. £2m has been earmarked for further development of the £13m 'Academy' at Kirkby. The rest has been allocated to transfer funds. Unlike over at The Pit - where any incoming dosh goes straight to pay off the considerable overdraft at Barclays, leaving the poorly-dressed smackheads to watch third-rate, ageing castoffs in a decrepit, aged ground - our £22m will go straight into strengthening the team and nurturing future homegrown talent a la Carragher, Owen, Fowler, Gerrard, Thompson et al.