The Red Baron wrote:Ah the six million dollar question rears its head again,many a happy hour has been spent pondering this one in hostelries up and down the country.Basically the rule of thumb is,if you are discussing it with someone older than yourself,they will always tell you the old days were the best days.If you are discussing it with someone from the same era thats when the fun begins.
I was taken to first game about 1968/69 by my Dad a short walk across Stanley Park from our home in Walton,I can still picture it now.The houses that back onto the alleyway that runs from the King Harry pub, up to the ground used to charge fans to leave their bikes in there backyards,imagine that nowadays going the match on a pushbike and shoving your bycicle clips in your pocket.The Kop was the first and best football terrace I ever stood on,and it broke my heart when they put seats on it.At that time the kop also housed the boys pen,a section that was penned off in the top right hand corner many alad took his life in his hands climbing out and into the rafters of the mighty Kop.
In those days there was limited TV coverage of football,the only live games were the FA Cup final and the World cup every four years.Every Saturday before going to the match everybody would watch football focus then turn over to watch on the ball,the interviews with Shanks were always listened to in hushed rooms in case anybody missed a word,of what the great man was saying.As I got older I followed my beloved Liverpool all over the country and Europe losing jobs along the way and loving every second of it,even when coming within millimeteres of losing an eye at one particularly violent day out at Birmingham City.
I have been lucky enough to see some great players over the years Keegan,Toshack,Dalgleish Souness,Alan Hansen to name but a few,and witnessed a trophy haul as long as my arm but I still havent answered the question! its simply because I cant.
I have great memories but Iam sure the achievments of the side Rafa is putting together will become great memories in the future.I wasnt in Istanbul on that magical night in May and that my friends is the biggest regret of my life.Like everything football has moved on not all for the better but in some respects it has.In the main we have kissed goodbye to hooliganism and racism is on the wane.We can sit in some degree of comfort and not be worried abot standing in urine in a pair of decent shoes.Although football on a Sunday and Monday night still gets my back up.
So the good old days,or present day,There is no choice to make I just count myself lucky to support the most succsesful team in the country,that has given me so much pleasure over the years with plenty more to come.
brilliant mate, nice read
