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The decision not to award Bob Paisley a knighthood is a disgraceful one, but I can’t say it’s a surprising one. As a Liverpool fan, I’ve long since stopped expecting anything from officialdom, and I find I’m never disappointed! The reality is, that Paisley really should have been given a knighthood 25 years ago and although giving him one now would be lovely, particularly for his family, I think it would be too little too late.
Despite the fact that over 30,000 fans had signed a petition, British Prime Minister Tony Blair told us yesterday that knighthoods are reserved for the living, and that’s really not too surprising as it appears that under his government so is justice, just ask the families of the 96 souls who lost their lives at Hillsborough for whom he has done damn all. I think Liverpool fans will just have to accept the fact that neither Paisley or Shankly will ever be awarded a knighthood, mainly because they are lacking three of the vital ingredients required to getting one. Firstly, as rather observantly pointed out by Mr Blair, neither of them are still alive. Secondly, even if they were, they would not possess the necessary funds required to grease the wheels of officialdom, cash for peerages and all that. Finally, and perhaps most importantly in football terms, neither of them has ever managed the mancs, which seems to be an important requirement, as they seem to have cornered the market in these things. So as far as I’m concerned, Mr Blair can take his knighthood, turn it sideways and shove it straight up the highest point of his arse. With or without a knighthood, both Paisley and Shankly will be remembered long after he’s forgotten.
Although it’s fantastic that so many fans should take the time to organise and sign this petition, to be honest I think Paisley would feel a little awkward about all the fuss it’s caused. In my early years as a Liverpool fan and throughout my school days, Paisley was our manager, and in all that time I could count on the fingers of one hand, the amount of times I heard him give an interview. Despite the fact that he was the most successful manager in the history of the game, he preferred the spotlight to be shined on the team not on himself. A couple of years after he retired I heard him give a rare radio interview and in it he said something that has always stayed with me.
He said that one of the worst things about being the manager was that he could never get a good view of the game from the dugout and one of the best things about being retired, was that he could now sit up at the back of the stand and from that vantage point, watch the match unfolding before him like a game of chess. To this very day, anytime I think of him, I still get this mental picture of him sitting anonymously at the back of the stand, just watching the game alongside the supporters. Its the perfect image of the cerebal Paisley who loved the game and went about the business of bringing tremendous success to the club with a quiet dignity that seems almost alien in the modern game.
He won more silverware then any manager before or since and yet he did it all without the need to play mind games or slag off the opposition. He won so much that people thought he had some magic formula for success, but when asked about it he would often tell them that the key to it all was to keep things as simple as possible. This is perhaps most brilliantly exemplified by his most famous quote. One day while talking to his forwards he said, “If the ball comes to you in the box and you don’t know what to do, stick it in the net and we’ll discuss the options later.”
Paisley and Shankly should have been given recognition by officialdom and awarded knighthoods when they were still alive, but without them they are no less great. While I understand the sentiment behind the petition, I think even if it was allowed, awarding them knighthoods when they are no longer alive to receive them, lacks any real meaning. Besides this, I think there are far better ways to honour them. With work soon to begin on a new stadium that will herald a new era for the club, maybe this new era can also afford us an opportunity to more properly honour the two men who have contributed most to its history. Perhaps we should consider sending all future petitions to our new owners Mr Gillett and Mr Hicks, because I can think of no finer honour then to have the sides of our new pitch overlooked by the Shankly and Paisley stands. Knowing how much they both loved this club and its supporters, I think such an honour would have meant far more to them then a mere knighthood.
Finally, on to todays game at Reading and Rafa is anxious for the team to keep the momentum going. With the exception of our game at Villa, the team has been playing some great stuff lately. This recent consistent run of form may have been a long time coming, but better late then never and lets hope the lads can keep it going until the end of the season. Reading have been the surprise package in the Premiership this season and have played some great football. We need these three points to ensure we stay ahead of Arsenal in the battle for third spot and I think we’ll see Rafa select a strong line up. I expect we’ll see Bellamy, Sissoko, Hyypia and perhaps even Fowler coming into the side that played so well at PSV in midweek, which shows you the kind of strength we have in our squad lately. I wouldn’t underestimate Reading but we are playing with a lot of confidence and I think we’ll be too strong for them, so my money’s on a 2-0 win for The Reds.
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 #1 |
frank
Posted on April 7, 2007 @ 11:01 am
Are you really surprised! I have lived in the south for over 20 years and though racism is not acceptable (in public at least) there has never been any disguising the feeling towards scousers. I can’t understand it but the southerners generally see Liverpool as a back water to be ashamed off while Manchester is thought of as the south gone north.
Is it the fact that Liverpool is left wing while the south is so right wing while Manchester seems to be more right than left? Or is it simply the difference of cultures with southerners being so suspicious of that which they don’t understand? All I know is that I have been made to feel disgust at some of the comments made re Liverpool and scousers, mainly by southerners, but also be some from the north too.
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 #2 |
theredman
Posted on April 7, 2007 @ 1:06 pm
Gerry, commented on this debacle yesterday (road to Athens) and very true about cash for honours and all that shite, and to add to the ignominy of it all i recieved an e-mail off Bush’s bum boy yesterday explaining WHY ? i wish he’d sent it in step by step picture form so i could understand it better cos i’m only working class, and one of the idiots who voted him in ( the second tories ) in the first place, yes let’s remember them with the new ground with maybe ” The Shankly Paisley Stadium “.
theredman YNWA
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 #3 |
kopite
Posted on April 7, 2007 @ 1:35 pm
I just wish Tony Blair would have taken the time to proof read his emails, or rather get someone to do it for him.
“Shankley”?
Good piece, and spot on about “greasing the wheels”.
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 #4 |
alec_the_red
Posted on April 7, 2007 @ 5:07 pm
shove the knighthood…anyone that has half a brain knows full well that shankly and paisley will never be outdone anywhere ever. those that don’t acknowledge that don’t know a damn thing.
well earned victory today, especially given the rotation that rafa employed. i thought sissoko was poor, he really needs to improve on his awareness and ball control. mascherano was excellent again, and arbeloa took his goal well. just to say another thing about him, mascherano really looks like a fantastic signing, not that i was expecting anything else. i’ve actually followed him play for years (when he was in Argentina), and I have to say that he is pure class. great positioning, great tackling, excellent vision and good with the ball at his feet. truly one of the best deals in recent years. last but not least, pennant. great performance when he came on. excellent, really. wonderful ball to kuyt for the second, and a great through ball to riise toward the end that couldve been a third. i felt sorry for bellamy who got taken off, he was working very hard but things weren’t going his way. it seems rafa is frustrated with him though, especially since he took him off minutes after he was clear through on hahneman and didnt convert.
still, good result…and arsenal got beat by waste him (west ham, referring to mascherano, of course)…so good news all around.
walk on, mighty reds
YNWA
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#5 |
theredman
Posted on April 7, 2007 @ 7:09 pm
Gerry, nothing to do with current blog, but dont you just love it when Rio doe’s that, still a minute to go.
theredman YNWA
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 #6 |
Gerry
Posted on April 7, 2007 @ 7:28 pm
I was just watching that redman, it gave me the best laugh I’ve had all day and it was a double sickener that it proved to be the winner for Pompey.:)
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 #7 |
OneFansView
Posted on April 7, 2007 @ 7:35 pm
Paisley was the manager when i first took an interest in football and Liverpool, so for me he will always be the yardstick that i compare the managers who have come after, a tough act to follow for sure. But i think your idea of having a Paisley and Shankly stand in the new stadium would be a much more fitting way of remembering the 2 greatest managers to date……..but give Rafa time and funds and who knows maybe someday we might have a `Rafa Benitez north stand´
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#8 |
alec_the_red
Posted on April 7, 2007 @ 7:55 pm
hooray for rio! i havent laughed that hard in a while…especially with his tantrum he threw after having done it.
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 #9 |
jonesy
Posted on April 8, 2007 @ 8:03 am
What a great week for results…
The worrying thing for us English fans is that he’s keeping our Jamie out of the centre of defence… what a frigging plonker…
In those times of feeling down or things just not going right I will always think back to “His name is Rio” and his classic own goal…
hugs
jonesy
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 #10 |
Breeners
Posted on April 8, 2007 @ 2:11 pm
I think we shouldn’t give up petitioning to get Bob a knighthood – if we keep at Blair he will have to give in
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 #11 |
AnimalCol
Posted on April 8, 2007 @ 3:05 pm
If you haven’t seen ferdi’s og have a look here.
Its one of the funniest vids I’ve seen, seriously!! The video quality is shite but listen to the commintary……hoo hoo indeed (seriously listen for the hoo hoo – if you don’t wet yourself then you must be totally dehydrated, its just like the fast show….)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU6JboZMyHM
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 #12 |
Hyde
Posted on April 9, 2007 @ 1:01 am
Gerry, lads:
Maybe none of us are really surprised, but it was totally bitter that Mr. Paisley got rejected– look at his record for crying out loud….. Great job of comparing him to Shakespear– he may never have existed….
Naming the stands after the two legendary gentlemen will be terrific. I am sure the new owners will listen to our cries if we let them known.
Rio’s goal was fantastic– so beautiful that Van der Saar just stood and admired it go in!! Well done, mate!
Hyde frm JPN
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#13 |
alec_the_red
Posted on April 9, 2007 @ 1:24 am
animalcol – that’s a fantastic video. the commentary is hilarious.
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 #14 |
FTO_Malta
Posted on April 9, 2007 @ 3:38 pm
Happy Birthday Robbie
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#15 |
jonesy
Posted on April 9, 2007 @ 9:02 pm
I tell you what, my appreciation of Steve Coppell went up over the weekend.
I’d still always associated him with the Man Utd team of the mid seventies who denied us what was rightfully our treble in 1977. One of the jammiest goals in the history of the FA Cup to boot.
But the pure emotion in his after match interview on the weekend struck a chord with me. Anyone who has that sort of passion for the game has my respect.
You can see his and Rafa’s interviews here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/6513355.stm
Never realised he was a Liverpool fan as a kid, obviously where he gets the passion from.
All the best for Wednesday lads and lasses.
hugs
jonesy
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 #16 |
aussie_kopfan
Posted on April 10, 2007 @ 9:42 am
Maybe we should start petitioning for Rio to have a knighthood. After all, its not very often someone can give so many people such a good laugh
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 #17 |
AK
Posted on April 10, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
Not to turn this into a political debate, but what did we really expect? Did we honestly think the show of support would influence this “Untouchable” government. We try to uphold democracy in other areas of the globe yet fail to listen to our own people on issues that are personal to them.
To give Ferguson an award and then completely “fob” off Paisley is not just a slap to LFC but a slap to football and sport in general. There is no excuse for not giving it. He was the GREATEST englishclub manager EVER….this is undeniable! In any other sport or discipline the best is ALWAYS honoured! The reply email from Blairs media b*tch basically says because he isn’t alive they cannot. What a croc of sh*te! They can award him and they can honour him. The point they are trying to make is if they honour 1 they have to honour all the others. They should have thought this one out a little more before giving it to Alex and then sharing port, whisky, Bush’s sem*n to celebrate!!!
We should have got donations in inaddition, as 30,000 multiplied by (lets say £1) is £30K. I’m sure Lord Levy would have looked into this then!!!!
And Gerry you were bang on about the memories of the 96. Seems this goverment won’t do anything for its lost loved ones. We might get an apology in 300 years though!
A question as I leave:
What if Chelsea were to win the CL this year do you think Moaninho would get 1. If England made it to the semis of a major competition do you think Sven McClaren would get 1?
At the end of the day LFC fans know exactly who they honour and respect and once again we’ll show the world…again!
Football has many principles that people could follow. Grace and dignity are just 2 that spring to mind!
Still in Rafa and LFC I trust
YNWA
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#18 |
theredman
Posted on April 10, 2007 @ 1:49 pm
Gerry and the lad’s, dont know if you have been following the media report’s on Roma v manks especially the vicious bastards that they call the police over there ? anyone remember 1984 when we stuffed them in their own backyard, let’s see their chief of police show footage of the treatment of our fan’s over there ? you wont. Now i hate the manks, but to see middle aged men being cowardly battered in that way was sickening, i think the manks were paying the price for the death of an italian policeman by THEIR OWN SUPPORTER’S, and i think the F.A should have thought about this before the game and the consequence’s it would hold afterward’s, pity they did’nt show that much courage during the 2nd world war, having said that they probably did, against defenceless middle aged men.
absolutely sickened.
theredman YNWA.
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#20 |
Gerry
Posted on April 10, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
C’mon Cisse, get your act together!
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#21 |
alec_the_red
Posted on April 10, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
mancs 7 roma 1. cmon! seriously?!?!? that was a disgraceful display by roma. their coach should resign or be fired. he made no changes. he looked like a deer in headlights. how can you come into a champions league semifinal match with a lead and lose 7 nil. unbelievable.
looks like it’s the chavs for us again.
oh, and please god cisse get scoring goals in france so we can get some money off of you. what the hell is up with him???
ynwa
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#22 |
aussie_kopfan
Posted on April 11, 2007 @ 12:32 am
Whats up with him??? He’s pants, thats what’s up with him. We realised it, and now Mariselle are realsing it. Thanks Mr Houllier, another stirling purchase…Wanker!
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#23 |
alec_the_red
Posted on April 11, 2007 @ 12:57 am
aussie…true true. however he did score goals in france before, and the only reason i want him to start scoring them now is so that we can offload him. i def dont want him back – and now we wont be getting any decent money back off him…thats what sucks.
YNWA
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#24 |
aussie_kopfan
Posted on April 11, 2007 @ 1:35 am
Yeah i know i hear ya alec. He just frustrates me even when he isnt around. My mrs has a better understanding of the offside rule than he does. I agree, it would be great to get abit of money back on him, BUT at this stage I’d just be happy to get him off the books. He should concentrate less bitching and stylinh his hair and more on figuring out how to use his pace and not run around like a headless chicken…and by the looks of his legs, drinks more milk!
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 #25 |
gazmaninaus
Posted on April 11, 2007 @ 2:26 am
Well I think we’re all a bit hard on Cisse, lets not forget he scored 19 goals in a disruptive season, with as Mr B puts it an inferior team to the one we now have. Poor bastard gets a slating on this blog day in day out.
Yes he has his problems but he’s only early twenties, with the right guidance he could be amazing.
We forget that Bellas is off side half the time and he never stops slagging his own players, but in a moment of brilliance its all forgiven. It’s dam lucky we had an astute Ref on Saturday as Bellamy was offside on the first goal and still going forward.
Cisse is a character, impulsive, aggressive and at times plain frustrating, however at others he’s a game breaker, remember the FA cup.
The game needs players like him, we can’t all be perfect metronomes like Finnan and JC. People come to watch him whether they hate him or love him, he puts bums on seats. He adds the unpredictable to a sometimes predictable game.
Whether that suits Mr B is another matter as he likes the metronome types and a 1 nil scoreline.
If anyone gets chance to see the MTV pimp my ride episode with Cisse, they may see him in a different light. On that show he couldn’t have been a more humble person.
Yes he shits me at times but the exicites me at others, just may I add like Louis. But he’s only young and full of impulse so lets give him a go.
I would also like to mention, once again Chelsea slowed the play with constant diving free kick making. 20 free kicks in nearly 20 minutes, suddenly no flowing play and there back on top. Dirty tricks to win football games, continues to happen week in week out.
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#26 |
Hyde
Posted on April 11, 2007 @ 3:03 am
Lads,
The problem with Cisse is that he is such a big moaner. Just when RB comes along and finds him a niche position (he scored a number of goals that season playing as a semi-winger), he starts sulking, and complained that he was not being played in the right position and all that crap. Should have shown some appreciation. However, I wouldn’t be too harsh on him being injured so many times– I loved Jamie Redknapp, and he was on the sidelines for most of his career….
Mancs VS Roma was totally bizarre. It almost looked like a test match to me. Totally agree with the dirty tactics that Chelsea seem to employ. It’s just as well they got through, though. Another big opportunity to show them that they are not ready to win a European title. I would have been more worried facing Valencia. May we hope Luis will be back in time for the showdown, or am I being too wishful??
BTW, has anyone followed up more on the rumour surrounding Villa?
YNWA frm JPN,
Hyde
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#27 |
theredman
Posted on April 11, 2007 @ 11:09 am
Gerry, why are they having a go at Cisse, anyone remember that goal scoring machine we purchased in the form of Morientes, 10 goals in 61 games wow, he makes Cisse look like the second coming of goal scorers. What the fuck happened to Valencia in the second half last night ? Watford would have stuffed them never mind cska london (luv that name Gerry), but i would have preferred playing Valencia than josies lot.
theredman YNWA.
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#28 |
theredman
Posted on April 11, 2007 @ 11:17 am
Me again Gerry, anybody see David Villa last night ? if so, which one was he.
theredman YNWA.
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#29 |
AK
Posted on April 11, 2007 @ 12:37 pm
Oh the greatest european game ever…..f*ck off
I hate the british media, from David Pleat practically sucking off Alex during the game to all the “tabloid” pages who (lets face it they looooove Manure) pulling each other off in the hope of finding the right stats about the game.
End of day….Manure won. Well done but lets not forget this Roma team bent over quicker than a crack whore with a tempting fiver! How on earth they won previously is beyond me. So much of that game I saw and Roma just ball watched, didn’t chase, didn’t track back etc etc. So good performance in terms of result.
And Carrick …. someone please hit me. How can this donkey kick a ball let alone score goals??? Baffling!
Oh and did anyone notice Scholes only got a 1 game ban. Looks like UEFA and Alex are drinking from the same goblet!
On course for 6
In Rafa we trust
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#30 |
aussie_kopfan
Posted on April 12, 2007 @ 7:13 am
why is everyone defending Cisse??? Seriously, have you all forgot how shite he was. Yes Morintes was rubbish when he came to anfield, but so was Cisse. yeah he scored in the FA cup final, but that doesnt mean jack. he was the most infuriating, whinging player ive seen in red in a long time. Yeah he was played out of his favourite position at times, so what, so’s Gerrard.
Just cause he’s a nice bloke (which he is suppose to be) doesnt mean he was anything other than a flop at Liverpool.
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