Plastic Scouser

Looks as if it''s all down to Naismith now - reports in Liverpool Echo this afternoon saying that Martinez has reached agreement with Norwich & that it''s down to the player to decide if he wants to go. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-agree-deal-sell-steven-10739398

The name probably gives it away but I''m an exiled Canary up here in Liverpool.I was a student down in London at the time and went to the semi at West Ham and then headed to the midlands courtesy of the great institution that is Capital Canaries...I remember the game like it was yesterday for all the wrong reasons.   The Holte was packed, but unlike others I didn''t feel threatened, but that''s probably due to the fact I''m a pretty big fella with the ability to look after my own personal space if there was a big surge - and there were quite a few as I remember.   Standing close to me was a bloke with the ubiquitous tranny radio & earpiece and he was giving a very good commentary on what was going on that matched exactly what must have been happening at Hillsborough.   At first it was a case of the game being delayed due to late arrival of fans, then it was crowd trouble then "a serious incident" and by the time we were losing the full horror was evident and the game didn''t matter at all.I remember getting on the train back to New Street, City fans & Evertonians alike all crowded round the fans who had their radios on, absolutely silent, nobody saying a thing.   New Street was packed with fans who were sharing the rumours, the stories, what they''d heard on the radio....the same happened on the train back to London, it was eerily quiet despite being packed with fans of both teams.Only when I got back to my university rooms did I find out the full horror & realise what had actually happened.To be honest, though my most vivid memory of the day actually comes from the Monday evening after the disaster.    Being a typical student I would be glued to the radio from 7pm to listen to the late, great John Peel.    The first track he played that evening was "You''ll Never Walk Alone" by Aretha Franklin, and Peel was understandably in tears.    It was at that exact moment that I truly understood what had happened and how football would never be the same again.

Having a little knowledge of  him from his Liverpool days, he always looked a decent prospect for the future.   One of his earliest outings for the first team was in a European game vs Fiorentina when Liverpool fielded almost a youth team and he coped admirably with the pace of the game. I think (and hope) that time may show Ayala to be a very sound investment...

I read an interesting stat the other day somewhere (BBC?  F365?) that reckoned if we''d won our matches where we''d scored first, we''d be 5th.   So whilst 5th is great, 9th is''t a bad return either.    I know I''d rather be 9th at Christmas than 16th or 17th.   It would be good to keep a clean sheet but as long as we''re banging in the goals...who cares?!!!

One player I know (not at Norwich by the way) gets all his boots provided as part of his contract with his agent....basically they''re on tap for him when he wants them...don''t know if it''s a deal with Nike or a deal that Nike have with the Sports Agency who represent him, anyway for him Nike boots/shoes etc just grow on trees....

Was sat in the Main Stand on Saturday...the noise the Yellow Army made was fantastic...I was sat almost level with the penalty spot at the Kop End - and there were times when the noise from the City fans totally drowned out the noise from the Kop. Got some great looks when I celebrated Grant''s goal...plastic scousers not happy with me lol! Says a lot about their fans too when they all started streaming out of the ground at 85 mins...obviously all those flights to catch back to Norway, Ireland etc....  

The seats in Anfield are a joke.   If you''re sat next to anyone other than a child, you''ll be at risk from a DVT by half-time.   What''s even worse is, that the seats in the Directors Box are just the same - except they''ve got a bit of cushion on them....was sat there the other week for one of the U-19 European League games... Anfield is a shed, CR is infinitely better, I''ve no idea what the great mystique about the stadium is...

Inside knowledge (ie a fairly close link to the club he comes from) would suggest that Pacheco could prove to be a very useful addition to our squad.He''s definitely regarded as one for the future at Liverpool.  His pedigree is excellent and he''s well known to the likes of Dalgleish from his Academy days...He''s not getting a regular look in as a first team player but they don''t want to let him go as they know he''s got quality.   Recently they''ve started loaning out some of their younger development players - Hull have recently benefitted from Dani Ayala and David Amoo, we''re now getting the chance to see what Pacheco brings.Give the kid a chance - he could be very useful in the next few games!

ARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH [8o|]  Don''t like...it looks really cheap!!!!But hey, I suppose we''ll all get used to it... [:|]

Gates...without doubt.  Oh, and Sammy Lee.

[quote user="Jakesacanary"]My Dad reckons Joe Corrigan was at Norwich ???????[/quote]He was too...played a few times on loan for us I think - covering an injury?

Having attended a few games at Anfield over the past couple of seasons (magical European nights etc) I can confirm that only on occasions does the Kop appear to make much noise (and that includes at the derby games & against Man U)...It would appear that this is not just an issue at Carrow Road.   Think it''s all down to the modern stadiums, the fact that they''re all seaters and that the demographic has changed...

That semi-final against Everton @ Villa Park was great to start with but as the news filtered through things got more & more subdued...remember getting the train back to New Street and people with their radios passing on the terrible news....easily my worst ever away day...

[quote user="Reckoner"]Personally, i felt that Martin was actually making some good runs up the right flank, but unfortunately when he got the ball he passed it straight to the opposition most of the time (although i do remember a few good crosses from him). Michael Nelson was infuriating because he kept on hoofing the ball when there was no Watford player within 30 yards of him. I mean come on, even the Doc could string at least two passes together in a game!But to be fair, no-one really covered themselves in glory last night. Oh well, things can only get better... in theory [;)] [/quote]Yep, he made some "great" runs up the right flank but unfortunately he couldn''t hit a barn door at 2ft with his passes - yep, had a really great night didn''t he?!!!Sorry folks but I''ve got to come down on the side of the OP...Martin was rubbish, Nelson not much better - they were like rabbits in headlights every time Watford came at them - just hope it was first night nerves..

Add me to that list please! [:)]

248 miles & 4hrs 29 mins...[:|]

Like many of the previous posters I grew up listening to Uncle Roy''s commentaries from far flung grounds around this country - my favourite memory of his commentating skills has to be the Bruce goal in the Milk Cup semi - sheer unbridled joy, totally biased commentary and obviously a real fan of the club.   He''ll be sadly missed.   RIP Roy!

Can''t believe anyone hasn''t raised one of the greatest...Drazen Muzinic...Yugoslavian (it still existed in those days) international, signed by John Bond from Hadjuk Split and a club record signing if memory serves me right.  Utterly useless, failed to adapt to English football.  Bond apparently said that he''d never actually seen him play and signed him on reputation!!!

Ah those were the days....Were me & my mates the only ones who used to hang back at the end of the games and sweep up the coins?  Still amazes me that in those days people were prepared to chuck 50p around...mind you, the local shops must have wondered why so many battered coins were passing through their tills during the week after a home game!  Easy pocket money for a 13yr old lad!Those toilets at the foot of the hill were awful...running in god knows what by half-time!   What was the name of the seriously big fella who used to start the singing towards the back in the eighties...he was a sound bloke - always looked after the younger kids in the Barclay, didn''t let anyone take the mick or barge them out of the way...Happy Days!

You''ve got to feel for him...

[quote user="ſilly ſauſage"]When we gained promotion in the early 80s many fans rushed onto the pitch.  Fans were hugging each other etc, interacting really not just still down clapping it was far more emotional.  Then Ken Brown cam back down the tunnel addressed the fans and if I remember many players took the mic and thanked the fans.To me then, and looking back.  It was a sort of role reversal fans on the pitch players and management looking at them. It''s something the modern fan ''doesn''t get''.[/quote]Remember it well  [;)]Happy days indeed!

[quote user="ſilly ſauſage"]When we gained promotion in the early 80s many fans rushed onto the pitch.  Fans were hugging each other etc, interacting really not just still down clapping it was far more emotional.  Then Ken Brown cam back down the tunnel addressed the fans and if I remember many players took the mic and thanked the fans.To me then, and looking back.  It was a sort of role reversal fans on the pitch players and management looking at them. It''s something the modern fan ''doesn''t get''.[/quote]Remember it well

Driving down the A11 following a Ford Transit "luton" style van - back door pulled up & about 10 blokes all sitting on deckchairs surrounded by crates of beer...Piling back onto the tube with the Sunderland fans & not a slightest hint of trouble, just a happy carefree fun day out.Listening back to the Radio Norfolk coverage of the day & dear old Uncle Roy''s commentary!

Apparently the Villa fans were chanting "Are you Norwich in disguise" - which given the result is obviously a favourable comment on their fears about Man Utd being a feeder club for us...

Back in the day did it a couple of times when we''d been promoted - it was the done thing!  Remember climbing over the railings from the Barclay as a kid - ripping my new jeans and having to explain that one to my Mum when I got home! [:$]