Changing Times

You may put this down to SKYification (Americanisation) of the nation's sport or you may think that's just the way of the world these days. And you'd be right. But in this crazy modern self-obsessed world the one thing I have left of traditional value is our club heritage and identity, like the last of the Mohicans (big clubs) we have not been moved, and still retain our traditions of the past.

Now we are standing at the crossroads of our destiny and the question is do we fight our own path into the future for our right to exist under our own terms, or do we get on the motorway and head down the same path as the rest? Do we really have a choice?

The world has gone money mad and the loss of happiness through community spirit happens because people are driven further apart in pursuit of money what they think leads to happiness. Scousers have never had much money and hence community spirit pervades through the streets and especially in the midst of our football clubs. Our two football clubs are focal points of our communities because they give us excitement, pride and of course endless banter.

However LFC are different to us and this difference can also be defined by one word ? SUCCESS. Yes we have also had success, but they hit a peak at the advent of televised football and it gained them a huge favour of fans, the same with Man U (and, to a lesser extent, Arsenal) since '92.

Now LFC have jumped on the money-train but they have aleady seen the huge loss of local fans through rising prices which will continue to rise. The upshot is they could build a new stadium anywhere they wanted (London even!) and still fill it. Instead they have decided (though I will wait till the first brick is laid before I believe it) to stay in Anfield.

We have not had sustained success for a good while, and now there is a 'property boom' on premiership football teams since the Russian showed us all how it is to be done - Moremoney.

Everyone and his wife is suddenly clambering for a piece of success a la Chelsea, and getting investment is now held in esteem on a par with winning the FA cup. But what is investment? Lets get this straight ? it's not free money. People who buy-to-let houses and drive the prices up aren't providing shelter for others, they are investing to make a profit at the expense of the community. This is not like investing in business where you provide a service or product and hope for it's success, just a money-making exercise in which people invest at the expense of others for no gain in real terms.

This is what is happening in football and prices are going up. The question is will it all come crashing down again? Like the property market there are no signs of it happening soon? But even if it doesn't, in 10 years most who 'won' investment will realise they still never won a trophy. Of course the fans will be paying higher prices.

So as the middle-classes have moved into claim football for themselves, we have to look at ourselves and ask can we hang on and hope we can keep up? I seriously doubt it, but as a blue I live in hope. But how do we go about it? Again the keyword is success and without major success we will always be dependent on our local fanbase. The problem these days is that people are forgetting what football is all about, to me its not about a shiny stadium, convenient parking, toilet facilities, haute cuisine, or even an extra 8cm of legroom. None of them matter, it's all about us the fans going to the game and and our spirit to fight for the blue cause together.

I'm not going to try and change your mind about the vote, whether you decide that Kirkby is the way to go or not, I know you are thinking it is for the good of the club. Im also not going to start on BK or KW, they are just doing their jobs (however badly). I just hope that Bill, as a blue, remembers his role as protector of the club's values when someone offers him a way out.

I'm not going to Kirkby because it will spell the end of all I hold dear about our club; the togetherness of the fans, team and club in the pursuit of style, success and enjoyment, to be abandoned in the pursuit of dollars, hotdogs and profit margins. This is not a mentality I subscribe to in life, and while it has been going on for a while in football it would be the final nail in the coffin.

I am sick of hearing Everton use the people's club motto while they treat us like dickheads and seeing that phoney banner on the park end, as it has simply become a big advertising slogan. But I know we ARE the people's club and I think we as the people should be doing more to ensure we are not collectively led to turn our back on our people. I believe we can do it if we fight for what we want. COYB!

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