After years of living in the shadows. Licking our paws after another miserable premier league season where we've dropped out of the title race before our christmas presents have arrived, it's about time Liverpool step up and show the class and talent we've so sadly hidden for too long.

Once upon a time, Liverpool were the team to beat. Winning leagues here and there, being a force in Europe. Shankly and then Paisley made a team that the likes of Everton and Man Utd watched in awe. Other teams feared us, other teams wanted to be us, other teams are now beating us. Such a force in football, what has happened to this giant of football?

Many reason have been tossed about. Was the devestation of Hillsborough still playing heavily on the clubs mind? Are we still hungover from the shocker of the Souness Reign? or have we just laid back and thought we was comfortable enough to be a sleeping giant for a while. Well Sleeping Beauty, it's about time we woke you up, and got you going again. Time, to shake of the hungover and the bad memories and start writing history again. As many people know, and many people like to remind us off. Liverpool have not won the league since 1990. Yes a whole 18/19 years since the holy grail touched down in Anfield. We have had other success, like winning our fifth european cup, and how brilliant that was, the premiership is what we wanting the most. We know we can do it in europe. We've proved that in recent years, but we still want to win the premiership.

Now all Liverpool fans think we can do Rafa Benitez's job. Maybe some random fan could, but atm, I geniunely believe we have the right man for this job. He comes in for critism and he's made a few cock ups, but Rome wasn't built in a day, and Liverpool won't become top in a season. It will take time, patience, testing things out. We need to find the right ingredients and maybe, and this is said very quietly... maybe we've found the missing ingredient in Robbie Keane.

We tried Peter Crouch, we've tried Dirk Kuyt, Voronin and none so far as been the right man for Torres, but already in Pre-season we see a spark, and maybe that spark will fire us onto the Premiership. It will be hard to do it this season and at times, it will be frustrating... *bang the head on the walls* frustrating. However, to all you liverpool fans out there... don't give up! Don't boo, turn your backs on this club because even though we've been asleep for so long, the giant looks to be waking up and ready to show the world why the once was the biggest club.

~Danii~

After months of specualtion. Wondering who the striker will be to replace Peter Crouch, all Liverpool fan's ears pricked up when the news of Robbie Keane spread through the halls of Anfield. Established? Check... Knows how to score? Check... Can play in the premiership? Check... the three main questions all fans wanted answering. Also throw in the fact he's a boyhood red and maybe, just maybe we've found the answer to our goal problem. Of course Torres flourished last season, but the goal tally cannot rest solely on his shoulders. We needed someone who can make him even better and in the experienced feet of Keane it seems we've found the right man.

 Sporting the famous number seven shirt, Keane as some big steps to follow in. The names Dalglish and Keegan ring to mind, however, I doubt we'll be adding Kewell to that equation. Keane is well respected through out the footballing world and has a raw talent that the best strikers would be proud off. Playing at top teams, mostly famously Tottenham Hotspur, Keane comes across as a veteran of the beautiful game. However, only at the tender age of 28 and supposedly hitting his peak. Liverpool fans are wetting there lips and looking foward to the season that is crawling upon us. He might not be the answer to all of our problems, but it is certain he will make an impact at the club he has loved since childhood.

(Rafa Benitez And Robbie Keane)

 The right hand man to Torres, all Liverpool fans are hoping that the combination of Torres and Keane will be tormenting defences for many years to come, and lifting trophies for many years to come. Maybe this season isn't the season Liverpool will win the premiership. Maybe we will have to wait one or two more years till we grasp the holy grail of english football. However, with Keane joining the books and the future of Liverpool looking good. One things for certain. We might have had a golden past, but our future is looking silver... hopefully due to the trophies we will be picking up.

~Danii~

AFC Liverpool, the new kids on the block. Some call it the baby club, some the brother club... but whatever you want to call it, the club is here and ready to shine. It's had the backing from Rafa, and many more legends of Liverpool and now they need your backing too!

 http://afcliverpool.org.uk/go/

 You can check it out, learn more about this exciting and promising up coming club and see how you can help. They not trying to take over Liverpool, they are merely working with them, to expand the famous name... Liverpool!

Pressing referesh every five minutes, waiting impatiently... sat there staring at the screen just waiting for the fixtures to be released. How many more of you was like that? Dying to know who your first and last game is against. Then your team's fixtures appear and your eyes are scanning the screen. Clocking the big games, as you mentally note them down. Trying to work out if after a big euro tie if you are away or at home, seeing what your run of games is like. Hard work being a football fan don't you think?

After checking the fixtures for Liverpool, I released that we haven't had a first game at Anfield for ages. It seems the trend is carrying on with this season. I'm not complaining, but it did make me laugh that straight away Fergie was moaning over having European ties then an away game... or something like that. Every season someone as to moan and groan about their fixtures. Be it a manager, player and i think every football fan complains over there fixture list. I remember last season, Liverpool had to play, Man Utd, Everton, Arsenal (three times) all in a space of a few weeks. Also, when your team is in Europe you have to add in the european fixtures, then the FA Cup fixtures and lastly the carling cup. All in all...if you have a club fighting on all fronts, and they get far in each competition... it will be a hard season.

The fixtures always being controversy or an arguement. But it's what adds to the excitement of the up-coming season. We are welcomed with the excitement of new players coming, the disappointment of our favourite player leaving. New kit releases, new fixtures, new merchandise... everything brand spanking new. A new season welcomes us with new possibilites... new hopes of maybe this is our season, maybe this is when we will put the failures behind us and push onto glory.

Football will always be the beautiful game... so lets raise a glass to the controversy, complaints, new players, old players, new managers and of course... the new kits!

 Roll on...2008/2009 Season... lets the battle commence!

Put your hands up if you've ever thought you could do better than Rafa? Yep... i can see a few hands up at the moment... even mine is up. We all think we could do better than Rafa don't we? When he makes a stupid change we all cringe and hide behind the sofa. Remember in the Merseyside Derby he took of Gerrard for Lucas? Yeah i know... Lucas! We was 1-1 at this point... could have won the game, what the hell is this manager playing at. No idea what hes doing. Should be sacked... oh wait... Lucas as the ball... shoots.... aaaaah PENALTY! Well... you should all remember what happened then. Kuyt, in the last minute scores the penalty that wins us the game. All thanks to erm... Lucas! The player who came on for captain fantastic.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that Rafa as made every decision work for him, but he has proved hes not scared of taking of the big boys to put on the small boys. Looking through previous blogs, i've noticed me standing up for this guy... Rafa! I'm not his stalker or anything but, i honestly think... and don't chase me with fire yet... that this man is the man to bring back what all us kopites crave! We all want the premiership. No kidding ourselves now. I wasn't even born when we last won the english league and it's annoying when older generations mention the good days of winning the league because i want to taste the feeling. I want to experience winning the league but it just hasn't happened for us yet. However... I do think we have the right man. We just need to get that consistancy... which we did have near the end of the season. The skeleton of the team is laid out for us, we just need to fatten that skeleton up. Feed it another winger here and a left back there.

 So with the season over, friendlies soon approaching and players coming into Anfield... we have to keep with that hope and remember that this could just be our season. It could be the year we win the premiership. It might sound crazy, but us kopites are a crazy bunch! So... instead of looking to the season saying that we will have done well if we get third... lets look to the season as been challengers! Rafa is the man... and winning the league is something that we can!

Change is something that happens so often in life. That's why i've decided to change my blog layout and put all my blogs in one place instead of scattered. The ones previous to this are old blogs which may make no sense at all now! Anyway this place isn't about rambling about my life.... but rambling about football! As i previously was saying, change happens all the time, and football is no different. With another season over and teams left frustrated with how it's turned out (unless you are Man Utd Fans), change is what is needed. When the summer transfer opens, you gain this feeling of hope. That this season could be your teams season. Clubs buy players that will "improve" and "add to the squad". You research endlessly on the new boy at the club whose name cannot be pronounced but to you hes the best thing since sliced bread. The ray of hope the club as needed for a long time.

 So far for liverpool, we've heard the endless rumours about Alonso leaving. A player that scored the third goal in the 2005 Champions league final, a player who has scored twice from his own half, a player that as produced magnificant performances. However, that is no longer enough. More is needed from a player. So a player that as helped Liverpool out of some sticky situations, may be heading out of the door. Bags packed, medals nicely tucked away and off to a new city, with a new challenge. As fans, you grow emotionally attached in ways to players. Everyone as a player that is just the bee's knees. The one they idolise and when playing for your local team you expertly copy every move that player as constructed before. You then hear he his leaving your club... it's like when a friend leaves to another city. You know you will see them, but the bond will never be the same. It's true what is said.. football is more than a game, it's a way of life!

Now while we all sit patiently, staring at the t.v for up-dates. Waiting for the papers to see who your club is linked with. We forget that with every new player coming in, an old player as to go. A player that might have produced so much for your club. Football is forever changing and with all these changes you never know who might be walking out of your clubs dressing room!

Why is it in the world of football, you are never happy with what you have? ok let me clarify. You win by 6-0, but deep down you wish it would have been 7 goals, or that you had created more chances. Ok you scrape a 1-0 win, again you wish for more goals. You don't care you have got 3 points and a clean sheet, you just wanted goals. Now, when you get a draw. Why do we always look at the negatives. Also we always ask the same questions. Why didn't we win? Why didn't we create more chances? Why am i not happy with gaining a point when last year you would have probably lost? Either way, your never happy. I would mention a loss, but don't you notice that when we lose, we always take the "positives" out of the game. What the hell? you look at negatives when we win, look at them when we draw, but we always look at positives when we lose 10-0 and only positive is that least the game is only on for 90 minutes. What is the footballing world comming too? Football, is probably the most frustrating games around. I sometimes feel sorry for the referess, because they do take blame for alot. Like, when a game has been that boring you fell asleep after the first 10 minutes. We always say, "the ref should have given a penalty". A penalty for what, the teams didn't even get into the oppositions half, and the best is when a player is looking for a penalty. "That should have been a penalty, in fell in the box", yeah, when the nearest person to him was the steward. Don't get me wrong, referees can sometimes have no clue about the game, but they do take alot of stick from us fans.

Ahhh the fans. Now this does make me chuckle. I know when i'm talking to fellow reds i'm always calling my team. "Gerrard shouldn't be captain", "Does Rafa know what he's doing", all that rubbish. But the minute that evil man in the Chelsea shirt comes over and starts joining in with the slagging of liverpool, us kopites all give him the dreaded "how dare he" eyes. Come on, we've all done it, the eyes that could kill, true footballing evils. It's like my family. I can call my family every name under the sun, but noone else can, and thats the same with liverpool. Fellow reds can call us, but noone else can, and i get feeling thats the same with alot of fans. Oh and another thing i love. How come, after a game, we all believe we could manage the team alot better. That if we was the "gaffa", we would have won the league, champions league, FA Cup, you name it, in my dreams i've won it. Also, we are so hypocritical. One week, this player is the worst player to grace for pitch. After the hat trick he scores on the saturday, he's bleeding better than Ronaldinho, and your walking around with his name on your shirt.

But throughout all the whining, the moaning, the tantrums and tiaras, can anyone honestly say they will never do it again? It's these little quirks we have that make us football fans so great. Thats why football is probably the most supported, passionate and loved game around, and even though through the years, money as ruined aspects, the fan bases are still alive and kicking. So yeah, even though at times i hate football, i would never change it for the world.

(From Previous Blog)

Why do i put myself through the torment of football? Being a supporter is like being on a rollercoster. You start off all excited, and finish asking yourself why the hell do i do it for. But inbetween the two feelings there are so many ups and down, twists and turns that the pepsi max would be proud off. I think this is the best way to explain what a season is like for a fan. I'll admit it i do it every season, i start off saying "this is it, i have a feeling, well be champions", but it never happens. God, i've had the feeling so much, and even though deep down i know we won't win the title, this 'feeling' takes over.

You see, I'm a liverpool fan, and to cut the story down, we haven't won the english title since 1990. 17 years i've had to endure the teasing, the jokes and guess what, i wasn't even born to see the last title. i was born about 4 months after the win. Maybe i'm the unlucky omen. Anyway, since that "win", we have been frustrating and in all honesty, never been that close to the title. I kid myself and say that 30points away from the top, is great because if we had won that game, and not conceded late in that one, we would have been top. I do that to give me hope, because when my team are playing i watch through red tinted glasses, unless we are been dire and it would be the safest bet to keep away from me. But even through the worst time, i could never stop supporting the reds, thats why i don't understand "glory supporters", who one week are wearing a newcastle shirt and the week after a chelsea fan, but that isn't the worst of it.

Last season, i had just seen my team lose to Arsenal in the fa cup 3rd round i think, cannot be sure, however, losing to Arsenal is nothing major, it's not a game you say "you should have won, hands down, eyes closed". Now we had lost to the Arsenal youth, which was a shambles because we had a decent bunch out. Anyway before i get into the game, i'll just tell you where this is going. Just like any fan i was in the worst mood ever. Trust me, i am a real sore loser. i hate to lose, but really, who likes to lose? Anyway, my mate is not really a football fan. Don't get me wrong, when the internationals are on she's up singing for England and all that jazz, but she doesn't really understand football to be blunt. Now i'm still hurting from this loss, when she turns round to me, seriously and goes "why don't you support another team?". Well, i ranted and raved on how that can never happen. When i think back, i feel quite sorry for her, because i did go a little over the top. Well really, how could she expect me to stop supporting liverpool? thats impossible we are the greatest team.....and that's where i'll end it. You see, even though i was calling my team, when needed i defended liverpool, and made out we were the best thing since sliced bread. I might not be clarifying this well, because i can't explain exactly what it's like to be a football supporter. It's like a philosopy, a way of life. If your a true fan you would never flirt with another club, or doubt you loyalty to them, it's wrong and disrespectful.

Liverpool FC, are my club and i could never be seen dead with another team's shirt on, or supporting someone else, because over the years LFC, have become, in ways a part of my family. Every saturday i watch out for the result or watch them play i watch every game, home and away and to me this is how it will stay. Liverpool fc, is my team, and even though i get frustrated and at times i wonder why i put myself through this, i could never see myself supporting another team.

 (From Previous Blog)

The Kop, one of the most famous stands in the world. Ok let me rephrase that. The most famous stand in the world. Over the years the kop as been the vocal point of probably the most famous stadium in Britain. Wow, i do sound biased do i, but i really, hand on heart believe what i'm saying is true. Now i've been to Old Trafford, and i'm not saying this because i dislike Man Utd, I'm saying this because this is how i feel. When i went to OT, I didn't feel any togetherness. Now this might sound crazy, because there is about 70,000 odd people in there. However does the saying "you could be in a crowded room, but still feel lonely" sound familiar?

I'm not just picking on OT, because i've visited alot of stadiums, and probably, the only exception would be Portsmouth, but the rest of the grounds just don't have a togetherness. There are some spectacular grounds, and in all honesty, on modern terms, Anfield is probably one of the lowest in the premiership, however, the fans make up for it. I know i am a red, and i know your probably thinking, "this girl is biased", but i really do believe that there is not another stadium out there has good as Anfield for the fans. Which then leads me to the kop.

Even if our lads were losing 6-0, if i knew we was shooting kop end second half, i would still believe we would walk out 7-6 winners. Probably mad eh? but the kop is magical. There is a feeling that anything can happen. It's true that the kop can suck in a goal or two, just due to the noise. Ok, maybe you don't have a clue what i'm on about, but if thats true, i'm guessing you have never been in the kop. I live for the kop. Yes i've sat in Annie Road, and Main Stand, but nothing compares to the passion of the kop. I know alot of people are saying that the kop as been "losing" it's way over the past few seasons, and in some retrospects it as, but that doesn't mean we still are not loud. Does anyone remember the semi final against Chelsea in the CL in 2005? well if you can watch that match without the hairs on your neck sticking up, well, your either someone without hairs on your neck or you are unemotionable. Anyway, even though i've used words not in the oxford dictionary, i do believe your gettin my point.

There is never a dry eye in the kop when you'll never walk alone is being sung, because i'll admit, it does fill me up with emotion. Probably because it makes me think of people i've lost, people who i love and also Hillsborough. I can't really explain the emotion because to be blunt, words cannot express it. All i can say is that, if you ever get the chance to go on the kop. Even if your not a liverpool fan, please go on.

So yeah, the point i was making, it doesn't matter if your stadium isn't the flashiest, and it doesn't matter if you haven't got alot of money, all that matter is that you have a passion, and believe me the kop does that have the passion.

(From Previous Blog)

Being an avid fan and knowing a fair few people who is connected to our club, i started thinking, does our club have any secrets. Now i know this is a strange question to ask, because firstly, with our club been in the public eye, nothing of importance can really be kept secret. However, after listening to some "people" you learn about how big secrets can be kept. I can't say much on a public site, and alot of information is only by word and there isn't any solid prove, but it's still true.

One "secret" which, is no longer kept secret is the whole "mourinho affair". Now nearly everyone knows that before we got the famous Rafa, "the not so special one" actually was going to be our manager. Rumour is that, Mourinho never got over the so called snub our lads gave him when we got our man Rafa. Now like i said, it's all by word and people will argue and say, "oh no thats all lies" etc etc etc, but it does make you think. Mourinho already had it out for us even before we played Chelsea, so maybe this was the reason?

Another rumour doing the rounds is about a certain player who missed a very important penalty 'against' us. Now, it had been made clear that this player was actually a liverpool fan. Knowing that people put 2 and 2 together and the answer could either be 5 or 4. Well, story cut short. Rumour is, he missed the penalty because of been a liverpool fan, and it was done on purpose. I think this is not true, but you never know.

People hear different stories, like is it true that liverpool players go on the liverpool website and pretend to be fans just to hear what the fans say about them. Come on, if you was a millionaire, would you really spend you spare time on the internet trailing message boards pretending to be a fan?

I think most of the time, we hope ther are deep secrets and more to footballers and clubs than what we see. There probably is, but i don't think footballers will trail the message boards. I think one of the secrets of football, is one that will never be revealed. In ways it's more of a question. Why out of all the sports in the world, as football got this passion? noone quite knows. People do have there views, but maybe some secrets are best left secret. Just next time your at a game, think about it, whats secrets is this ground holding.