
JACK was counting down the seconds to the final whistle at the end of Liverpool's Champions League semi-final first leg against Chelsea.
He'd spotted the board go up to announce four minutes of added time, injury time...whatever they call it now.
Dirk Kuyt looked to have given the Reds a deserved 1-0 win. We knelt in front of the TV, Jack in his pajamas and cloaked in his LFC fleecy blanket, as the game drifted towards full-time.
His eyes were on the clock, not the action, as it ticked to 93:59.
"We've won, Dad! Yeeaaahh!" He punched the air with delight, his blanket falling from his shoulders.
As soon as the words had left his mouth, John Arne Riise forgot he had a right foot and decided to become Andy Gray for a moment by scooping the ball out of the mud with his forehead and into the back of his own net.
Jack's naive exhilaration lasted literally one or two seconds. He threw himself face down into the carpet, partly in disappointment but probably more with embarrassment.
I felt so sorry for him. I wanted to cry, not for Liverpool or Riise. For my boy. I cradled him as the tears flowed.
Football is a great teacher. But, ouch, sometimes the lessons are tough.
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They had a famous FA Cup run in the early 1990s, eventually being knocked out by Crewe 3-1 in the 3rd round. Roly Howard was manager for a record 33 years (1972-2005), although he will always be remembered by some fans as Kenny Dalglish's window cleaner. TV presenter Ray Stubbs once asked: "How's business, Roly?" to which Roly replied "Oh you know - ups and downs."






Former players include Michael Ball (Everton and Rangers) and Stephen Wright (Liverpool and Sunderland). The club motto is 'To Enjoy, Not Destroy.'







csb wrote...
I think Jack would have dealt with the cross much more efectively than our Norwegian friend!
Posted by: csb | April 24, 2008 3:32 PM