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Touchline Dad

Touchline Dad

TOUCHLINE Dad is written by Peter Harvey, a newspaper editor with Trinity Mirror Merseyside. Father-of-three Peter, 40, was a writer for the Liverpool Echo during the 1990s and has been editor of Trinity Mirror titles the Crosby Herald, Bootle Times and the Advertiser Series, West Lancashire. Touchline Dad is a lifelong Liverpool fan.

Our Jack...

Jack with his first Man of the Match award

JACK Harvey is seven, going on seventy-seven. He's a dependable, no-nonsense defender for Marine FC's U7s. He's played in the Bootle and Netherton league and Hightown league in north Merseyside. Jack has also played for Crosby Stuart. He is being encouraged to appreciate both Liverpool AND Everton...for now at least.

The Gaffer

The Gaffer

THE Gaffer is a true Blue. She's now swapped her Gwladys Street season ticket for one at the new Liverpool One shopping complex. She still gets steamed up thinking about Graeme Sharp in his skimpy shorts.

Not forgeting...

Emily

EMILY is five and has no interest in football. Her kicks come from dressing up, make-up, bangles and beads. Oh, and shoes. She changes them at least five times a day. Likes ballet, swimming and shopping. Cross her at your peril.

And finally...

Paddy

PADDY inherited a mini Everton kit from Sam down the road. No doubt 'Pads' will also get Jack's pass-me-downs, so that will narrow his allegiance to Real Madrid, Juventus, Republic of Ireland, England, Everton and Liverpool. Loves pirates, Shrek and Wall-e. He's got the second worst temper I know...

Marine AFC

FORMED in 1894 and based in Crosby, north Mersyside. The first team plays in the Northern Premier League and were champions in 1994 and 1995. 220.jpgThey 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."

Snapshots

Jack and his Marine U7 teammates
Jack, Carra, Emily, Touchline Dad and the European Cup
Jack, Emily and Paddy
Jack at Goodison Park, 2007
Jack at Anfield, 2007
Jack (stripes) in action for Crosby Stuart
Jack's former team Crosby Stuart U7s

Crosby Stuart

THIS was Jack's first club. It was formed in the early 1970s in north Liverpool and is now one of the biggest and most successful junior football clubs in the North West. Crosby StuartFormer players include Michael Ball (Everton and Rangers) and Stephen Wright (Liverpool and Sunderland). The club motto is 'To Enjoy, Not Destroy.'

Football Crazy

"JACK stood before me in his Buzz Lightyear pyjamas, hands on hips. I kicked him hard in the shins. Instead of falling to the carpet and rolling in agony, he laughed. 'Do it again, Dad. Do it again. We’ll trick Mum.' I didn’t fancy chancing our comedy double act with The Gaffer, so instead Jack clambered into bed still wearing his new 'shinnies.' 'Maybe tomorrow, eh dad?' he asked as he closed his eyes to see his Premier League heroes greet him."

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Entries from Touchline Dad tagged with 'Crosby Stuart'

Yellow Peril

SOME months after Jack joined Crosby Stuart, a lot of his schoolmates formed a new team - Marina Sands. They play in a different league to Jack, but often at the same time on nearby pitches. When the full-time whistle...

by Peter Harvey on September 13, 2007 11:27 PM

We are the Champions!

JACK'S team were crowned champions of their north Merseyside and West Lancashire league - finishing the season with a 100% record. Amid scenes of jubilation at the final whistle Jack told an emotional Touchline Dad: "Can we go for a...

by Peter Harvey on July 17, 2007 11:49 AM

Man of the Match

IT'S been a long time coming and there have been some tearful moments along the way, but finally Jack has got his hands on the prized 'Man of the Match' trophy. For weeks I have told him that it's hard...

by Peter Harvey on July 9, 2007 10:09 PM

Touchline Son

THERE'S nothing worse than watching helplessly from the touchline as your team loses. Last week Jack played OK in the first half before making way for one of his teammates at half-time. This week he again came off at half-time...

by Peter Harvey on March 26, 2007 8:57 AM

Boomer Bursts The Bubble

AFTER back-to-back 6-0 wins, Jack and the lads crashed down to Earth with a bump. Leading 1-0 at half-time they were looking good against a team of boys a year older than them. And they would've won but for a...

by Peter Harvey on March 22, 2007 2:50 PM

Skipper for the Day

JACK was given the captain's armband and was proud to lead his team to their first win. They knocked six past their opponents in a game they dominated from start to finish. Playing in the centre of defence in such...

by Peter Harvey on March 4, 2007 9:52 AM

In The ECHO Frame

THE boys are featured in tonight's Liverpool ECHO. The 'In The Frame' section of the paper's 12-page Junior Xsport pull-out features photos of local junior footy teams. If you would like YOUR team to be considered simply email it to:...

by Peter Harvey on February 20, 2007 2:45 PM

Park Life Steels Jack

LEAGUE matches are obviously like buses. After weeks of being thwarted by the weather, Jack and the boys got their league campaign underway with TWO games in one morning. After detecting that Jack was a tad nesh when it came...

by Peter Harvey on February 19, 2007 2:48 PM

Jumpers For Goal Posts

THE season is getting off to a sluggish, frustrating start for the lads (Crosby Stuart under-6s) due to the bad weather. Two out of three matches have been cancelled but the kids' enthusiasm is still sky high and the postponements...

by Peter Harvey on February 10, 2007 7:54 PM

Frosty Reception

THICK frost and winter sunshine greeted the boys when they gathered at 9am for a training session. The league is due to get underway next weekend and the boys worked hard on simple tactics for two hours. Within a few...

by Peter Harvey on February 3, 2007 12:57 PM

Web of Intrigue

JACK shows plenty of interest in computers - especially his PlayStation when he should be getting dressed for school. But, so far, he's not been snared by the worldwide web apart from printing off colourful pictures from the CBeebies site...

by Peter Harvey on February 1, 2007 10:27 AM

Grabbing the Headlines

JACK and the boys featured on their club's website with a report on their first match for Crosby Stuart Under-6s. Andrew rightly got the Man of the Match award for his Alan Hansen-style performance at the heart of the defence....

by Peter Harvey on January 30, 2007 7:43 AM

Here we go, here we go (again)

LAST weekend’s weather-hit match is re-arranged for tomorrow. Crosby Stuart U6s v The Sharks. Kick-off 11 o’clock. The lads have got a brand new kit plus jackets sturdy enough to survive an Everest expedition. Kids’ footie simply couldn’t survive without...

by Peter Harvey on January 26, 2007 8:17 PM

The World Must Wait

MOTHER Nature dealt a cruel blow to the start of six-year-old Jack’s journey to the Premiership. A glance under the living room net curtains at 8am didn’t bode well. The wind was howling and the TV weather forecast was not...

by Peter Harvey on January 21, 2007 7:15 AM

Big Day Beckons

JACK stood before me in his Buzz Lightyear pyjamas, hands on hips. I kicked him hard in the shins. Instead of falling to the carpet and rolling in agony, he laughed. ‘Do it again, Dad. Do it again. We’ll trick...

by Peter Harvey on January 20, 2007 8:02 AM

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