‘Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.’  

Bill Shankly

 

 

 Today, we remember Bill Shankly, who died exactly 25 years ago. He managed the great club called Liverpool from 1959-1974, taking them from the bottom of the second division to becoming the best team in the country. After he left, the foundations he laid down led to an unprecedented six league titles and three European Cups in nine seasons for his successor, Bob Paisley.

Shanks is the reason why I’m a Liverpool fan. His anecdotes and quotes are stuff of legend. And I personally think the best way to remember him is to remember the things he said:

‘If you are first you are first. If you are second you are nothing.’ 

Radio Merseyside reporter to Shankly: ‘Mr Shankly, why is it that your teams’ unbeaten run has suddenly ended?’ Shanks replied: ‘Why don’t you go and jump in the lake?’   
 
‘Liverpool was made for me and I was made for Liverpool.’ 
  

To a translator, when being surrounded by gesticulating Italian journalists – ‘Just tell them I completely disagree with everything they say!’ 
 
‘The trouble with referees is that they know the rules, but they don’t know the game.’ 
 ‘Son, you’ll do well here as long as you remember two things. Don’t over-eat and don’t lose your accent.’ – to Ian St John when he signed for Liverpool. 
  
 
To a journalist who suggested Liverpool were struggling – ‘Ay, here we are with problems at the top of the league.’ 
 

To Ian St John – ‘If you’re not sure what to do with the ball, just pop it in the net and we’ll discuss your options afterwards.’ 
  
 
‘In my time at Anfield we always said we had the best two teams on Merseyside – Liverpool and Liverpool reserves.’ 
 

About the This-is-Anfield plaque – ‘This is to remind our lads who they’re playing for, and to remind the opposition who they’re playing against.’ 
  
 
‘Of course I didn’t take my wife to see Rochdale as an anniversary present. It was her birthday amd would I have got married during the football season? Anyway, it was Rochdale reserves.’ 
 Shankly to the Brussels hotel clerk who queried his signing ‘Anfield’ as his address on the hotel register: ‘But that’s where I live.’ 
  
 
Shankly explaining rotation to a reporter – ‘Laddie, I never drop players, I only make changes.’ 
  
Comparing the Anfield pitch to other grounds – ‘It’s great grass at Anfield, professional grass!’ 
  
‘The difference between Everton and the Queen Mary is that Everton carry more passengers!’ 
  
To a local barber, who in 1968 had asked ‘Anything off the top? Shanks retorted: ‘Aye, Everton!’ 
On awaiting Everton’s arrival for a derby game at Anfield, Shankly gave a box of toilet rolls to the doorman and said: ‘Give them these when they arrive – they’ll need them!’ 
  
‘I always look in the Sunday paper to see where Everton are in the league – starting, of course, from the bottom up.’ 
  
To Chris Lawler during a training session at Melwood – ‘Was it a goal? Was I off-side?’ Lawler replied: ‘You were boss.’ Shanks then quipped: ‘Christ, son, you’ve been here four years, hardly said a word and, when you do, it’s a bloody lie!’ 
  
To Tommy Smith during training – ‘You son, could start a riot in a graveyard.’ 
 

On the leaving of Liverpool – ‘It was the most difficult thing in the world, when I went to tell the chairman. It was like walking to the electric chair. That’s the way it felt.’

Rest in peace old man. Rest in peace.

I’ll be a father. It’s beginning to dawn on me. It’s closer than ever, and somehow, I’m only beginning to realise it.

No, she hasn’t arrived yet. We’re dangerously close to the induction date, and it’s beginning to look like this one is going all the way. My wife has been remarkably brave and dignified about the whole thing, personally, I’d have fallen to pieces. My respect for her has tripled. I had a discussion about childbirth with a colleague at work yesterday, and we both agreed, men can NEVER, EVER handle the childbirth process. We’re too rational, too ‘get-up-and-go’, we would have figured out a way to get the foetus out as soon as it was conceived, and put it in a test tube in some lab, and come back and fetch our kids after 9 months.

Anyway, I will do my best to post on my blog when the event finally happens, but in the meantime, please keep us in your prayers, and you can all PLEASE leave words of encouragement for my wife, she reads the blog and I’m sure she’ll be glad to see that there are other people thinking of her.

Staff in my office have started placing bets on whether our baby will be a boy or a girl. Now, I know, I know the answer and to be fair, I’ve only told one of them. But hey, it’s all a bit of fun.

I think it will be more interesting to guess when she’ll finally arrive. I’ve got a hunch that she’ll show up on the 28th, as it’s her aunt’s (my wife’s sister’s) birthday then. That will make it a lot easier to remember birthdays for me, huh? lol. If the induction goes ahead on the 30th, then she could be coming on October 1st, Nigeria’s Independence day. Again, a special day !! Also, that means we’ll both have birthdays in October, mine being October 30th. Or, maybe even September 30th, my manager’s sister’s birthday, and exactly one month before mine? September 29th, exactly one month before our wedding anniversary?

It’s driving me mad I tell you !!!

Before you ask, no, no baby yet !!

My wife’s friend got pregnant around the same time as her, and her due date was on Tuesday. Well, she went into labour on Saturday, and is now the proud mother of a little baby girl !! So while she gave birth 3 days ahead of schedule, my wife is currently one week overdue, so as you can imagine, she is insanely jealous at the moment !!

Anyway, we’re still on standby, nothing to report yet !!

He earns 3 times my yearly salary in one week. But apparently, Michael Ballack says that property in London is too expensive, and “it’s better to rent“. He’s rented a home in Wimbledon, where he lives with his partner and 3 sons.

I have all the sympathy in the world for him, and would happily agree to swap salaries, if his salary is becoming a problem. What do these footballers spend their money on? Then again, I’m guessing the kind of house he was looking to buy might cost a million or two, but I’m sure he can find a bank in England (and even Germany) that will happily give him a mortgage !!

 The bottom line is, footballers should shut up about how they are struggling to survive with their salaries, and let the little people like us feel happy with our miniscule wages. Ashley Cole was talking about how he almost crashed his car when he heard that Arsenal were offering him £50,000 a week instead of £55,000.

Boo Hoo.

 *HISS*

We went into the hospital today to see the doctor, and book the induction of labour just in case. My poor wife is 3 days overdue now, no contractions, no twinges, nothing. So, we’ve booked the induction for the 30th of September at 7.30pm. Hopefully, the baby will come naturally before then.

If we have to do the induction, then I’ll take my wife to the hospital, and once she’s settled in, and the induction has begun, I have to go home, and there’s no space for me in the hospital overnight. If labour starts, then they’ll call me, and I can come back. Obviously, if this happens, I’ll go home, and sit down, I can imagine myself already, I won’t be able to do anything, watch TV, nothing, I’ll be a nervous wreck !! Hopefully though, it won’t come to that.

Wow. Talk about impressive. Joystiq reader Kevout wow the above competition with his “32-system gamer rig (21-connected), Photoshop labeling skills, nice organization, and TV pity case.” According to him, he did pick the TV out of a dumpster, as he prefers to spend his money on games, not a ‘proper TV’. And for winning what does he get? A free copy of Dead Rising for the Xbox 360. Just great. Another game to add to the 568 he already owns. This guy needs to see a shrink, and fast. I’m guessing:

• No girlfriend
• Lives with his mum

Probably no job either, I can’t see how he can have time for a ‘real life’ with all of this.

Then again, if you think that is sad, have a look at this. Nuff said.

I can’t get over how quickly today has arrived. Yup, today is the baby’s due date. Month’s of preparation has come to this. Today, we begin to wait for her to make an appearance. She’s really comfortable where she is though, and is showing no signs of wanting to come out soon.

Baby O, we’re eagerly awaiting your arrival. You’re going to be the most loved child on this island, that’s for sure. Just do me a favour, go easy on your mum, ok ?

Imagine looking out of your window on a Sunday morning, and seeing a large cloud of thick, black SMOKE. A constant stream of explosions, and sirens. Well, that was what we went through this morning.

Apparently, the fire was from a nearby plastics factory. It’s all calmed down now, but I’ll be taking a stroll later today, to get as close to the site as possible.

Tomorrow is the due date….how time has flown !! Can’t believe how 9 months has flown by !!

Will the baby be coming tomorrow? Only God knows. I just hope she allows me to finish the Liverpool Chelsea match this afternoon !!