gary neville mural in bootle

I've been enjoying Sky TV's series 'The Overlap' starring Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Jamie Carragher, and the unveiling of the Gary Neville mural in Marsh lane (the road next to where l lived), Bootle, was pure comedy gold. Well played to whoever came up with that idea.

                                

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history is made - dennis the menace meets gnasher

I haven't posted any comic related nonsense for a while, so here's a beauty, which I'm old enough to remember reading at the time, whilst lying in my bedroom in Bootle, listening to the trains go by.  Dennis the Menace meets Gnasher for the first time.  From The Beano, issue number 1363, August 31st 1968.  Drawn by David Law.

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manchester united versus liverpool programmes

Inspired by an advert on Sky where someone has Liverpool stuff framed on the wall behind him, l thought about framing my programmes from Manchester United versus Liverpool in the late 1960's / early 1970's, plus a couple from Oxford United against Manchester United, as l was living by Oxford at the time, and saw Manchester United lose there when they were in the Second Division (and went to lots of Oxford United's home games).
However, l haven't sussed out a way to frame them yet. The enclosed photo is the best l have come up with so far, but l'm still not happy with it so far.
If l don't sort it soon, it probably never will be.

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oswald mosley injured in liverpool - what joy!

I know it happened elsewhere as well as Liverpool, but l'm always pleased when fascist organisations get their comeuppance.
When Oswald Mosley was leader of the Blackshirted British Union of Fascists party in England, he came to Liverpool on 10th December 1937 and tried to address a crowd to gain support for his party. He was prevented from doing so by hundreds of people throwing rocks, at least one of which resulted in him having an unplanned visit to the nearby Walton hospital for treatment (where l was born).
I usually preach non violence, but you've always got to be on the lookout for people like him, so I'm prepared to make the odd exception.
More information about the episode can be found here (and here)
Makes me proud to be a Scouser.

Here he is being taken to the hospital

After treatment in Walton. 

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

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liverpool / bootle docks photograph from 1946 and a bootle map from 1935

An excellent photograph of Liverpool docks / Bootle, taken in 1946 (Before even l was born).
It's changed a bit from then, although gentrification and Liverpool's upscaling still has to reach or impact much of this area. It's still pretty poor, but it was what l called (and still consider to be) home, despite now having another home in Sunny Catterick.

Here's a map of Bootle in 1935 to augment it. My childhood home is there for all to see (If you know where to look)

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the liverpool european cup / champions league final defeat

Here's a picture of me earlier watching the Champions League (European Cup in old money) final tonight between Liverpool and Real Madrid.

I wanted to watch Liverpool versus Real Madrid as l thought it might be a good attacking game, but l was dreading it in case Liverpool were to win. However, l didn't want Mohamed Salah to go off injured, so despite still wanting to see Real Madrid triumph, when he did, l thought the enjoyment of (hopefully) Real's win would be taken away from me, as it would have been kind of a default victory.
That was before a brilliant overhead kick by Gareth Bale, and two howlers from Loris Karius (Liverpool's goalkeeper). To state that l was happy at the end is an understatement. I do actually feel sorry for Salah (who is a superb player) and Karius, but it was well worth watching from a Manchester United viewpoint.
Liverpool have still won it more than us though, and l can't see that changing anytime in the near future.

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everyone was young once - part 34 - my parents

When l was around at my sisters yesterday, she showed me a wedding album from our parents marriage day in sunny Bootle that she had dug out. Someone is doing our family tree, so l wanted some pictures of our grandparents mainly, but while l was scanning them, l thought l might as well do copies of the ones from the wedding as well.
It's hard to believe our parents were ever that young, and l don't recall seeing my father that skinny ever.
Both are dead now, so l am officially an orphan, and therefore demand sympathy!!

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ken dodd's death

I've always liked Ken Dodd when growing up. Not keen on a lot of the songs, and can't stand the diddymen, but l loved the non stop jokes, and his single 'Happiness' was one of the first songs l remember. I still like it and it's a fine motto to live by. Loved the fact he stayed in Liverpool, rather than moving south as soon as he became famous, unlike The Beatles (although l also love them).
I was tickled by him years ago (with his tickling stick) when he opened a shop in The New Strand in Bootle, and myself and some friends were planning on seeing him live later this year, ironically, to catch him before he died. That's now out of the window, but at least l've got this little beauty below, signed by him later in life.
We won't see his like again.

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old school football

I was flicking through some old football magazines and annuals the other day, and thought about this front cover of Charles Buchan's Soccer Gift Book, featuring Bobby Charlton of Manchester United. Look at the determination to get the (old leather) ball, despite being blocked off. Nowadays someone in his shoes / boots would be writhing around on the floor, clutching their face and pretending they had been elbowed, trying to get the other player sent off.
Pah! Modern bleeding footballers with their fancy coloured boots, beats headphones, tight shirts etc.
Don't get me started.

Also, despite me not liking Liverpool football club, here's the annuals back picture, featuring Billy Liddell. who used to play for them. He was my father's favourite player, and despite my advancing years, it was well before my time so I am unable to bear witness to how good he might have been, but l have heard others praising him over the years.

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liverpool trip

Desperate for things to do to entertain ourselves without football, Robbo and myself had a trip to Liverpool last week while the rest of his family were away. There was nothing planned apart from going out and having a fun packed night, and we certainly managed that, ending up in Heaven (a gay nightclub) until about 5am. We also went to The Pacific pub in Bootle before town, arranged and met up with a couple of Robbo's relatives later on in town who were also from Bootle (and who stayed out with us till about midnight), and had a drive out to Bootle beach (Crosby) in the morning after some brekkie.

Then we got sidetracked on the way home because the road to Hawes had just been closed due to an accident, so had to come back the long way. 

A most excellent time was had by all, but not as excellent as the fellow in the bottom news report.

Now that's a wild night!

 View from our bedroom window

 Our hotel - we would recommend it

Where we got a lot of attention from men and women - dingy and superb!

 'Bootle' beach

 Our journey home in black, red route was the anticipated one

Now that's how to have a good time!

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the new strand shopping centre in bootle

Here's an old postcard of what was dubbed The New Strand in Bootle. I remember it opening in 1968, seeing Ken Dodd there,  being tickled with his tickling stick (Oeerr!), and lurking around the area when l was a little nipper, when l wasn't playing football in North Park.

Sadly it's now known as the place from where Jamie Bulger was taken from in 1993. 

Although l support Manchester United (it's a long story), l'm proud to be from Liverpool, and love going back there. There's been an awful lot of bad stuff that's happened to the place over the years, and the regeneration of the city centre and riverside has been staggering, but it's about time some more of the regeneration money spread to the outer parts of town, where there is still a lot of poverty and the associated problems that go with that. I know money has been spent in Bootle, but there's no pride in being known as 'Only the tenth worst area for unemployment in Britain'. 

Still, lots of happy memories from my time there, and the roads are now a lot busier.

toodle pip

a waterlogged pitch at dundee, and cheap prices at football games

This is good old fashioned football, despite the weather!
Dundee's Den's Park in 1936.

On a related note, here's some kids queuing to get into games (without tickets in advance) for 20p and 35p, not so very long ago. The 35p turnstile is at Liverpool.
There's not a chance in hell they could do that now, as the kids and working classes are being priced out (if they already haven't been).

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the many faces of jurgen klopp

This gurning buffon is Jurgen Klopp, the manager of the despised Liverpool FC. Rather sadly, the players all seem to love him (apart from Daniel Sturridge), and l think he will manage them to do pretty damn well this year, as he encourages and motivates them to be united as one entity, for one purpose, supporting and assisting each other to achieve their shared goals.
I just wish l felt the same way about Manchester United at the moment.

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the new beatles statue in liverpool - plus more

                                                   
                                                        Photos by Paul Dean, from here

A new Beatles statue by Andrew Edwards has been unveiled on Liverpool's Pier Head by John Lennon's sister, Julia Baird, and the deputy mayor of Liverpool.
It is looking towards Ireland and the United States, and at least it looks like them, unlike some earlier efforts.

                                                           The one at Mathew Street

                                                       John Lennon outside The Cavern Pub

                                                                        Cavern Walks

     Ringo Starr outside the 'Hard Day's Night' hotel (and George Harrison, below, also outside said hotel)

And there's more!

                                                                   Altmaty, Kazakhstan

                                                                            Houston

                                                                          Mongolia

And last, but not least ....... the waxworks at Madam Tussauds

My favourite one is probably the John Lennon one in Cuba, which you can sit next to. One day, l intend to do so.

 toodle pip

the deluded jimmy liddle commentates on liverpool

The deluded scouse commentator, Jimmy Liddel (who in the real life, was my father's favourite player), is, to me at least, one of the funniest things on the internet, especially when Liverpool get a good hiding.
I can't work out how to embed the recent videos from their site, but here's Stevie Gerrard's farewell game at the end of last year.
As it goes on, it just gets better and better.
Warning - does contain the odd swear word.
And here's a recent one against Manchester United that l can't work out how to transfer over properly.

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steven gerrard's birthday misshap

Oh my aching sides

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scouse monopoly

It's OK for me to take the piss out of Liverpool, as it was home to me
From here

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manchester united v oxford united - it was 38 years ago today

Time certainly flies by.  It was 38 years ago today when l caught the train from Darlington (by myself) to watch Manchester United play Oxford United in the 3rd round of the FA Cup.  Manchester United won 2-1 (with two penalties), and afterwards, l caught another train and went and stayed overnight at my grandfathers house in Bootle (Liverpool), visited various relatives, and then returned home the next day on yet another train.
Nowadays the train fares themselves would be astronomical, especially if they were bought last minute (like l did then), and its a lot harder to just decide to go to a game on the morning, and know you will get a ticket, especially when Manchester United are playing away from home.
Not all change is good, and l blame the Tories, because even if they are not directly to blame, l still can't stand them.
Nowadays Manchester United are playing like it was 1976 again, and our best hopes are now in the cup competitions after the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on New Years Day.  I might even have a crazy bet and put money on them to win the European Cup (or The Champions League as it is now called).  You have got to have belief and be optimistic in this life, and l am generally a crazy, upbeat kind of guy, so Ladbrokes might as well be some other place l waste my money.
Game on!

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the james bulger walk

I know it's a years old news story, but l only realised the other day how far Jon Venables and  Robert Thompson walked with James Bulger from The New Strand shopping centre in Bootle.  For some reason, l had always assumed that when the press were talking about the body being found on railway lines, l thought they meant the ones behind The Strand.  As it turned out, they walked James quite a distance, nearly all the way to Everton's ground at the top of Stanley Park.  That really brings it home how on another day, with slightly different circumstances, somebody might have intervened, or they may have got bored, and James would still be alive.
On a related note, Venables has just been released from prison (again).

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waiting for the footie - some bootle pictures

 The Broadway shops in Bootle with the toy shop on the corner

 

Two aeroplane photographs of Bootle, with our house marked where the black mark is.

Houses in Marsh lane, just like my grannies (before they were pulled down)

What Bootle was like when l was a kid

While killing time anticipating (and drooling over) the Manchester United versus Liverpool game, l found these photographs on the net, which reminded me of when l was a nipper in Bootle. It was bleak in those days (and not much better now), but l loved it.

Because l am originally from Liverpool but support United, these are the most important games of the season to me.  I can't wait, have been up since the crack of dawn, and l have taken the day off work for the occasion, so let's hope it turns out to be worth it (or someone will suffer).

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