*Sings
’Jari, Oh Jari, Jari, Oh Jari, Jari, Oh Jari Lit-man- en! Hey!……’
I could make a salient case for him being in the discussion of the best European players of all time. Dream of a footballer.
Never forget when we signed him. Thursday night. I was at the shop. Moby goes with a mate saying
’Get home and get on Sky lad. You won’t believe who’ve we’ve signed …… Jari F Litmanen!’ Got some funny looks the Asda with my shriek of joy I can tell yer haha. The other vivid memory was the following Sat’day morning before the Cup tie that another new signing, Igor Biscan, got sent off in on his debut. Forget the lower league opposition. Rochdale maybe? Side note- Biscan who was the best player by a Country mile the knockout run to Istanbul with Gerrard and Alonso out through most of it. Mad how Gerrard got UEFA’s player of the European season in ‘05 down to sentiment over the final but I digress ….. Anyway, I was down the ground early as our LC semi tickets hadn’t turned up. Sorted them. Walked up the arl Main Stand. And there’s Jari. Signing a few autographs. And this fella’, trying to be funny, walking past goes ‘
They all say they’re Reds when they sign. Bet he couldn’t name the ‘84 European Cup side:’ ….. And the stoic Finn looks up, without missing a beat, and reals off the full XI
AND subs! Then continued signing things.
Not often you get to live your dream. Sven did Sat’day. And Jari did his brief spell here. Such a shame his knees were shot by that point but he still left behind some wonderful memories of a bona fide, World Class, all time football legend playing for the mighty Reds.
Who just happens to be a genuine, boyhood fan and one of our own.