Routine wins when
he scores and does his thing. On a glorious late winters day that was verging on shorts and sunnies weather ….. Returning to the match doesn’t get much better.
Yesterdays admin-
Title Countdown:
21 wins down/ 8 to go.
70 points down/ 22 to go.
Current PL unbeaten run:
P 25 W 18 D 7 F 62 A 26 CS: 9
3 Straight Wins.
Current unbeaten home PL run:
P 12 W 10 D 2 F 29 A 10 CS: 4
4 Straight Wins.
When you’re as invested in this thing of ours, on the weekly, up and down the Country and across European lands, you don’t get time to breath, step back, and fully appreciate just what it means to you and just what enjoyment it gives regardless of the actual result or performance. It’s so hard to convey, to people who don’t make the sacrifices you do and all the shared experience therein, just what going the match gives you and means in people’s lives. Paris midweek aside, which I was never going to as I just couldn’t revisit that horrific trauma personally so soon after that horrible late May Saturday in 2022, yesterday was my first game back watching the mighty Reds since the Derby. ‘Only’ a 4 game absence laid up with a bleep dose of COVID that completely floored me. But man alive that craving to be back has seemed like an eternity. Just something as simple as being sat the boozer again before the game being skitted by yer mates about remembering where the ground is and how to get in.

Man did that feel good.

The prohie seller opposite the Glenbuck on the corner of Sleepers Hill and Walton Breck I always have a good chat to when I get the programme off him, asking ‘
Alright my mate. Where you been hiding the last few games?’ Lads on your row you only normally acknowledge with a pat the shoulder when squeezing past them to your seat, going ‘
Alright lad. You been away?’ ….. Relationships you make through the regularity of you all doing the same thing, for the same collective cause, week after week. Just the routine of meeting yer mates in the Globe in town mid-morning, then the taxi up the Glenbuck for a few more ales and laughs, before the short walk on the ground to watch the next step of the mighty Reds imperious march to yet another league title ….. Man alive have I missed all that. Simple routines and relationships in your life that
SO many people rely on weekly. And that’s before you even get to the actual 90 minutes. There really is
NOTHING like this game and following a football club in life that gives you all that and more on the regular. I’m probably babbling and not conveying those emotions very well but Gods honest, it was ****** brilliant to be back at it again yesterday.

And back to the preverbal game of two halves.
First-half, we were way too tepid. Slow paced, nowhere near enough energy. Allowing Southampton time to play. And I totally get it. It’s a routine game you expect to win. Sandwiched between two mammoth European ties. And a massive Cup Final. It’s only natural, as a player, you play within yourself after such a tough, physical and mental game in Paris. Before the massive week to come. But we were poor. Culminating in a farcical mix-up between Alisson and big Virg, both so immense at PSG, to leave us trailing at the half.
But as poor as were first-half, we were equally absolutely superb the second as we upped the intensity levels. Kudos to Arne yet again. He clearly gave them a rocket HT. And his in-game management and subs were yet again superb. Elliot in particular a complete game changer for the second time this week. (WHAT a save from Ramsdale BTW from him. Outstanding.). A feature of Slots season. The intensity went up on the park. We responded off it and went up another level as a crowd, as they finally gave us something to get behind. And Southampton just couldn’t live with it all.
And then, there
HE is.
Love him or hate him, the complexities of Darwin continues to baffle everyone.

And doubtless will until he’s no longer here. One minute a completely unplayable number 9. Followed by large stretches of looking like a Sunday league number 9. His work rate and sheer passion for this football club is what endears him to the crowd and makes him such a favourite. That Scouse attitude of not caring what anyone thinks outside, but just doing his thing, grafting his backside off for the collective cause, and having fun doing it. But man alive does he frustrate the living P out of you oft times.
Then, when you desperately need a
BIG moment in a game, there
he is. Newcastle last season. The last minute at Forest. Brentford two years in a row ….. SO many crucial moments. And then this past week. Changes the game in Paris. Makes the difference against a Southampton side we made harder work of than anyone was expecting.
The mad thing is this probably won’t lead to a run of goals. No matter how hard he works to improve. But, rest assured, when we need and are desperately craving someone to produce that big moment in a game between now and the seasons end, he’ll be there again. Answering the call.
You can’t help but love the living bones of a lad like that. And I sincerely hope he’s still our number 9 next year. But man does he vex the heck out of you among the big moments. The Darwin conundrum right there.
Right, I’ve rambled too long here so it’s time for a brew and some breakie. God I’ve missed sharing my weekend with everything and everyone that goes into making what you do SO worth the sacrifices you make to do it.
Is it Tuesday already and our turn to set the tempo and noise level to see if PSG can live with
our dance? Like we lived with there’s and everything they could throw at us last week.
It’s ****** wonderful to be back in the saddle with our shared passion.


Up the unstoppable, imperious, Champions elect Reds!