I pushed it back into its special place in the recesses of my mind because of its particular significance. They were the sweetest words that I ever heard uttered in the H Blocks, Seamus Finucane shouting then out the door of his cell upon picking up on the smuggled crystal radio that Bobby Sands had won the Fermanagh South Tyrone by election.
We had been told in advance that were Bobby to win we were to remain calm and no noisy celebrating: the screws were not to be alerted to the presence of a radio on the wing. All in vain – the place exploded spontaneously. When the screws came around with the evening meal the universal feeling was that lemon was not on the menu – they had faces that suggested they had sucked dry all available lemons in place of the usual alcohol. A simple enough phrase, Fuaireamar and bua, meaning we got the victory: but it has its own unique time and place in my mind and there it shall remain.
Yesterday, just over 41 years after that momentous event in the Blocks, Liverpool got their victory in the end. Penalties are not the best way to win a final. At the end of a match something like the team with the most shots on goal or the one awarded most corners should claim the trophy. It would encourage more open attacking football. Winning by penalties diminishes the joy of victory. Just as losing by them somehow makes the defeat a bit easier to take. Liverpool’s greatest Champions League title came courtesy of penalties but it was not the spot kicks that made that victory so sweet back in 2005. It was the comeback from 3-0 down at half time.
When Sadio Mane missed his penalty yesterday, I thought it was game over. Chelsea were back on even terms and sudden death was approaching. The whiskey was being gulped by this point rather than sipped. But once Allison saved from Mason Mount I sensed that the Chelsea player was about to experience his sixth cup final defeat.
Both domestic English cups have sailed away from the Thames and have headed up to the Mersey. But Chelsea were worthy opponents and it seemed harsh that they should go home empty handed. In all four clashes between the two sides this year Liverpool have failed to beat them in open play. But as soccer is about claiming the spoils rather than sharing them, it is winner takes all.
For all its repute as a hotbed of Irish republicanism, English soccer clubs had a huge following in the jail and a lot of soccer rivalry played itself out on the wings; usually between Manchester United fans and the rest. Bobby Sands was an Aston Villa fan. They secured the English league title three days before he died. One of the joys of imprisonment was managing to get through it without Man Utd ever being crowned champions. But there was that 1977 FA Cup final victory when they beat Liverpool despite a stunning goal from Jimmy Case. Still, bragging rights had a decidedly Scouse inflection throughout my time banged up.
There were a few Chelsea supporters in the H Blocks – most notably Tom Loughlin from the New Lodge. They were a different team then and the life of a Chelsea fan was never a joyous one. Jock Home used to mercilessly wind-up Chelsea supporters by referring to anyone who made a daft comment about any subject as one, putting on his best dullard accent that came with a heavy Glaswegian twang.
Liverpool face Real Madrid in Paris later this month in a clash that will produce the next champions of European club soccer, the Champions League trophy at stake. I fervently hope that the result in the French capital is not decided by penalties, either way. It would be a smudge on Liverpool’s prowess and a dulling of the shine from the silverware were they to take all three cups this year by way of spot kicks.
We had been told in advance that were Bobby to win we were to remain calm and no noisy celebrating: the screws were not to be alerted to the presence of a radio on the wing. All in vain – the place exploded spontaneously. When the screws came around with the evening meal the universal feeling was that lemon was not on the menu – they had faces that suggested they had sucked dry all available lemons in place of the usual alcohol. A simple enough phrase, Fuaireamar and bua, meaning we got the victory: but it has its own unique time and place in my mind and there it shall remain.
Yesterday, just over 41 years after that momentous event in the Blocks, Liverpool got their victory in the end. Penalties are not the best way to win a final. At the end of a match something like the team with the most shots on goal or the one awarded most corners should claim the trophy. It would encourage more open attacking football. Winning by penalties diminishes the joy of victory. Just as losing by them somehow makes the defeat a bit easier to take. Liverpool’s greatest Champions League title came courtesy of penalties but it was not the spot kicks that made that victory so sweet back in 2005. It was the comeback from 3-0 down at half time.
When Sadio Mane missed his penalty yesterday, I thought it was game over. Chelsea were back on even terms and sudden death was approaching. The whiskey was being gulped by this point rather than sipped. But once Allison saved from Mason Mount I sensed that the Chelsea player was about to experience his sixth cup final defeat.
Both domestic English cups have sailed away from the Thames and have headed up to the Mersey. But Chelsea were worthy opponents and it seemed harsh that they should go home empty handed. In all four clashes between the two sides this year Liverpool have failed to beat them in open play. But as soccer is about claiming the spoils rather than sharing them, it is winner takes all.
For all its repute as a hotbed of Irish republicanism, English soccer clubs had a huge following in the jail and a lot of soccer rivalry played itself out on the wings; usually between Manchester United fans and the rest. Bobby Sands was an Aston Villa fan. They secured the English league title three days before he died. One of the joys of imprisonment was managing to get through it without Man Utd ever being crowned champions. But there was that 1977 FA Cup final victory when they beat Liverpool despite a stunning goal from Jimmy Case. Still, bragging rights had a decidedly Scouse inflection throughout my time banged up.
There were a few Chelsea supporters in the H Blocks – most notably Tom Loughlin from the New Lodge. They were a different team then and the life of a Chelsea fan was never a joyous one. Jock Home used to mercilessly wind-up Chelsea supporters by referring to anyone who made a daft comment about any subject as one, putting on his best dullard accent that came with a heavy Glaswegian twang.
Liverpool face Real Madrid in Paris later this month in a clash that will produce the next champions of European club soccer, the Champions League trophy at stake. I fervently hope that the result in the French capital is not decided by penalties, either way. It would be a smudge on Liverpool’s prowess and a dulling of the shine from the silverware were they to take all three cups this year by way of spot kicks.
⏩ Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre. |
were they to take all three cups this year by way of spot kicks.
ReplyDeleteHas to worth a 50p bet on Paddy Power. Quillers how often do you read about a player scoring his 100th goal on his 100 match or a 16/17 yrs old scoring a winning goal on his first outting , no pun but we all know the score , read the silly stats..a striker scoring a hat trick on his birthday...................Would any one be surprised about Pool winning three cups on penalties in the same season...?
It can happen but . . . not the best way to do it
DeleteI know what you mean Anthony, winning on penalties takes some of the shine off the silver, it's not like winning on a hard fought 3--2 or coasting to a 4--0...But if you had told Paddy Power at the start of the season "50p on Pool to win three cups this season on penalties", he'd given you better odds than he gave Leicester winning a few years back...Pool are already two up...you'd had a decent cash out....
ReplyDeleteI still think it's worth a 50p Paddy Power on Pool to win the CL on penalties...Dafter things in footy have happened...
it would have been a great bet at the start of the season
DeleteReds , in with a shout of winning the Prem . What a pity Wolves & Newcastle ( Barcodes ) were already on their hols .
ReplyDelete