Merseyside-based journalist. Looking after press for Liverpool FC Academy and Liverpool FC Women. This my private account and views not those of my employer etc
Fans queuing outside with tickets for a gate that’s been shut for no reason just been tear gassed. Throughly unpleasant experience and so dangerous. This isn’t how fans should be treated in a civilised society. Unacceptable
Update: Entered stadium at 916, a quarter of an hour after intended kickoff after getting off Stade de France metro at 630 odd. So angry and so many fans just gave up. Every single one should sue
@uefa
and French police. Joke what we have to put up with.
Le footballeur Sadio Mané a été reçu cet après-midi par le Président
@Macky_Sall
. L’attaquant de Liverpool a présenté au Chef de l’Etat un ambitieux projet de construction d’un hôpital à Bambali et compte sur l'accompagnement de l'Etat pour le personnel médical.
Absolutely dreadful organisation at Stade de France. Here two and a half hours early, 1000s still outside. Police herded fans into dangerous bottleneck in underpass. Now gates shut with fans with tickets all stuck outside. Disgrace
@uefa
Might not have been a great game for the neutrals but frankly Liverpool have done enough for them in the last few years! So pleased for so many but especially this group of players and their manager. Well in lads - Champions of Europe!!!! Safe home Reds ❤️
There’s been zero communication with fans btw. No announcement about why we’re still here. Why we’ve been tear gassed or even that the kickoff has been delayed. As abject an event as I’ve ever attended.
Jurgen to
@LFCTV
- 'This club has been built on Stevie Gerrard's legs for the last 20 years!' Speaking of Shankly, Paisley and Kenny too. Great to see him remember the legends of the club on the night of his own oh so special triumph!
LOVE beating them
LOVE Big Nat assist and off the line
LOVE Robbo giving Rashford a start first half and running back to dispossess him
LOVE TAA
LOVE Rhys being a winner at Old Trafford
LOVE fact we've still got a chance!
Just look what they built - Alex + coaching staff, Marek in player care, Caitlyn + Ted in educ, Heidi, Sarah, Keels, Toby, Lynne in admin, Andys, Erol, Mark, Mick in facilities, Christian, Martin, Ali in canteen, Aubs + Leanne in kit, Big John + Jay on gate, yr boys won the Cup!
🗣 "First of all they tried to blame Liverpool supporters, and now they're trying to blame fake tickets."
Kaveh Solhekol questions the French Minister's response to the chaos at the Champions League final.
Brilliant crowd at Anfield last night but can't help feeling that win was even more for the amazing 5,000 plus who came to Villa a week before Xmas, sang their hearts out in a heavy defeat and gave the Academy lads the confidence to go back out there and play well again. 👏👏👏
@Getintothis
You're embarrassing yourself mate. Your side came to time waste and dive. You got precisely what you deserved. It's fine to lose a derby and be annoyed but this self delusion is part of the problem your side of the park.
End of an era at
#LFC
today as Head of pre-Academy Ian Barrigan was given a warm farewell. 24 years service to the club and still as passionate a Red as you'll find anywhere. A legend - as well as a total pest! - his influence will be felt for many years to come. Good luck mate!
Sensational support from the away end tonight, all you could hear were Liverpool voices throughout! Incredible for all the young Academy players that they stayed to the end to clap them off 👏👏👏
Klopp says the authorities have to find an appropriate day for LFC to play next round or his team will pull out and 'our opponents will progress'. Clash with World Club Cup.
The budget didn’t include a Madrid hotel last night so had a bit of bench/bus stop and hire car kip with
@livlad
. But did get the chance to thank this fella for everything he’s done - reckon most are more chuffed for him than anyone else!
Yes! All over and LFC U18s have a place in the FA Youth Cup final for the first time in a decade! Well done to all the coaching staff and players. Paul Glatzel with the two goals in 2-1 win over Watford at Anfield though Bobby Duncan might try to claim one of those!
Just caught up with the ITV highlights. Roy Keane seems to have dropped his 'the big teams will laugh at
#LFC
later in the competition' line he was trotting out throughout the group stages. Funny that.
FT: Everton U18s 0-4 Liverpool U18s - a very controlled second half from the Reds and they take a fine derby win thanks to those first half goals from Frauendorf, Stewart (may go as an OG), Jonas and Woltman.
Fabulous afternoon at Anfield for the
#LFC
U9 signing day with special guest
@trentaa98
. Not so long ago he had the same hopes and dreams as this year’s group. Good luck to every one of them.
As our regular Blood Red podcast listeners will know, tomorrow at Anfield will be my last day covering
#LFC
at the ECHO. After nigh on 20 years with the company it's time to seek pastures new. Been an absolute privilege to cover the Reds for the last three and a bit years.
I've never played a football computer game in my life but got strangely hooked on watching this lad beat the Utd lad in the final while flicking through Sky.
One of my fave pics from this week's LFC Youth Cup win. The players insisted they grab the camera and share a shot with regular club snapper
@NickTaylorPhoto
who watches them through wind, rain and snow at Kirkby. Good photo skills from Morgan Boyes!
FT: Leicester U18s 1-5
#LFC
U18s - a hat-trick from James Balagizi and a double from Max Woltman see the Reds into the quarter-final of the FA Youth Cup. Game on a knife edge at 1-0 but they found the goals to take them clear. Couple of big saves from Harvey Davies. Arsenal next.
#LFC
Academy staff placed flowers in memory of loyal Red Rachel Ellis behind our goal tonight, alongside her familiar cap. Rach was much loved by many at the Academy + a random Tue night away with the 21s was just her sort of game! Hubby Andy at first game without her tonight ❤️
Sure everyone only interested in events at Goodison earlier, but LFC U18s won 3-2 over Sunderland at Kirkby. Two for Layton Stewart and a first on his first start for Ethan Ennis. Congrats to Terence Miles on his debut too.
Believe
@uefa
announced in stadium that kickoff delays down to ‘late arriving fans’. This is an absolute lie. The fans in and around me arrived two and a half hours before kickoff. They were delayed by an inept police operation + inexcusable closing of gates to fans with tickets
For the most part I thought it was a terrific performance from the team last night. Really sad to leave a competition we all love but a reminder of how lucky we've been to enjoy two finals in a row.
No sign yet of the
#LFC
goal rush in Europe we're seen so far this season. The Reds have actually scored more in Europe than Everton have in the Premier League, if you're interested in that sort of thing. 0-0
Everything crossed for the fan fighting for his life tonight. It just shouldn't happen. With Roma fans under suspicion - and arrest - the other worrying thing is what awaits the travelling supporters in Italy next week. Very concerning.
Wow!! Curtis Jones with a moment he will never forget at Anfield but so much else to love. Lallana and Chirivella outstanding + how sharp was Ox when he came on?! Neco running round like he plays here every week, Rhian knocking Mina over on a header and Larouci with so much poise
FT: Man Utd U18s 0-1 LFC - That's it!!
#LFC
progress in the FA Youth Cup. Fantastic team defensive effort in the second half especially after going down to 10 men. Played some good football first half and won it with that Tyler Morton header.
Another historic night for the
#LFC
Academy, more incredible memories. The head of our Academy wasn’t at Anfield tonight to revel in the plaudits. Alex Inglethorpe was at Kirkby watching the schoolboys train before taking in the U15s match in the pouring rain. That’s leadership.
Of course ridiculous problems for so many in getting there but Kiev for me was a brilliant host city. Shevchenko Park was amazing, stadium superb, police let fans have their fun, people friendly, beers cheap. Better than Istanbul and far better than Athens for me.
These two ministers are standing up there lying through their teeth. They should pay with their jobs and rather than praising the police their commander should be facing criminal charges for assault
🗣️ "30-40,000 people without tickets or with fake tickets."
Amelia Oudea-Castera, the French Sports Minister, on the scenes outside the Stade de France on Saturday night 👇
I grew up dreaming of this day🤯🙏 Unbelievable feeling making my premier league debut for
@LFC
today. Another great win and another 3pts for the team. Thanks for all the messages and support!!!❤️
#LFC
#LFC
had the 1-2 in the PFA Player of the Month by the way. Well done to
@22mosalah
for winning as you know but it was Roberto Firmino in second too. We're being spoiled at the moment.
Could do with another one at Anfield but a fine result for
#LFC
U18s who go away and beat Man Utd 5-0. Oakley Cannonier with the hat-trick plus Luca Stephenson and Terence Miles. Congrats to
@Bridgey1979
staff and all the lads.
Salah's goal felt very
#LFC
2005 tonight. Lots of us screaming for a penalty while one player just plays on and pops it in the net. Well...over the line at least!
FT:
#LFC
U18s 4-3 Man Utd - what a game at Kirkby as young Reds win it late through a header from Layton Stewart via a touch from Billy Koumetio. LFC led three times through Ritaccio, O'Rourke and Brookwell but hauled back quickly each time. Winner two mins from time. Some game!
Come and support this team and show them what they mean to you at Anfield two weeks today. A Merseyside derby and tickets are just a quid for kids which is frankly ridiculous value. Kop seats now available at
Talk about going out at the top! Peter was fantastic to deal with during my Echo days and again while with LFC. His years as CEO will go down as some of the best in the club's history. Not bad for 'a lad from Garston'! Wishing him all the best for the future.
Thank you for all of the messages throughout the day. I want to reassure everyone that
@LFC
will be in great hands under the stewardship of Billy Hogan, a seasoned executive that has been integral to our success off the pitch in recent years. I will leave you with this...YNWA
For anyone unaware, tomorrow's LFC U23s game against West Ham has been postponed. So that's 2021 done for Academy games! Been an absolute pleasure to watch the lads' development this year under such a brilliant and committed group of coaches. Exciting times ahead...🔴⚽🔴⚽
Disgrace that a young footballer has to worry about anything else bar the already difficult path to a career. Well done
@RhianBrewster9
- are you listening UEFA ??
Rhian Brewster opens up to
@DTguardian
about the racist abuse he has suffered in the last year and his dismay over the lack of action from the authorities
Klopp on Curtis Jones (after bigging up performances of Neco W, Yasser L and Pedro C) - 'He can't wait to play in the first team and rightly so! If nothing strange happens he will be a Liverpool player.'
That's it.
#LFC
U19s into the quarter final of the UEFA Youth League with a well deserved 2-0 win over Manchester United. They will play Man City next.
If you enjoyed watching a few of the LFC U23s on Sunday, there's another great chance on Wednesday night. The team take on Athletic Bilbao at the Kirkby Academy at 7pm in PL Int Cup. Tough but exciting game ahead after the Reds beat PSG 3-2 in their first group game. Free entry!
Think we can see why today's LFC Academy fixture was called off - even our excellent U23s might struggle to play in that! Well done to
@riceyla
for standing up long to get this
Absolutely crazy that for a European Cup semi-final in a beautiful city, there are fans - myself included - unsure whether they should even travel. How depressing for the game. Hope we get rid of this shower and move on to Kiev for a proper celebration.
Love everything about this - somehow
@Shunter77
found the perfect words, arms, hugs and tears on that unforgettable night! One of the very many fine people who make LFC the club it is. Hats off pal!
Referee for
@LFC
v Barcelona is Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey). He has taken charge of
@LFC
twice before....home wins over Borussia Dortmund (4-3) in 2016 Europa League and Paris St Germain (3-2) this season.