You WILL Never walk alone!

[scuk08]

Prelude
28th May 2011​

So there I was, walking up the steps of Wembley Stadium. My captain Steven Gerrard has just lifted the F.A Cup, We had just beaten Arsenal 2-1 thanks to 96th minute injury time winner from Fernando Torres. Not only had Fernando’s late winner sealed Liverpool’s 8th F.A cup win but according to the press and minority of fans, it had saved my job!

Despite finishing 3rd, 2 seasons in a running, pressure had been growing on me since we were knocked out of the Champions League at the first knock out stage, when we failed to beat Sporting Lisbon. The F.A cup had saved my job. Fernando Torres had saved my job. Every single one of those players who played today. Dreyer, Carragher, Riise, Agger, Marcellis, Rodriguez, Assulin, Gerrard, Aquiliani, Torres, Bellamy, Silvestre, Wilshere and Church, had all saved my job.

The season had been along hard one, with Man City retaining their Premier League title. And Chelsea finishing just 3 points ahead of us. The Champions League failure and the Carling Cup disaster which saw us dumped out by Arsenal’s youngsters in the 3rd round has acumilated in my job being under threat. I was aware that failure in the final today would spell the end of my career as Liverpool manager.

We got off to a great start, Torres connecting with across from Bellamy perfectly putting us 1-0 up. The pressure lifted slightly as time went on, but then we started getting complacent, I bought on Simon Church, a signing from Reading for 500k in January and Jack Wilshere formerly of Arsenal, whom I signed on a free transfer last summer. Pretty much instantly Van Persie scored an equaliser, injuring Daniel Agger in the process. I replaced Agger with Silvestre, again formerly of Arsenal and signed for 500k. The pressure was growing again, a cloud looming over me, pockets of fans starting to get on my back as the 90th minute drew nearer. The board went up to show the indicated injury time, 5 minutes. I looked to the heavens, drew a deep breathe and hoped, hoped we could find a winner before the end of 90 minutes. A mistake from Carragher who was playing right back (Johnson injured) let Arsenal in a fine save from my young keeper Matthieu Dreyer as Van Persie looked to seal the game, gave Arsenal a corner in the 94th minute. The corner came in Dreyer punched clear, the ball fell straight to Steven Gerrard, who turned and saw Fernando breaking forward. Instantly Gerrard pinged a great ball over the top of the Arsenal defence. Torres ran on to the ball, controlled it 2 touches latter he was on top of the Arsenal keeper, with a stroke of his right foot, the ball was in the back of the Arsenal net.

The Liverpool fans jumping around in delight. Me and my assistant Jamie Redknapp embraced in a hug jumping up and down, The entire Liverpool team, the 11 on the pitch, the subs on the bench, Gulasci, Kelly, Benayoun, Gago all in a bundle behind the goal in front of our fans. We composed ourselves as Arsenal kicked off; the second Van Persie touched the ball the ref blew his whistle and the F.A Cup final of 2011 was over!

And that’s where you find me now, climbing the steps a Wembley stadium, the cup slowly getting closer. With every player that lifts it, my relief getting greater. I reached the top and saw chairman Tom Hicks; he smiled at me and gave me a nod of his head. I smiled as I walked along side the Royal box, Jack Wilshere in front of me, he lifted the cup to a cheer from the Liverpool fans, then he turned and gave me the cup. My hands grasped around the first piece of silverware of my managerial career. I lifted it high and proud above my head, before carrying it back down to pitch side. A mob of reporters awaiting me, the cup was taken from me by Carragher who paraded it in front of our fans, as he did Geoff Shreeve’s put a mic in front of me.

“Your first bit of silverware as a Manager, how does it feel?”

“It feels great Geoff, I so happy for the fans and players after what has been a long difficult season!”

“A what about next season?”

“Next season Geoff, We must push on, we have to challenge Man City and Chelsea. Arsenal will be right up there too, a great team today. And we cant forget about Man United, they may have finished 7th this year but they’ll be back! Next season’s going to be tough but I think we will be ready, ready to fight for the Premier League title next year...............................

 

[Dan]

Great and Interesting start mate! Good luck!

 

[scuk08]

Chapter 1
(3 months later)
7th August 2011​

3 months seemed to have flown by, since I became the youngest manager to win the F.A Cup. Forever the record books will show that Steven Curtis aged 26 guided Liverpool to the F.A Cup final and won. In the past 3 months a lot has happened, starting with a 3 week break in Dubai with my beautiful girlfriend Emma. The F.A cup had not only saved my job, but breathed new belief into the squad, board and fans. So much so the board offered me another 2 year contract and given me £28, million to spend on transfers. Which I has spent on boosting out the squad, Brede Hangeland (£7.75m, Fulham), Cicinho (725K, Roma) and one of the biggest transfers in Britain this summer, Jermain Defoe (12.5m, Tottenham).

On the pitch we’d had an excellent pre-season. With 4 wins against Reading (1-0), Getafe (2-0), Leeds (3-0), AC Milan (3-2), the only game we hadn’t won was away at Juventus where we got a 2-2 draw after a last minute equaliser by Defoe on his debut.

But now the real season starts, the team coach was pulling in to the car park of the place where I had my greatest success of my career so far. My playing career was cut short because of an injury and We never achieved anything during my time at Norwich.

The big arch in front of the team bus, the fans surrounding the coach as we pulled into the underground car park. We disembarked from the coach as we had 3 month ago, this time though there was no pressure hanging over me, instead hope and anticipation for the game and the season ahead. It was going to be tough, but I was confident that with the signings over the summer and the possibility of more strength coming in as well. The only downside to this summer was the transfer of Javier Mascherano, an injury plagued season had seen the Argentinean hardly feature and the signing of Gago last January had tipped him over the edge and he’d handed in a transfer request. 3 weeks ago HSV unveiled Mascherano for a fee of 15 million. I would have wanted to keep him, but with Aquilani and Gago playing well along side Gerrard in the center of our midfield Javier was unlikely to get the first team football he demanded.

I stepped off the coach first, shook hands with some F.A official and walked into Wembley through the team entrance, in front of me a picture of Manchester City celebrating with the Premier League trophy next to it a picture of Steven Gerrard holding the F.A Cup in the air 3 months ago in this famous stadium. Next year both of those picture, I hoped, would be of us celebrating our title and cup double. What would be even better would be a league, cup and Europe treble. Could we do it? The next 10 months would tell...............................

 

[hazer]

A really good story and layout so far.
Keep it up(H)

 

[bigbilly]

Exellent story my friend, KUTGW

 

[scuk08]

Chapter 2
7th August 2011
Community shield

Manchester City Vs. Liverpool
​

We’d done the warm up, I’d given the team talk and the ref had rang the bell. Both teams were lined up in the tunnel in the depths of Wembley stadium, we walked out of tunnel and out on to the pitch, me at the rare of the lines alongside Mark Hughes. We shared pleasantries before going our separate ways to the dugs out. The captains had exchanged plaques and it was time, time to get this season underway. The Community shield, 90 minutes and if needed, a penalty shout-out, no extra time to save squads from early tiredness ahead of the long season. Expect on Wednesday night a full round of Internationals had been scheduled, just 3 days before the Premier League season starts.

We kicked off and 3 minutes in, Torres and Aquilani exchange passes, a quick chipped ball over the top and Defoe uses his pace against Dunne, he’s through on goal. Defoe struck it low, Given parries Torres on the follow up and he hits the outside of the post.
23 minutes gone Tevez robs the ball off of Cicinho goes past Hangeland. A quick one two with Ireland and Tevez is inside the area, Carragher closes him down. But Tevez shots before Carragher can get the tackle in, Its heading to the top corner, but Reina gets a hand to it. Man City’s corner comes in, Header from Dunne and cleared off the line by Carragher.

32 minutes; Riise has the ball on the left, he plays the ball across the pitch to Wilshere on the right, A cracking ball by Wilshere through the channel to Defoe, who latches on to the ball, he skips past Bridge, plays the ball low into Torres on the edge of area, Torres holds the ball up, he lays it back to Gerrard on the edge of D. Gerrard strokes the ball with his right foot, it curls past Given and into the net! 1-0!
The Liverpool fans go wild! I jumped up fist clenched in celebration, as I run out on the side line to celebrate. Gerrard running across the Wembley turf and toward the corner, followed by Defoe, Wilshere, Maxi and Aquilani.

After the euphoria of taking the lead, the calm before half time, a corner which comes to nothing from both teams, a couple of Man City attacks which go wide, over or blocked. And there it was 1-0 at half time.

I tell the boys to carry on, I’m pleased with how we’re playing and Man City aren’t really creating a lot. My Physio, Louise Fawcett tells me that Aquiliani and Torres are both struggling, so I take them both off, Gago and Bellamy replacing them respectively.

52nd minute, Robinho plays the ball down the left to Ribery, Ribery is brought down by Cicinho. Ribery plays the ball short to Ireland, who brings it forward past Gago, a short ball into Barry who in turn quickly plays it Adebayor. He turns Carragher slides in but the tackle is rode. Adebayor shots, Reina parries straight to Tevez who hits it 1st time........Goal! 1-1!

This time its the Man City fans turn to celebrate, Mark Hughes celebrates on the side line, the City players running to the corner to celebrate.

Then a stalemate, just 2 further shots from us. Church (on for Defoe, 60) hits a low shot which Given easily saves. And a powerful effort from Assulin which clips the outside of the post. Man City create a few chance but none on target.

92nd minute, Gerrard’s corner comes in high. I’ve sent everybody up except Reina and Cicinho, Carragher’s header blocked, the ball comes out to Riise who hits it first time, blocked by Barry. The ball finds it way out to Gerrard who crosses again, Hangeland heads the ball toward goal, towards the corner, but Given gets a hand to it and its out for another corner. But the ref blows his whistle 1-1 fulltime and Penalties loom.
We get a break being allowed to take the penalties in front of our fans. Bellamy, Carragher, Gerrard, Rodriguez all scored but so have Tevez, Barry, Adebayor, Zabalata for City. Stephen Ireland steps up. He places the ball down on the spot takes 5 steps back. The crowd are deafly silent as he runs forward and strikes the ball its low and hard to Reina’s right but Reina is also low to his right, and saves! He jumps up turns to the fans his fists clenched as they go wild!

John-Arne Riise strides forward confidently, passing a dejected looking Ireland. He places the ball down 6 steps back, the ref blows his whistle as the crowd go quiet again. Riise hits the ball straight down the middle like a rocket! Straight past Given! We’ve won, the whole squad rush toward Riise and our fans who going wild in celebration.

The Man City players and my friend Mark Hughes can only watch as we climb those steps for the 2nd time in 3 months! We’d just beaten the back to back champions of England! Hopefully a sign of things to come!