5 Years Later And The Message Is The Same

I can't believe that it was 5 years ago since the greatest comeback in a final ever. United fans will no doubt protest but winning a game after going 3 goals down to AC Milan who were perhaps the best team in Europe at the time will for me always eclipse overturning a one goal lead which we see happen almost every week in football. Nonetheless I'm digressing, I'm wearing my Liverpool colours with pride today and even watching that incredible European campaign once again on LFCTV. Remembering Istanbul and other great memories for Liverpool over the past 5 years is a welcome distraction from the worrying state of affairs the team find themselves in. But whilst this has been the worst season I can ever remember from Liverpool every other team that I have fondness for is certainly prospering.

Two of my favourite European sides Benfica and Inter Milan are champions in their respective countries.

The biggest surprise of them all though is that my home town team Blackpool FC have returned to the top league in English football which is a place I never thought I'd see them in my lifetime and thats not an overstatement. I first went to see Blackpool in October 2003 and they won 4-0 against Hartlepool. One fan told me that I should go every week upon hearing it was my first game. I was a lucky charm I'd like to think that day. Truth be told though I was lucky to catch Blackpool on a good day as I learnt on later visits that winning 4-0 at Bloomfield Road was certainly a rarity and in all honestly Blackpool weren't a particularly good side and hadn't been for a long time.

I actually did my work experience at Blackpool for 2 weeks in January 2006 as a apprentice groundsman which gave me an insight into what the club was actually like. I can tell you I was shocked. We were always told footballers were rich and had the best facilities but the Bloomfield Road pitch was terrible that season and on the couple of occasions I went to the training ground I found it was worse than some of the really small local teams who were about 10 leagues below Blackpool with part time players.

Blackpool had the second lowest average attendance in the Championship last year. If you were to put all the league clubs in one table from the past decade Blackpool would have finished 52nd. These are not statistics that suggest that Blackpool are one of the footballing elites in this country but next season they'll be lining up against the likes of Torres (yes he's staying), Rooney, Drogba and co. I'll be looking forward to going to some games next season as much as many of the clubs fans.

Football is a fascinating game and provides some great lessons for young and old. One of those lessons that events like Istanbul in 2005 and Blackpool's promotion to the Premiership show us is that we never really know what we are capable of.

"Look at that scoreboard. Look at that score: 3-3. Look at the words: Liverpool, Champions. And remember how it looked at half-time. And how you were dead inside. And whenever you feel life's beaten you, think of this scoreboard, and realize that anything, anything is possible"

(Brian Reade- '43 Years With The Same Bird')