A final word from Siobhan

It's Siobhan with a fada, I'll have you know........what, no I've never been to Ireland.....

To the victor, the spoils

Mike's infamous team notes better than Chelsea's

Mike's notes from Everton Spurs were vastly superior to Benitez's from the World club Championship a week later.

One nil, and we fucked it up....

Where's Duncan?

In case you wondered whether any harm had befallen the great man, have a look at the first photo and at the laughing, joking, grey-haired geezer on the left as the teams come out. Not a bother on the fucker.

Spent the whole game trying to avoid those obsessive fatally attracted old boys from Dublin, I guess.

We want Duncan McKenzie

Bob, or Jimmy, eh Joey, hey Willie can you pose for a photo please....

Thanks, Colin....who did you say you were again?

A red in the Blue camp

Note the Reds badge on the stewardess's chest!

Christmas shopping

A stark contrast - stuff your Premier League

Derby County Under 21's

Is it any wonder they're languishing in the Championship?

Brusselsblue remembers Jimmy Saville, no Ken Dodd

Toffees put Southern Softies to Sword

More photos from the weekend to come but for now just the one - Jelavic's goal in the 93rd minute which sealed victory for the Blues.  Ground open up and swallow me.

On the blanket at Goodison

Didn't you once used to be someone important?

The best part of the last trip to Liverpool was when Derek Mountfield taught us how to play the air-piano.

Fuck, this Irish guy is absolutely bonkers

Poor old Pat Crerand may have dealt with the euphoria of winning the European Cup with United, and the misery of marking George Best while playing for Scotland, but nothing had prepared him for the line of senseless questioning from our intrepid reporter on last year's trip.

As Mike finished his questioning he closed his eyes and drifted melodically into the first verse of "The Homes of Donegal".

Away trips - from humble beginnings

Off the boat at 6am, seasick (well not really - only John Bergin), a big fry in Wimpeys, a parting of the ways at Lime Street Train Station and separate paths to the joy of football - live and in the flesh!

Only blemish on the morning for the Liverpool trio was the side-trip into Woolworth's to witness Rich Hudson shell out money that came too easily on a coat that was visible at four nautical miles. An early audition for Letter from Breshnev, with the large black fur collar. Those of us that made the trip to Manchester were spared the ignominy of trudging around Liverpool as aghast Scousers just stopped and stared as Rich proudly wore his new battle regalia.

And after the match, more chips and a read of the shared Football Pink with reports of matches and incidents you has seen live and the right-hand sided vertical corner column with the results from places far afield - London, Leicester and the like. Fuck Tottenham - another year to wait - little knowing it would be 1981, seven years later, before we got our yiddish hands on the piece of silver.

And Michael Lawless - how and why? Quite baffling really.

Recall the day - 5 January 1974:

Aston Villa 3 1 Chester
Birmingham 5 2 Cardiff
Bolton 3 2 Stoke
Bradford 4 2 Alvechurch
Bristol C 1 1 Hull City
C Palace 0 2 Wrexham
Cambridge 2 2 Oldham
Carlisle 0 0 Sunderland
Chelsea 0 0 QPR
Derby 0 0 Boston Utd
Everton 3 0 Blackburn
Fulham 1 0 Preston
Grantham Town 0 2 Middlesbro
Grimsby 0 2 Burnley
Ipswich 3 2 Sheff Utd
Leicester 1 0 Tottenham
Leyton Orient 2 1 Bournemouth
Liverpool 2 2 Doncaster
Man Utd 1 0 Plymouth
Millwall 1 1 Scunthorpe
Newcastle 1 1 Hendon
Norwich 0 1 Arsenal
Nottm Forest 4 3 Bristol R
Oxford 2 5 Man City
Peterborough 3 1 Southend
Port Vale 1 1 Luton
Portsmouth 3 3 Swindon
Sheff Wed 0 0 Coventry
Southampton 2 1 Blackpool
West Brom 4 0 Notts Co
West Ham 1 1 Hereford
Wolves 1 1 Leeds