Fans’ fury grows as sharks circle Anfield

LOOK out Mancs, we’re gaining on ya! Well, technically. Wouldn’t it be nice to read about football occasionally?

Sadly we’ve gone beyond the point of no return on that front. Hicks may be a pernicious carpetbagger but it’s lucky for some that he’s such a comically demonic hate figure because too many are hiding behind him now.

He’s a shark and acts exactly the way you’d expect; swimming around, sniffing for blood. Moores, Parry and Gillett — and thus our football club — were absolutely drenched in the stuff, or is that just in my murderously feverish imagination? It’s amazing the easy ride those three are getting. Moores sold the club to someone who couldn’t afford it; Parry was so conscious of fan protests, he turns up in a brand new Ferrari in solidarity.

Gillett’s silence has convinced some fans he’s an avuncular scatterbrain duped like the rest of us.

Supporters aren’t entirely exempt from criticism either. A lot of outrage has been fuelled by a collective guilt for not protesting a year ago and swallowing whole Parry’s “Trust us” bullshit instead of laughing him out of town.

Even now we’re meant to believe Moores is fighting our battles behind closed doors and Gillett is our best hope for a deal with the saintly, stain-free Dubai. Anyone believing any of that quite frankly deserves every shafting they get, past present or future.

As for the proposed buyout by 100,000 supporters, I have to be careful what I say.

I know Rogan Taylor quite well and he‘s always been equal parts fascinating and infuriating, and I’ve no wish to pour cold water on ambitious schemes, especially when they come from the heart.

But the cynic in me always wins out in the end. As stated previously, I love our quixotic stand-offs with windmills but it’s becoming farcical now.

If it were a realistic proposal, it might even strengthen Hicks’ hand by giving him someone to play off against Dubai, who must surely be sick of the whole fiasco.

I don’t know why I’m getting worked up about it. I haven’t got five grand anyway and wouldn’t pay if I had. This is nothing but financial and emotional blackmail, handing huge profit to a slimy pair of cutthroats.

While the thought of Moores counting his blood money and crying crocodile tears will give me an aneurysm if I’m not careful.

So much for wanting to write about the games! Sunderland saw a return to winning ways, but West Ham sent a shudder through the ranks that still hasn’t subsided.

Whatever your thoughts about any blame that can be apportioned to the fiscal disarray, sympathy ebbs away when Kuyt’s sweat is continually preferred to Crouch’s threat.

If Rafa would only show a sign of wanting to help himself. It was bitterly ironic to see his team punished for throwing too many players forward, but that’s the kind of misfortune that plagues strugglers.

We finally got to see Torres & Crouch together on Saturday, and after an hour there was already an understanding developing between the two. Rafa has to try and make this work, or the meagre support he may have will simply evaporate.

Mascherano’s willingness to chase lost causes got the fans going, along with Pennant’s persistence (despite his sporadic accuracy).

Carragher, of all people, had to show him how it’s done, just in case anyone thought things weren’t weird enough in L4.

Bootle’s finest has struggled of late but his goalkeeping remains impeccable. Keane certainly thought Styles’ summer spanking influenced events, but the refereeing in all Big Four matches is highly suspect nowadays.

Fear has definitely crippled officials, emphasised by Ferguson’s predictable bile despite a shocking Nani tackle, Evra’s handball and Rooney’s incessant backchat. Referees have their careers to think of, don’t you know?

A small but fervent band of Reds stayed behind to protest about the Americans.

It’s the same fans who sing throughout, hand out leaflets, stage meetings, get things organised etc.

While the rest of the Kop filed out almost before the final whistle.

FC United was greeted with a degree of disdain in these parts, but a significant portion of our support is so alienated, angry and disenfranchised that surely a Scouse equivalent cannot be far away?