Carra the Blue

[davids]

Nice story in the Echo

 

[Sharpys top lip]

More like Carra the [Poor language removed]!!

 

[The Dude]

Nope, just seen it. The "I was crazy about Everton" story.

This autobiography has made him look like such a knobhead it's unbelievable!

JAMIE CARRAGHER is known the world over for his undying commitment to the Liver Bird he wears so proudly upon his chest. But there was a time when Carragher was “Everton mad,” with his affection towards Liverpool’s great rivals even landing him in hot water with legendary Reds coach Ronnie Moran on one occasion. Here, in exclusive extracts from Carra: My Autobiography – written with former Echo writer Chris Bascombe – Carragher lifts the lid on his relationship with Everton.

CARRA ON . . . GROWING UP A BLUE
I WAS Everton-mad growing up. I was a regular at all the away games as well as at home.
Evertonians talk fondly about the legendary European Cup Winners' Cup semi-final against Bayern Munich in April 1985.
Never mind the Goodison second leg; I was in Germany with my dad for the first game, too, getting my bobble hat swiped by some Munich fans outside the ground.
I'd be in a bad mood for days when we lost. Worse than that, I'd be inconsolable when our rivals won.
Nothing meant as much to me as my Everton top, which I even wore while training at the Liverpool School of Excellence.
Liverpool and Everton fans had to take it as much as dish it out to each other back then, but it wasn't underhand and was always based on what was happening on the pitch.
We could share the bragging rights because in the mid-eighties we were undoubtedly the two best teams in Europe.
My loyalties were exclusively to my heroes in blue, and I wasn't shy of showing Liverpool fans, players and staff how I felt about my team, even while I was training alongside Anfield legends.
In fact, signing for Liverpool made me want to show my true colours even more, even if it sometimes got me into trouble.
I remember returning with the Liverpool reserve squad from a mid-afternoon game early in 1996 while Everton were playing an FA Cup third round replay at Stockport.
The radio match commentary was on as the coach made its way back to Melwood and naturally I was listening to every word and urging Everton to win.
Stockport scored, and Ronnie Moran and Sammy Lee, who were in charge of the Reserves at the time, couldn't hide their delight.
“One–nil!” shouted Ronnie, the sense of joy inescapable. Sitting at the back of the coach, I simmered away inside, praying we'd get back into the game.
Then my moment came. Everton equalised. I couldn't resist. “Get in!” I screamed.
“Who the [Poor language removed] was that?” shouted Ronnie who, as the first team coach, was still in the dark about my youthful loyalties.
I wouldn't say it was the cue for a witch hunt, but Ronnie might as well have been holding a pitchfork as he swooped to find the culprit.
The next day I was hauled before our youth coaches, Hugh McAuley and Dave Shannon, for one of those 'quiet chats' footballers have to get used to during the course of a career.
“Listen, Jamie, you've got to sort this out,” Hughie said to me. “The senior staff have high hopes you'll play for the first team. It's time for you to start behaving like a Liverpool player.”
I walked out of that meeting having heard the warning, but it was going to take more than a gentle pep talk to stop me loving Everton.
CARRA ON . . . BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE EVERTON "ELITE"
The first League game I ever watched at Goodison was at the start of the inspiring 1984–85 season, at home to Tottenham. I was six years old.
We were comprehensively beaten, 4–1, and I don't remember anything about the game other than seeing Harry Cross, a famous character from the now-departed Scouse soap opera Brookside, leaving the ground early.
Judging by the faces of everyone around him, it was the only decent cross anyone saw at Goodison that day.
He'd seen enough, but even though we lost, I was yearning for much more.
My dad started taking me to away games that season. On the train to Ipswich – which must be the ground furthest away from Bootle in the country – he introduced me to all the most famous Evertonians, like Eddie Cavanagh.
Eddie ran on to the Wembley pitch when Everton won the cup in 1966 and had earned himself iconic status ever since.
Meeting him was like a coming-of-age ceremony. The nod of approval from Eddie was an acknowledgement you were now a true Blue. I wasn't just a home-game regular but part of an away-day elite.
CARRA ON . . . WEMBLEY DAYS
Wembley trips seemed a normal annual event then. We could plan our year around May for a cup final, or August for the Charity Shield, or March for the, er, Zenith Data Systems Cup.
Remember that one? I suspect many have tried to forget it. The 4–1 defeat to Crystal Palace in 1991 was memorable for at least 30 Bootle kids who headed for Wembley with my dad.
He led them all to the stadium and told the stewards it was all arranged for the youngsters to go in for nothing.
“They're all from care homes in Liverpool,” he explained. “I've heard they're all allowed in for nothing on a Sunday. It's a free gate on Sunday, isn't it?”
The stewards looked bemused and found a room for the youngsters to stay while they found some officials.
My dad then explained he had his own ticket and would be going to his seat in five minutes, so if the 30 lads weren't allowed in the stewards would need to stay and look after them.
Unsurprisingly, 30 seats were found, taking the attendance that day to a whopping 41,030.


page 2



JAMIE CARRAGHER is known the world over for his undying commitment to the Liver Bird he wears so proudly upon his chest. But there was a time when Carragher was “Everton mad,” with his affection towards Liverpool’s great rivals even landing him in hot water with legendary Reds coach Ronnie Moran on one occasion. Here, in exclusive extracts from Carra: My Autobiography – written with former Echo writer Chris Bascombe – Carragher lifts the lid on his relationship with Everton.
CARRA ON . . . THE 1985 FA CUP FINAL
Some London performances were more remarkable than others, and not solely because of the result. I was hysterical in 1985, but that had nothing to do with Norman Whiteside's winning goal.
An hour before kick-off I was with my dad and Paul when we saw a cockney tout, a spiv straight out of a classic Only Fools and Horses script, offering tickets down Wembley Way.
He took out a bundle of about 20 to sell, so my dad grabbed them to dish out to the genuine fans who didn't fancy paying a fortune. Unfortunately, he turned straight into a policeman who arrested him and the tout.
I was seven and Paul was even younger, but we had to watch as my dad was pounced on and pushed into the back of a police van.
We were taken on board the vacated Everton team coach to calm down, then my dad's mates took us in to the match, but all we were thinking about was what had happened to our dad.
Then, 20 minutes before the end of the game, I felt a pat on the shoulder. God knows how my dad found us, because it was still terracing then.
I was so relieved to see him, and finally I could enjoy the match. Then Whiteside scored and made the day even worse.
CARRA ON . . . THE 1989 FA CUP FINAL
The 1989 FA Cup final against Liverpool was the last major occasion for most of that great Howard Kendall side, and the best chance for Harvey to win a trophy, but for obvious reasons that was a fixture unlike any before.
As in 1986, I travelled to the semi-final and to Wembley as a Blue, although my feelings after both matches were vastly different.
We'd been at Villa Park on the afternoon of April 15, aware of events unfolding in Sheffield during Liverpool's semi-final with Nottingham Forest, but only hearing the full horrific details when we arrived home.
We knew the match at Hillsborough had been abandoned, and as we travelled back to Bootle there was none of the celebrations you might expect having reached the FA Cup final. We sensed all wasn't well.
Once the depressing news of the 96 deaths of those innocent Liverpool fans had sunk in, winning the FA Cup meant nothing to us.
The final was an irrelevance compared to what the Liverpool fans had suffered, and there was a real feeling of solidarity inside Wembley.
It was an exciting game, which Liverpool won 3–2, but none of it compared to 1986.
The defeat never hurt. As an Evertonian, quite correctly, I felt like a guest at Wembley that day.
It would be the last time I'd travel to see the Blues for a major final under the Twin Towers.
CARRA ON . . . THE PEOPLE'S CLUB
The person I've respected most at Everton during my time as a player is David Moyes.
Without doubt he's Everton's best manager in 20 years. And the quip he made on the day he joined about Everton being the People's Club on Merseyside was genius.
It immediately got the Evertonians on his side and wound up the Liverpudlians, so fair play to him. Brilliant stuff, I say.
That's what it's all about in this city. Make your own fans proud of you, and if it gets your rivals' backs up it's a classic double-whammy. There's no harm in that at all.
In 2007, Rafael Benitez tried to hit back when he talked after a game about Everton being a small club that came to Anfield to play for a draw.
How did they react? They put a statement on the official Everton website having a go at Rafael. How embarrassing is that?
Carra: My Autobiography is available in all good book shops from Thursday, September 11, priced £18.99.

 

[Robert Jarvis]

Nice comments and given with out any rancour what so ever not like the Shrek story. Also sums up quite well the love/hate relationship between us the RS.

 

[kenada_blue]

He's still a c-unt!

This is good line about Rafael calling us a small club - "How did they react? They put a statement on the official Everton website having a go at Rafael. How embarrassing is that?"

At least we didnt spout anything live on TV. We aint media whores like the [Poor language removed].

Dont give a [Poor language removed] if he was a big blue. He's not anymore and this "book" written by probably a redshite Echo writer makes him out to be an embarrasment that he can turn his back on is boyhood club. He's got no respect for us anymore and vice versa.

 

[davek]

After the way he behaved at Derby games in recent times - celebrating like [Poor language removed] when they won, down the ear of refs to get a biased decision - and now his comments in that filthy [Poor language removed] book, he can get to [Poor language removed].

Jamie who?

 

[bobbyrob]

he knows he will be out of the red [Poor language removed] team soon ad is looking for a job at everton,he can [Poor language removed] offfffffffff

 

[davids]

He's still a c-unt!

This is good line about Rafael calling us a small club - "How did they react? They put a statement on the official Everton website having a go at Rafael. How embarrassing is that?"

At least we didnt spout anything live on TV. We aint media whores like the [Poor language removed].

Dont give a [Poor language removed] if he was a big blue. He's not anymore and this "book" written by probably a redshite Echo writer makes him out to be an embarrasment that he can turn his back on is boyhood club. He's got no respect for us anymore and vice versa.

Did we ever try to sign him? Did he turn us down?

 

[Blue Ray]

He can stick his book so far up his arse it'd be out of print. [Poor language removed] off Cara and keep your feelings over the park where they belong.

 

[fortyone]

In 2007, Rafael Benitez tried to hit back when he talked after a game about Everton being a small club that came to Anfield to play for a draw.
How did they react? They put a statement on the official Everton website having a go at Rafael. How embarrassing is that?
Carra: My Autobiography is available in all good book shops from Thursday, September 11, priced £18.99.

__________________


Nearly as embarrissing as launching a book on the 11th September (9/11)
Tosser, this idiot gets away with allsorts on the pitch.

 

[kenada_blue]

Did we ever try to sign him? Did he turn us down?

I meant as in he was a hardcore Blue supporter. Now all he can do is **** off the club. Winning in the derby is his cup final.

 

[Seamus Colemole]

More quotes from the tosser :

In the latest extract from his autobiography, as serialised in The Daily Mirror, Jamie tells a charming tale about the company he keeps.

'When my leg was broken in an horrific tackle by Lucas Neill in September 2003, my mates were ready to hunt him down if I gave the go-ahead.

'A few weeks later I received a phone call. "You won't believe this, Jay. We're in the Trafford Centre and Lucas Neill is walking straight towards us. What do you reckon?"

'Did I really want Neill to take a crack? "There's only one problem," added the voice. "Little Davey Thommo is with him."

'That was that. I could hardly let one of my best mates, David Thompson, now a Blackburn player, become a witness to an assault. Besides he'd have recognised the attackers. The impromptu mission was aborted and I sent a text to Thommo telling him Neill should give him a hug of thanks.

'As word got back to Blackburn about the near miss, or should that be hit, their coach Terry Darracott, a Scouser, appealed to one of my friends to call the boys off. I agreed.'

And:

Jamie Carragher. A man hailed by all and sundry for his honesty, down-to-earthness and professionalism.

Even the great Stevie Gerrard said so in March: "It's a wonderful record for Carra to have and I'm sure he will go on to break even more records in the future because he is a top professional who always looks after himself and who always gives 100% in every game."

Interesting. What then, to make of the following excerpt from Honest Carra's autobiography, as serialised in The Daily Mirror today, in which he discusses former Liverpool teammate Rigobert Song:

'He strolled off to his French speaking friends and began talking to them. I could see him pointing towards me while everyone was grinning. It was clear what he was saying and the rage inside me simmered.

'Later, Song walked on to the training pitch with a smile on his face. He was limping off it with a grimace an hour later. The first chance I got, I did him. Never have I hunted down a 50-50 tackle with greater appetite

"You're not f***ing laughing now are you, you soft t**t?" I said as he hobbled away.

'Did I care he had a knock? No way. I don't remember him or anyone else in the squad for that matter trying to take the piss out of my ability again.'

What an absolute piece of [Poor language removed].

 

[davek]

More quotes from the tosser :

in which he discusses former Liverpool teammate Rigobert Song:

'He strolled off to his French speaking friends and began talking to them. I could see him pointing towards me while everyone was grinning. It was clear what he was saying and the rage inside me simmered.

'Later, Song walked on to the training pitch with a smile on his face. He was limping off it with a grimace an hour later. The first chance I got, I did him. Never have I hunted down a 50-50 tackle with greater appetite

"You're not f***ing laughing now are you, you soft t**t?" I said as he hobbled away.

'Did I care he had a knock? No way. I don't remember him or anyone else in the squad for that matter trying to take the piss out of my ability again.'



What an absolute piece of [Poor language removed].

He had it all wrong, they weren't laughing at his limited ability...they were laughing at his squeeky, helium-fuelled voice that makes him souns like a kid of seven years of age.

Can you imagine this psuedo hard man piping up like this if Duncan Ferguson was still around with an Everton shirt on?

 

[Gazdalf]

He had it all wrong, they weren't laughing at his limited ability...they were laughing at his squeeky, helium-fuelled voice that makes him souns like a kid of seven years of age.

Can you imagine this psuedo hard man piping up like this if Duncan Ferguson was still around with an Everton shirt on?

He probably would to be fair











on the phone with a withheld number

 

[Robin Sisland]

'He strolled off to his French speaking friends and began talking to them. I could see him pointing towards me while everyone was grinning. It was clear what he was saying and the rage inside me simmered.

'Later, Song walked on to the training pitch with a smile on his face. He was limping off it with a grimace an hour later. The first chance I got, I did him. Never have I hunted down a 50-50 tackle with greater appetite

"You're not f***ing laughing now are you, you soft t**t?" I said as he hobbled away.

'Did I care he had a knock? No way. I don't remember him or anyone else in the squad for that matter trying to take the piss out of my ability again.'

So that's paranoia, xenophobia and implied racism (foreigners laughing in a foreign language, laughing at me). Followed by admission of a premeditated violent assault on the foreigner he considers to have been laughing at him.
He probably thinks he's a good role model for the kids who will inevitably read this.
There's a hospital at the back of Maghull for people like that.