DEAR KENNY,
It is said that you never forget your first love and that nothing is quite so painful when ultimately that love ends. Well my first was with a guy called Kevin Keegan in 1974, and for the next three years I would follow his every move, like a love struck puppy. He could do no wrong in my eyes and the eyes of many others intent on displaying such affection in the hope that such appreciation would be equally reciprocated.
I would however be unaware that this was in fact an infatuation rather than real love. Kevin would leave for Germany in the pursuit of another love and in the process break my heart. I would take that pain with me through the subsequent years; I would never forgive that man, ever.
On the 10th of August 1977 I would set out on another love affair that today would be a bromance. I would be just 9 years old, but I would also know this was indeed the real thing, since that life-changing day I have never fallen out of love with you, Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish. I cannot say that for other loves I have had along the way, some less deserving of such idolisation.
Even when younger prettier models would come along, yes they would catch my eye, but I would not stray, they would never fulfil my requirements as you had. I would remain faithful in my own way. I would share the pain and anguish of both Heysel and Hillsborough, the fact it was an unrequited love would not diminish its value to me.
February 1991 and particularly 11 O’clock on the 22nd day of that month would be when I realised that I, along with others had taken you for granted. I had not seen the signs, the hurt in your eyes, the stress that you had suffered since 1989 and Hillsborough. Like Keegan all those years earlier you would leave me, but unlike then, you would not break my heart. Instead I would be filled with guilt when I would see a man I would hardly recognise; a beaten man, broken, shattered and dispirited. We would love you so much we would set you free in a hope that one day you would return to our adulation.
For the next 20 years you would however flirt with those who would seduce you and lead you on with their affection, but they would not deserve you with their unfaithful ways, their fondness would not last through fickle times. I would look on from afar hurting when those affairs would end in acrimony, my love would not fade.
Many would forget that smile that would light up a football field after gloriously turning an opponent inside out then casually stroking the ball into the top corner of the goal, magician-like with both hands held high. I still see that smile today; it’s embedded in my thoughts when I think of my happiest days and the truly great memories that loving you gave to me.
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The reason for this letter was in some way to show you how I feel today, how I have been forced to question whether after all these years, indeed whether the love was in fact infatuation. The truth is I don’t like some of the people you choose to hang around with, you always had a great eye for things like that, and I think some may be taking advantage of your protective nature and possibly they are undeserving – it makes me mad.
The media have tried to demonize you which has made me truly miserable and unhappy. When you are interviewed after we have lost games, which is many times this season, I find myself getting despondent even before the interview, in a sense I know what is coming, these people have found your buttons and just keep pushing them. Your response at times has made me sad, but I suppose that’s what comes with loving someone like you.
I keep getting in to virtual fights with my imaginary friends when they call you names. Some I have even stopped being friends with; they don’t understand what you mean to me, they don’t know you like I do. Maybe you are not the only person hanging around with the wrong sorts.
When you left me the first time, I was sad, but understood, and I knew it would be best for you and your family. I fear that people may make you again think about leaving, walking away, please don’t. I have tried to look at this situation with an open mind, but find this incredibly difficult, I try to negate the hate and disillusioned vitriol from those that don’t quite have the understanding of real love, and more importantly what loving Kenny Dalglish really means.
Sorry I have written this letter as I know you don’t like these ‘matters of the heart’ stuff or to get emotional, but I had to let you know how I feel. I kind of know what you will say “We will get it right” and of course I believe you, and will continue to support you through good and bad times. I just want you to consider my feelings once in a while, and maybe let some of your new friends aware about how I feel, that would be good also.
It is really hard loving you Kenny Dalglish, at times.
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Just what exactly did u hope to achieve with this letter. Do u hope that lots of fans who r unhappy with this season (league) will read this and go OHHHHHHHH and then suddenly forget about that and say lets not criticize anymore cos we don’t want to break this guys heart again. Do u think that people who spend millions FSG to buy the club will read your letter and say YOU KNOW WHAT IT DON’T MATTER IF WE FINISH TENTH THIS SEASON let’s b happy and if next few seasons r like these who cares. We all love KD mate but we love LFC more than anything and it hurts to look at the PL table and c our club where it is at the moment.
You my friend should be lined up against a wall and have blue paint thrown at you. I have read many of your “Supportive” comments on our club, whilst sat on your couch with the remote glued to your hand. I have read all your comments and not once have you given Dalglish any credit what so ever, everything is about finance with you – Well how much is winning the League Cup worth ? FA Cup ? Use Google for your answer. I’m sick of reading complete rubbish from people like you, complete and utter tosh, you dont make one single reasonable point. The Club you support and the one that genuine fans support are totally different – My club has just made a major final again – My club has just managed to get its young players fired up – My club look like they have a future.
You should make your way toward a club that can full-fill your obviously high standards. You along with other misguided folk who attend this site to shovel rubbish disguised as comment, are clearly the deluded ones.
So fans who have different opinions to u r not proper fans and should go to find another club to support. I’m being realist. Being realist means that I look at PL table and we r miles off top teams. We r further away that we have ever been. Winning CC means nothing, going to the FA cup final and if we win it it will b great.I never expected Liverpool to win the league this season. What I did expect is to challenge at least for the top four. What I did expect was to finish above teams like Newcastle who two years ago were in championship. I didn’t expect to have the worst run in the league in 50 years. I didn’t expect us to b closer to the teams at the bottom of the league.If that’s what u c a progress than fine. For me it’s not. And also do u write articles just for people who agree with u PROPER FANS or for the ones who have different opinions as well NOT PROPER FANS. Seeing how y reply to people who dissagree with u than I’m guessing u have no education at all. If u can’t reply in civil manner than u shouldn’t write all. Or even better I won’t bother reading your articles anymore.
Dalglish should never have been taken on for a second spell – he was a great player for the ‘REDS’,however ‘HE IS NOT A GOOD MANAGER’! it is you that needs to see reality! KK was carried for three years by Paisley during his first spell! Then carried at Blackburn by Ray Harford! He failed at Newcastle and at Celtic,(I ask you, Q: ‘who could ever fail at Celtic’?).HE IS RUINING HIS OWN REPUTATION !!!,and LFC’s. By the way ‘I AM A PROPER LFC FAN AND HAVE BEEN SINCE 1952’.You,along with a few others are the ones who need to be educated.
Bekin , success isn’t a given
LFC don’t have the right to just win just because we ONCE had a period of being the
greatest team
Neither is this PC manager .
No Devine rights to sign players that are brilliant from day 1
95% of our best players served some kind if time in the shadows before becoming
GREAT players .
Those to who you refer this season , maybe we just were so poor we needed so many and in turn we expected to much .
Hey Don’t mention money . It hasn’t come out of your pocket !
So After the trials of the past 3/5 years
We all should be thankful
Consider like KD is saying
this a work in progress
Our club was built on
” Don’t make the lows to low and don’t make the highs to high ”
We were never going to win the league in KDs first season , but we haven’t been to a cup final once , never mind twice in six years .
Finishing fourth is NOT success
Despite some fans have been kidded it is
Enjoy the highs
There’s more on the way
‘PLONKER’
I completely agree that finishing 4th is not success. I too have sometimes wondered why fans often talk about money spent as if it came out of their pockets.
2 cups would be a great season. 2 trips to Wembley finals and one win would not be bad. For me, it proves, in spite of everything that KD still has his trophy winning knack.
Well said John – At last some sense. Irrespective of this obviously tongue in cheek piece.
KD might have brought us to 2 cup finals but you can’t escape the fact that we are further away from manure more than ever, not only 4th. FSG said 4th was the MIN, our ultimate aim is to win the league.
Of course we did not expect to do that in KD’s first season but did he and DC gave you that feeling anytime of the season? Of course not.
KD’s players purchase, tactics and general management gives us an insight how far removed they are from the real world, we can’t even fight for 4th in a season where we spent well over 100 mill and the 2 Manchester clubs can’t even dominate in the Europa League, let alone CL. We are some 30 odd points behind them.
Winning cups are nice but the true measure of progress`is in the league, everyone knows it, some like KD and his fans pretend not to.