INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE...NEWS PAGE 3 LIFEextra PAGE 7 SPORT PAGE 11

25-November-2014

OUR LITTLE MIRACLES

Parents’ tributeto life-saving work of hospital

PREMATURE: Darcie Graham fi ghting for her life at Liverpool Women’s ©Hannah Anderson

By MEGAN HILL and HANNAH ANDERSON

People around the country have taken to Twitter to thank Liverpool Women’s Hospital for its extraordi-nary work a� er the hospital was featured in a � y-on-the wall TV series aired on Channel 5.

Miracle babies is shown at 9pm on Tuesdays for four weeks and gives an emotional glimpse behind the scenes of the Neonatal Unit in the hospital. It cel-ebrates both the remarkable work of the doctors and midwives as well as the overwhelming courage of the parents having to stay strong for their premature ba-bies.

� e sta� have been inundated with positive mes-sages on their social media since the series started.Mark Roberts, Communications Manager at Liv-erpool Women’s Hospital, told Liverpool Life: “� e response that the � rst episode of Miracle Babies re-ceived across Facebook and Twitter has been over-whelmingly positive.

“If anyone has any doubt about how loved the NHS is, they should search#MiracleBabies on Twitter and read through the waves and waves of tributes that have been paid to the work of our nurses, midwives and clinicians this week.”

Laura Graham, 24, from Kikby, told Liverpool Life she will never forget how Liverpool Women’s cared for her babies.

She said: “It was a scary time for me, my husband and our family as we didn’t know if our babies would survive.

Continued on page 5

Why Angie feels like a kidChildsafe job for Bulger’s mum Bellew’s revenge against Cleverly

George’s Hall will host the Dot-Art’s school exhibition next year in June.

‘Dot-Art’ is an inter-schools art competition which ends with an exhibition of all the winning artworks in Liverpool created by school children. It is designed to showcase school student’s ambition in art out of a class room environment.

Teachers and schools who took part last year in the exhibition noticed that it raised student’s con� dence in their work and it developed their study of art.

Carolyn Murray, Project Manager for Dot-Art said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase talented young people’s artwork in such an iconic building.

“� e programme continues to

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St George’s Hall to host Dot-ArtBy AMY HOLDSWORTH

ARTY: Young artists © Dot Art

Volunteers running a 70-year-old miniature railway in Calderstones Park fear that the land may be sold for housing.

Harry Denison who has been a club member since 1980 said: “� ere’s no way we can a� ord to move as the rides are free and the railway is supported by donations.”

A spokesman from the council said: “Liverpool’s dra� Local Plan will be designed to deliver 40,000 new homes and 300 hectares of land to enable the city to prosper over the next 15 years.”

ModelrailwayworriesBy RICHARD EVES

grow each year and we’re hoping this year’s competition will attract even more Liverpool city region schools to get involved”.

All of the artwork in the exhibition will be shortlisted by a panel of art professionals and a public vote will decide on the � nal exhibitor from each school, who will receive a variety of prizes.

Manager, Alan Smith said: “St George’s Hall is delighted to host such a comprehensive and inclusive schools project. � rough the inspirational company dot -art, school children will have the opportunity to experience the delight of art, and to potentially realise their ambition of being a professional artist.

“To then show the selected artists’ works in the iconic St George’s Hall enables whole

new audiences to encounter the rich history of Liverpool in such a dynamic and interactive way.”

� e Reader Organisation and Squash Nutrition have between them secured over £750,000 in funding to develop two Liverpool projects - � e Story Barn and Toxteth Food Central (TFC).

� e funds will transform the Grade 2 listed barn and stable area of Calderstones Mansion within Calderstones Park into a Story Barn, bringing literature to life and encouraging reading amongst young people and the wider community.

George Hawkins, development coordinator told Liverpool Life: “A� er doing our pilot work we were aware that there was a real need for a service dedicated to children around literature and reading.” George added: “� e Story

Barn has an added advantage of having a park which we can have a playground to bridge the gap between indoors and outside.”

� e Social Investment Business grant will enable Squash Nutrition to purchase and develop waste land in Toxteth and transform it into an eco-building and food garden.

� e project will be called Toxteth Food Central, and will have an urban food shop, community café, will have food services, training and events. TFC will support food learning and promote healthy living.

Caroline Forster, Director of Investments at the Social Investment Business said: “We are proud to have backed some of England’s most inspired community enterprises and transform local buildings and assets to deliver social and economic bene� ts in their communities.

� is fund has demonstrated how entrepreneurial our communities can be with a little targeted support at the right time and will inspire many others to follow in their steps and play a greater part helping their communities � ourish.”

New social projects revealedBy OLIVIA SWAYNE- ATHERTON

City on safety alert for terrorism peril

By EMMA MARSDEN AND AMY HOLDSWORTH

Liverpool has been put on high alert as it is feared that terrorists could target busy areas within the city.

An� eld, Goodison Park and Liverpool One are amongst the eleven so-called ‘crowded places’ in the North West that are currently under threat.

Police yesterday briefed sta� on counter terrorism measures, to enable a boost in security and the better detection of possible threats.

According to MI5, the whole of the UK has been on a severe warning of international terrorism since August this year. � is means that terrorist attacks are currently highly likely.

� e Government is trying to maintain a state of heightened alertness in response to the threat of international terrorism.

It remains policy to issue warning and advice if it ever became necessary to protect the public.

Transport users are also being warned to stay alert to help prevent Terrorism attacks and commuters who make the same journey repeatedly cam become oblivious.

British Transport Police Chief Constable Paul Crowther stated he has called on passengers to have con� dence to report anything if they see anything suspicious.

However, when Liverpool Life asked busy shoppers getting on with their daily routines and lives about the potential threat they were under, many of them didn’t seem concerned.

Lynn Watson, 66, from Warrington, said: “You wouldn’t step outside the house if you were scared, I’m not really worrying. But to Everton and Liverpool fans, I’m sure the news is reassuring.”

Whist there is no speci� c threat on Merseyside itself, crowded places are o� en seen as ‘attractive targets’ for terrorists. Liverpool One will be extra vigilant with security, as Christmas shopping will bring more people to the shopping centre over the coming weeks.

Rosemary Byrne, 71, from Huyton, said: “I always see

terrorism on the news and it is quite scary – but I don’t really see Liverpool as being under threat, cities like Birmingham and London are way bigger.”

Liverpool and Everton football clubs are also on high alert, as it is feared terrorists could start targeting stadiums.

Sam Hayes, 27, from Walton, said: “I’ve never really thought about it, but knowing Goodison is one of the targets is quite worrying – I have a season ticket so I’m there quite a lot.”

It has been repeated that the measures are not in place to scare people, but to highlight that everybody can play a vital role in keeping the UK safe from any potential threats.

Merseyside Police o� er support and advice to those who are worried about the potential threat, ranging from being wary of unattended luggage on public transport to not suspecting anybody for their race or religion and not approaching anyone who you suspect of terrorism.

For more information, please visit Merseyside Police website: http://www.merseyside.police.uk/advice-and-protection/vio-

AN EVERYDAY SCENE? Armed police at airport © Creative Commons/Flickr/Ninian Reid

Around 40,000 metres of cable and 1,700 LED lights will be installed in a £8 million invest-ment in the Wallasey Tunnel.

� e investment was approved by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

� e tunnel’s electrical infra-

ciency, will reduce CO2 emissions, and make a saving of £66,000 per year in electricity cost.

Merseytravel have said the pro-ject is expected to take 24 months to complete and the work will take place during scheduled maintenance closures and cause “minimal disrup-tion” to tunnel users.

Frank Rogers, Merseytravel Dep-uty Chief Executive and Director of

structure has been in place since it was constructed over 40 years ago.

Work will include relocating cabling from along the side of the tunnels to beneath the road, reducing the chances of power being a� ected by a crash and making maintenance easier.

Plans will see existing lighting replaced for more energy e� -

Integrated Transport Services said: “� e Mersey Tunnels are a vital part of our transport in-frastructure, providing road links for millions of vehicles each year, helping to sustain and grow the economy of the region.

“� e tunnels are amongst the safest in Europe for their age, it’s essential we continue to invest in them so we can keep them up

and running for generations to come.”

� e rewiring is part of a 10 year investment programme for the two tunnels to accommo-date 25 million vehicles which pass through both of tunnels each year.

� e extensive work will be funded through money set aside from the Mersey Tunnel Tolls.

£8 million investment for tunnelBy OLIVIA SWAYNE- ATHERTON

BRIGHT LIGHTS: 1,700 LED lights to be installed in Wallasey Tunnel © Creative Commons/Flickr/Simon Whitaker

Life|News|3

By MATTHEW JUDGE

Residents with aspirations of starting a career in business are being invited to apply to join a new scheme launching in Liver-pool.

Alsop High School, in part-nership with the Walton Youth Project, are running a new pro-gramme called ‘� e Business Start Up’.

It aims to provide an excellent foundation for those who are thinking of going into business and those just starting out.

� ere will be six sessions, which will all be held at Alsop High School on Queens Drive, be-tween 5pm and 8pm on Wednes-days, with the � rst starting this week on the 26th November.

Peter Bull, a teacher at Alsop and Chair Person for the Wal-ton Youth Project, told Liverpool Life: “� e idea came about from the consultation events held in the local community and is to kick start business and harness the entrepreneurial potential of local residents.”

Courses, which are free to those living in Walton and £300 to those outside of the area, will involve how to form a business, legal issues, � rst steps in market-ing and managing money, e� -cient operations and productions and business ethics.

� is is the latest programme Alsop are helping implement into the area.

� eir ‘Our Place’ initiative, which aims to get youngsters more involved in their commu-nity, has moved onto the next stage of its development in the last few weeks and was hailed by Walton MP Steve Rotherham.

By HANNAH ANDERSON

Denise Fergus, the mother of murdered toddler James Bulger has now become the editor of Simply Childsafe magazine.

� e job came about last year when Denise, an avid campaign-er and patron of � e James Bulg-er Memorial Trust, held her � rst black tie event.

She said: “One of the directors at the time asked if I would be in-terested in a new project he was setting up and wanted my help and advice with, this turned out to be the Simply Childsafe maga-zine.”

� e Simply Childsafe magazine is a quarterly publication for eve-ryone engaged in child protec-tion or child safety issues. Each issue is full of useful advice and articles on all aspects of child safety.

Denise Fergus told Liverpool Life: “� e purpose of the maga-zine is to help parents and carers with any issues and to give them an informative view about the most up-to-date developments.

“� is is the � rst time I’ve ever been asked to do anything like this, so it means a lot to me as I think something as serious as

this has to be taken very seriously as I very much do.”

� e James Bulger Memorial Trust is a charity set up in Den-ise’s son’s name to help families caught in a similar situation she endured as a grieving mother.

� roughout her life, Denise has always helped children. As a child she raised money at school and as an adult, both before and a� er her son James’ brutal mur-der, she continues to do so.

Although Denise has a high pro� le, she didn’t think of this when accepting the editor’s job at the magazine.

She said: “I didn’t think of the pro� le, I felt the up-to-date cut-ting edge topics would be one of the main reasons why people wanted to subscribe and read the magazine.”

Denise helps to come up with the topics/stories and ideas with the monthly newsletter, although some of the stories are written by experts in their � elds.

� e Simply Childsafe magazine is available for subscription on their website.

It has now been 21 years since James died at the hands of 10 year olds Robert � ompson and Jon Venables.TRAGIC: The Mother of James Bulger Denise Fergus ©Trinity Mirror

Child safety role for campaigner Denise

Business boost for Walton

Wirral school receives anti-bullying awardBy OLIVIA SWAYNE-ATHERTON

A Wirral Primary school has re-ceived the highest award given to a UK school for its work to tackle bullying.

Mersey Park Primary School has been awarded the Anti-Bul-lying Quality Mark at silver level for demonstrating that children have a clear understanding of what bullying is and how to pre-vent it from happening.National Anti-Bullying Week ran from 17-21st November, the school applied for the quality mark and collected evidence of work that had been carried out in the school to deal with bullying and ways to prevent it.Head teacher Margaret � omas said: “� e school’s engagement in Anti-Bullying Quality Mark UK had a signi� cant impact on how OF-STED regarded the school and helped us to gain an ‘Outstand-ing’ in Behaviour and Safety in our last inspection. I am proud

of the work of sta� , pupils and parents to raise awareness of this important issue.”

� e school has an steering Anti-Bullying Group includ-ing governors, parents, teachers, teaching assistants and children, this group was recognised by the Anti-Bullying quality mark team who visited the school and spent a day talking to various groups of the school community.

� e assessors said: “Mersey Park Primary School is the � rst school in the country to achieve the ABQM-UK Silver Award because it demonstrated that anti-bullying is embedded in its culture and practice. “We would like to congratulate Rebecca Tootell sta� co-ordinator for her leadership of anti-bullying in the school, as well as her colleagues, the pupils and parents for their hard work. We hope that the award recognises their e� orts and inspires them to continue to develop anti-bullying with a view to achieving the Gold award.”

Burst pipe causes chaosBy MATTHEW JUDGE

A burst pipe in Birkenhead led to an estimated 5,000 homes be-ing le� without water on Tuesday morning.

United Utilities con� rmed the leaking water main was discov-ered in Borough Road, near foot-ball club Tranmere Rovers’ Pren-ton Park stadium, at around 4am and engineers worked from 5am to solve the problem.

Water was brought in through other pipes nearby to supply properties in the area, but elec-tricity cables delayed the engi-neers’ work, with

Temporary tra� c lights being put in place on Borough Road at the junction of Prenton Road east.

Due to the burst water mains, Woodchurch Road Primary School closed for the day, while Devonshire Park Primary School refused to comment whether they had or not.

United Utilities engineers at the scene in Borough Road were hin-dered by high-voltage electricity cables

� e problem may have been caused by an old Victorian water pipe which has burst, and if so, it would be replaced.

By AMY NICHOLSON

Around 20,000 homes in Mer-seyside could be living with dan-gerous electrical products as the region is named one of the worst places in the country for ignor-ing product recall notices.

New � gures have revealed that nearly half a million people in Merseyside have admitted that they would not return a faulty electrical item if it was too incon-venient for them.

Now safety charities are warn-ing householders of the risks posed by dodgy items, which can cause � res, electric shocks or

worse.A recalled product is described

by Trading Standard’s as an item “that has problems that could

a� ect the safety of the user or costumer.”

Emma Apter, from Electri-cal Safety First, told Liverpool Life: “Products are recalled for a reason, and whilst the danger presented may only be small, it is simply not worth the risk of ig-noring a recall notice, especially when returning a faulty product, or ordering a replacement, is so easy to do.”

� e � gures have been pub-lished a� er dad-of-two Noel

Davis was made homeless a� er a horri� c house ripped through his Merseyside home. � e � re is believed to have started in his fridge freezer.

Safety charities are now warn-ing people about the risks that are posed by unsafe products, which can cause � res, electric shocks, or worse.

� e charity Electrical Safety First have now launched a na-tional campaign to urge house-holders to check their homes for electrical faults.

You can check if you are in pos-session of a recalled item at www.electrical safety� rst.org.uk.

Dangerous electric products in 20,000 homesPROUD: Some of the pupils and teachers of the Mersey Park Primary School, which won an anti-bullying award

DANGER: Faulty electrical products in homes. © Flickr

Life|News|4

Foodbank festive cheer

By GEORGIA DUNNING

By AMY HOLDSWORTH

Knowsley to ride together A new cycling community has been set up in Knowsley to encourage people to start cycling together.

Ride Social is Britain’s biggest cycling community, helping join people who share the same interest in bike riding. By be-coming a part of the site, which is powered by British Cycling, people can share their favourite routes allowing others to join them if they please.

To celebrate the launch, a bike ride with a Team Sky cyclist is being o� ered.

someone can a� ord the loan, and little warning as to the actual cost of the loan, and the consequenc-es of missing a payment.

“� at is why we see so many people in very serious di� culties a� er Christmas, when such com-panies will take a person’s whole bene� t/wage payment directly from their bank account, which they can if you read the very small print.”

30,000 Merseysiders accessed food banks in the past six months. � is is a 16 per cent increase on the 4,283 people per month who accessed a food bank in Mersey-side in a nine month period last year. It is vital food banks are op-

erating over Christmas for those who can’t a� ord Christmas over the festive holiday.

Chief executive of the Trus-sell Trust, a project that tackles poverty, David McAuley, said: “Whilst the rate of new food banks opening has slowed dra-matically, we’re continuing to see a signi� cant increase in numbers helped by food banks.

“Substantial numbers are need-ing help because of problems with the social security system but what’s new is that we’re also seeing a marked rise in numbers of people coming to us with ‘low income’ as the primary cause of their crisis.”

Liverpool Cathedral food bank will be operating an emergency support system over the Christ-mas period.

Hope+ food bank, based at Liverpool cathedral, has seen a recent increase with 165 Mersey-siders seeking help at food banks every day.

Over the Christmas period, the cathedral food bank will operate up until the 23rd December and will re-open on the 6th January 2015 with an emergency support system in place in-between for those trying to seek food.

Nadine Daniel, Project Man-ager of Hope+ Food bank, told Liverpool Life: “We will see an increase in need in the weeks ei-ther side of Christmas, as people struggle to cope with the extra demands of the over commer-cialised season.”

She stated that payday loans are a serious problem as people are in need of more money. She add-ed: “� ey are far too easy to ob-tain, with few checks on whether

EXHIBITION MATCH: Liverpool FACT © JMU Journalism

Liverpool’s FACT has received funding for a mental health exhi-bition as it is revealed that 25% of people in Liverpool su� er from mental illness.

� e cinema and arts centre was successful in its application for funding from the Wellcome Trust and received £29,870 for projects that address mental health.

Lucie Davies, fundraising and PR manager at FACT, told Liv-erpool Life: “It is estimated that 26% of the Liverpool popula-tion experience common mental health problems.

“We are hoping this will be a very exciting, dynamic and par-ticipatory space for the general public to engage with in an in-spiring and thought provoking way.”

� e exhibition features an in-stallation titled ‘Madlove’, an au-dience participatory project that asks members of the public with and without mental illness to create a ‘designer asylum’ - a safe

place to go mad. � is project was created to ini-

tiate thought and conversation around mental illness and the condition of mental health asy-lums in the UK.

FACT is a registered charity and relies heavily on funding and donations, Lucie Davies said: “We would not be able to o� er our full programme of work in all its richness without the sup-port of forward-thinking organi-sations and individuals.”

It is reported that one in four su� er with mental health in the United Kingdom, which is why Lucie and FACT are looking for-ward to making a di� erence to the people of Liverpool with this exhibition.

She said: “We are very excited, this will be the � rst time we have given over our gallery spaces to the issue, and it’s one that most of us will have to deal with - either our own mental health, or that of a friend and family member.”

� e exhibition ‘Group � erapy’ will begin in March next year and run through till May.

Mental health exhibition funding joy for FACT

Helpline for OAPsfl oodedBy EMILY LEWISA free 24-hour UK helpline for the elderly has been over-whelmed with calls about loneliness.

� e Silver Line was founded by Esther Rantzen, former � at’s Life presenter, a� er she disclosed her own solitude when her hus-band, the documentary maker Desmond Wilcox died.

She told the Telegraph: “� e shocking fact is Britain has become too busy to � nd time for our older people.”

It has been revealed through a poll conducted to mark the na-tional launch of � e Silver Line in November 2013, that nine out of 10 older people told research-ers “a chat on the phone” is the most helpful solution when they feel lonely; but one in four older people say they rarely or never have someone to chat to

Figures suggest more than half of all 75-year-olds in the UK live alone and one in ten su� er intense loneliness. It is helplines like � e Silver Line that allows relief and comfort to the Silver Generation as it received over 100,000 calls within the � rst six months of being set up.

Silver Line is now teaming up with the Care Quality Commis-sion, to protect and support the most vulnerable.

As well as chatting to Silver Line on 0800 470 80 90, people can now call the CQC helpline on 03000 61 61 61.

Council forced to trim £34mBy EMMA MARSDENKnowsley Council will be slashing £34 million from its budget over the next two years, due to ongoing cuts from the government.

Over recent years, the council has made massive cuts to its budget, reducing its workforce by a quarter.

Every council area will be coming up with proposals to make the savings, but it’s likely that jobs will be further cut.

A spokesperson for Knowsley council, told Liverpool Life: “Our funding has been cut more than any other council in the country, so we are having to signi� cantly change the way we

provide our services.” Over two-thirds of the council is funded by Government grants, and this is why such dramatic cuts are being seen.

Knowsley Council is planning to step up and become more self-reliant in funding, by building more houses and improving businesses.

� e spokesperson from Knowsley council continued: “We are looking at ways to become less reliant on funding from the Government, such as building more houses to generate more council tax and encouraging businesses into the borough to generate further income through business rates.”

“In addition, we are identifying

further savings across the council having already saved £60m since 2010.”

� e council is also urging everybody in Knowsley to pull together to help make the required savings, using several strategies everybody can take part in.

Some of the possible plans include recycling more waste, which could save £500,000 in land� ll costs per year, and reducing the amount of � y tipping and littering, which could each save up to £1 million per year.

Recruiting extra foster carers and helping older people stay independent in their homes could also help the save up to

£1.5 million in costs.Residents in local areas are

being urged to shop locally more, which could not only improve economy, but could also create several new jobs for residents who are currently unemployed.

Councillor Round, Leader of Knowsley Council, said “� e fact that this Government is making such savage cuts to one of the most deprived areas of the country is nothing short of a disgrace.”

“Nevertheless, we will continue to lobby the Government for the cuts to be more evenly distributed. At the same, I encourage our local communities to come together to help us make the small changes which really

FOUNDER: Esther Rantzen © Wikimedia Commons

BAFTA delight for Lego man By AMY HOLDSWORTHA toy designer from Merseyside has accepted a BAFTA for the best children’s feature � lm for the Lego Movie.

Matthew Ashton, from Wirral is a toy designer and was execu-tive producer of the successful Lego Movie, which opened ear-lier this year and made $468m in box o� ce sales.

� e � lm was up against other children’s movies, such as ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ and the hit musical ‘Frozen’., which bagged the ‘best � lm vote cater-gory accolade.

Mr Ashton said: “We really were not expecting to win this award because there was some really tough competition in our category.”

He began working for Lego 14 years ago and is now vice-president for the toy brand. He later described his occupation it as his “dream job”.

� e ceremony was held on Sunday in London with Cartoon Network taking home the ‘channel of the year’ honour, beating CBBC and Cbeebies to the punch.

HELPING HAND: Food banks © Flickr/ monkeyatlarge

Life|Focus|6

Drugs study searches for the missing link

© Chmee2/ Wikimedia CommonsJOINT APPROACH: Cannabis is one of the drugs used by young people

By SAMUEL PEERS

New research at LJMU may provide the “missing link” between personality and drug use.

� e National Crime Survey has found young adults are twice as likely to take drugs recreationally as their elders.

� e government’s survey for 2013/14 found that youngsters, between the ages of 16 and 24, make up 6.6% of frequent drug users, as opposed to 3.1% of all adults aged 16 to 59. � is is an increase of 5.1% from 2012.

Recreational drug use is de� ned as being the deliberate taking of a drug in order to alter a person’s mood and make them feel more positive.

Now, one LJMU researcher is hoping to “� nd the link”, in a research project analysing how the personal identity of young people in the North West a� ects their drug usage.

Rebecca Crook began her university career studying Criminal Justice, where she developed an interest in drug using cultures and how particular groups of people are marginalised in society.

As a postgraduate student, she has continued to maintain a keen interest and is working to gain a fuller understanding of these issues, and hopefully improve provisions for young people who take drugs on a recreational basis.

She explained to Liverpool Life: “� ere is a gap in the � eld looking at individual or social identity in drug users, and I’m exploring how the expression and development of these identities may in� uence their substance-related decision

making as well as their health decisions.” � e psychological e� ects of recreational drug use are familiar in the news, with the NHS’s website linking cannabis use to depression, anxiety and psychosis and mephedrone to extreme agitation.

However, Rebecca hopes that her research may be able to provide a new insight into where, with who and why young people use drugs ‘recreationally’ and if theories around individual and social (group) identity can help understand this further.

She said: “I hope it will gain a new perspective on young people’s drug use. � e purpose is to gain insight to something that hasn’t been looked at in much detail.”

Rebecca is initially gathering data via a questionnaire, intended for 18-35 year olds. Using previously validated questions around drug use history, wellbeing and values, the survey takes into account how young adults’ drug use experiences a� ect them on a personal level.

In addition to developing a new perspective on young peoples’ drug use, she hopes the research may help to better equip those who help young drug users, saying: “If one can gain a better understanding of why young people takes drugs, we can aim to improve ways to support young people if they have issues related to their drug use.”

Whilst she anticipates a unique look at the link, she admits that it’s very di� cult to predict what to expect, saying: “I’m going in to it with an open mind. I think the data will speak for itself.”

Anyone willing to participate should visit: http:www.survey.ljmu.ac.uk/druguseridentity.

INGREDIENTS

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

• 2 large eggs

• 15 oz. or 1 can. pure pumpkin

• 12 � .oz or 1 can of Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk

• 1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell

• Whipped cream (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

PREHEAT the oven to 425°F or gas mark 7

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in a small bowl. Beat the eggs in a large bowl then stir in pumpkin

and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk.

POUR the mixture into the pie shell.

BAKE it in the preheated oven for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350°F or gas mark 4 and bake for

40 to 50 minutes, until the knife inserted near the centre comes out clean.

COOL on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. � en top with whipped cream before serving.

A chance to embrace American tradition on Thanksgiving By REBECCA COOKSON

The UK has already followed suit on a number of American traditions, from trick or treating on Halloween, to glamorous proms for school leavers.

� e latest American import is the tradition of Black Friday, the last Friday in November, known in the States as the day when everybody starts their Christmas shopping thanks to an early Christmas present from retailers in the form of bargains and o� ers. Here in the UK, shops are adopting the Black Friday principles with discount prices to get us to spend, spend, spend. Liverpool One will be opening at 8:30 am on Friday just in case there weren’t enough shopping hours already in the day. Meanwhile, online retailer Amazon is stretching its Black Friday o� ers out for a whole seven days.

So judging by our love of all things American it might not be long before we’ll be following the � anksgiving

tradition next.� anksgiving Day is a national holiday in the States and Canada as a way of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and for the preceding year. It is celebrated on the fourth � ursday of November in the US, this year landing on November 27th.

It is traditionally a day for families and friends to get together for a special meal, o� en including a turkey, stu� ng, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin pie and vegetables. � anksgiving Day parades are also held in some cities and towns on or around the actual day, whilst some people have a four-day weekend, making it a popular time for trips and to visit friends and family. If you fancy a taste of America this � ursday, try our Liverpool Life recipe for Pumpkin pie (right). Y’all have a good time now, ya’hear!

THE AMERICAN FLAG: © Αντιγόνη/ Wikimedia Commons

Pumpkin pie, just like

momma used to make

Additional reporting by KAYLEIGH WATTHEY

Life|Arts|7

CRITICS’CHOICE

I feel so blessed. Sometimes I have to pinch myselfLiverpool Life’s success

story of this week is the perfect example of someone following their dreams and gaining the perfect job at

the end of it.Angie Brooks graduated in 2011

and created her perfect pets magazine a� er seeing a gap in the market and, along with � ancée Edd, grabbing it with both hands.

Re� ecting on her time at LJMU, Angie told Liverpool Life: “I loved my time at LJMU, I loved studying Journalism because it was a great course, but also because it was so much more than just a university degree.

“It was a team of journalists working towards a goal, especially with our work on the JMU Journalism website. I have to say that my print class was my favourite part of the working week – I even still have my � nal magazine!”

It was the print path which she was going to end up taking but she says she always knew she would work within the media one way or another.

“Ever since I was little I had designed my own publications, written stories and tried to get others to read them. I love getting the feedback that social

Rebecca Cookson talks to Angie Brooks about chasing her dreams a� er LJMU and creating her own magazine

media now gives us – It’s an ever changing industry and it’s exciting to be a part of that.”

It’s a rare occasion for someone to spend their working life doing something they feel so passionate about.

But that’s exactly what Angie and her � ancée have done a� er seizing their opportunity to � ll a gap in the magazine market.

Although it’s her dream job, it doesn’t come without consequences.

“I have always loved animals and I have a passion for rescue pets. It has to be my dream job, who else gets to look at photos of guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, dogs, cats, the list goes on all day!

“� ere is a lot of hard work involved, I don’t think I have had a full day o�

in over a year, but it is de� nitely worth it.”� e Life with Pets magazine came o� the back of Angie’s successful blog which was hitting 20,000 views a month.

Her and � ancée Edd sat down and worked out a plan to create the magazine as there wasn’t a publication already out there for animal lovers who own more than one pet.

“We saw the gap in the market and we grabbed it early before anyone else did. Using the programmes I used on my Journalism course, I started putting the magazine together and here we are a year later.”

It’s been a successful � rst year of publishing for Angie and her ‘Life with Pets’ magazine was stocked in every Pets At Home store across the UK a� er just a few months, as well as selling across the world.

“I do feel truly blessed to be doing this and have to pinch myself sometimes. Next year we have some exciting changes planned, with a cover makeover and also our subscriptions have now launched.

“We can’t wait for everyone to see it. When I get the magazines back from the printer I feel like a kid at Christmas, it’s so exciting every time.”

Angie has some simple words of advice for the Class of 2015: “Go for it – the sky is the limit. Do as much work experience as you can, try every job you can imagine yourself doing and it may surprise you which you enjoy most.

“If you want to work in newspapers – do shorthand and get your 100 words. Also believe in yourself because it’s a lot harder to convince others to take a chance on you if you don’t believe in yourself � rst.”

� ings are heating up in the � rst instalment of Mockingjay as Katniss Everdeen gets swept up in the revolution against the Capitol.

Led by the maniacal President Snow, the autocratic Capitol is churning out political propaganda in an e� ort to quell the bubbling rebellion in the districts.

Meanwhile, Katniss is holed up in the mysterious District 13, where she has become a symbol of the revolution.

� e � lm sees new cast members including Julianne Moore and Natalie Dormer joining the already all-star cast which including Oscar-winning Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth.

Theatre: Annie

� e sun’ll come out tomorrow – well it will according to optimistic little orphan Annie, as she dreams of a better life. Annie is the award-winning Broadway musical guaranteed to li� people’s spirits in the lead up to Christmas.

� is amateur production is presented Birkenhead Operatic Society Trust by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Limited on behalf of Music � eatre International of New York.

Can Annie escape the clutches of the scheming Miss Hannigan and � nd a new home with a loving family? � is much loved family musical is sure to appeal to every generation.

Annie is on at the Liverpool Empire for three days only from 27th – 29th November.

Festival: Homotopia 2014

� e Homotopia festival has always o� ered something for everyone and the 2014 so far has showed that it is continuing to curate a diverse and unique mix of entertaining culture, dramatic debate and thought provoking art.

� e programme contains national movie premieres, exceptional collaborations and exclusive appearances that will appeal to all. � e festival has teamed up with local cultural institutions, � e Walker Art Gallery, Tate Liverpool and Liverpool Playhouse, to bring the best in alternative performance and visual art.

Homotopia is serious about expressing global LGBT issues, celebrating and advancing its culture and uniting all people through art. � is week marks the last days of the festival which is running until November 30th.

When I get the magazines back from the printer I feel like a kid at Christmas, it’s so exciting every time

‘’

PUBLISHER: Angie now (top) and in 2011

Film: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

Beatles for sale - highs and lows

Back in its heyday, New Brighton was one of the most popular seaside resorts in the North West with visitors � ocking from all over to catch a glimpse of the beach and famous River Mersey.

Time was not too kind to New Brighton and it found itself classed as a ‘has been’ with the majority of people visiting once or twice a year to relive fond childhood memories or show the new generations where they spent their summers back in the day.

However, a £60m regeneration scheme, which was completed early last year, has given the area a much-needed boost and the landmark is now � nally on its way to being restored to its former glory.

Over the last year LJMU lecturer Ian Bradley has been working on creating an interactive exhibition consisting of Wirral photographer Keith Medley’s photo archive, as well as members of the public’s contributions, including their memories and anecdotes of time spent at New Brighton.

� e resort once boasted a tower to rival Blackpool’s, an outdoor swimming pool and a ballroom that was a major attraction during the 50s and 60s, with artists such as � e Beatles and Rolling Stones performing there.

To capture reminiscences of that time, Ian assembled a group of Media students to conduct workshops and interview 13 pensioners ranging from the age of 67 to 95 from Kensington Fields

Community Centre and the Age Concern Poppy Centre in Clubmoor.

Ian told Liverpool Life: “� e workshops were a way of building up a rapport and once they got used to talking to the students we conducted more formal interviews with precise questions like what do they remember of New Brighton, a typical day out, and they started to talk more about personal events.”

Once the project received funding from � e Heritage Lottery in December the scheme created postcards for each contributor with their transcribed memory printed on the back as a keepsake for them.

Large prints of the images can now be found in the Liverpool Museum exhibition “Our day out” and a website has been created to ensure the archive remains ‘living’, with young people being encouraged to upload their recent memories of New Brighton, as well as anyone who wishes to share their special moments with the public.

Ian continued: “About four months ago I wanted to showcase the archive so we have taken 16 images from the archive and got them printed up and framed and we approached the museum and they were keen to mount the exhibition and it will be there until September 2015.

“I don’t want it to end here, I want people to upload stories themselves and to get children involved.”

STEVIE PICKERING talks to Ian Bradley about a new exhibition in New Brighton

Life|Heritage|8

Money can’t buy me love, but it can buy a guitar-so why did John Lennon’s guitar fail to

sell?An auction over the weekend saw bids

on the star’s guitar fall just below the £400,000 reserve price. However, Beat-les-related items and memorabilia can fetch sky-high prices. Here are some of the Fab Four’s most valuable pieces:

George’s jacket - � e “Quiet One” created a lot of noise in 2012, when a leather jacket he wore during the Beat-les’ legendary stay in Hamburg sold for £110,450.

Handwritten Macca invite - � is one really drummed up interest. In 2011, a

Wish we were here!

letter was discovered at a car boot sale. Written by Paul McCartney and invit-ing an unknown drummer to audition for the Beatles, it was auctioned for £35,000.

Help! costumes - � e quirky caped jackets worn by George and Ringo in the group’s second � lm needed no help selling at Liverpool’s Adelphi Hotel, for a combined £115,000.

I am the Walrus guitar - � is one did sell, for £269,000 in an auction at New York’s Hard Rock Cafe. George Harri-son and John Lennon were both caught on � lm using the custom-made in-strument in the Magical Mystery Tour movie.

John Lennon’s house - It’s slightly big-ger than a guitar and certainly made

more-an American fan shelled out £480,000 for Lennon’s modest child-hood home in the Penny Lane area ear-lier this year.

However, some items don’t quite get the ticket to ride.

Wax soul - A life-size waxwork of Paul McCartney from a museum in Great Yarmouth was le� to gently weep in the corner a� er failing to sell during a Cavern Club auction.

Up against the wall - A New York auc-tion couldn’t shi� an $800,000 piece of stage backdrop signed by the band during an appearance on the Ed Sulli-van Show in 1964.

U is for unsold - A set of handwritten Lennon lyrics failed to reach a £6,000 reserve in Colwyn Bay earlier this year.

By SAMUEL PEERS

NOSTALGIC: New Brighton Beach © Keith Medley

© Keith Medley

UNSOLD: John Lennon’s Guitar © Tracks Auction

Life|Family|9

One father’s heartbreak‘You can’t get more tragic than losing your son’

By SAMMY GAULTER-GREEN

David Midmer lost his son Nathan, 22, in December 2009 when he was hit by a car. Since that tragic event, he has volunteered for Road Peace, a national charity for road traf-� c victims and their families, and has begun working as a driving instructor to promote cautious driving. He told Liverpool Life: “You cannot get more tragic than losing your son unexpectedly, violently and suddenly.

“I still grieve for him and think about him every day, but at least over these past almost

14 years now, I have been able to do something positive and if I have helped save one life, it has been worthwhile.” Commenting on the 20 e� ect campaign, he said: “I have gone on record saying that I would be quite happy for us to do away with speed limits all together, as long as peo-ple drive at the suitable speed for the conditions and area. “We know that this doesn’t necessarily hap-pen and so we cannot let people decide for themselves. “� erefore we do need speed limits so we can regulate what is occur-ring on our roads and if necessary bring people to

book through the police for their wrongdoings. “� e whole point about bringing these speed limits down in residential areas, in particularly near schools, is that if a collision does occur, because you have a slower impact speed basic physics dictates that there will be less damage, and therefore less chance of a fatality.” Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Erica Kemp actively supports the campaign for the 20 ef-fect, and made a speech at the Remembrance service for road tra� c victims on Sunday 16th November, about how the subject is close to

her heart. Councillor Kemp lost her own father when she was just young a� er he died in an aeroplane crash, and so knows how families su� er af-ter losing loved ones in unforeseen and tragic circumstances. Speaking of the campaign, she told Liv-erpool Life: “Statistics show that if we slow our driving, if there is a col-lision then the injuries are likely to be much less severe. I think that if you are driving at 20 miles per hour you are more conscious, you are forced not to be in a hurry, and so you take your time and that can only be for the good.”

By EMILY LEWIS

Giant 20mph road signs were projected onto the city’s Albert Dock as well as by FACT on Bold Street as part of National Road Safety Week 2014, an an-nual campaign coordinated by the road safety charity Brake. � e charity has a di� erent theme each year and this year it was “look out for each other”. � e aim of the projections was to draw attention to � e 20 E� ect, a campaign based in Liverpool that has begun reduc-ing 30mph speed restrictions in di� erent zones of the city. Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for Transport and Regeneration, Councillor Malcolm Kennedy said: “We wanted to create something which simply and e� ectively communicated the campaign to passers-by.

Why now is the time to look out for each other

THE 20 EFFECT:The message shines brightly across the city in locations such as the Albert Dock (above) and onto buildings on Bold Street (right) © Emily Lewis

RESPECT: The RoadPeace memorial in St Johns Gardens © JMU Journalism

“National Road Safety Week arrives at a signi� cant time of year with the dark evenings and few hours of daylight. We hope this projection will stick in the minds of the city’s motorists, pedestrians and cy-clists and remind everybody to look out for each other.” So far in areas surveyed in Liverpool, over 90 per cent of residents have indicated support for 20mph speed limits where they live. If this development continues then the speed limit will be lowered on 70 per cent of the city’s residential roads. � e programme which be-gan in 2012 was implemented and funded by Liverpool City Council in partnership with Merseyside Police and Mer-seyside Fire & Rescue Service, and is designed to reduce the frequency and severity of road tra� c collisions.

Life|Sport|10

SPORTLiverpool

www.jmu-journalism.org.uk

Bringing you all the local sports news every Tuesday

“I think they should give Brendan more of a chance. He needs to

spend his money more wisely in January though.”

Chris Williams, 31, Liverpool

“A new manager with better ideas. We need better defence.”

Clint Barr, 52, Liverpool

“I think Brendan did well last year. I’d love to see Rafa back managing

the squad. In a fantasy world I’d have Benzema sign for us in Janu-

ary. Or Vincent Kompany would � t in really well with our team”

Colin Mason, 34, Liverpool

“We can stick with Rodgers but get rid of Sturridge because he’s always

injured.”

Nicky Nunny, 26, Liverpool

“I think Rodgers is doing badly at Liverpool at the moment. Being

a Crystal Palace fan, I thoroughly enjoyed the game at the weekend and hope he stays as manager for

Liverpool.”

Paul Norris, 42, Liverpool

“Bredan has wasted a lot of money. I don’t think we’ll have any money to

buy anyone in January.”

Pauline Barr, 60, Liverpool

“We need to get rid of Rodgers and get Rafa back. In January we need

to sign at least 4 player. A more experienced goalie, a centre half,

someone in the middle and a new man upfront.”

Tom Hughes, 50, Huyton

Reds’ fans speak outIn the summer, Liverpool

spent £116 million on new signings but the Reds still languish just four points

above the drop zone so far this season. A busy Christmas schedule

and January transfer window could be make-or-break for their campaign. So what would the fans do

if they were in charge? Close the purse-strings or splash the cash? Sack the manager, or give him another chance to prove himself? LAURA SCHUMANN asks the

supporters what they would do to save Liverpool’s season

Photos ©Laura Schumann

Life|Sport|11

By JOSH KELSALL

Liverpool Ladies winger Gemma Davison has signed for Chelsea Ladies. � e England International is to move to the capital a� er enjoy-ing a year at Liverpool where she had joint most assists in the league. Former Arsenal star Davison, who signed a two year deal with the Blues, will move a� er Christmas. She said: “I really enjoyed my year at Liverpool Ladies and winning the Women’s Super League with a di� erent club to Arsenal was a really special moment. “Obviously having won the Women’s Super League in my � rst season it has been a di� cult decision to move on, but I feel as though moving back to London was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. “I would also like to thank everyone involved with Liver-pool Football Club, including all of the sta� , for their fantastic support and hard work over the course of the season. “However, having considered all my options, I feel as though moving to Chelsea presents me with a new and exciting chal-lenge.”

Winger moves as exodus continues

Merseyside clubs fi ght for Euro places

by LAURA SCHUMANN

Tony Bellew took his revenge at the Echo Arena on Saturday with a split decision against rival Nathan Cleverly.

Cleverly picked o� Bellew in the early going, but a heavy body shot in the 7th round caught Cleverly o� guard.

Two judges scored the � ght 116-112 and 115-113 for Bellew while the other scored it 115-114 to Cleverly, despite Bellew throwing nearly double the amount of shots in the second half of the � ght.

Following his victory, Bellew has landed himself a role in Hollywood.

� e � lm, which will be shot in Las Vegas and Philadelphia, will chronicle the boxing career of Apollo Creed’s grandson Adonis, who will be played by Michael B. Jordan.

Bellew said: “I’m going to

Hollywood on December 4 for an assignment.

“I’ve been sought-a� er for a long time. I hope it’s a speaking part because no-one wants to look at this face if I’m not talking. My life’s going to change.

“I’ve had the contracts sitting in front of me for weeks because I wasn’t signing them. If this � ght had gone wrong I wasn’t signing, I was going home to be depressed.

“I can’t go into the details but let’s just say it’s big.”

Liverpool Life journalist Sean Purvis explained how a chance meeting with Bellew’s mother in the Post O� ce led to an invitation to the press conference before the � ght.

“I told her I was a student journalist at LJMU. A� er I wished her son all the best, she took my phone number and Tony rang me to invite me to his

press conference last � ursday.“Attending the Bellew-

Cleverly pre-� ght press conference was fantastic, brushing shoulders with a lot of great boxers and journalists was a great experience.

“A very con� dent Tony Bellew gave me a one-on-one interview and he vowed to knock out Cleverly.

“Attending the conference made me realise it is what I want to do in the future, boxers have personalities and are a lot more colourful than your average footballer.”

With a very exciting and electrifying press conference, some people, including Sean found the actual � ght to be a let-down.

He said: “Although I thought the � ght itself was an anti-climax a� er all the build-up, the two boxers put on a show that did not live up to expectations.”

By LIAM COTTON

Lancashire cricketers have o� ered their best wishes to Australian batsman Phil Hughes, who is in a critical condition a� er being stuck on the head by a bouncer during a match between South Australia and New South Wales.

Hughes, a popular � gure within English cricket, played against Lancashire at Aigburth during a spell with Hampshire. � e batsman received mouth-to-mouth resuscitation at the Sydney Cricket Ground and was airli� ed to a hospital.

Australian batsman Paul Horton, who previous played at Se� on Park Cricket Club, wrote on Twitter: “Terrible news about Phil Hughes injury today. � oughts and prayers go to him and his family!”

Lancashire coach, Ashley Giles, tweeted: “� oughts and prayers with Phil Hughes and his family today. Get well mate.”

Players support injured star

VICTORY: Bellew preparing for the bout ©JMU Journalism

Revenge is sweet as Bellew edges out old rival

Fury left bruised by narrow defeatAnother long drive to Wales, another tense game on a di� cult pitch, but unfortunately for LJMU Fury, this time it was another defeat when they faced Tarannau Aberystwyth on Sunday.

However, far from being steamrolled again, the boys fought a nail-biting contest with Tarannau that could have been theirs until the very � nal seconds.

With Tarannau returning the kick o� , Fury’s defence started on the front foot – David Foster � ew from the back� eld to recover a fumble. But the o� ence failed to gain much ground and upon recovering the ball, Tarannau opened the scoring, making the score 6-0 a� er failing the conversion.

Fury responded magni� cently though. As cold hands and travel-weary bodies warmed into the game, the o� ence began to click in a way it hasn’t yet this season. QB Liam Holebrook (#13) and WR Alex Eager (#9) got the wheels turning on a partnership that was key all a� ernoon, but it was RB Laurent Tshimanga (#3) who led Fury’s storm back up the pitch, charging and spinning

through tackles like a spooked rhino. With a little help from a crushing block by Eager, he took it to the end zone for his � rst touchdown of the season, to immediately level the scores.

With both sides working so hard and so evenly matched, the � rst half continued in that back and forth manner. Aberystwyth’s second touchdown, followed by a running two-point conversion, was cancelled out by an Alex Eager catch – one of dozens on the day – and then another for the two extra points. 14-14.

But the end of the � rst half brought controversy. With Tarannau in possession and Fury doggedly holding them back from the goal line, the referees signalled half time and the players began to leave the pitch. But confusion amongst the three o� cials over a Tarannau time out led them to recall the players for a few more seconds of play, in which Aberystwyth scored, to end the half 22-14. LJMU had more work to do.

� ey came out like they meant business. Holebrook to Eager was the remedy again as they fought to draw level again in the 3rd quarter, but the captain’s heroics did not end there, as he returned to play in his old position at

corner back – where he led the Fury defence in interceptions last season - and gave a master class to help protect his team’s gains.

Another defensive player giving a master class was linebacker Jack Escritt (#4). 6”4 and quick across the ground, his teammates know him as Batman for a reason, and he showed why as the clock ticked into the 4th quarter and he helped pin the opponents back. A huge Escritt tackle at 3rd down forced Tarannau to punt from deep in their own half, and when the snap went awry, lineman Martin Donohue (#72) forced the punter into his own zone for a Safety, making the score 24-22 and setting up a nail biting climax.

It was all on the defence, and it looked like they were going to do the job. But as the light faded and the freezing Welsh evening set in, Aberystwyth slowly ground their way up their home � eld. leaping over the ruck of players to win the game.

LJMU have plenty to be proud of from their performance, and the hollow feeling of being spanked by UCLAN was banished on the coach home. But ultimately, they are le� to rue a second defeat in three games, with just � ve games le� of the regular season.

Liverpool FC are competing for their Champions League lives on Wednesday night when they play at the So� a’s Vasil Levski Nation-al Stadium. Both clubs sit joint bottom on Group B with three points each and need a victory to retain their realistic hope of overtak-ing second-placed FC Basel, who Ludogorets beat 1-0 at home, and who Liverpool host at An� eld next month. � is is their � rst home meet-ing with an English club, but Ludogorets have a strong recent home record in UEFA competi-

tion, with � ve wins, three draws and two defeats from the last ten games. However, Liverpool have not scored in the competition since beating Ludogorets 2-1 at An-� eld on the opening group tie. � e reds failed to win both ties with Real Madrid and their only win being again the Bulgarian side. Brendan Rodgers will be hop-ing for his team to bounce back in the Champions League a� er a disappointing losing 3-1 away at Crystal Palace on Sunday a� er-noon.Meanwhile Everton face a tough away trip to VFL Wol� urg.

A� er a huge home win on match day four, Wolfsburg will be looking to end their streak against English sides when they host Everton FC in the battle of Group H.

Everton beat Wolfsburg on match day one, which means the German side have lost their last � ve games, home and away, against English clubs.

Wolfsburg’s 5-1 defeat of FC

Krasnodar on match day four matched the margin of their biggest ever previous UEFA competition victory.

� e blues are yet to lose a game this season, with two wins and two draws under their belt.

However Everton made it through to the knockout phase in both of their previous UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns.

� e To� ees narrowly missed out on the Champions League last season as they � nished � � h in the Premier League table.

Manager Roberto Martinez, has expressed the determination to go as far as possible with their participation in this seasons Europa League ending a four year absence from the tournament, despite facing several injury problems ahead of the � ursday night match.

John Stones is a de� nite no for the � xture as he is still su� ering from an ankle injury.

Doubtful for the game are Leighton Baines and Steven Naismith.

by HANNAH ANDERSON

by KIERAN ETORIA-KING

NAIL-BITING: Fury lost a thrilling game ©Kieran Etoria-King

©Wikimedia Commons

© Gouldy Flickr

Liverpool

LifeSPORTInside Sport

25th November 2014

REDS IN CRISIS?

November 2013/14

November 2014/15

UNDER PRESSURE: Rodgers feeling the heat after successive defeats © The Sport Review

Bellew blows Cleverly out of the waterP10

Lancs players rallyround Hughesp10

Fury lose nail-biting contest away in WalesP10

By LIAM COTTON & ADE SPEED

Liverpool FC fans have su� ered a frus-tating season so far, at odds with their runaway start to the last campaign.

With the Liverpool owner John Henry publicly backing his manager Brendan Rodgers and the Reds head-ing into the ‘season-de� ning’ Christ-mas period, critics are analysing their every pass.

Last season, Liverpool impressively � nished just two points behind cham-pions Manchester City.

Fast-forward seven months and they now sit a precarious four points above the drop zone.

It was clear to see the unity in Brendan Rodger’s squad last term, something that appears to have disap-peared in recent weeks.

Mario Balotelli’s reputation for dis-rupting the dressing room seems to have followed him to An� eld but Liv-

erpool’s attitude within matches may be the biggest concern for Rodgers. Last term, Liverpool struck fans and pundits alike with their high energy, pressing game which has now been replaced by a slow, lethargic brand of football highlighted in the weekend’s dismal 3-1 defeat at Crystal Palace.

Former player John Aldridge tweet-ed: “Our season goes bad to worse.� e truth is Palace wanted it more than we did. Can’t see no light at the end of the tunnel either”

� e Reds made over 500 passes dur-ing the game but only managed a sol-itary shot on target, Rickie Lambert’s second-minute strike.

� e departure of Luis Suarez le� many asking how they were going to replace a man who scored 30 league goals last season.

� e men tasked with taking his place, Balotelli and Lambert, have managed just three goals with a combined total

of 27 appearances, Suarez had scored six goals at this stage despite missing the � rst � ve matches through suspen-sion.

Match of the Day host Gary Linkear tweeted a� er the loss highlighting the lack of last seasons deadly strike force: “No SAS = SOS for Liverpool!”

Liverpool’s form suggests that anoth-er visit to the January transfer market may be the only option Rodgers has le� .

Considering Suarez was signed in January, it might be just what the An-� eld out� t need to rekindle their sea-son.

Many fans will also be cautious that January big buys are not always the solution and can be costly in the long term as Fernando Torrres’ replace-ment Andy Carroll from Newcastle in 2011.

Where now for Reds? Page 10

© Slips

© JMU Journalism

©John Maher