#Liverpool the best club in the world

[ferraripoolfc]

WHAT A HAPPY DAY FOR US LIVERPOOL FANS!!!

Liverpool beat Chelsea 0-1 with an amazing goal by Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk at the 118th minute!! An amazing bounce back from the Dutch man himself with his first goal being ruled offside but later coming back with the winner!! Van Dijk was also chosen for MOTM for his phenomenal performance! Even with Ryan Grevnberch being subbed off due to injury all players still gave it their all! A big congratulations to all youngers who debuted and youngers who played their first final today leaving with their first professional trophy/medal!

Youngers!

-Bobby Clark

- Conor Bradley

-James McConnell

-Jayden Danns

- Jarell Quansah

Congratulations Reds this is the first trophy of the season and a good “Thank You” to Jurgen Klopp with this being his last season as the Liverpool Gaffer.

Virgil with the same energy in 2024 & 2022

[suckmyarschkarte]

3 june 1892

[formulalfc]

if mo salah doesn't win a ballon d'or i will hurt someone

[ur-mag]

Daylight savings weekend Premier League table reveals which clubs are best when clocks go back – with Liverpool top | In Trend Today

Daylight savings weekend Premier League table reveals which clubs are best when clocks go back – with Liverpool top Read Full Text or Full Article on MAG NEWS

[alpha-mag-media]

Daylight savings weekend Premier League table reveals which clubs are best when clocks go back – with Liverpool top | In Trend Today

Daylight savings weekend Premier League table reveals which clubs are best when clocks go back – with Liverpool top Read Full Text or Full Article on MAG NEWS

[harrisonarchive]

This rare photograph was discovered on a negative given to the owner of “The Beatles Shop” on Mathew Street in Liverpool: The Beatles (with Pete Best) and some fans, before or after a gig, presumably on July 13, 1961, at St. John's Hall in Tuebrook, Liverpool. This was their first hometown concert after having returned from playing Hamburg's Top Ten Club.

“Before Hamburg, we didn’t have a clue. We’d never really done any gigs. We’d played at a few parties, but we’d never had a drummer longer than one night at a time. So we were very ropy, just young kids. When we arrived in Hamburg, we started playing eight hours a day - like a full workday. We did that for a total of 11 or 12 months, on and off over a two year period. It was pretty intense. At first we played the music of our heroes - Little Richard, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, Ray Charles, Carl Perkins - anything we’d ever liked. But we still needed more to fill those eight hour sets. Eventually, we had to stretch and play a lot of stuff that we didn’t know particularly well. Suddenly, we were even playing movie themes, like ‘A Taste of Honey’ or ‘Moonglow,’ learning new chords, jazz voicings, the whole bit. Eventually, it all combined together to make something new and we found our own voice as as a band.” - George, Guitar World, 1992 (x)

[javelinbk]

But by far the greatest Christmas gift John ever gave to Yoko—as well as to me—wasn’t anything he’d purchased at a store or recorded onto a cassette tape. It was an event, an enchanted twinkling of pure distilled joy, that he orchestrated just for the three of us during the waning hours of December 31, 1979.

A few days earlier, John had laid out his plans to me. He wanted to turn the newly acquired apartment 71 into a private club. John was not a huge fan of nightlife—crowds were problematic for obvious reasons—but he enjoyed the concept of an exclusive, intimate space, something like an old English men’s establishment... So, shortly after Christmas, he and I went shopping on New York’s Lower East Side, where there were dozens of secondhand shops, and proceeded to purchase enough cheap furniture and other decorations—overstuffed sofas, martini shakers, pink flamingo cardboard cutouts—to turn 71 into what John had by now begun referring to as Club Dakota.

After furniture shopping, we spent a few hours combing through vintage record shops, looking for old 78s to fill that antique bubble-top jukebox Yoko had given John. (We found Dooley Wilson singing “As Time Goes By,” Bobby Darin’s “Dream Lover,” Bing Crosby’s “Please,” Gracie Fields’s “Sally,” and scores more.) Then we headed to Canal Street and picked up moldy old black-tie tails and white gloves to wear on Club Dakota’s opening night, which John had decided would be on New Year’s Eve. Technically, John and I were to be the club’s only charter members, but he instructed me to write out a formal invitation to Yoko, which I would later hand deliver to her on a silver platter. Yoko was made merely an “honorary” member because, as John joked to me, otherwise she would immediately try to sexually integrate the club.

I have thought often about that night, about how best to describe it to those who weren’t lucky enough to be there (which, of course, would be the whole rest of the world). And the best I can come up with is that it was like spending a blissful interlude suspended in a magical snow globe. In my memory, we all seem to move in slow motion, as if gliding through glycerin-laced air. The three of us—Yoko in an elegant black evening gown, John and I in ridiculous old penguin suits (he paired his with a white T-shirt and his old Liverpool school tie)—danced and laughed (and smoked) together without a care in the world, the jukebox filling the living room with glorious old tunes from the ’40s and ’50s. I took dozens of Polaroid photos of them that night, but for some reason none of them capture the magic of the moment.

And then, at midnight, our reveries were interrupted by the pop and crackle of fireworks. We all stood by the windows and watched the skyline over Central Park light up with flaming balls and sparkling whirly fountains and a slew of other aerial bursts and barrages. I’d never seen anything more beautiful in my life. And I’d never seen John and Yoko looking more content and in love.

It was that rarest, most precious thing in life—a perfect moment.

It would also, as fate would have it, be John’s last New Year’s Eve.

Excerpt From, ‘We All Shine On’, Elliot Mintz

[leviscolwill]

moonlight, sunrise

pairing: trent alexander arnold x fem!reader

summary: after trent's first time captaining his boyhood club, you can't help showing him your appreciation [wc: ~700]

contents: tooth rotting fluff, established relationship, captain trent ‼️, food mention, not proofread yet 🏃‍♀️

note: needed to write a little something for my boy <3

now playing: moonlight sunrise by twice (ready to be)

you were absolutely stoked when darwin scored a late goal for your team, winning newcastle 2-1. during all the game, your thoughts went to your boyfriend, who captained his team after van dijk got red carded. you knew how much his boyhood club meant to him and how much he adored it, so being vice captain was a huge honour. after the final whistle, you grabbed your phone to send him a quick text; "congrats on today's win my captain !! can't wait to celebrate with you tonight xx". you knew he wouldn't answer right away so you got up to prepare trent's surprise.

you put on your favourite playlist, and searched for everything you needed to make some pizzas, from the dough to the toppings, you had everything you needed. trent loved your pizzas, you weren't the best cook around but it was the one dish you could never miss.

you tried shaping the dough into little hearts, colouring them with bright red tomato sauce. your addiction to 'good pizza great pizza' helped you create the best pizza with trent's favourite toppings.

while you were finishing the last couple mini pizzas, you felt someone hug you from behind.

"they look so good, you really outdone yourself with these." you heard trent's voice in your ears.

"no ! they were supposed to be a surprise... please pretend you never saw this." you say in a disappointed tone, you must have been too distracted by your music to hear trent coming home.

"alright, alright. can i help you with the last one at least ?"

"of course not, you can't help making your own gift." you refused, but trent wouldn't take no for an answer. he placed the toppings to form a smiley face on the heart pizza. you snapped a quick picture of your masterpiece before putting it in the oven.

your boyfriend set up the table while you lit up some scented candles. these kinds of evenings were your favourites. the evenings when your boyfriend's was just yours, not the media's or the fans'. just trent, just yours.

trent was taken aback when you hugged his back, resting your head on his shoulder.

"you know i'm proud of you, right ? you did great today mister liverpool captain."

"i think you might have mentioned that a couple of times. thank you for believing in me pretty girl." he pressed a kiss on your lips before getting the pizzas out of the oven.

you ate your pizzas in front of a movie trent picked, of course, under the covers you brought to your living room, intently listing to each other's comments as silly as they might have been.

quickly enough, you fell asleep and felt trent's arms carrying you to your shared bedroom.

"where are we going ?" you asked him in a sleepy voice, even though you already knew the answer.

"to bed ratatouille."

"don't compare me to a rat." you huffed in disapproval of his newfound nickname for you.

"you're the rat that makes the best pizzas in the whole world."

you both cuddled up under your covers, and you felt tiredness get the best of you, trent must have felt it as well.

"goodnight, i love you." he said pressing a kiss on your cheek, after turning off the lights.

"i love you too, sleep well my captain."

trent's light strokes on your arm and his slow breathing lulled you to sleep swiftly. these were really your favourite nights, in the company of your favourite boy.

[doudouneverte]

Next stop... Manchester

a/n: I had to rewrite it but it's okay. Feedback is really appreciated by the way

*Not my PIC*

Pairing: Chloe Kelly x Léon!Reader; Mapi Léon x sister!reader; Ella Toone + Georgia Stanway x Female!Reader (besties)

Summary:

Type: Fluff

Warning: nothing

words count: 3334

--------

London - Manchester. Manchester - London. Whatever the direction, it became a usual trip for you during those recent years. Well, dating a Citizen player while you played for Chelsea, and let's not talk about the fact that you played for Spain and her England, meant you had to make compromises sometimes. 

You came to the WSL in the 2017-18 season; you played for Everton after some good seasons at Athletico Madrid. There you met Chloe; everything was new for you, so she helped you install yourself in the country. She showed you a lot of places, and you met a lot of people who'd become part of the England squad. At the end of the 19/20 season, you moved from Liverpool to London, where you signed a contract with the Blues.

At Chelsea, everything was good except when you had to play in the Champions League finals against your sister and her team. Unfortunately for the London club, you got injured in the semifinal. Without  one of their best defenders in their squad, the Blues lost against FC Barcelona. Except that the other worst moments was when you played against your girlfriend; you know how good she is, and it's really difficult for anyone to defend against her (except McCabe, but she's not really defending).

After three years in the capital's club, you received some interesting offers from different clubs: Bayern, Wolfsburg, Real Madrid, and even Lyon, but you decided to join another club in blue, well, sky blue. But your girlfriend is totally unaware of that, like almost everyone else, because you wanted to surprise her.

~~~

Today was a particular day; the Lionesses should take a flight to Australia the next day, and your girlfriend decided to spend her free time with you. It was still early in the morning when your phone started buzzing next to you. It was disturbing, but you didn't want to wake up yet until the woman next to you groaned.

"Y/n, I swear if you don't tell whoever texted you to shut up, I'll throw your phone through the window." Chloe said with her head pressed harder against the pillow.

"Calmate hermosa; I'll check that." You said before grabbing your phone to see a lot of messages from more people than you expected. 

Maps[yesterday]:

¿Vienes a casa para vacaciones?(Are you coming home for vacation?)

Leila[8:30 a.m]:

The girls know

Ella[8:40 a.m]:

Please tell me you don't join the wrong side

Lauren[8:42 a.m]:

are you really coming?

I need to tell Chloe

Niamh[8:43 a.m]:

Sam and Guro are still pouting

Mama P[8:44 a.m]:

Jessie is still crying you need to do something

Mama M[8:44 a.m]:

Don't forget your sunscreen

Mama P[now]:

Magda reminds you to not forget your sunscreen

"Who are they?" The blonde was a little more awake than earlier.

"Just Magda and Pernille...and Niamh and Mapi." You replied before quickly texting, 'don't tell anything to Chloe; it's not official' to Ella and Lauren.

"Okay, now come back to sleep with me." The winger said, but you reluctantly declined the proposition.

"I really want that, but the girls are coming for lunch and I need to cook something," the Mancunian groaned and grabbed her phone.

"It's only 9 a.m."

"Yeah, I know, but I also have to call my sister and make our breakfast." You informed her and kissed her forehead before leaving the bedroom.

Chloe wanted to go back to sleep, but she couldn't without you, so she just checked her notifications and saw a text from Lauren.

Lauren[8:43 a.m]:

I have a big surprise for you

Chloe [8:57 a.m]:

???

Lauren[now]:

I heard someone say that we will pair together for the world cup

Chloe[now]:

Like always🙄

Your girlfriend knew there was something that her friend didn't tell her, but she didn't want to push her. When the winger finally came to the kitchen, she saw you cook with one of her Manchester City training kits. She approached you carefully, wrapped her arms around your waist, and landed her head on your shoulder.

"How can I help you?" She asked you.

"Just sit and look pretty." You commanded.

A few minutes later, Chole was sitting on the kitchen counter scrolling through TikTok while you were cooking. Everything was good until she found a tik-tok talking about the departure of Ona. It was not surprising at first, but the video caught her attention when the person behind it started to speculate about your possible departure to join Barcelona too. Of course, some fans had theories about you coming back to Spain after a lot of years in England.

You were too focused to not burn your breakfast and texted your sister that you hadn't noticed your girlfriend looking at you suspiciously; honestly, some theories started to gain her attention. She knew that last season you denied the offer of a Spanish team that wanted you, justifying it by the fact that you wanted to finish your contract with the Blues, but now what is keeping you in England?

"Babe? What do you think about going to Barcelona?" The winger asked you.

You took a moment to think about it. "Uh, I don't know; we need to schedule for the next season and wait until you come back from Australia, hopefully with a trophy, and I also need to ask Maps if it's good for her to let us stay in her apartment." You explained, totally unaware of the true meaning behind this simple question.

"Oh, okay." There was a little silence; she continued to scroll on her phone until you finished your episode. You turned your eyes off your phone and made your way to the blonde, leaving some kisses on her face, making the English girl giggle. "What are you doing?"

"I'm hungry." You replied.

"But you're cooking."

"Yes, and I finished it, so let's do something together." You finished your sentence with a trail of kisses from her lips to her neck.

"Babe, the girls are coming in 2 hours." She stopped you.

"I know."

"And you just cook the breakfast."

"I think I can do something in a little more than an hour, so let's have a little time for us." You said lifting her from the chair made her yelp and almost let her phone slip.

"Twenty minutes." She whispered firmly, just a few centimeters away from your lips.

"Twenty minutes." You agreed before leading her to the bedroom.

~~~

Twenty minutes later, you were both in the bathroom taking a bath, and she was sitting in front of you with her back against your chest. You were playing with her hands and the water, trying to steal some kisses between her giggles.

"Did you finish packing your things?" You asked, and she hummed to reply. "Are you sure? Did you pack some tissues? Alana said it was really cold there during this period of the year."

"Yes, don't worry. I checked everything twice." She replied, you wanted to say something, but she cut you off. "No, I'll not unpack everything to let you check." She prevented you.

You sighed and landed your head on her shoulder. "I'm just worried, mi corazon. The last time you flew somewhere without me, you almost forgot your passport." You reminded her, and she chuckled.

"Yes, but don't worry, Lauren will not let it happen again." She joked, and you nodded.

"Okay, I love being here with you, but we will have a lot of hungry girls in one hour, and I need to start to cook." You said getting out of the bathtub.

"How can I help you now?" Chloe asked again.

You thought a moment before replying, "Nothing; just stay there and look good for me." You said and gave her a little on her forehead.

"There is someone who's really looking good right now." She replied with a flirtatious tone.

"Pervert!" You shot just before taking your towel and leaving the room.

~~~

An hour later, you were finishing a paella request by almost every girl while you were making conversation with the citizen until someone rang at the door. When Chloe opened the door, she was met with none less than ten girls chatting loudly. You smiled when you heard the noises coming from the living room. You didn't have time to go to the kitchen before hearing two voices enter the room.

"Y/n!!" Georgia called you very excited.

"Why do you always look surprised to see me, knowing I almost live here?" You asked and accepted her hug.

"I missed you." The midfielder said.

"Me too, pequeña soldadera (little warrior)." 

"You still use this Spanish nickname?" 

"Always." You said with a cocky smile before walking to the other girl in the room. "Hola, I didn't think you would come." You said to Leila, your national teammates, well, not anymore because you were one of 'The 15'.

"Where do you want me to be? I mean, I'll never say no to free food and cooking by the best Spanish cooker in Manchester, no, in England." The older defender said.

"You say it because Ona came back to Barça?" You asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe." She replied, almost questioning herself; you gasped and playfuly slapped her arm.

"Don't worry, Y/n, you're still my favourite Spanish cooker." Georgia said while the three of you were joining the others in the kitchen.

"You say that because you don't have any Spanish teammates in Munich." You replied, and the girls laughed.

In the living room, there were more guests than you planned. There were Ella Toone, Alessia Russo, Maya Le Tissier, Katie Zelem, and Mary Earps, your Manchester's players friends—well, it was no longer valid for Alessia—and there were Chloe's City's teammates: Alana Kennedy, Lauren Hemp, Alex Greenwood, Laila Ouahabi, Laia Alexandri, and Esme Morgan. And some pluses: Keira Walsh and Lucy Bronze were here because they were ex-city players; McKenzie Arnold, who was brought by Alana (you always liked her, so why not); and of course your best friend Georgia Stanway, who brought Leah Williamson to complete their famous trio.

"Now that I see it from here, it's a lot of people." Laila said.

"You even invited some people who don't play for Manchester." Georgia commented, referring to McKenzie and Leah. You and the defender just looked at her before exchanging a confused look.

"A veces me pregunto cómo se hicieron mejores amigos. (Sometimes I'm really wondering how you two became best friends.)" The older woman said to you.

"¿Por qué? técnicamente no es falso. (Why? Technically, it's not false.)" You replied before a body crashed against you. "Wow, calmate Ella." You said laughing a little.

"Please tell me you'll choose the right Manchester." The offensive midfielder whispered to you with a big pout.

"Uh, yes? I mean, yeah, but why do you ask?"

"The girls find an article saying that since Ona made her comeback in Barcelona, you could leave too." Alessia informed you. In the corner of the couch, almost no one noticed, but Chloe tensed when she heard what Alessia said—almost no one because Laia wrapped an arm around the winger to ease her mind.

"Okay, I don't know what you're talking about, but let's eat because it'll get cold." You avoided the question, and that didn't go unnoticed by three players.

After eating in a very good atmosphere, you spent all your time cuddling Chloe and making jokes with Leah and Laila about the fact that you weren't selected for the World Cup. Some girls decided to watch a movie, and you happily agreed. You were in the kitchen making some snacks when you heard someone clearing their throats. Before hearing some footsteps, you turned around to see Ella, Georgia, and Laila exchanging looks.

"Are you alright, girls?" You asked a little confused.

"Y/n, can we talk?" The Red Devil asked a little shyly.

"Yeah, I just need to give this to the girls." You said referring to the plate of snacks in front of you.

"Yes, of course, we will wait." Georgia said you noticed something strange in her tone, but you didn't question it. Only two minutes later, you were back in the room with the three women.

You sat beside Ella in front of Georgia and Laila. "Is there something wrong?" You asked when none of them spoke.

"Y/n, we've known each other for a long time now, don't we?" Ella asked, and you nodded.

You clearly remember the day you met her for the first time and the time you became friends. It was during the season 17/18, you just left Athletico Madrid to try your luck in England at Everton. There you met Chloe for the first time, and it instantly clicked; it was love at first sight. For Tooney, you met her the first time you played against her, when she was playing for the other team in Manchester.

For Georgia, you met her in the street of the city before you saw her again on the pitch, but she was very kind with you, and for someone who had been in a new country for only a few months, you were very grateful. She helped you progress in English, and she even gave you some advice with your girlfriend when she was just your crush.

And for Laila, you met her for the first time while you visited your sister in Spain while she was playing for Barça. When you made your first step on the senior national team, she helped you (with your sister, Jeni, and Alexia, of course) with everything and every question, and you both play as defenders, so you trained together. When she came to Manchester, Mapi made a promise to take care of you, even if it was you who helped her the most when she was still installing.

"Yeah?" You replied, a little unsure of where it would end.

"So can you be honest with us? So about earlier, you know we will not be angry if you leave." Laila reassured you.

"Yeah, I know it's just that everything is complicated, and I don't want to leave Chloe." You said. Talking about her, your girlfriend was about to make her way in the kitchen, but she stopped when she heard her name. She knew it was very bad, but she couldn't help herself.

"Is it Barcelona?" Georgia asked, and you nodded, making the midfielder grumble, "Why do they want you when they already signed Ona?" 

"Because we didn't play at the same position." You said. "But they're not the only ones who made offers. There are also Wolfsburg and Paris Saint Germain." 

"Why don't you come with me to Bayern?" 

"No, if you need to leave, you should come to Manchester City."

"Or you can join me here."

"Okay girls, let's forget about it; they gave me until the end of the month to accept it or not. Now, let's just watch a movie and chill until you have to leave." You stopped their debate. Before you could see her, Chloe quickly came back on the couch beside Lauren, and you sat on her other side.

The rest of the day, your girlfriend seemed preoccupied by something, but she refused to tell you what.

The lunch was very cool; everybody was happy, and the girls didn't split anything. The next day, the girls had to leave, and you had a flight to Spain that you couldn't miss.

~~~

Your holidays were pretty good; you were just enjoying life with your sister, but somewhere you were missing your girlfriend. Because the World Cup was in New Zealand and Australia, you weren't awake at the same time.

On the other side of the world, Chloe was missing you, really missing you. She could handle every time you spent your holiday in Spain with your family, but now it wasn't a holiday for her, and you should be here with your national team. Unfortunately for her, every time she thought she couldn't miss you more, Lauren James, and Niamh were talking about you.

For you, after a week and a half in Spain, you had to fly back to England before going to Australia. You arrived in Australia between two matches of the Lionesses and, more importantly, just two days before the public training.

Knowing you would come to their training session, Lauren Hemp and Ella couldn't stop teasing Chloe about how much she missed you.

At the training, everyone was more focused knowing that it was public. You successfully found a place not so far from the ground as to not be immediately recognized. Chloe nailed it pretty well; she had only one thing on her mind: finish this and quickly come back to the hotel to call you.

When training finished, the citizen stayed behind to talk with fans and take pictures. She was not alone because Georgia and Ella were following her and, most importantly, looking for you. Stopping in front of a group of girls, the three started to do as usual until something caught Georgia's attention.

"Hey, look at that," she said to Ella, holding a Manchester City shirt someone gave her.

"It's the new one." Ella commented, and the Red Devil turned the shirt to find a big surprise. The two midfielders exchanged a confused look before looking at the crowd and finally seeing you.

"No way," Georgia whispered.

"It's a betrayal." You saw Ella mouthing Being too focused on you, they didn't see their teammates coming until the shirt slipped out of the Bayern player's hand.

"Where did you find that?" Chloe asked, but she didn't wait for answers before starting to sign it. It was just after she finished that she decided to look at the back. She paused for a moment. She thought it was a mistake or just a joke until she heard someone speak.

"I hope you like my surprise." You said this after you noticed she was too stunned to speak. Hearing your voice brought the winger back to reality; she looked at you, more surprised and happy than she ever was.

She didn't wait too long before she trapped you in a bone-crushing hug. You stayed like this for a few seconds until she pulled away, immediately closing the gap between you with a lovely kiss.

"I missed you too, mi corazon." You said after you pulled away when oxygen was needed.

"But what are you doing here, and most importantly, what is this?" She asked and showed you the shirt she just signed.

"Let's just say that I have a new team, and I wanted to announce it to you before you see it on the internet." You replied.

"So it's not a joke? We'll really play together next season?" She asked like it was the most unthinkable thing in the world.

"Yes, we will." You confirmed.

"But, Barcelona, and your sister?"

"Well, yeah, I'm really impatient to play with my sister again, but I think it can wait a little longer. And technically, I'm more related to Athletico Madrid than Barça."

"I don't know what to say. It's incredible; I would never believe that this day would come." She cupped your face and pressed her lips against yours just before being interrupted by her teammate.

"Traitor!" Ella yelled, making you laugh.

"Don't worry, I have another one for you." You said before throwing a shirt at her. She made a fake disgusting face, making you laugh again.

"I only keep it because you're my best friend." The United's players informed you.

"Yeah, yeah, but don't forget you also played for them."

"Sorry, I can't hear you." She said with her hands pressing against her ears.

"Okay, now I think you need to go, but don't worry, I'll come stay there to hopefully see you lift the trophy." You said to your girlfriend before giving her a last peck on the lips.

"I already miss you." The blonde striker said.

"I know; now go and win this for us." 

"I promise."

================

[talkinfanfic]

Episode 307 - Interview with HeyJulien, Football RPF and Carraville writer

🎧 Episode available on any podcast app, Spotify, or stream here!

Like a bicycle kick goal at minute 95, Sara finally completes editing on a much overdue interview with fellow Carraville author @heyyjulien ! 

Sara and Julien talk about the world of football RPF (as in soccer, for all you Yankees); specifically the delightfully odd-couple rivals-to-lovers ship of English football pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher. Other talking points scattered across the pitch include: football as war, derby days and football rivalry; the joys of local non-league football, the Bundesliga and fußballkultur; to switch POV, or not to switch POV; the annoying beauty of David Beckham; and of course, we discuss the tragically under-utilized in fic friendship of Paul Scholes and Gary Neville (or, Scholesy as the Kermit to Gary Neville’s Miss Piggy). 

Join us, if you like!

Correction - at 03:27:40 we incorrectly refer to our wonderful fellow Carraville author as ‘player1604’-- their handle is @player1064, which is a reference to Gary Neville’s England legacy number. Gary was the 1,064th player to play for England’s National Team. More notes, references, and time caps below the cut.

Contact and Credits:

Intro Theme: Kyle Laurin "Oasis Supersonic Theme" (Twitter: @cobrakylemusic)

Tumblr: talkinfanfic.tumblr.com 

Instagram: @talkinfanfic

Email: talkinfanfic@gmail.com 

Time caps:

00:10:39 - Chelsea v Liverpool result in the Carabao Cup Final AND “Football and Butts”

00:13:17 minutes - Picking an English team as an outside fan, local rivalry in sport, and the mechanisms of tribalism

00:21:10 - Football pride as a substitute for national pride in Germany

00:22:57 - League structure in european football, the purity of the local club, financial doping, and German “fußballkultur”

00:32:57 - A late introduction to HeyJulien ! Julien’s earliest reading and writing memories.

00:36:36 - First encounter with fanfiction and Youtuber RPF

00:42:11 - Path into Sports RPF

00:45:28 - The specific allure of Hockey RPF

00:53:54 - Getting into Football RPF and Carraville

01:11:07 - Carraville fic, start of “Zombies” discussion, and Julien’s real-life plot inspiration

01:20:04 - Excerpt 1, from “Zombies” 

01:39:12 - Strategy and instinct of switching POV’s 

01:59:50 - “The Victorian Era” 

02:06:13 - Excerpt 2, from “The Victorian Era” (apologies from Sara for the botched English accents)

02:23:17 - Cat cameo by Daniel Pickles - and the theme of power in “The Victorian Era”, Gary and Victoria’s friendship, and writing moments that “show” instead of “tell”. 

02:32:27 - The fun of writing about “bad people”, and recurring themes popping up in our works; AND the specific joys of fanfiction enriching “real life”

02:40:36 - “Tasting Syrup On My Tongue”

02:50:45 - The joy of Stevie G and Scholsey in Carraville fics

03:00:46 - Sara’s childhood soccer experience

03:02:49- Rapid Fire Questions!!! 

03:17:21 - Michael Owen Quotes

03:31:00 - Coffee Shop Scenario

03:37:32 - Julien’s fic recs

03:43:11 - Final question- “What do you think it is about sport that lends itself to fiction and fanfiction?”

Episode References

FIC - ‘These zombies in the park, they're looking for my heart’ by HeyJulien 

FIC - 'The Victorian Era' by HeyJulien 

FIC - ‘Tasting Syrup On My Tongue’ by HeyJulien

https://www.fanfiktion.de/ - Julien’s first fanfic site!

CBS Champions League Today "Best Of" - Youtube video, example of CBS crew compilation, ft. Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards, Thierry Henry, and Kate Abdo

"Gary Neville & Jamie Carragher's BEST moments! 👀🍿"   - Youtube video that Julien sent Sara to kick off the Carraville spiral

Gary Neville’s interview with Jamie Carragher on The Overlap - Youtube

"Neville and Carra - the perfect TV double act make their Monday Night Football debut" - Daily Mail article from August 2013, describing Jamie’s MNF debut alongside Gary. 

And another 2013 article, this one from Stretty News on the Carraville punditry duo, described as “a dream pair”. 

‘Tasting Syrup’ reference - Footage of John Terry head injury  in the 2007 League Cup Final, Chelsea v Arsenal - Youtube

‘Tasting Syrup’ reference - Footage of Jamie Carragher head injury in a match against Arsenal in April 2011 - tumblr link

Fanart - Man United v Liverpool lineup as envisioned by the genius k-ky - tumblr link

Article - "Bastian Schweinsteiger dragged the modern Germany to ultimate glory with blood, sweat and tears" - on Schweinsteiger’s heroic and gritty performance in the 2014 World Cup Final (October 2019)  

Some more brilliant Michael Owen quotes (unverified but highly entertaining)

Julien rec - Sara's fic, [the gap between crack and thunder] WIP! 

Julien rec - Quell the Tide by Imnotreallyhereatall - the hockey RPF julien mentions loving (Ao3, locked)

Julien rec - Take a Chance on Me by @zevons, @jjjat3am (Ao3, locked)

Julien rec - keep your silver, give me that gold by @thesecretdetectivecollection (Ao3)

Julien rec - Gary Neville is Still a Red, Just a Different Shade by @fanficburner (Ao3) 

[ell-alexanderarnold]

Stargirl

Y/n and Trent are both footballers for LFC, she supports him and he supports her but when it comes to criticism only one can have it their way.

Angst & Fluff

“I just wanna see you shine 'cause I know you are a stargirl“

﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋

From a very young age you fell in love with football. You wanted to be like the heroes from your city, Steven Gerrard, Kenny Daglish and many more Liverpool legends. But you also fell in love with him, a young scouser from West Derby in Liverpool.

You met each other on a warm summer day in July, you were out kicking ball alone until you saw two boys approaching you. It was Trent and his older brother and they asked if you wanted to play with them and that’s when the story started. Ever since that day you went to his garden playing football against him and it would go on for hours. The years went by and suddenly the both of you were in the academy playing for your dream club and after the Champions League final, Trent asked you to be his girlfriend and you were the happiest girl in the world.

He was getting more and more recognised by the world and media, and you started to compare yourself with him although that was just normal because he was playing in the men’s team and you in the women’s team, but you still wished you were like him.

It wasn’t until now things began to crack in your relationship, you two are really serious when it comes to each other’s performances and always try to encourage and learn from each other. But you always feel like he gets the better off you in those arguments but you think that you are the best critic to yourself. You get that he’s only trying to help you from the experience he has, but you want to make sure that you can handle it yourself.

This weekend you have a big match against Arsenal and you were nervous, which Trent noticed.

“You seem a bit off, what’s wrong?” He asked.

“Just a bit nervous for the game that’s all” You shrugged.

“I understand, just do your best Y/n” Trent said and it came out in the wrong tone.

“I am trying” You told him.

“This time I think you should improve on your-”

“No I’m not doing this Trent” You cut him off and walked away from him.

“I’m just trying to help you!” He explained, but you were too fed up by this conversation you two keep having before every single game.

“And I really appreciate that but I can help myself Trent” You said whilst you were making your way upstairs to your shared bedroom.

You changed into your training kit and as soon as you walked out of the closet, Trent stood by the door.

“Y/n I’m sorry” He shared.

“Fuck off honestly” You walked past him and rushed down the stairs to get ready for driving to the training ground. Apparently Trent was also going so he took his car keys and went out the door before you did. You met his eyes while walking towards the car, his gaze was on you and in response you gave him a warning look not to start an argument in the car, but that failed.

As soon as he started driving you felt the tension in the car and it was like a balloon that you felt would explode at any moment now.

“Y/n can you stop ignoring me please” Trent spoke up and you reached for your headphones in your pocket, not wanting to hear him out on anything he has to say.

When you had arrived you went out of the car quickly to get away from him, you wouldn’t want anyone in the building to see you two fighting like children.

When you got into the women’s dressing room you met your teammate Missy-Bo Kearns, she immediately read the look on your face and said

“If looks could kill, I would be dead by now” She chuckled and you smiled at her.

“Something you want to tell me?” She continued.

“Nah, just woke up at the wrong side of the bed” You lied.

You got out on the pitch and already knew that it was going to be a hard session, mixed with your mood and the exercises you were going to do. The coaches kept telling you that you could do better and that only made it more worse. When you were done you got to the dressing room quick to avoid any comments from the coaches and your teammates.

“Y/n is everything alright?” Missy-Bo said and you were on the edge of crying but you pulled yourself together.

“Yeah I’m sorry, I’m just really tired today”

Another excuse.

“Okay, just hit me up if you want to talk or anything” She said, you nodded and left the dressing room.

-

On the way home the tension in the car was more tense than before, you and Trent hadn’t talked since you both came to the training ground earlier and it was getting more and more frustrating.

When you approached his house you slammed the car door maybe a bit too aggressive which made Trent more mad, you could see his frustration painted on his face.

“Geez Y/n calm down” He mumbled, you kept waiting in front of the door for him to unlock it.

When he unlocked the door you dropped your things on the floor and ran up the stairs to shower. When you came out of the bathroom Trent stood outside and you guessed that he wanted to talk but you were so annoyed with him. You couldn’t care less about him standing in the way.

“Oh my god can you let me live for a second” You snapped.

“Not when you’re behaving like this” He snapped back and he was not letting go off you.

“Do you know why? Because I’m tired of you, why can’t I comment on your performance or things you should improve on? Tell me Trent” You fumed and pushed him to let go off you. Trent was silent and you finally got out what you have wanted to say for a long time.

For the rest of the night you and Trent didn’t speak to each other and he slept on the couch while you slept in your shared bed. It was nice getting some space from him but you still missed his warmth against your skin.

The following morning you woke up and it was matchday. You prepared yourself the whole morning and ate breakfast, Trent was up as early as you.

”Good luck on the game today” Trent spoke up.

”Are you coming to watch it?” You asked, you weren’t sure if he’d even wanted to go or if he was busy, but it was a big game so a part of you wanted him to come and watch.

“I can’t, got a thing with the team today”

“Oh okay” You responded and pretended not to care but he could read you so clear and noticed your disappointment.

Your squad met up and prepared for the match. You felt anger in your entire body and wanted to kick the ball up in the sky but you had to limit yourself and focus on the game.

“How are you feeling today?” Missy Bo asked, she noticed your furrowed brows.

“It’s Trent, he keeps telling what I should do on the pitch and what I shouldn’t. I’m so tired of it” You ranted out, only the ones who were in the academy from the beginning with you knew that you and Trent are together from a young age. Missy Bo was one of them.

“I see. You can prove him wrong today Y/n! You can do this” She chimed and gave you a clap on your shoulder.

It was not long until kick-off and you stood on the pitch waiting for the referee to blow the whistle.

The game went on well, yet you had a clean sheet and much possession, but it wasn’t until you got tackled and the ref whistled for a foul, a free kick. Your time to shine. You have a good right foot just as Trent has and in that way, you both had practiced much together and learned from each other. If he only was here to watch this.

You got ready to take the free kick, the ball left your foot, spinning exactly like you wanted it and got in the top of the corner of the goal. Boom 1-0.

You got so happy and excited, all of your teammates came running to you and gave you a big hugs. In the corner of your eye you could see a tall man clapping his hands, it was him. You couldn’t believe your eyes at first, Trent came to your game? You were overwhelmed but you had to get your focus back on the game so you just shot him a wide smile and carried on.

You and Liverpool won the game against Arsenal 2-0. You were over the moon, it was your best performance in a while. You got Player of the Match, one goal and one assist.

After the match you got a text from Trent.

Trent: I’m waiting in the car

You said your goodbyes to your teammates and the staff and made your way to the carpark. Before, your body was filled with anger and frustration. Now, your body was filled with joy and happiness. But you still didn’t know what the situation would be with Trent, you saw his car and made a little sprint before the rain came pouring down.

“Hey baby” He greeted you and pecked your lips.

”Trent I haven’t showered yet!” You beamed but he didn’t care, he kept kissing you anyways.

“I don’t care, you played so well babe” He praised and you giggled and tried to pull away from his never ending kisses.

“Alright, alright boy we can finish that later. I thought you couldn’t come?” You questioned.

“Well I couldn’t miss a big game could I? So I asked the gaffer if I could go and he approved” Said Trent as he smiled.

“How sweet of you Trent, but one thing now. What have you learned from today’s match?” You implored, wanting to know if he understood your warning from earlier. Telling you how you should play and what to improve on.

”That I shouldn’t tell you how you play. I’m sorry Y/n, only you can change your game” Trent apologised and you took a deep breath, relieved that he realised he was wrong.

“Thank you T. Now drive home, I’m fucking freezing” You announced, happy with him now.

“One goal and a assist, not bad my stargirl” Trent whispered.

“I love you Y/n”

“I love you too though you can be a pain in the ass sometimes” You chuckled and he gave you one last kiss before he started to drive.

[findingnemosworld]

𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 - 𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬

𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲: 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬

(𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭)

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐛𝐲, 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝. (𝐨𝐫, … 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫)

𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠.

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐦𝐞, 𝐡𝐢 … 𝐈'𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐦𝐞.

You never forget your first love … ⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Love is a double edged sword, and in her case, she'd gotten the sharpest edge -once, so in love and elated to be with him- promised a lifetime of elation and love, only to lose him in the span of months due to life and his ever growing passion of football, a promise to stay in touch had been broken five months into their mutual correspondents, folding their chapter behind them to move forward in life, not once believing that fate would bring them back, until ...

"Y/N? ... Y/N, yoohooo Y/N???"

She was in the midst of working on her latest commission when the sound of her best friend and gallery owner Elizabeth interrupted her thoughts, "Hey Liz, what's up?"

Elizabeth chuckles, "I was about to ask you the same thing!" she gestured to her. "You seemed lost in your own world up there!"

She chuckles as well, "Yeah ... yeah, I was, wasn't I?" she paused for a moment, 𝑆ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝐼 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑒𝑟? ... she wonders, "I was just ..." she began.

"Thinking about him?" Elizabeth asks with a knowing look, "You seem to forget I was there when you two first met."

Y/N smiles sadly, recalling their first encounter -twenty years ago, she was an up and coming artist, tasked with the golden opportunity of painting a mural of the then newly crowned premier league champions, Liverpool- and through said opportunity, she met the club's golden boy, El Niño - Fernando Torres.

The pair bonded almost instantly over their love for football as well as music, and what started as a strictly platnoic friendship had resulted in a few dates here and there which eventually lead to a whirlwind romance that lasted for about seven years until his eventual departure to Italy, where the pair had agreed to become friends albeit that didn't last as they've lost touch with Fernando finding love elswhere, as she did as well.

"You know ..." Elizabeth began with a soft tone. "He was named as one of the legends set to play in the upcoming game!"

Y/N's eyes widened, "Oh?"

"Yeah ... and it gets better!" Elizabeth adds on.

"What?" she retorts with an arched brow.

"He called ... and asked about you." Elizabeth said.

Her heart leapt at the mere notion that nearly twenty years later, he still remembers her. "He- He did?" she wonders with a croaked voice.

"Uh huh ... and on top of that, he gifted us with two tickets." Elizabeth adds on.

"He ... wait a minute, you can't be serious?" she said, stunned by the revelation.

Elizabeth waves the two tickets and says, "Oh but I am ... next week, we will be seated in Anfield, cheering the love of your life ..." she states with a playful tone.

"ELIZABETH!" she groans.

Elizabeth laughs, "Don't you ELIZABETH! me, missy ... you and I both know that despite that shitty marriage you had with Manuel, your heart has been and always will be occupied by one Fernando José Torres Sanz."

"Ok, first off ... that was weird with the full name, and second ... he's probably doing this as a cordial attempt to be friendly and polite, surely he's not in love with me." Y/N waved off the notion in of it self, there was no way he was still in love with her. "Besides, isn't he still married?"

"Actually not, he is a proud single dad to a boy and girl." Elizabeth said, "Apparently he and his wifey called it quits three years ago."

Y/N shot her a deadpan look, "You stalked his social media, didn't you?"

"A little!" Elizabeth shrugs with a grin.

"Idiot!" she grumbles. "Fine ... I guess we're going to the legends game, but there is just no way, absolutely no way that he still remembers me."

Oh but he does, he does remember her.

⋆｡‧˚ʚ🍓ɞ˚‧｡⋆

To say that he was elated by the offer would be an understatement, he hadn't stepped onto a pitch in over five years since his retirement, content with closing his chapter to focus on helping the younger generation of his boyhood club achieve similar heights, the propsect of playing again seemed far too foreign until the opportunity of partaking in a charity match had landed, and well ... who was he to say no? a return to the very club he remembers fondly was a given at this point, however that was only part of why he had accepted, the other part of the reason being her.

His first love, his first heartache and -the one that got away- that's not to say he didn't love Mariana, his wife as she'd given him Federico and Gabriella, his pride and joy, yet Y/N ...

The vibrant artist, the one that managed to effortlessly capture his heart without even trying, their seven year romance had been his most cherished memory, so much so that everytime she hosted a gallery, or even auctioned off an art piece to help with her local charities, he'd be the first to purchase and support albeit anonymously as he held a deep sense of regret for how they had lost touch.

Until ... the legends game.

Admittedly, he was afraid that Elizabeth -her closest friend- would not answer, hell if anything, he was afraid she'd hang up before he could even muster up a word, surprisingly she seemed receptive to the notion of attending the game, even more so, convincing Y/N to attend with her, but he had firmly believed that she would not attend the game, much less be open to speaking to him again after so long, however he was rather stunned when Elizabeth relayed the news of Y/N attending the game in a week from now.

The days felt like a lifetime, with each training session -his heart leapt with joy at the prospect of seeing her in the stands, hopefully cheering him on- so much so, that by the time the match was set in place and the team was warming up on the pitch, he couldn't help but glance around the masses of fans in hopes of catching a glimpse of her ...

Steven, his former teammate and close friend noted his antsy expression causing him to wonder, "Looking for someone?"

Fernando shakes his head, opting to deny it. "No."

"Really?" Steven retorts with an amused tone, "Cause I could've sworn that that's Y/N over there ..." he gestured to his left.

Fernando whipped his head so quick that Steven couldn't help but chuckle at him -indeed, to his left ... sat Elizabeth and Y/N at the fourth row, both of them dressed in Liverpool jerseys- Y/N was chatting to Elizabeth when all of a sudden their eyes locked and he could have sworn, he was transported back to 2007, his debut match where similar to now, she sat in the stands cheering the team on as loud as she could.

"Nando, ..." Steven chuckles, "You alright mate?"

"Yeah, yeah .." Fernando smiles.

· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·

"Oh my god ...!" Elizabeth exclaims.

Y/N sighs, she was certain what Elizabeth was about to say as she had noticed his eyes lingering at her every now and then during his warmups, "He wasn't staring!!"

"Uh huh ..." Elizabeth smirks, "That man was so distracted that Steven had to remind him."

"Can you just stop please?" Y/N glares at her.

Elizabeth laughs, "No I won't ..." she paused before adding, "How much do you want to bet that he'll score a goal?"

"Elizabeth ...!" Y/N exclaims with a tight lipped smile, "Can we watch the match please?"

· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·

The match was certainly a joy to watch for older fans whom have grown up with the legends playing, while the first half seemed off due to the reds conceding, it was the second half that seemed to turn things around, with a variety of talented individuals such as the likes Gregory Vignal, Djibril Cisse and Nabil El Zhar scoring goals to take the lead back from the Ajax legends, however it was the final goal that captured the attention of Anfield, including Y/N.

Fernando had swiftly managed to evade the Ajax legends defense to score an incredible fourth goal that sent the entirety of Anfield into a course of cheers, both Y/N and Elizabeth stood up and cheered with the fans as Fernando celebrated with his teammates, however what he did next had captured everyone's attention, he tilts his head towards Y/N and gives her a subtle nod.

Elizabeth noticed the gesture and said, "I told you ..." she squeals quietly, "I told you!!!" she giggles.

"Stop, he wasn't looking at me ..." Y/N retorts, albeit her blushing cheeks said otherwise.

This was their own special way of communicating, during the early stages of their relationship, whenever he scored, he'd look at her, nod and smile -not wanting to attract further attention towards her- as in her words, the notion of becoming a WAG at the time did not appeal to her, and he respected that.

After the match, Elizabeth had all but insisted that the pair wait next to her car instead of driving off which confused Y/N, "What are waiting for exactly?" she asks Elizabeth.

Elizabeth smiles softly, and gestures to her left, causing Y/N to turn to her left and there it was, Fernando was walking over to them, she turns to Elizabeth, "You sneaky bitch!"

"I got myself a ride so .... bye!" Elizabeth grins leaving the pair alone.

Y/N opened her mouth only to close it when Fernando finally stood in front of her, "Hi ..." she smiles.

"Hey!" he said breathlessly, a soft smile across his lips.

"You look ..." she trails off, with a shy smile.

"Sweaty ..." he laughs, "I know."

"I was going to say handsome but ..." she laughs.

The word falling ever so softly from her lips caused him to blush, and rub his neck gently. "Thank you." he paused for a moment before adding. "You look amazing ... very amazing actually."

"Oh please!" she giggles, waving off his compliment, "Hardly but thank you."

"You've always looked beautiful in my eyes ...." he said with a soft tone. "You looked beautiful back then, and you look even more beautiful now."

Her cheeks flush, and she looks away shyly for a brief moment before giggling, "Ok ... erm, do you ...?" she trails off, pausing as she wondered if he'd accept. "How long are you staying in Liverpool?"

Fernando pauses, for a bit before replying. "Two weeks before the pre season starts, why?"

"Maybe you'd like to get dinner sometimes, or just you know? ..." she smiles softly, "Spend time together, for old time's sake."

A soft yet shy smile appears on his lips before he replies, "Sure."

Her eyes light up, "Yeah?"

"Yeah?" he nods, "Is your number still the same?"

She nods quickly, "Uh huh ..."

"Then I'll call you ..." he smiles before gesturing to the bus, "I better head back, I'll see you later."

"Yes, ... you will." she waves, before entering her car, she took a brief moment to gather herself before grabbing her phone and texting Elizabeth.

I asked him out for dinner and he said yes.

A few minutes later, Elizabeth replies.

Ooooh get it girl!! I mean he's a walking DILF now so I wouldn't put it past you 😋😏💦

Y/N groans, then types back.

I hate you!! 🙂

Elizabeth types back,

Love you too xoxo 😘

⋆｡‧˚ʚ🍓ɞ˚‧｡⋆

This wasn’t a date, just two friends catching up, was what she reminded herself as she zipped up the beautiful cherry colored dress that seemed to fit her like a glove –her hair was curled to perfection, coupled with a beautiful yet elegant makeup look that topped her appearance off rather well– for a brief moment, she stares at her reflection in the mirror, hoping that it wasn’t too much.

Gosh Y/N, you’re the one who asked him to have dinner with you and now you’re worried, she internally chastised herself, then checked her appearance before thinking, I’ll just be myself, yeah myself …

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound the doorbell, Oh my god he’s here … a wave of sheer panic washes over here as she double checks her appearance before walking over to her door to open it, and there on the other side, stood Fernando dressed in a white dress shirt coupled with washed jeans, shoes and the unmistakable scent of his cologne that she still remembers.

"Hi!" she whispers with a soft smile.

He smiles back, "Hi, um …" he gently pushes the lavender and white roses bouquet, "These are for you," he added shyly.

Her eyes widen and cheeks flush at the sight of the beautiful set of flowers, "Oh!" she exclaims, grasping the bouquet. "Thank you,"

"No need, I chose these because they mean a second chance …" he trails off with a soft tone.

"A second chance?" she repeats, mirroring his soft tone.

"Yes," he nods, "A second chance to …" he trails off, looking away shyly before looking back up. "Make things right!"

A brief wave of silence washes over them before she pipes up, "Shall we?"

"Yeah, yeah …" he nods, leading her out of the flat. "I got us a reservation at the Italian place we used to go to."

"It’s still open!" she giggles.

"Surprisingly, yes." he smiles. "It’ll be just like old times …"

"Yeah," she repeats, "Just like old times."

The drive to the restaurant was surprisingly silent for the most part with a few brief words exchanged in between, "Your art has been quite impressive!" he exclaims.

"Thank you, … it’s crazy to think that twenty years ago, I was just starting out." she remarked with a gentle smile.

"And here you are, a renowned talented artist." he smiles, "who's also beautiful ..." he added quietly unaware that she had heard him.

They arrive to the restaurant forty five minutes later, and just as she was about to open her door, Fernando all but bolts to her side of the car, opening the passenger door for her.

She giggled. "Nando, I can open my door."

"I know but humor me please, ... you always loved it when I opened the door for you." he reminds her with a soft tone.

Her lips curl up at the vivid memories of their date nights where indeed, she'd melt entirely from how gentlemanly he was towards her. "I did ..." she murmurs softly.

They walk up to the host, "We have a reservation under the name Torres!" Fernando exclaims with a polite smile.

"Ah yes ... right this way sir!"

The host leads them to a private booth, resulting in her remarking. "Nando, don't you think it's a bit too much?"

"No," he shrugs before adding. "It's fitting to the most beautiful woman I know."

"Damn you and your charming tone!" she laughs softly.

"Oh please!" he laughs as well, "You love it."

The pair sit across from one another, and a few minutes later -a waiter arrives with two menus, stating that he'd return to get their orders- he nods in thanks, before glancing back at her and stating, "What do you say? should we get our classic order."

"Fettucine Alfredo with a side of Eggplant Parmesan." she recalled their favorite dishes to order.

"With lemonade ..." he adds with a soft tone.

"Gosh!" she breaths out a soft laugh. "It's like we're back to where we were."

"Except we're older now," he replies.

The waiter comes back, they order their meals -just then, Fernando turns to her, unable to resist saying- "You know, ..." he began with a soft tone, "I regret how we lost touch back then."

Her eyes soften as she recalls how their initial promise to remain in contact following their split had dwindled due to life and other obligations, "Nando ..." she whispers.

He sighs, "When I'd see your missed calls, or messages ... I wanted to respond," he paused, choking back a sob. "I really did but ..." he looks at her, "I never had the courage to, I just figured you hated me and no longer wanted to contact me."

"Oh Fer ..." she sighs, "I ... I never hated you."

"You should have, ... I closed our chapter and just, moved on like you were never there." he murmurs with a dejected tone.

She laughs, "That's just life," she reached over and grasped his hand. "I never hated you, I was upset ... because the first and only man I ever loved, had slipped through my fingers, I don't blame you for no longer speaking to me, if anything I blame life but hey ..." she smiles, "There's an upside, you have two amazing kids who you should be very proud of."

He smiles, "I am ..."

"Good, and now look at us, two old souls reconnecting," she beams before jokingly adding, "Except I actually look old and you look just better than before."

"Stop it!" he chuckles, "You look gorgeous, I mean the blonde hair back then looked amazing now but now, the brunette hair just makes you look more angelic."

"Again, damn you and your charming tone ..." she giggles. "How is it that you aged like fine wine both inside and out?"

"I guess it's cause I never stopped loving you." he remarks.

Her eyes widen, "What?" she whispers.

"Yes, I never stopped loving you Y/N, twenty years only made my love stronger and it would actually ... make me happy if we could." he paused, looking away shyly before adding, "If we could try again?"

The prospect of diving back into a romantic relationship following her disastrous marriage was definitely tricky, that wasn't to say that she did not love Fernando, she actually never stopped loving him but the mere idea was definitely a murky one to dive into, "I ... I don't know what to say, but ... maybe we can um."

Noting her hesitation, he rushed to say. "I don't want to force you, or ask you to jump back in but ..." he gulped, "The fact of the matter is, that ... I never stopped loving you Y/N, Mariana even knew it, so much so that when we finalized the divorce, she advised me to seek you out, knowing that my happiness is with you."

Now that was a shift, usually -a wife, or an ex wife for that matter would be jealous of the notion that their partner/former partner would find love elsewhere- "She did?"

"Yeah, so I guess what I actually mean is ..." he said with a soft tone. "Let's take it slow, rediscover our friendship to go back to how things were."

"I don't know, I ... I'm scared of us not working out, especially because of the long distance, cause ..." she sighs, "My life is here in Liverpool, and your life is in Madrid."

He sighs, "I know but, I want to try ... I missed you gavilán, so much."

Her heart ached at his tone, coupled with the nickname he gave her at the early stages of their relationship. "I missed you too."

"Just think about it?" he asks her, "My number is still the same, I'll answer you through social media too, just ... I can't lose you again gavilán, please." he whispers the last part.

She remained silent for a brief moment before nodding, "Ok!" she exclaims.

His eyes light up, "Good, good!"

Following their date, he drives her back home, a wave of comfortable silence fell between the pair until he arrived to her building, and just before she left the car, she turns to him. "Nando?"

"Yeah?" he replies with a soft tone.

She leans over, pressing a gentle featherlight kiss to his lips which both stunned and had him melting like snow on the first day of spring, he placed his hand on her hip as the kiss lasted for about a minute before she pulled away, and whispered. "Goodnight!"

"Goodnight!" he smiled, watching her exit his car then disappear inside.

He wasn't certain how things would go in the coming days, but a part of him truly believed that she'd say yes, as ... you never forget your first love.

[kraeki]

As you’ve no doubt gathered from social media, Konaté is a hugely popular member of the Liverpool FC dressing room. He has a brilliant sense of humour, a love of anime and manga shared with team mates such as Ryan Gravenberch - who celebrated his first Premier League goal at Fulham FC with a ‘Divine Dogs’ celebration from Jujutsu Kaisen - and rooms are rarely quiet when Ibou is about! But if the Reds’ No.5 had to pick his best mates at LFC, who would they be?

“I have a lot of friends in the team, so many mates! We are really together as a team and that is great. It is not like this at every club in the world. My best mates here are…Robertson, Cody Gakpo…oh everyone! It is better I stop now because I have so many friends in this team!”

[suresne]

Paul McCartney Character Sheet (Disco Elysium)

4 INTELLECT / 2 PSYCHE (+1 SUGGESTION) / 1 PHYSIQUE / 5 MOTORICS

SKILL LIST (canon equivalent in [brackets] where applicable)

INT (4)

LOGIC: Put that classical grammar school education to work. Exercise those brain cells!

SONGBOOK [ENCYCLOPEDIA]: Keeps track of important trivia. Mostly music related, but there’s some miscellaneous facts crammed in the margins, as well.

DIPLOMACY [RHETORIC]: Powers of speech and persuasion. Because your way is usually the best way, especially if you can make someone else think it was their way all along.

MACH SCHAU [DRAMA]: (German: “Put on a show!”) Performance skill. Croon seductively into the microphone or scream your head off. Either way, the crowd is gonna go wild.

CONCEPTUALIZATION: The art criticism skill. Ability to see and understand the big picture and come up with ambitious creative projects.

BALLADEER [VISUAL CALCULUS]: Songwriting skill. Song lyrics form in your head based on current events and your surroundings and take on a life of their own in the world as you go about your day.

PSY (2+1*)

MAJOR KEY [VOLITION]: Ability to look on the bright side, even when things are looking grim. Keep your Morale up.

LOOKING GLASS [INLAND EMPIRE]: The creative mindset. Causes you to notice things others might not: perhaps even the supernatural. Greatly enhanced by mind-altering substances. Shared skill with songwriting partner John Lennon.

EMPATHY: Self-explanatory. The ability to not just understand another person’s pain, but to experience it yourself. Often felt and expressed through song.

MANAGER [AUTHORITY]: The leadership skill. After all, someone has to be the grown-up around here.

FOUR-HEADED MONSTER [ESPRIT DE CORPS]: Beatle mindreading. All 4 Beatles have this skill and use it to communicate amongst themselves, to the frequent chagrin and confusion of outsiders.

SUGGESTION*: Your signature skill. This skill makes you irresistible. The ability to charm others and thereby influence their behavior to get what you want.

FYS (1)

RHYTHM SECTION [ENDURANCE]: As the bassman, it’s your job to keep that deep pulse going. If you stop, then everything falls apart, and what happens then? Shared skill with Ringo, the drummer. 

NOLI ME TANGERE [PAIN THRESHOLD]: (Latin: “Touch me not.”) The rockstar life isn’t for the faint of heart. You need to be able to take a certain amount of abuse—mental, emotional, and physical. How better to survive than to keep yourself at arm’s length from the people and things around you?

SCOUSER [PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT]: You may not be brawny, but you’re scrappy. You grew up playing in old bomb shelters by the docks of Liverpool. You cut your teeth in the red light district of Hamburg. You’re no fookin’ pansy. Defend yourself. Shared skill with all 4 Beatles.

AMPLIFIER [ELECTROCHEMISTRY]: Turn it up. Way up. Drown out everything else. The sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll skill.

THE UNDERGROUND [SHIVERS]: The London art and music scene is abuzz with activity, and you thrive in its streets, galleries, clubs, and happenings. You always have a pulse on London’s Place to Be, because The Place to Be is wherever *you* are, whether you like it or not.

FEEDBACK [HALF LIGHT]: The coping skill. For when things are going off the rails and you’re hanging on for dear life. Exert control over the situation or distance yourself from it completely. Those are your only two options.

MOT (5)

VOCAL VIRTUOSO [HAND/EYE COORDINATION]: Your vocal dexterity: go from falsetto, to chest voice, to growls, screams, belts, and yells. Makes you a beast of vocal performance. 

PERCEPTION: Self-explanatory. Your senses: how perceptive you are.

DOUBLE TIME [REACTION SPEED]: Your sharp reflexes and quick wits mean you can turn on a dime, and very little escapes your notice. By the time those around you realize what’s happening, you’ve already gotten a read on the whole situation. 

CALLUSES [SAVOIR FAIRE]: The acrobatics skill. You’ve always been a bit of a show-off and a daredevil. Scamper and climb to your heart’s content—just don’t look down.

SOUTHPAW [INTERFACING]: The ability to master almost any musical instrument with ease. Left-handed, of course.

COMPOSURE: Your poker face and sense of put-together-ness. Look good for the cameras and the fans. 

[player1064]

Hi! All such great carraville drabbles so far! If you’re still doing them, may I request them coming out publicly and the various reactions of news broadcasters, other ex/current footballers and of course, the internet. Thanks!

aaa thank you!!! and yessss I love fics where it's public reaction to stuff and i LOVE multi-media type fics so this was fun to write (even though i am much too lazy to come up with fake twitter usernames)

---

Group: MU mob

Phillip: forwarded an instagram post by gneville2 Phillip: ???

Gary: what Gary: do u think I was too nice to him in the caption Gary: I can edit it to add something about scousers maybe Gary: or how he never won the league

Phillip: you and Carragher???

Gary: ?

Paul: whyd u make me look at that rot first thing in the morning Paul: put me off my breakfast that did

Ryan: im not installing instagram for this whats he done now

Nicky: ^

Phillip: he’s dating Carragher?????

Ryan: where have u been for the last 2 years its literally all he talks about

Phillip: America! I have been! In! America! Phillip: Gaz I can’t believe you told them and not me?

Paul: I wish he hadnt told us to be fair Paul: they r so annoying

Gary: sorry phil I mustve forgot Gary: timezones etc Gary: gtg we’re having breakfast before he has to head to studio 🥞😍

David: nice post Gary 😊🏳️‍🌈 Happy for you x

Chat: Stevie G

Missed call from Stevie

Stevie: Carra

Missed call from Stevie

Stevie: Jamie Lee Duncan Carragher Stevie: pick up your damn phone Stevie: you are shit at this best friend thing yknow Stevie: also Gary Neville??? Stevie: you were moaning about him when I called you just last week Stevie: but if he makes you happy that’s alright then Stevie: tell him he’s buying me a pint next time I’m home Stevie: in liverpool mind Stevie: don’t care if you love him you won’t see me in pub in manchester

The Daily Mail

LIVERPOOL AND MAN UTD LEGENDS JAMIE CARRAGHER AND GARY NEVILLE REVEAL GAY RELATIONSHIP?

Former rivals turned co-pundits posted Valentine’s day messages on their Instagram accounts which appear to show an intimate relationship between the two men, who were both married to women for over ten years. Neither has responded for comment.

Comments:

> they’re the worst pundits on sky anyway they don’t even try to hide the bias for their teams

> gary neville’s always trying to bring politics into everything rishi was right he should stick to football!

> well I will be getting my commentary from MOTD moving forward. wish I could cancel sky sports but can’t afford to miss all the match coverage so they will be getting a strongly worded letter from me instead.

The Guardian

OPINION: IT’S 2024. WHY HAS THE FOOTBALL WORLD NOT CAUGHT UP?

There are still no openly gay players in the top tier of the men’s game. Now that two retired premier league footballers have come out, we have to ask: why is this headline news?

Both Liverpool and Manchester United football clubs have posted messages in support of Neville & Carragher, and so have many current and former players. But it begs the question why they thought that support might not be implicit, or why the two pundits had to publicly “come out” at all.

Comments:

> tbh I didn’t even know who they were until I saw Beckham’s ig story 💀

> surprised Gerrard’s not said anything, thought he and Carragher were mates >>> probably can’t if he wants to keep his manager contract $$$

> the guardian: why is the media making a fuss about two ex-footballers coming out? the guardian: is part of the media making a fuss about two ex-footballers coming out…

Twitter

Sports - Trending Gary Neville 264k tweets

Jamie Carragher 151k tweets

@.1111 they’ve been obsessed with each other for years is anyone really surprised

@.222 ngl I thought Gary Neville was already out as gay? You’re telling me people have believed he’s straight this whole time??

@.333 it’s giving slow burn enemies to lovers 150k words…

@.444 sky already wheels the two of them out together whenever they need to promote ANYTHING I bet it’s gonna get 10x worse now

Chat: J ❤️

G 👹👸: good luck on show tonight G 👹👸: no vday dinner :( G 👹👸: I shall have to waste away and pine instead G 👹👸: drown my sorrows etc

J ❤️: should be back to hotel by 1 at the latest J ❤️: I know that’s past ur bedtime old man so don’t wait up

G 👹👸: I will be up (😉😉) and ready to give you your dessert 😘 G 👹👸: might have a cheeky nap before though to be fair

[kotromanichh]

So many delusional takes in the Kylian tag:

1. Barca fans and their "we have no front 3, he should come here and make it his own". He wont! Your broke ass is no ones problem but yours. He also doesn't like you. And he loves getting paid, so forget it!

2. Jude fangirls and their nonsense. ARE YOU SCARED?? Sounds like it. Real Madrid is a football club, not a Mr. Universe nor a popularity contest, you get that, right?! Right?! Kylian wins both, tho. Florentino Perez knows what he's doing, adding the best football player and biggest football star to his team. Sorry to break it to you delulus, but Kylian is in a league with CR, Messi and Ney, not with the Judes and Vinies of the world, put some respect! (I do like Vini & Jude, as I like Real a lot, and they are top top top ballers, but Kylian is a level above).

3. The team, Real Madrid, will be fine, I don't see any issues, they always had the biggest stars, Florentino knows how to deal with them, plus Madrid is so BIG that it keeps even the biggest egos in check. There is no one and nothing in football bigger than Real Madrid, and I say that as an life long Arsenal fan!

4. Arsenal and Liverpool links- never gonna happen. The only thing less likely than Kylian going to AFC or LFC, is him going to Barcelona. No truth in that, whatsoever.

5. I'm just happy that he FINALLY gets his dream move, and wish him success and happiness, he worked hard for this!