Pictures: The mall in Manchester, Old Trafford, the team in the changing room and eating Fish and Chips saying goodbye to Frank
The trip is finally catching up to many of our boys, as hour long trip to Manchester in the morning was lost on many of them as they slept throughout the bus. They spent the morning and lunchtime taking care of their final gift purchases in one of the nicest malls any of us have ever seen. Coach Parry and Douglass sat down for an hour long “chat” with Frank about the unique aspects of the Liverpool club, we both felt like grandson’s listening to Grandpa’s great stories. Coach Parry will be set for the next ten years with Liverpool stories to share with his friends and family.
We then coached off to Old Trafford, which the pictures above don’t do justice to the magnitude of the 76,000 seat stadium. Far different in every way to Anfield, Old Trafford felt like an American stadium at points, with the recessed seating where you’re farther away from the field. We were able to walk where the Premiership winners from last year eat their pre-game meal, hang out with their friends and family in the lounge and sit where Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo sit in the changing rooms.
We left a rainy Manchester back to Liverpool for our final match of our tour against Rainhill United JFC at the same field we’ve played the previous two games- an all weather surface thankfully as it rained throughout the game. We gave up a goal about 15 minutes into the first half and couldn’t get it back, even during a very strong finish over the last 10 minutes, to lose 1-0. Our trainer for the week, Karl Robinson, said Rainhill is one of the best amateur teams in Liverpool, so the guys have much to proud of as they competed at a high level all week. Following the game Frank fulfilled the boy’s request for Fish and Chips, which were fantastic, and he and Karl gave a few words to the guys about the week. Our Varsity veterans Ian Hoagland and Jay La Vatola returned the favor and gave a few stories about how Frank took care of the team this week before giving him a Lake Forest pennant, which the team signed, and a LF soccer shirt.
We returned to pack our bags to head back to London, via Stratford on Avon, tomorrow morning.
Coach Douglass and Coach Parry
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