Mickey Thomas having a go at City
Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 8:21 pmMickey Thomas giving his totally unbiased an neutral viewpoint...
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpoo ... 5759020/2/
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpoo ... 5759020/2/
MANCHESTER was the place to be last week.
Or so we were told.
It may have escaped the notice of those beyond Merseyside that another match took place on the night United and City locked horns for the second leg of the Carling Cup semi-final.
While Everton were beating Sunderland 2-0 at Goodison Park, most eyes were fixed 35 miles east on what one excitable commentator described as ‘the biggest derby in the country.’
Gary Neville and Carlos Tevez’s public tiff provided the fuel that fed the frenzy. The rest was left to the usual suspects who drooled over, what in fairness, wasn’t a bad game of football.
But the biggest derby in the country all of a sudden?
‘There’s nothing like it in London and there’s certainly nothing like it in Liverpool anymore,’ enthused the ‘expert.’
If we ignore United’s £700 million-plus debt, Manchester may now lay claim to two of the richest clubs in the world.
But, according to a man who knows a thing or two about derby games at both ends of the East Lancs Road, that doesn’t necessarily equate to claiming the kind of bragging rights suddenly being bandied about.
As a boyhood Everton fan who grew up to play for the club – albeit briefly – Mickey Thomas enjoyed the best days of a long and colourful career at Old Trafford.
You might expect him to jump on the cream of Manchester bandwagon therefore, but the outspoken radio pundit is having none of it.
“So just because City have got a few bob they’re suddenly up there at the top?’” queries Thomas.
“United have bigger games against Liverpool and Everton. They certainly provide a better, more hostile atmosphere than City.
“I’m sorry to say it but City simply aren't in the same league as Everton or Liverpool in that respect.
“United’s games against Liverpool and Everton are a different proposition. They present hostile situations that are different to the Manchester derby.“But the Merseyside derby is renowned for its awesome atmosphere.
“I don’t care what people say about the Old Firm derby. They’ve lost a lot of what made that special. As for London derbies, they don’t compare.
“For me, the Merseyside derby has got to be right up there at the top.”
In other words it takes more than big bucks to make a big club.
With cash scarce on both sides of Stanley Park, that’s just as well.
Supporters at another of his former clubs, Chelsea, will disagree but, for Thomas, it’s tradition and, crucially, success that make derby games special.
“Because a club acquires vast amounts of money they suddenly believe they have the right to go out and behave like a Man United, Everton or Liverpool? Clubs with real history.
“You’re not just entitled to that. You have to earn it.
“You don’t just get that in one or two years. You get it because of your history. Liverpool, Everton and Man United are in the same sort of league in terms of that history.
“You can’t buy heritage and history. I’ve got little respect for that approach.
“Go back through Liverpool’s history to Bill Shankly. It’s phenomenal.
“You get that from being successful and winning trophies over time. That goes right back through your Shankly’s, Fagan’s and Paisley’s.”
Everton versus Liverpool may be the biggest derby in the country for Thomas but it doesn’t necessarily equate to the biggest game.
Blues may want to look away now.
“It’s got to be Liverpool-Man United for me,” he admits.
“You can forget about Chelsea and Arsenal too.
“Both clubs have a massive history of being successful.
“Liverpool and United are both on that level.
“Having something to go back and look at gives you that credibility. It’s all there to be seen.”
Thomas played in Manchester, Midlands and London derbies but never a Merseyside derby.
After Howard Kendall took him from Old Trafford to Goodison Park in 1981, the Wales international’s Blues career was cut short when he refused to turn out for the reserves after just 11 first team appearances.
“That was a massive regret for me,” reveals Thomas.
“I was about seven days away from playing against Liverpool for Everton.
“But I took the wrong road and received the ultimate punishment when I refused to turn up for that reserve game.
“That was pretty much my time up at Everton before it had really begun.
“Because of that I never had the pleasure of getting involved in a Merseyside derby.
“So, yes, it was one of my biggest regrets. I would have loved to have played for Everton against Liverpool. Even now when I speak to Sharpey (Graeme) and he tells me just how fired up everyone used to get for the derby, I know I’ve missed something special.”
Work commitments will find Thomas at United’s game against Portsmouth on Saturday. But that won’t stop him keeping abreast of events at Anfield.
“I grew up supporting Everton,” he says. “They were my team and I’ve still got a lot of time for them. I always look out for them.
“What David Moyes has done there is incredible.
“They were unlucky not to win the last derby in November but will feel they can get a result at Anfield.
“Merseyside derbies are often very tight and both managers have a reputation for organising their teams well.
“I can’t see a lot of goals in the game. It’s a hard one to call and could even be a goalless draw.
“But I don’t see Everton losing if they play the way they have been recently.
“Liverpool need to win though. They’ve had their problems this season so maybe a derby win can see things pick up for them.”