Uncle Audley considers the Generosity of Spirit.

Uncle Audley had been reading in the football press about Manchester United and their former estranged Argentinean star, Gabriel Heinze when I saw him last. He reminded me that Heinze wanted to leave Manchester United and join Liverpool. Manchester United were prepared to let him go but to any team other than Liverpool, and eventually he joined Real Madrid. As usual Uncle Audley proceeded to give his take on the issue.

“I don’t want to get into the contractual issues of whether there was a clause there when Heinze signed the contract. There is also the issue that he is under contract at the moment and he is seeking to break it. There are also issues regarding restraint of trade. All looks to be a very good earner for the lawyers”.

“I am not sure if you know this, my boy, but there is a long history of Manchester United not selling players to Liverpool. Did you know that the last transfer from Manchester United to Liverpool took place in 1964. It was an England under 23 international called Phil Chisnall who had played well for Manchester United for a number of years and who then joined Liverpool. He only played a handful of games for the Scousers before moving onto a team much closer to us, Southend United. I guess you have to be getting on a bit in years to recall this.

Those of us with longer memories still might go back to 1946. In that year the Liverpool board decided, somewhat reluctantly, to let one of their long serving players leave and try his hand in football management. The team he was going to manage were Manchester United and that player’s name was Matt Busby. The rest is history”.

Date:11 September 2007