We had been getting some bad results, now it is up to us to make up the ground and catch Manchester United.

After taking temporary charge last season he took us from looking down at the fringes of another relegation scrap, to within a kick of getting into Europe.

The treble parade would have been the most perfect moment of my footballing life, but for the two people standing behind me, clearly already plotting their next move.

It sounds mercenary and it smacks of rats leaving the sinking ship, ... But get real, when everyone is bailing out, you don't want to be the last man standing.

[As revealing as anything in Fowler's autobiography is the claim that his financial advisor, George Scott, encouraged Peter Ridsdale to walk away when the bidding reached double figures. It was, he said, a crazy price, but on November 29 the deal was done.] If they had been a bit tougher in the transfer market, they could have got me for half that, ... It was crazy and maybe typical of what was going on.

Last season I counted four fingers at them for the number of European Cups Liverpool had won. Next time, I can just stick my whole hand up.