The Docherty Effect

Born 76 'Currently living the -' until.......... Any views expressed on twitter are those of my right fingers or thumb.

[The Docherty Effect @dochers1176]

Thoughts of Saturday have got me all excited. Can’t wait to get back … #lfc

[The Docherty Effect @dochers1176]

@richardajkeys Its happened, I’ve found myself agreeing with Richard Keys on the City piece at least.. Everton were likely less 💩because they broke PSR rules

[Gareth Roberts @robbohuyton]

"In modern business language, supporters are the custodians of a football club’s identity. The atmosphere, culture, stories and emotional pull that make football clubs globally valuable don’t come from spreadsheets. They come from people."

🔗 https://t.co/c59LStx0Qk

[The Docherty Effect @dochers1176]

@stescott82 It set the benchmark for me that, that little else has reached, but yeah, I’ve plotted a few games I want to watch now too

[The Docherty Effect @dochers1176]

So far so good.. football is the reality but being genuine and saying the right thing is great starting point… plus some key squad components to aid him..

[Liverpool FC @LFC]

Andoni Iraola has felt the ‘crazy’ power of Anfield as an opponent – and cannot wait to have it backing him as our head coach �Andoni Iraola has felt the ‘crazy’ power of Anfield as an opponent – and cannot wait to have it backing him as our head coach �Andoni Iraola has felt the ‘crazy’ power of Anfield as an opponent – and cannot wait to have it backing him as our head coach �Andoni Iraola has felt the ‘crazy’ power of Anfield as an opponent – and cannot wait to have it backing him as our head coach �Andoni Iraola has felt the ‘crazy’ power of Anfield as an opponent – and cannot wait to have it backing him as our head coach �Andoni Iraola has felt the ‘crazy’ power of Anfield as an opponent – and cannot wait to have it backing him as our head coach 💪

[The Redmen TV @TheRedmenTV]

🗣️ Andoni Iraola: “I am really excited, really excited. Because obviously you know about Liverpool, you know that it’s a big club, a massive club, one of the biggest in the world.

“But feeling inside and understanding a little bit more of this club, I always thought it’s a special club. You don’t need a lot of things to get attracted by Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool.

“But obviously the atmosphere, the supporters, the club, the players, the chance for me to coach top-level players, the chance to fight for titles. I think it cannot be more attractive than this. It’s difficult to find it. So, really excited to start!”

[The Docherty Effect @dochers1176]

@stuartheynes Think it was because of you tbf

[The Docherty Effect @dochers1176]

Do you remember when you joined X? I do! #MyXAnniversary @stuartheynes remembered that

[The Docherty Effect @dochers1176]

Hey @grok so what’s this articles top 5

[The Times and Sunday Times @thetimes]

Fearing for his child’s prospects, a Microsoft veteran dug into the data and found the jobs to avoid and skills to develop. Wait and see is not an option, he writes

[The Docherty Effect @dochers1176]

@Scally43 @stehoare Didn’t look same colour to me from the front of the Kop. I put it down to pattern and no pattern

[Mark Goldbridge @markgoldbridge]

Emery has won the Europa League 5 times and with three separate clubs. But they all have Villa in the name

[The Docherty Effect @dochers1176]

@Neduszn8 Jimmy Carter

[Kieran Maguire @KieranMaguire]

Joao Pedro, who left a club of the stature of 'small club' Brighton for Chelsea to enhance his chances of being picked for the 2026 Brazil World Cup squad, fails to make the cut and is overlooked in favour of strikers from Brentford and Bournemouth.

[Troll Football @TrollFootball]

USA 2026 World Cup summed up in a single frame

[The Docherty Effect @dochers1176]

*MATCH IN PADELHUB RH17 CRAWLEY* the buzz is real..

📅 Friday 15, 16:00 (90min)
📍 Crawley

https://t.co/6pFBQa5Ijr

[Ste Hoare @stehoare]

I think it’s probably just a foul but can that really be classed as a clear and obvious error if it takes that long to sort out!?

[Adam Crafton @AdamCrafton_]

After 20 replays and in slow motion, we have a clear and obvious error?

[Mark Goldbridge @markgoldbridge]

Arsenal fan outside the Emirates demanding a gold cup for being unbeaten if they win the Champions League just typifies this bravado era. ELEVEN other clubs have already won it unbeaten. Respect the trophy you've never won before covering it in a Yorkie Wrapper

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Liverpool fans’ success in getting the club to re-think elements of their ticketing strategy will resonate across football. Most clubs have done their ticketing announcements but will note Liverpool’s climbdown. Fans of other clubs will see that well-organised protests work, especially those designed for maximum exposure and embarrassment. Others already have: West Ham fans conducted a successful campaign over the club’s attack on concessions.

Some boards’ behaviour, treating crowds as cash cows, is offensive and counter-productive. It’s wrong for boards to ignore that many fans are hurting given the cost-of-living crisis. It’s wrong to go for multi-year increases. It’s morally wrong and commercially naïve to alienate your most loyal fans. Respect them and they will spend more in the store. Think.

It’s hypocritical when clubs emerged from lockdown, and the soulless, soundless games behind closed doors, promising to appreciate fans more. They did - for a while. It’s also stupid of boards to price out fans who generate the backdrop in sound and vision that TV pays fortunes for. Fans are part of the Premier League spectacle. Tourists are good for the club shop but not for atmosphere. Fans should lobby broadcasters to make clubs see sense.

Clubs brief that hikes are required to cover fees and wages of the stars that fans crave, to improve facilities in the stadium and to guard against PSR breaches. It’s spin. Liverpool would be generating only a reported £1.5m to £2m extra a year from the original planned increases at a club which spent £33m on agents’ fees in a year. That raked in £174.9m from Premier League prize money. That had revenue of £703m last year.

Liverpool fans, ably organised and mobilised by Spirit of Shankly, firmly made their point to club owners Fenway Sports Group with banners “FSG GR££D” and “NO TO TICKET PRICE INCREASES” along the bottom of the Kop during the recent Crystal Palace game. Fans held up yellow cards (75,000 were printed apparently) carrying messages about Fenway. Pictures were immediately posted on social media and beamed by TV around the world. Messaging is instant nowadays.

The campaign was sophisticated. Organisers also targeted club coffers with their “not a pound in the ground” campaign to encourage fans to spend their match-day money away from Anfield. During games, they chanted “you greedy b*st*rds, enough is enough”. It was a PR disaster for FSG and the club. And probably expensive financially given fans’ snubbing of in-stadium outlets.

A club historically celebrated for its bond with fans looked unthinking and unfeeling. It needs acknowledging that, overall, John W Henry and FSG have proved good owners – they’ve redeveloped Anfield, added to the squad and to the trophy cabinet. But they occasionally fail to read the room. They fail to listen to good advice.

They have made this mistake fairly spectacularly before – on the high ticket prices in the redeveloped Main Stand in 2016, seeing 12,000 fans walk out during a game in protest, and backing the European Super League in 2021, bringing a backlash from fans (and players). They backtracked on both. Now they have spoken to fans, heard the concerns and made a U-turn. GA prices will rise 3% for 26/27, but are frozen for 27/28, instead of three seasons fixed to inflation.

Clubs have to understand that many fans are feeling the pinch, that even the movement of a kick-off time has a knock-on effect to travel plans and costs, that even geo-politics affects those driving to games with petrol more expensive. Fans are also having to pay for more subscription channels.

A club’s own costs would be slightly more manageable if they were collectively more sensible in resisting wage inflation – make salaries even more performance-related - and more clubs made the pathway easier from academy to first team. And listen to fans’ groups before risking own goals. You’re on the same side. #LFC

[Chris @CWeatherspoon_]

Puskás Aréna holds 67,215. Arsenal allocated 16,824 General Admission tickets (25%)

It's long been normalised but it should still be called out: only half the tickets in a final going to fans of the competing teams is avaricious, shames football and, simply, just wrong

[The Docherty Effect @dochers1176]

@Neduszn8 Didi, McManaman, Fowler