With all the talk of supporters confronting owners, reports of a manager bidding to run the club from the shop floor, a title challenge that isn't over just yet and the departure of a boyhood Red who was used as a pawn in a game between the club's hierarchy, losing a familiar face and voice puts things all into perspective.
After all the ecstasy, delight and relief of the final five minutes of Sunday's game, City Sport held their obligatory post-match phone in. Charing the debate, as ever, was Phil Easton; a veteran of Merseyside radio and a regular fixture at Anfield for the best part of a decade.
For the past few years at half time you would always hear George Sephton, Anfield's resident DJ, say, "And now we go to pitch side and Radio City's Phil Easton". Never again will we hear those words uttered in our lifetimes because Phil died suddenly at his home yesterday afternoon of a heart attack.
As tedious as the Academy's Player of the Month awards he presided over were, and as half-arsed as the applause was, you can't help but think how different things will be now that he's gone.
Someone drew my attention to an article dating back to 2001 on a supporters' website which openly criticised Easton's duties as a matchday announcer. He came in for a lot of stick across the board for, amongst other things, playing Frankie Goes To Hollywood's 'Two Tribes' instead of You'll Never Walk Alone before Liverpool's opening game of the 2000/01 season. This was seen as a massive insult to the traditions of the club to remove our anthem from proceedings. A matchday at Anfield without You'll Never Walk Alone might as well be Liverpool without the colour red. It's part of our traditions and our heritage. Phil had made a lasting impression but not the one he'd hoped for as an unashamed Red.
Reading over the article again, one part stuck out more than most:
What infuriated me more was that afterwards, Easton was actually quoted as saying; “I wanted to try something different”. In fairness, it was a comment made in response to an understandably fierce backlash by some of the Anfield faithful, I just wish there were more who would register their dislike of this Phil Easton roadshow.
Perhaps Phil was trying to be his own man instead of toeing the party line. It's a pity that he decided on the one thing that wouldn't win him any favours and he won't be forgiven for it but no one would wish such a death on him.
He was one of those Merseyside broadcasters that seemed to be content with life in the area instead of moving onto pastures new. Voices came and went; Tony Snell and Simon Davies - to name but two, but you could always guarantee that come Saturday afternoon Radio City or (City FM as it was when I first knew it) that Phil Easton would be on air. Every weekend you could find him in the press box at either Goodison Park or Anfield, fielding the calls from the post match knee-jerkers to the likes of Barry Horne, Graeme Sharp, Ian St John and John Aldridge. No doubt I'll feel the same way about his opposite number at BBC Radio Merseyside, the dithering Alan Jackson, when he's gone. It doesn't matter how much you dislike these people, you can't help but feel some sadness about their passing.
There will be a strange air around Anfield for our game against Manchester City on February 22. There will be a few who will still be waiting to hear Phil announcing the teams before kick off, forgetting that he's gone.
You only have to look at the tributes on the websites of Radio City and Magic 1548 to see how much he will be missed.
Rest In Peace Phil
You'll Never Walk Alone
