On the eve of the first Merseyside ‘Derby’ of the season, it is perhaps inevitable to reminisce about the ‘glory years’. The 60’s, 70’s and most particularly in the 80’s our city’s football clubs dominated the English game with some aplomb. There were regular Liverpool vs. Everton Wembley occasions. How we laughed as we sang in unison ‘Are you watching Manchester…’ before breaking into a raucous chant of ‘Merseyside, Mesrseyside, Merseyside’.

Unfortunately the 90’s were not so kind to our clubs, and though the start of twenty first century has seen an improvement, this season has been awful for Blues and Reds alike.

Liverpool’s elimination from the Champions League this week will cost them an estimated £30 million. Already struggling to finance the strengthening of the squad, Liverpool’s big fear now must be a failure to qualify for next years Champions League.

With other Premier League teams, most notably Manchester City, investing heavily in their squad, the unthinkable may well happen. The financial cost to both Liverpool Football Club, and to the city were that to happen, would be huge.

Despite planning permission being granted some years ago for the building of a ‘new Anfield’ at Stanley Park, the economic downturn has seen those plans shelved for the foreseeable future. That may be reasonable for the Football Club; but is it fair to the residents of Walton, who live in an area that is in desperate need of regeneration.

Across the park, and Everton’s week both on and off the field has been dreadful. Defeat at Hull City leaves the club just four points above the relegation zone. As the team were going down to defeat at the KC Stadium, news was breaking that the government had rejected Everton’s proposal to develop a new stadia in Kirkby.

The state of Everton’s finances is well documented, and in the absence of a new investor taking over the Goodison outfit anytime soon, it is difficult to see where the money is coming from to add players to an injury plagued squad in January, let alone have the financial muscle to produce a fresh plan for a new ground.

In the background, England is putting together its bid to host the 2018 World Cup Finals. Can anyone seriously suggest that either Goodison Park or Anfield are fit for purpose venues for that competition?

The ground share option is once again being mooted. In business terms, it makes good sense. Everton appear open to discussion, Liverpool not so keen. Tribalism may well get in the way of any such proposal.

But, with football such a key economic and cultural asset in the city, the council has a duty to at least initiate a discussion between both parties. Indeed, they have a responsibility to the residents of Walton at the very least, to have a timetable of redevelopment in place sooner rather than later; and they should not be shy in pushing LFC for genuine commitments in that regard.

One final point on the Kirkby issue. We keep being told by our political leaders that there is greater collaboration and co-operation across the city region. The evidence would suggest otherwise. There is not one cross border sub- regional project that has been successfully delivered. Shameful is the politest word to describe such failure.