I’LL NEVER FORGET THAT BARK

RONNIE had a great heart, cared passionately about Liverpool Football Club and the players there. He taught me everything in my early years at Liverpool and the traditions of how the game should be played. He just had this bark. During training he’d shout, and I’d think: ‘Why does he keep shouting at me? What’s his problem?’ I remember saying to John Barnes one day: ‘Why does he keep picking on me?’ and he said: ‘He’s not picking on you — it’s because he likes you and he wants to make you better, and the day he stops either means he’s given up on you or he thinks you’re now a player.’ I hope it was the latter! Young players now would be petrified of him because his bark was so loud. He had an amazing way of getting information across. You could hear him, no matter where you were on the pitch. He used to call me Harry. I’d say: ‘My name’s Jamie,’ but he always called me Harry. Even to this day, it makes me laugh. A very special man, and I’m very lucky to have worked with him for as long as I did.