Genuinely gutted at this. I was just starting to get to games as Evans left and Houllier took on the role solo, and as such he's probably the first Liverpool manager I truly bought into. It's largely forgotten now just what an impact he had on the club at that time and yes, he probably shouldn't have said and done a few things that he did around Istanbul, but do you know what, the point he was driving at was right; What we went on to be to a significant extent was built on the groundwork that he laid. Make no mistake, he dragged this club into the 21st century and remains wholly underrated among our fanbase, and the wider football world, in my opinion. Oh, and that treble in 2001 still stands as possibly my favourite season following Liverpool. That was some achievement, and some team. The illness took a lot from him, and that came about because he gave everything to us. That should never be forgotten either.
R.I.P. Gerard. You will be remembered forever; A wonderful man, a brilliant football mind and a Liverpool legend.
