Robbie has only ever been to 4 football matches - two Liverpool v Chelsea Champions League semi-finals, a Champions League final and Morton v Stirling Albion (spot the odd one out).I don't even think he's seen Moville Celtic Play.

But there's even a story behind the story: I didn't think I could get my son a ticket. But that didn't stop him hoping.

He came down with his mum Kelly to see me after I got back from the Arsenal match with a big bag of money. It was his First Communion money from last year. Robbie said he wanted me to buy him a ticket for the Chelsea semi-final and offered the precious bag of money. I told him there were no tickets available. I considered, and rejected, all sort of alternative arrangements about getting him to the game - but then lady luck smiled on us.

Bob (Robbie's godfather) told us he wasn't going himself but was thinking of giving his ticket to a friend. When I told him about the First Communion money, it was a done deal (Although he obviously didn't take Robbie up on his offer of the First Communion money!)

New problem - every room in Liverpool was fully booked. I had to get a hotel in Manchester, of all places. We had somewhere to stay - even if it cost me £220 for a night.

Down in the Mersey

Robbie had wanted to go on the Yellow Duckmarine which departs from Albert Harbour. It's an amphibious vehicle which had been designed for the Normandy Landings on D-Day. After taking you on a tour of Liverpool and all the Beatles haunts, the duckboat plunges into the Mersey for the second half of the tour. It's great fun. Even I enjoyed it.

We went to the match afterwards. I won't dwell on that, as everyone knows what happened. My other friends were hanging around Liverpool for a drink afterwards and had booked a taxi back to Manchester at 1 am. However, I had Robbie with me and couldn't go out gallivanting. So we flagged down a taxi to bring us to Manchester.

Living the high life

I also got a surprise when I got there. The hotel is 50 storeys high. I was hoping that my room wasn't too high. What if there was a fire?

"I don't like heights" said Robbie.

This was a fine time to tell me at 11:30 at night.

However, Robbie changed his mind soon enough after seeing the view of Manchester from the room.

"Cool" he said. The whole side of the room facing out was a window.

I said "I wonder what's in that cupboard?" He opened it and exclaimed, "Cool, there's tea, coffee and hot chocolate inside."

Seeing how impressed he was, I kept the game up. "I wonder what's in that cupboard" I said.

He opened it up and there was a safe. "Cool" he said again.

"I wonder what's in that cupboard" I said.