John Gibbons: New fixture list! Is everyone even back from Madrid?

It doesn’t even feel like the season has ended and now we have the fixtures for next season. I guess when my wife says “this football is never ending” she was correct. Isn’t the Nations League still going? Has anyone actually managed to go on holiday yet? Is everyone even back from Madrid?

I’m not complaining. I’m currently looking at the fixtures and remembering all the clubs whose fans sang “you’re going to win f**k all” at us last season and looking forward to getting full and frank apologies as we travel the country. Next January, Tuesday 21st, will be particularly enjoyable for that. Although it will be interesting to go to Goodison Park and find out how their party “when Tottenham win the cup” went.

Now I wasn’t in Liverpool that weekend, but the parties looked very red to me.

You’d have thought the Manchester City fans, and indeed players and management, might have to retire their version of the Allez Allez Allez song now as well. But who knows with them lot.

Yes next season should be fun. Starting with Norwich City on a Friday night! For nothing says “welcome back to the Premier League Norwich fans” like a 500-mile trip on a weekday. I’m sure they’ll be excited anyway. I know we will be. I’m going to get in to Anfield an hour before and sing “Bring on The Champions, The Champions of Europe” until I pass out. Actually, I’ll probably just go the pub. But I can sing it from there. It will be some reception when those European Champions come out for the first time.

Aside from that, Southampton away the weekend after Liverpool travel to Istanbul for the Super Cup is a bit of a nuisance. Liverpool have played everyone who is any good by November the 9th, or 10th after Sky have moved Liverpool v Manchester City, but mostly at home, so there is an opportunity to put a bit of a marker down. Possibly. Either that or concentrate on the FA Cup. We’ll see how it goes. I’m not counting any chickens for next year, despite last seasons heroics. Not until we spend £50m on a winger I’ve never heard of and I’ve watched all his YouTube compilations.

Then we’re definitely going to win the league.

From a personal point of view it is nice to finally get Brighton away outside of the winter. I might actually make it to the beach this time. And I’ve already decided I’m definitely not doing Leicester City on Boxing Day. Not even to show off my new Christmas clothes. No offence to the proud town of Leicester but I can’t imagine anything worse than getting stuck in traffic in the one road in and out only to get legged everywhere by Jamie Vardy powered by sprouts. I’ll watch it on…..Amazon???? OK….

But before all that, we’ve got pre-season fixtures we’ll all look far too much into, summer training camps of players smiling whilst messing about trying to figure out if the new kit is a “title winning one” or not. So enjoy the summer of sorts while it is here. That first week of the Premier League will be upon us in no time at all. Hang on, I forgot about the Community Shield…. Off home to break that one to the wife.