It's been mentioned a few times on this blog that Phil Brown's brand of friendly ruthlessness was personified by the club's treatment last season of midfielder David Livermore.
Livermore was an odd signing. Phil Parkinson brought him to the KC in the summer of 2006 a mere 12 days after he had joined Leeds United from Millwall, where he had been skipper. Dennis Wise, that upstanding, astutest of judges within world sport, decided that he didn't want him after all when his so-called 'real' target (Kevin Nicholls at Luton) suddenly became available, despite knowing Livermore well from his own latter playing days at the New Den. Livermore had joined because Wise couldn't get Nicholls - now he was surplus to requirements and consequently blew Brian Clough's 44-day record out of the water in terms of the shortest full-time career at Elland Road. Heaven only knows what his pay-off was like, given that he'd signed a contract and didn't ask to go. It's not as if Leeds weren't used to chucking bad money after good, mind...
So, he came to the KC. We knew Livermore a little. He'd been part of the Lions side which had incredulously reached the FA Cup final from the second tier a couple of years earlier and subsequently played in the UEFA Cup. His dad was Doug Livermore, the former Liverpool second-stringer and coach. But most of all we knew him because he had scored against us for Millwall at the New Den with a tremendous left-foot snapshot the previous season, mere seconds after City had gone ahead.
However, the grumbling and mongering among the Tiger Nation was evident when Livermore's arrival, and the peculiar circumstances of it, was announced. Why didn't Leeds want him any more? Why were we keen on a player who Leeds were prepared to treat so poorly?
And did we actually need him? Livermore was a box-to-box midfielder with a smart left foot and a decent engine. He wasn't flamboyant, nor especially creative and we had no evidence, despite his goal the year before, that he was going to score plenty from midfield. We'd paid a fortune for Dean Marney (albeit an undisclosed one, but it was obvious hands had dug deep) while John Welsh was down as the top grafter in the side, at least until Ian Ashbee was finally fit again after his career-threatening injury. Stuart Green was still in the squad, despite father-in-law in-waiting Peter Taylor's departure in the summer, and so was Keith Andrews, a player the City fans were less than convinced about but still a useful presence. In essence, we seemed amply covered for the central midfield positions.
Livermore debuted in the Carling Cup defeat against Derby County and began to settle in the centre of midfield. It soon became apparent that he wasn't just a player for doing the simple things, he was a player for doing the simple things extremely well. The least heralded midfielder we had (even allowing for Green and Andrews' departures before the end of the August window) was also the most efficient. Marney was struggling to settle down, Ashbee's fireworks 'n' fanfare return was soon forgotten as he desperately tried to adapt to the Championship properly (he'd managed only half a dozen or so games the year before) and Welsh was soon cast as Parkinson's chief fall guy. Livermore was a shorer, a sticker, a person there to mend midfield problems and keep things ticking along. He was excellent at it.
He overshadowed Ashbee's big comeback by scoring City's goal with a placed, low shot in a 2-1 defeat at Birmingham City and became the consistent element of a shaky, unconfident and confused side which had seen Parkinson's authority ebb away. Victories were sparse and Parkinson fell on his sword in the December. Phil Brown's appointment was good for Livermore, as it became obvious his unfussy work ethic and occasional tendency to pop up with a goal was proving most handy. Eventually, the fans realised he represented something of a gem.
As City began to make a fight of their relegation peril, Livermore's presence was now vital. Sometimes he would form a defensive unit with Ashbee, sometimes he would be a third central midfielder in Brown's first exploitation of the 4-3-3 formation, the one which would ultimately keep City afloat in the Championship. Livermore scored a late equaliser at Derby, an apt place for Brown to steal a point, and then put away two brilliantly contrasting headers - a fabulous plunging effort against Preston and an exquisitely timed, guided header at Luton, as City's push for survival went up another notch.
An injury in April ended his season and he played no part in the euphoric win at Cardiff City which ensured City's safety and - deliciously - sent down Leeds, the hated adversary and the club that suddenly didn't want him. Livermore got plenty of people's votes in the Player of the Season competition - including mine.
Brown bought Bryan Hughes in the summer, and Livermore's status in the squad for the next season seemed to be dimmed somewhat. However, his reliability and professionalism was never questioned, least of all by the manager himself, who frequently made sure his stamina-ridden midfielder was part of the squad. Livermore scored once - a late headed equaliser against the pitied Stoke City at the KC - and continued to play an active, if sometimes understated, part until the New Year's Day draw against the same opponents.
Then, nothing. Suddenly, Livermore was no more. He was out of the squad. No reports of injury. There seemed to be no explanation for this, both literally (the club said nothing) and figuratively (we couldn't understand why). Then, eventually, the truth emerged.
Livermore was two games away, under the terms of his deal, from earning a new contract and, frankly, Brown didn't think he formed part of the club's future, especially with Paul Duffen's arrival in the boardroom, armed with his three-year plan for Premier League membership. This became more of an issue just as Livermore's exile began, as it was obvious that City were in with a real chance of achieving in one year which we were merely praying for in three. The timing of Livermore's ostracism, we would later discover, was deliberate and meticulous so that Livermore would still be able to step in one more time in the event of a crisis.
Ahead of Livermore as central midfielders were Ashbee, Marney and Hughes. Welsh hadn't played since busting his leg the previous season and was never likely to in City colours again. Brown signed Simon Walton, he of the white support socks, on loan from QPR for extra cover. And a certain Jay Jay Okocha was still around, in fits and starts.
Livermore went on loan to Oldham, his release at the end of the season having already been unsubtly telegraphed. For his part, he kept his counsel. Professional to the last. Brown himself admitted it was a political situation but his job was to make tough decisions for the good of the football club. Livermore became injured at Oldham and came back for treatment. He got back into training, then suddenly, along came the emergency recall City had allowed for.
Loan defender Neil Clement had been taken back by West Bromwich Albion, who understandably had decided they'd rather not have one of their own players helping immediate promotion rivals beat them to elevation. However, Wayne Brown was also unavailable through injury. City had to go to Sheffield United, scene of the greatest Yorkshire battles between the two clubs in the bad old 70s and 80s, with only three matches remaining, promotion on a tightrope - and just one recognised centre back.
And back came Livermore.
He had played in defence regularly for Millwall, but had not once needed to be there in a Hull City shirt. However, he was left-footed, defensively minded and fit, so Brown exercised the one-game window over his contract terms and threw Livermore straight into battle. He wasn't bad. But he wasn't good either, really. The team as a whole bottled the whole event and the home side won 2-0. City were almost certainly going to miss out on the automatic places, and Livermore had kicked his last ball for the club.
His release, as if it was to become a surprise to anyone, was announced days after the victory at Wembley. Only he and two lads in the youth set-up were given free transfers. Livermore joined Brighton and Hove Albion, where he remains now.
The Livermore saga was not City's finest hour within a season of very fine hours. Whether he went into the campaign knowing that he wouldn't get a new deal and therefore could almost predict the point where he is suddenly in the reserves, one doesn't know. Given the honest ruthlessness of Brown, and the desire to get the best from Livermore up to his point of no return, it seems most likely that his sudden banishment after New Year's Day came as a surprise to him. Even though he became a victim of the politics and ambition of a growing football club, a little consolation can be offered via the fondness for which his brief spell with the Tigers will be recalled by the supporters.
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