Frank Carson KSG

It’s been said of me that I never stop talking and ‘Spike Milligan’ once asked. ‘What’s the difference between the M1 and Frank Carson? You can turn off the M1’.

Well, perhaps that’s why I love Liverpool so much. Everyone loves to talk.

It’s the only city in the world where everyone in the audience is funnier than me. Mind you!! It’s the way I tell em’. Ha Ha..

Anyway, I have to keep talking so everyone knows I’m still alive.

A lot of people who visit Liverpool talk about the beautiful buildings, the architecture and the history of the place, but for me, what makes Liverpool unique is the people.

The humour, the friendliness and the generosity of the people of Liverpool is second to none.

Walk into any bar in the town and within seconds you are in a conversation with someone. Within minutes they are your best friend and telling everyone around that they have known you for years.

About twenty years ago I was doing a gig for a Charity here in Liverpool. (Come to think of it, most of my gigs in Liverpool are for Charity. Must speak to the agent).
Anyway, this was an amateur boxing show and I was there to present trophies, and tell a few gags.
The top table was full of local business people and I was duly introduced to each one in turn. The last man I met was a chap called Bobby. He was a painter and decorator who had done very well and now had a large number of staff working for him.
He was very talkative, even for a Scouser, and we chatted away all evening.  By about the fourth fight we had got to know quite a bit about each other. He not only talked more than me, he drank a lot more too.

At these Charity functions there is almost always an auction and this one was no exception. Being a boxing night, the items for sale had a sporting flavour.
The bidding, as usual at these dos in Liverpool, was fast and furious.  The generosity of Liverpool never ceases to impress me. There was hundreds being bid for some quite obscure items.
Then came the top item, a signed and authenticated pair of shorts worn in a World title fight by the great Muhammad Ali.

The bidding went on and on until a final winning bid was made of £8000:00 and the buyer was none other than my new found friend, Bobby.

As the auction was coming to a close I said, more as a joke than anything else, that I would put up an old string vest and a signed letter of authentication. The next thing I know is the auctioneer is announcing a late edition to the auction.
A vest worn by the Great Frank Carson in a fight many years ago when he sneaked over and knocked out ‘Spud Murphy’ just before the first bell.  Well, everyone laughed and the bidding started.
I sat back in amazement as the bids came in. £50– — £60 — –£100. Then, at last the final price a staggering £500.
And then I saw who had bought my old vest. Yes!!  Bobby the painter!!

At the end of the evening, Bobby turned to me and said that he would pay the Charity, but did not want the vest. (who could blame him). He told me to put it back into the next Charity auction I attended.
Over the last twenty years that vest has made thousands of pounds for various Charities and to my knowledge, Bobby the painter has bought it at least five times.
That for me typifies the generosity of the Scousers.

Now, let me congratulate Liverpool on its 800th birthday and its Capital of Culture year.
I also wish Jason and all involved in the ‘Liverpool The Magazine’ venture the very best of luck for the New Year. I hope ‘It’s a cracker’
Frank Carson KSG.

First published in magazine issue - January 08