The intriguing thing about sport is not the winning, nor the taking part, but rather the witnessing of teams rise and fall and fight back to the top again. There are copious examples over the years in all types of sport, whether it be individual, team, man and machine or even man and beast.
I mention this in the light of the North West football derby over the weekend. Manchester United's comprehensive defeat to Liverpool yesterday is a case in point. Since their Premiership title win last May, the descent of one of the world's most famous clubs has been more rapid and surprising than even the most pessimistic of pundits could have predicted. And yet it's nothing new. Liverpool themselves went into decline in the 90s after repeatedly trouncing teams across Europe for two decades previously. The odd purple patch did occur thereafter, (the so-called 'mickey-mouse' treble in 2001, the 2005 Champion's League victory and a closely fought second place finish in the league in 2009 - and we all know who came first that year!)
Whilst I'm not saying that United fans should anticipate 20 years of intermittent results, the reversal in fortunes of these two teams couldn't be more stark, albeit that Liverpool are yet to win anything this season. Only time will tell how the future of these two great rivals will pan out, but it is these sorts of ups and downs that fascinate football followers across the globe.
What's more, the phenomenon is not only limited to this one sport. Take Formula One for example, where for years Michael Schumacher dominated proceedings, and then Sebastian Vettel, who almost paralleled his countryman's feat of dominance more recently. Thankfully for this sport these great competitors were or will be overthrown - the booing of Vettel last year tells you all you need to know about how fans don't like to see one individual or team dictate results season after season.
It might be a bitter pill for United fans to swallow at present, but the real, lifelong, hardy supporters will stick by their team and manager until fortunes change. And that's the thrilling thing about sport, it's what make people turn up to stadiums and switch on their TVs week after week.
It is often said that losing is a bigger test of character than winning, not just for the players and club staff, but also for the supporters. Periods of drought are what separate the true, loyal devotees from the champagne sipping, prawn sandwich eating ones.
Liverpool fans will be hoping that United undergo a lot of character building in the near future. But they should be wary, United will bounce back.
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