Wife sees red as Toffees fan drives LFC slogan bus

Jul 19 2007 by Richard Partington, Liverpool Daily Post

IT IS the Evertonian’s nightmare job – driving around all day in a bus decked out in Liverpool FC’s colours.

IT IS the Evertonian’s nightmare job – driving around all day in a bus decked out in Liverpool FC’s colours.

But that’s not the only problem facing city bus driver Alan Curran as his wife, Marie, also a committed fan of the Goodison club, is even less pleased with the idea.

And she’s even threatening the divorce courts if he goes ahead with the job, to drive a bus decorated to launch LFC’s Champion of Champions slogan.

Mr Curran, 54, says his marital bliss is being put on the line by the latest request from his employers, Stagecoach.

“If driving the buses wasn’t hard enough for me, now the missus is having a go,” said Mr Curran, from Bootle.

“She’s a massive Evertonian and she thinks it looks as though I have changed my allegiances.

“According to her, I should refuse to drive them on my shift. But if I do that I’ll get the sack. Everything’s got completely out of hand. They won’t even serve me in the local boozer.”

The distinctive buses are the result of the Preston National Football Museum’s curator Mark Bushell’s effort to get LFC supporters to be more environmentally friendly and travel on buses.

He said: “I’m devastated by the news that Alan is having matrimonial problems because of my idea.

“Like many people, I’m frustrated by the amount of traffic on the roads not just on a match day, but also throughout the week.

“I just thought a great way of attracting people on to the buses and the idea was to make them more appealing to people.”

But Mrs Curran, who works in the canteen at the Stagecoach depot, has refused to serve Alan his breakfast for driving the buses and not standing up for himself.

She said: “I’m devastated Alan’s driving these buses. I think it’s an insult to our heritage and football beliefs.

“If Alan can’t stand up for himself, then I don’t want to know.”

Mr and Mrs Curran met Stagecoach managers yesterday to look at a design for an Everton bus, which is to be in service by the beginning of August.