Crossing the great divide

Barmby in the middle of Merseyside's tug of war

Everton's public declaration of Nick Barmby's desire to join Liverpool marks a pivotal moment in Merseyside football history.

Barmby is likely to have been stunned by manager Walter Smith's decision to effectively hang him out to dry in front of furious Everton supporters.

It unceremoniously ends Barmby's Everton career, and puts pressure on Liverpool to complete a deal for a player who has nailed his red colours so controversially to the mast.

Liverpool will say all is fair in love, war and football - but the move which has sparked a storm on Merseyside finally rips up a series of unwritten rules between the clubs.

Everton have rejected Liverpool's opening £3.5m bid, but all the signs suggest Barmby will be at Anfield shortly.

Contentious

He will be the first player to move directly from Everton to Liverpool since striker Dave Hickson more than 40 years ago, but no switch across Stanley Park has ever been more contentious.

It is a distant echo of the early sixties, when Everton signed Johnny Morrissey from Liverpool for £10,000 over the head of Anfield manager Bill Shankly.

Shankly vowed it would never happen again, particularly when Morrissey was a huge success at Goodison Park.

And it led to an unspoken agreement between the clubs not to move for players from the other side of Stanley Park.

It lasted until Shankly wanted to buy Everton striker David Johnson in 1972, a move rejected by his Goodison counterpart Harry Catterick.

Beardsley moved to Goodison from Anfield

Johnson was sold to Ipswich Town, and Liverpool only got their man four years later after he had become an England international at Portman Road.

Everton manager Howard Kendall exploited freedom of contract to raid Liverpool twice in the early eighties for Kevin Sheedy and Alan Harper. He also paid £125,000 to bring David Johnson back to the club.

Courted controversy

Steve McMahon chose Aston Villa ahead of Liverpool in a £375,000 move in 1983, fearing a backlash from angry fans. He eventually arrived at Anfield via the Midlands two years later.

Former Liverpool reserve Dave Watson went on to become one of Everton's greatest servants when he signed for £900,000 in 1986, but his transfer journey was not from nearby Anfield, it was from East Anglia and Norwich City.

Kendall and then Liverpool manager Graeme Souness courted more controversy when Peter Beardsley was allowed to join Everton for £1million in 1991.

Beardsley was immensely popular at Liverpool, but was a victim of the arrival of then British record signing Dean Saunders.

He continued to excel at Everton, who sold him to Kevin Keegan's Newcastle United two years later - and made a £200,000 profit.

Hutchison is another to have played for both clubs

He was later joined by Anfield team mate Gary Ablett, and almost by another Liverpool player Barry Venison. Everton agreed terms with Liverpool but the Venison deal collapsed.

Everton currently have former Liverpool midfield man Don Hutchison in their ranks, but he did the rounds at West Ham United and Sheffield United before his move to Goodison Park.

Liverpool have very rarely attempted to sign such a high profile Everton player. Barmby is the club's only current England international, and ironcially it was a written plea from Goodison owner Bill Kenwright that led to his inclusion in Kevin Keegan's England squad.

And Everton's anger at Barmby's rejection of their terms - terms which would have made him the highest player in the club's history - surfaced with a clearly and carefully calaculated decision to reveal his Liverpool allegiances.

If and when he arrives at Liverpool, life will never be the same for Nick Barmby again. It will certainly never be the same between Everton and Liverpool.