WE all know the price of footballing failure -but what about the price of success?
Well in Liverpools case that currently stands at nearly 1.5BILLION and rising.
And still they have not got their hands on a Premier League title for all that staggering spend.
That eye-watering figure is the amount eight managers have forked out in the three decades since the Reds were last champions of England.
There have been highs in that period, of course. A total of ten major trophies is nothing to be sniffed at and many would like to swap.
But the bottom line remains this the one trophy the red section of Merseyside covets has been nowhere in sight.
In 29 campaigns there have been four second-placed finishes close, but no cigar.
It is why they get so glassy-eyed on the Kop whenever May is around the corner and they are still in the hunt.
Fans will clearly and correctly point out that vast sums of money from departures has come in over that period.
And they will also highlight the fact that both Manchester clubs and Chelsea have not been shy when it comes to the transfer market, either.
Indeed, all three of them have actually spent MORE than the European champions since they last tasted title champagne at Anfield.
But there is also one massive, massive rider with that. United have won 13 titles, Chelsea five and City four, while Liverpool have cast envious glances over the fence.
Arsenal never the biggest of spenders have won four, Blackburn Rovers, under Jack Walker, one.
And, of course, the famous Leicester triumph of three years ago.
As the desperation has risen at Liverpool, so have the outgoings. So much so that in the Tom Hicks-George Gillett era, the club were actually days from going into administration.
That is how bad it got. That is how much dough they chucked at the problem.
At least the other three clubs mentioned could afford it, without fear of going to the wall.
Naturally there HAVE been some gems among the arrivals. Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho, Xabi Alonso just three who became Kop legends.
Of the current squad, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson, Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson have all been superb buys.
But there have been some far too many absolute stinkers in there too.
Christian Benteke, Mario Balotelli, Lazar Markovic, Alberto Aquilani, Iago Aspas, Fabio Borini plus, of course, the butt of everyones favourite footballing jokes, Andy Carroll.
As it stands, this season could well be the one when Jurgen Klopp becomes Liverpools 21st century Bill Shankly.
The man who gave the people what they want, to paraphrase their most famous ever manager.
The leaders are unbeaten in nine Premier League games this season and are now odds-on favourites to finally end the drought.
Given Tottenhams stuttering domestic form, there will not be many expecting any more resistance than a slight speed bump when they come to Anfield this afternoon, either.
But there have been too many false dawns in the last 30 years for the wiser heads on the Kop to get too carried away just yet, for all the younger ones grow ever more bullish.
Manchester United may have fallen spectacularly from their perch but Liverpool have not hauled themselves up there just yet.
So it is now or never? Obviously not…but there is no doubt they will never have a better chance.
And if they fall short again this time, there will be many starting to wonder if they will ever win the damn thing again.
