All the 'auld arses' remember it. If not, let's take a trip down memory lane... Anyone related to Liverpool Football Club will know we have won it 5 Times but the team in 1983/84 was regarded as the greatest ever. Not only did they win the League, but they won the League Cup and... they won a European Cup. Yes, they achieved a treble.
The Milk Cup
Celebrating the first trophy of the season, the Milk Cup
The first trophy of the season came in a replay of the Final of the Milk Cup. The first leg had finished 0-0 but the return tie was won thanks to a Souness goal in 21st minute. It was a small experience of sensations that would be coming to Liverpool that season.
The League
Joe Fagan, the man who made it happen, with his League trophy
Bob Paisley had left Liverpool at the end of last season after cementing his place as Europe's most successful manager and 9 years at the Liverpool Managerial Seat. Joe Fagan was chosen as his successor and as being a 'boot room' boy, there was little doubt that Fagan would fail. He delivered the League after opposition from Southampton, Nott Forest and Manchester United. Liverpool gained a respectable 80 points, beating their closest rivals, Southampton by three points. In all, Liverpool's league success was quite dominant as they won 22 games and drew 14. Ian Rush top scored for Liverpool with an amazing 32 goals and would get a tally of 47 goals in the whole campaign. It was to be Liverpool's 15th League title. As Shanks had liked to call it, the 'bread and butter' of Liverpool, had been retained.
The European Cup
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... And finally, to complete the treble, our Fourth European Cup
We Won It 4 Times, We Won it 4 Times, in Rome, We Won it 4 Times. Liverpool's route to the final was fair enough. We had to dispose off the likes of Odense Boldklub ( 6-0 on agg ), Atletico Bilbao ( 1-0 agg ), Benfica ( 5-1 agg ), and finally Dinamo Bucureşti ( 3-1 agg ). When in the final, Liverpool had to play Roma in their home stadium, Stadio Olimpico in Rome in front of an attendance of 69,693. The match was fairly balanced as Liverpool took the lead in the 13th minute thanks to a scrappy Phil Neal goal. Roma however equalized in the 42nd minute through a Roberto Pruzzo goal. The match stayed 1-1 and even extra time could not separate the two sides and penalties would have to. Liverpool missed their first penalty as Steve Nicol blazed over the crossbar. Both teams converted their next penalties until Roma's second taker, Conti also whacked the ball over the goal. Roma failed to convert their fourth penalty as Bruce Grobbelaar's 'wobbly legs' was intimidating enough to put off Graziani. Alan Kennedy made no mistake as he slotted Liverpool's penalty to earn a famous victory and Liverpool's fourth European Cup trophy.
The success of the 84' season was remarkable and these were the men who made it all happen :Bruce Grobbelaar - GK
Brucey was signed from Vancouver for £250,000. Initially signed as a reserve keeper, the Zimbabwean had a great responsibility entrusted upon him when he had to fill the boots of the Spurs bound Ray Clemence. He spent 13 years at the club, under three managers, Paisley, Fagan and Dalglish and in that time, made 627 appearances. At first error-prone, he started to settle to the role and would play key parts in Liverpool's title winning teams of the 80's. He was an essential element in the 1983/84 season and is remembered very fondly by Red hearts for his antics in the Penalty Shoot-out in Rome. His achievements with club include 6 Leagues, 3 FA Cups, 3 League Cups and 1 European Cup. After his departure, it took quite a while for Liverpool to find a replacement.
Phil Neal - RB
Signed in 1974, by Sir. Bob Paisley, from Northampton for a fee about £66,000. Phil Neal is the only player in English history to have won 4 European Cup medals, all with Liverpool of course. He netted the crucial penalty which would win the first European Cup for Liverpool in 77' against Borrusia and then feature in the finals against Brugge, Madrid and Roma. Neal made his debut in the local derby and would go on to play 445 appearances in the league and netting 41 goals for Liverpool ( 60 in total). He served the club for 11 years and in that time won 8 leagues, 1 UEFA Cup, 4 European Cups and 4 League Cups. He holds the record for consecutive appearances as he played played 365 consecutive matches for Liverpool from 1975 to 1983. He also scored Liverpool's only goal in open-play in the 1984 European Cup final. He left Liverpool 1986, and would later have managerial stints at other clubs.
Mark Lawrenson - CB
In the summer of 1981, Mark Lawrenson was signed for a then record fee for Liverpool at £900,000. An injury to Phil Thompson caused Lawrenson to partner Alan Hansen in Central Defence, they would go on to form one of Liverpool's most formidable defensive partnerships. As well as having the ability to play at Central Midfield, Lawrenson made 332 appearances for Liverpool and scored 18 goals in that period. In his time at Liverpool, he earned many honours including a European Cups, an FA Cup, 5 League Medals and 3 League Cups. Lawro had brief times at other clubs as well as a small period managing. Currently he works for BBC's Match of the Day as a pundit as well as being a commentator.
Alan Hansen - CB
Hansen was signed in 1977 from Partick Thistle for a fee of £110,000. He had already established himself in the regular playing eleven by next year. In 14 years at the club he made 424 league games for Liverpool FC and in that time, 8 goals. Following the Heysel disaster, Dalglish was appointed player-manager and Hansen was appointed Captain. Alan was quick, strong, intelligent and had all the skills required by a 'world class' defender. In his time at Liverpool, he was part of many winning teams such as the late 70's and 80's. In his time with Liverpool, he was successful in teams winning 8 League Championships, 2 FA Cups, 3 European Cups and 3 League Cups. Along with old age, injury forced Alan to retire in 1991. After Souness' departure from Liverpool as manager, many expected Hansen to take over, but he declined saying as much affection he had for the club, he was not interested in a managing career. Currently, Alan does football analysis for the BBC as well as being a columnist for the Daily Telegraph.
Alan Kennedy - LB
Liverpool were having trouble trying to find a natural LB and in 78' Sir. Bob Paisley decided to solve the problem by buying Alan Kennedy for £330,000 from Newcastle. His debut was poor and when he walked into the dressing room looking for support, all Bob Paisley said was, ''they shot the wrong bloody Kennedy.'' This seemed to give Alan the motivation as in the next 7 years he would go on to make 251 appearances and score 15 goals. before leaving in the summer in 85'. He was nicknamed Barney Rubble by Liverpool fans and was a fan favourite. He would later go on to have very short stays at different clubs. He retired in 91' but still remains close to football by playing in the Masters for Liverpool.
Craig Johnston - RM
One of the first and few Australians to make an impact in the English League, Craig Johnston was bought for £650,000 from Middlesbrough in 1981. He was often known as 'Skippy' by the Kop faithful. He made his debut in the Intercontinental Cup against Flamengo. He scored his first goal against Arsenal in a League Cup Replay in the 5th minute. He played under three different managers while at Liverpool ( Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, Kenny Dalglish ). He also scored against Everton in the 1986 Cup final. Before the FA Cup final, he also wrote the 'Anfield Rap' while was very popular at the time. After 271 games for the club and 40 goals, Johnson retired as he needed to take care of his ill sister. He helped in raising funds for Hillsborough victims and also attended many funerals and memorial services. He designed the very famous football boots in modern day ' The Predators ' for ADIDAS and had a successful career as a businessman and an innovator. Johnston temporarily went bankrupt but has since found a new career as a photographer.
Sammy Lee - CM
Sammy Lee was an academy graduate. Despite being only 5'2, he was quick and had a hell of a shot in him. He made a few appearances in late 70's but by 1981, had developed himself into the starting line-up. His greatest performance is in the 1981 season where he was required to man-mark a Bayern Munich player on the wing. Lee did this to perfection as Liverpool advanced, 1-0, to the final. He would go on to win 4 Leagues, 4 League Cups and 2 European Cups with Liverpool. However, injuries started to take their toll on Sammy and with the emergence of Jan Molby, Lee left in 1986 to QPR. After retiring, Lee took interest in a managing career and has been assistant manager for Bolton and Liverpool, as well as managing Bolton for a while. In 2011, he left Liverpool by mutual consent and is currently unemployed.
Graeme Souness - CM (c)
Souness was one of the three Scottish players brought to Liverpool in 78'. Initially a replacement for Ian Callaghan, Souness was signed from Middlesbrough for £350,000. Ths site of Souness bombing down the centre of the pitch came familiar to the Anfield crowd as Souness stablished himself in to the first team very quickly. He played a vital role in the European Cup final victory in 78' after assisting Dalglish for the winner. In the same season he scored a cracking volley against Manchester United that would win goal of the season. In the 81' season, following the emergence of new talent at the back, and Thommo being replaced, Souness was appointed captain. Under his captaincy Liverpool kept on winning trophies every year. Then, in the 1984 replay of the Milk Cup final, Souness scored a winner against the local rivals, Everton. In the same season, he scored a penalty during the penalty shoot out of the European Cup final. This proved to be Souness' last game for Liverpool as he left for Sampdoria, after making 358 appearances and scoring 56 goals in those 7 years. However, Souness' affair with Liverpool was not finished as he returned to Anfield as a manager following Kenny Dalglish's unexpected resignation. Unfortunately, his managerial career was not as successful as his playing career. There was very little success as poor transfer dealing and tactics cost Liverpool. His only silverware as manager being an FA Cup trophy in 92'. His tenure at the club was to be the bleakest of the club's history. He also made an unforgivable mistake by giving an interview to a newspaper which is not even named in Merseyside. Very few Liverpool fans forgave him after that mistake and Souness resigned from managing Liverpool in 1994. In his playing days Souness had been a brilliant player albeit a poor manager, his honours ( playing ) had included 5 Leagues, 3 European Cups and 4 League Cups. Souness had a few other managerial stints but never really excelled. At the moment his is working as an analyst. He also appears for Sky Sports and ESPN as a pundit.
Ronnie Whelan - LM
Ronnie Whelan was signed by Bob Paisley for Liverpool FC, in 1979, a few days before his 18th Birthday from a small club called Home Farm for a fee about £35,000. He made his debut 1 and a half year later against Stoke when he also scored a goal. It was only after Ray Kennedy left that Ronnie was playing on a permanent basis on the left wing where he would settle till the end of his Liverpool career. His first full season brought a league title to Anfield and the following season he scored twice to bag the league cup in a 3-1 win over Spurs. In 83' Whelan scored a memorable goal in the League Cup final against Manchester United to win the game 2-1, retaining the trophy for another year. Despite being injured for periods during the 83/84 season, Whelan did play major parts in the team while fit to secure the treble. Whelan moved to Central Midfield with arrival of John Barnes and in the following seasons, won more league titles as well as the addition of the FA Cup. Unfortunately, the latter career of Whelan was plagued by injuries and in 1994 he moved to Southend Utd. His Liverpool career had included 443 appearances and 73 goals which included winning 6 League Titles, 3 FA Cups, a European Cup and 3 League Cups. As well as having managerial stints, Whelan does an after-dinner circuit and a bit of punditry.
Kenny Dalglish - SS
King Kenny, The Kop Idol, The King, the darling of Kopites, Kenny Dalglish optimizes what a Red heart yearns for. Kenny Dalglish was signed from Celtic for a British Transfer Record fee of £440,000. Initially signed to replace the out going legend Kevin Keegan, Dalglish turned out to be twice the player. He made his debut in a Community Shield against Man Utd which ended in a draw, while wearing the iconic Number. 7 shirt. He scored his first goal in his league debut against Middlesbrough and would go on to score 31 goals in 62 appearances in his first season, including the winning goal against Brugge in the European Cup final. He continued to thrive under the success of Liverpool and with the emergence of Ian Rush, both formed one of Liverpool's most deadliest strike partnerships. By the end of 1985, he had made 445 appearances for the club and had scored 156 goals. After the Heysel disaster and Joe Fagan feeling obliged to resign, Kenny Dalglish was appointed player-manager. In his first season with that role, he scored the goal which clinched them the league and cup double against Chelsea. After a trophyless season, Dalglish made many high profile signings such as John Barnes, John Aldridge and Peter Beardsley. His new side managed to stay 37 games unbeaten and Liverpool were flourishing under Dalglish. He guided Liverpool to another FA Cup in 89' ( winning 3-2 ) and only lost the title to Arsenal in last minute. However, disaster had occurred in 89', while at Hillsborough during an FA Cup tie. In Liverpool's darkest hour, the brave King stood up to battle and the way he dealt with the incident made him a God in many eyes. He attended nearly all funeral and memorial services of the brave 96 and did all he could to support the families of the people who passed away. Evidently, the pressure had started to take it's toll on Dalglish and he resigned in February following a 4-4 draw with Everton. His record with Liverpool stood at 515 appearances, 172 goals, 307 as manager, 8 League Championships, 2 FA Cup wins, 3 European Cup wins, 4 League Cup wins, 1 European Super Cup win, and 5 Charity Shield wins. He also won a Football Writers` Footballer of the Year award, a PFA player of the year award, and three Manager of the Year awards. Quite easily, Liverpool's best ever player... but his love for the club did not end. After accepting an ambassador role for the club, he has now become the manager for Liverpool, for the second time and hoping to bring the glory days back to Anfield.
Ian Rush - CF
Manager at the time, Sir. Bob Paisley paid a record fee for a British teenager when he signed young Ian Rush from Chester for £300,000. It would later prove to be a bargain as Rush would earn a reputation of Europe's most deadliest finisher. Rush's first season was in the reserves so he could learn the 'Liverpool Way' but after settling, he showed his class. In his first full season he scored a Merseyside hat-trick and got another against Notts County. He ended the season with 30 goals in just 49 games. His goals helped the Reds reclaim the league title, the following season, he scored the winner to bring the League Cup to Anfield against Spurs. By now his reputation was growing and in 83', Rush won PFA Young Player of the Year after helping his club to the league and cup double. In the treble season, he scored an amazing 47 goals in 65 games as he was voted PLA & FWA Player of the year. Rush had attracted a lot of attention from other European clubs and was sold to Juventes in 86', only to return the following year. As Rush returned, their was competition for his spot as Aldridge and Beardsley had acclaimed it. Rush continued to fight for his place and in 89' helped the club to the FA Cup with two goals against Everton. Rush also played for Liverpool in the Premier League era before finally moving to Leeds in 1996. His honours with Liverpool include 5 Leagues, 1 European Cup, 3 FA Cups and 5 League Cups. Till today he remains Liverpool's highest goal scorer, he was their top scorer 9 times in his career. Currently he is the club's Soccer School Ambassador, he also helps to promote the club with brands and sponsors.
Joe Fagan - Manager
The man behind Liverpool's success, Joe Fagan. His playing days in football had been tarnished due to the outbreak of the war but his managerial career with Liverpool excelled in all fields. Fagan, along with Bob Paisley and Reuben Bennett had been recruited by Bill Shankly to form the 'Boot Room'. After Bill Shankly left the club, Paisley was promoted to the manager position and he brought Fagan as his assistant. Following the retirement of Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan became manager and in his first season he secured the treble, with the League Cup, League and European Cup. Unfortunately, Fagan's tenure as Liverpool manager was short as he felt compelled to resign afetr the Heysel disaster. After that Kenny Dalglish was appointed player-manager but Joe Fagan would assist him when asked for. He passed away on 21st July, 2001, aged 80, after being diagnosed with cancer. He is buried at Anfield Cemetery, where he will be remembered forever.