Topic: On this day in LFC History: Personal Memories

[paulrazor]

Today In History
August 14th
1971 Nottingham Forest (Division One) Anfield 3-1
Kevin Keegan 12' Tommy Smith 15'(pen) Emlyn Hughes 55'
Att 51,427

Kevin Keegan scores on his debut

1973 Hertha Berlin (Friendly) Berliner Olympia Stadion 1-1
Steve Heighway
Att 18,380

1976 Southampton (FA Charity Shield) Wembley 1-0
John Toshack 50'
Att 76,500

Im pretty sure ive seen this goal, were we in all white?

1978 Celtic (Jock Stein Testimonial ) Celtic Park 3-2
Alan Kennedy 32' Kenny Dalglish 39' 56'
Att 62,000

1982 Real Betis (Malaga Tournament)Marbella Stadium 2-0
Kenny Dalglish David Hodgson
Att Unknown

1983 Dinamo Bucharest (La Linea Tournament 3erd/4th place play-off) Estadio Municipal 3-2
Kenny Dalglish Michael Robinson (2)
Att 10,000

1988 Real Socidad (T Herrera Tournament 3erd/4th place play-off) La Coruna 4-0
John Barnes Gary Gillespie Steve McMahon (2)
Att Unknown

1990 Real Socidad (Kenny Dalglish Testimonial) Anfield 3-1
Steve McMahon Ian Rush (2)
Att 30,461

having scored in 3 friendlies on this day, Kenny Dalglish the then manager of the club has a well earned testomonial. Dalglish was registered as a player for most of his time as manager though I believe he was solely just managing by this point. As already mentioned elsewhere, John Aldridge returned to Anfield for this game while Soceidad also had two new signings in their ranks, Kevin Richardson from Arsenal and Dalian Atkinson from Sheffield Wednesday. The game finished 3-1 to us, my brother has the programme at home somewhere, Dalglish's shirt and the programme from the night in question is now displayed in the museum in Anfield.

Richardson, Aldridge and Atkinson all left at the end of that season despite Aldridge and Atkinson scoring a more than respectable 29 league goals between them. All 3 arrived after John Toshack managed the club and Toshack returned all 3 left.

1993 Sheffield Wednesday (Premier League) Anfield 2-0
Nigel Clough 39' 47'
Att 44,004

After 2 lethargic years in the league there was some hope we could recapture the magic that won us 18 crowns. It was the first season where players were awarded squad numbers for the season and their names appeared on the backs of jersies. It was heavily criticized at the time as it seemed ridiculous when players wore numbers in the 30s and were regular starters. there were many calls for the traditional 1-11 to be reintroduced but come the second season of this (which would be the 3rd of the premier league era) this largely subsided.

Liverpool had two new debutants in Nigel Clough and Neil Ruddock, both signed for 2m plus fees. Clough arrived from Nottingham Forest and was largely seen as a perfect foil for Ian Rush who was now club captain, Clough would wear the famous number 7 jersey whilst Ruddock who signed from Spurs bizarrely wore number 25. An early red card for Carlton Palmer helped us control the game in which Clough opened the scoring with a thunderous strike in off the bar just before half time at the Anfield road end. the other debutant Ruddock also came close to scoring when he slid in at the back post after good build up involving Steve Nicol and Ronnie Whelan. It was Ruddock who had a big hand in the second goal when his header was stopped by Chris Woods in the Wednesday goal and Clough scored his second on the rebound. Clough was denied a hattrick late on by Woods after some good trickery.

It appeared as if we were onto a winner with Clough when he helped us to the top of the table after 3 games and scored 4 goals in his first 4 games but when the goals dried up and a youngster called Fowler emerged he largely took a back seat and the early promise shown wasnt really lived up to apart from one performance against Manchester United in January when he helped us to an amazing comeback, by then Clough was used in a more withdrawn role but as i said for some reason things werent the same..

1995 Linfield (Friendly) Windsor Park 1-0
Ian Rush 37'
Att 24,000

1999 Watford (Premier League)Anfield 0-1
Att 44,174

I had a bad feeling about this game and i was proven right when we lost 1-0 with Patrik Berger missing our best chance. I was at a local golf club, I wasnt enjoying it though, I was getting better til some pro from the pro shop came in one day changing my whole swing which just made my game progressively worse to the point where i hated the game. It was just embarrassing playing with kids 10 times better than me, on this day play was held up by a thunderstorm, just as we were about to get going again I just decided id had enough and headed home. just couldnt be bothered, poor attitude but i was just fed up. It was my last summer before my leaving cert and as i was usually working every day id no real break and was literally just forced into playing golf by people who thought they knew better. It was not an enjoyable summer at all.

2004 Tottenham Hotspurs (Premier League) White Hart Lane 1-1
Djibril Cisse 37'
Att 35,105

It was Rafa's first league game in charge and in the opposite dugout Jacques Santini took charge of Spurs for the first time. the match ended 1-1 with Djibril Cisse scoring on his league debut but a well taken equalizer from Jermaine Defoe gave them a 1-1 draw, although Jamie Carragher did go close late on. Wasnt really in much of a mood for this as the previous night a new saturday league team i joined lost 3-1 in a friendly in which i was just blamed for everything. I wasnt exactly Fabio Cannovaro but the abuse i got (from some people who didnt play any better i might add) was totally out of line to the point where i felt like leaving already, these guys were supposed to be mates and the fact i was nursing a long standing groin injury couldnt have helped.

I was actually singled out at half time by our captain and a supposed mate when we were 1-0 down saying i was refusing to pass to him which was a bit rich considering he never once looked for the ball and we were only 1-0 down because of a mistake he made.

 At times i wish id packed in there and then. I got to the pub for this game with me dad late and i just had the feeling a difficult season was in prospect. although it ended brilliantly the path there was to be painful

[andy in warrington]

1993 v Sheff Wednesday was my first game on a season ticket. Upper Centenary Row 4 Seat 53; at the time no waiting list, just wrote to the club in the summer and got offered it a few days later.
This game I remember getting stuck in horrendous traffic on the East Lancs and being late for the kick off. Got in the ground just in time to see Palmer get sent off for a bad tackle. After that we won fairly comfortably. Also remember it being a very hot day.
I stayed in that seat for 3 seasons, then moved to the lower centenary where I have sat since.
I was sat next to a Welsh bloke and his mate for 3 seasons up there who smoked like chimneys all through the game, which I hated, and nattered away in Welsh apart from swear words, so a welsh sentence would be interspersed with fucks and twats. 

[kriss]

Today In History
August 14th


1976 Southampton (FA Charity Shield) Wembley 1-0
John Toshack 50'
Att 76,500

Im pretty sure ive seen this goal, were we in all white?

White shirts, white shorts, red socks. I put a link to the goal in my earlier posting. It's about two minutes 30 seconds in on :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H7hG398WCg

[andy in warrington]

1999. v Watford. I was all optimistic going into this game having won at Sheff Wed a week earlier. However we were dire, which I guess given that Houllier had introduced lots of new players, inconsistency was inevitable.
My main memories of this was how confident a young Steven Gerrard looked; didn't look out of place at all, and there was also a massive thunderstorm during the game and for a long period the pitch in places was waterlogged, but it soon drained away.   

[paulrazor]

White shirts, white shorts, red socks. I put a link to the goal in my earlier posting. It's about two minutes 30 seconds in on :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H7hG398WCg

think i know it, unfortunately youtube is blocked here

[ALANM]

Only 3 August 15th games of any note that I can recall.

1987: Liverpool paraded £2.8m worth of new signings in Peter Beardsley and John Barnes as 54,703 packed into Highbury for the opening League game of the season. John Aldridge, who had spent most of his time at Anfield bench warming to date, started in place of the departed Ian Rush. All 3 played a part in the 9th minute goal that put Liverpool ahead. Beardsley fed Barnes on the left, and his cross was headed in by Aldridge. Arsenal levelled before half time with a rare Paul Davis header. There were just 2 minutes left when Steve Nicol thundered home a header from the edge of the penalty area to clinch a dramatic win. It was the 1st of 7 goals (all away) in the 1st 7 games for Nicol that season, and he didn't score again until the following season!!

2007: Liverpool visited South West France to take on Toulouse in the CL 3rd qualifying round 1st leg. Andriy Voronin scored the only goal of the game with a superb long range effort. It made us think we may have a good signing in the Ukranian, but we were wrong!!

2010: Arsenal again provided the opposition for the 1st League game of the ill fated Roy Hodgson reign at Anfield. The visitors weaved plenty of pretty patterns in the 1st half without offering any real threat as Liverpool comfortably kept them at bay. There was drama in 1st half injury time when Martin Atkinson dismissed Joe Cole for a reckless challenge. The red card looked harsh, but there was no need whatsoever for Cole to make the challenge by the Arsenal corner flag. Liverpool responded to this setback in the best possible way as David Ngog superbly fired them ahead straight from the restart. After that Liverpool fought heroically, and continued to attack whenever they could. It took Arsenal 80 minutes to trouble Pepe Reina when he was forced to tip over a Tomas Rosicky effort. Reina then turned villian in injury time when the ball came back off the post, and he could only succeed in knocking it into his own net. There was still time for Steven Gerrard to nearly win it with a free kick after Laurent Koscielny was sent off for 2 bookings, but Manuel Almunia turned his shot away to safety. At the end the Reds were given a standing ovation by a crowd who knew they'd given absolutely everything.

[kriss]

15th August 1964 : Liverpool 2 West Ham United 2

As the reigning First Division champions, we are allowed to have home advantage in this Charity Shield match. For the visitors, Ron Greenwood selects exactly the same team that had beaten Preston North End in the F.A. cup final at the end of the previous season. Alf Arrowsmith, scorer of 19 League and cup goals in 1963-64, leads our line but is forced off with an injury after only a quarter of an hour. The man who comes on for him, Phil Chisnall, was signed from Manchester United in April. Nearly half a century later, nobody has followed him to make that identical journey. Chisnall is our first recorded substitute in a competitive match. This (1965-66) is the first season in which substitutes are permitted in the English game. But the rule is strict. Clubs can only replace an injured player (like Arrowsmith). The law isn’t relaxed for another two years, after which a change can also be made for a tactical reason.

The Hammers beat us home and away in our championship-winning season. Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst and John Byrne scored against us in those two matches. Byrne and Hurst both scored at Anfield and do so again.  West Ham come from behind twice so it is hard to claim that they do not deserve to share the Shield.

[kriss]

15th August 1970 : Burnley 1 Liverpool 2

My secondary education is over and I have been saving diligently all through the spring and summer because I am determined to be as active a supporter of the club as I can. Even though I go to live in London after leaving school, the distance I have to travel to matches will not dissuade me from fulfilling my dream. I get to 45 of the club’s 62 competitive matches in 1970-71 and Burnley on the opening day is the first of those forty-five.

We start the season with two away matches, Burnley on the Saturday afternoon and Blackpool on the Monday evening. The close proximity of the two locations means that it is pointless travelling back to London inbetween. But even in the pre-internet days, you still have to work things out properly. I book two overnight journeys by whatever National Express called itself in 1970 and trust myself to find suitable accommodation on the Saturday and Sunday nights.

The vehicle from Victoria coach-station doesn’t go directly to Burnley. It stops at every town/city of any size on the way as it meanders north. Eventually we arrive at Burnley at about 8 in the morning. If you want to know what there is to do in Burnley between 8 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon, the answer is … not very much!  Time goes very slowly but my excitement builds up as the morning wears on. It is quite an adventure for a 17-year-old! Obviously one of the first things I did on arriving in the town was to locate the Turf Moor stadium. I am there to watch the team arrive, along with many others who have not had to travel as far as I have. Hooliganism is still a problem in the English game but even when you visit a stadium for the first time to watch your team play, it doesn’t take long to work out where the visiting supporters are expected to stand (or in later years sit). You just get to know where to go and where not to go, what to do and what not to do. The information I picked up at different grounds in 1970-71 was invaluable in later years. At Turf Moor the Liverpool supporters stand on the enormous Longside, a huge covered terrace that stretches along the whole length of the pitch. We seem to outnumber the Burnley fans about two-to-one in a crowd of nearly 27,000 but that is deceptive. We certainly had a few thousand there though in the days of turn up, pay the the turnstiles, watch the match and go home again. I was still at a very impressionable age and it was just a fantastic experience and mixture of emotions to be watching Liverpool live on the opening day of a new season. After the match I travelled by train from Burnley to Manchester and, despite not having pre-booked, managed to get a room at the Midland Hotel. I still remember the cost. It was £3 for the night! If I had wanted to book a room there for the 15th of August this year, it would have cost £128 for Dinner, Bed & Breakfast. £3 sounds extraordinarily cheap even for 1970 but you could do a lot with three quid back then.

[kriss]

15th August 1972 : Liverpool 2 Manchester United 0

Opening a new season with home matches against the two Manchester clubs is a huge test. We have already beaten City 2-0 and three days later do the same to United. I have a seat at the Kop end of the Main Stand and get an excellent view of the two goals we score at the Anfield Road end in the opening twenty minutes. That is way too much for United to contend with and we cruise to another impressive victory. Four points out of four, four goals scored and none conceded. Arsenal are the only other First Division club to have started with two wins so we share the early leadership of the top division with them. Ian Callaghan’s selection against United means that he has now played for Liverpool more times than Billy Liddell. 

[kriss]

15th August 1987 : Arsenal 1 Liverpool 2

I despise Arsenal with a passion. They have caused us (Liverpool supporters) more pain than any other club. Even though it is three years since I left London to work eighty miles away, I am still always over-anxious about going to watch us at Highbury in case it leads to more misery. On this day it does not. Kenny’s new team, with Beardsley and Barnes having joined Aldridge and with Houghton to come shortly, is taking shape. Two things I remember from our goals (there are two short reports on the clip but our first goal does not appear on the first clip) : Tony Adams putting his hand up appealing for offside after Aldridge had beaten him in the air to open the scoring and David O’Leary immediately copying his captain and doing the same thing; and a quite stupendous 20-yard header from Steve Nicol a couple of minutes from time, at which I jumped so high out of my seat in the Upper West Stand it’s a miracle I didn’t injure my head on the roof. On a very hot afternoon, it was a winner greeted with extraordinary jubilation by half of the South Bank and I well remember that on this opening day of a new season we had thousands there, fucking thousands. The Arsenal supporters sitting around me didn’t appreciate my celebration but fuck ‘em, they had had enough reasons to gloat over us in the past (1950, 1971, 1972 and 1987 with sadly 1989 still to come).  Short reports here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCfKyffK41c

[kriss]

15th August 2007 : Toulouse 0 Liverpool 1

Yossi Benayoun makes his debut after signing from West Ham United in the middle of the previous month. Andriy Voronin scores his first Liverpool goal (the first of only 6 he will score for us) and a very fine goal it is too. Goal here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_h1VJXhZUM

[kriss]

15th August 2010 : Liverpool 1 Arsenal 1

You don’t always get what you deserve in football and from this match Arsenal deserved … absolutely nothing!  Arsène Wenger’s myopia prevents him from seeing the incident that led to Joe Cole being sent off on his Premier League debut for Liverpool. He probably thinks Laurent Koscielny shouldn’t have been sent off either, the blind twat. Here’s what Arsène thought :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xegYdppGv0

and here is N’gog’s goal as filmed from the Paddock :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIvpT7JG4Ds

[Rafa_La]

Today In History
August 15th

1964 Westham United (Charity Shield) Anfield 2-2*
Gordon Wallace 29' Gerry Byrne 49'
Att 38,858
*Trophy shared*

1970 Burnley (Division One) Turf Moor 2-1
Alun Evans 19' Emlyn Hughes 77'
Att 26,702

1972 Manchester United (Division One) Anfield 2-0
John Toshack 12' Steve Heighway 20'
Att 54,779

1982 Malaga (Malaga Tournament Final) Estadio La Rosaleda 1-1*
Alan Kennedy
Att Unknown
*Lost on penalties*

1987 Arsenal (Division One)Highbury 2-1
John Aldridge 9' Steve Nicol 88'
Att 54,703

1994 Dundalk (Friendly) Oriel Park 2-1
Robbie Fowler 18' Michael Thomas 81'
Att 8,000

2007 Toulouse (Champions League 3erd qulifying round 1st leg) Municipal Stadium 1-0
Andriy Voronin 43'
Att 30,380

2010 Arsenal (Premier League) Anfield 1-1
David Ngog 46'
Att 44,722


Transfers IN


Brian Mooney (1983)
Miki Roque (2005) R.I.P. Miki Y.N.W.A.


Transfers OUT


Larry Lloyd (1974)
Ray Clemence (1981)
Gary Gillespie (1991)
Stephen Wright (2002)


DEBUTS ON THIS DAY


Phil Chisnall (1964)
John Barnes (1987)
Peter Beardsley (1987)
Yossi Benayoun (2007)



DEBUT GOALS

Andriy Voronin (2007)



Born on this day

Tom Reid (1905)
Boudewjin Zenden (1976)

[kriss]

Today In History
August 15th

Transfers OUT

Larry Lloyd (1974)

Bill Shankly bought centre-half Larry Lloyd from Bristol Rovers in April 1969 as cover for big Ron Yeats, who was by then nearing the end of his Liverpool career. Larry played in two consecutive League games in the Autumn of 1969 but was selected for the last 6 First Division matches of that 1969-70 season in the aftermath of the humbling F.A. cup defeat at Watford, although he had actually made his first-team debut in a European Fairs cup tie at Dundalk the previous September. 
Yeats filled in occasionally at left-back in the 1970-71 season, leaving the tall Bristolian free to establish himself at the heart of Liverpool's defence. He only missed 2 League fixtures that year and helped his young side reach the F.A. cup final, where they were beaten in extra-time by Arsenal. More disappointment followed a year later when a disallowed 'goal' a few minutes from the end of the final League game cost them the championship. But in 1972-73 those near misses were forgotten as Liverpool captured a championship and UEFA cup 'double', with Larry playing in every single one of the 66 competitive matches the club played during that draining season and also scoring the winning goal in the European final against Borussia Mönchengladbach. 
Lloyd was still very much first-choice at the start of the next season and played in 27 consecutive First Division games up to and including the home fixture with Norwich City on 2nd February 1974. He was substituted by Peter Cormack on that day and the Scot scored the last-minute winner to keep Liverpool just about in touch with Leeds at the top of the table.  Cormack replaced Lloyd from that moment on, numerically if not positionally, and the club made it known that they were prepared to listen for offers for a man who was still only 25 years old and had several good years ahead of him. Coventry City were prepared to pay what was for the time a very high fee, even considering the player's age, and Larry left Anfield for Highfield Road in August 1974. 
He stayed at Coventry for two seasons before moving on to Nottingham Forest, where he achieved even greater success than he had on Merseyside, twice being a member of a European cup-winning side and winning another League championship medal. He moved to Wigan as player-manager in March 1981 and although he took the Lancashire club into the Third Division a year later, he was dismissed the following season. He also had a short spell in charge of Notts. County before retiring from the game and concentrating on his new life as a publican in the Nottingham area.

[paulrazor]

Today In History

August 15th 1987 Arsenal (Division One)Highbury 2-1
John Aldridge 9' Steve Nicol 88'
Att 54,703

i wrote a season review of this campaign sometime last year and said the 4-0 win over QPR may have been the first exhibit as to how good this team was but really i should have said it was this. With Peter Beardsley and John Barnes newly signed up together with a recent arrival in John Aldridge this new look Liverpool would crush all before them, it took just 9 minutes to open the scoring when all 3 players combined for Aldridge to head into the top corner. Arsenal levelled through a Paul Davis header.

John Motson commented on the mighty reds video "you felt some Liverpool teams of the past would have settled for a draw" but late on an unbelievable header from Steve Nicol gave Liverpool the win infront of almost 55000 fans. I had to rewind this so many times, Nicol's header was from outside the area and it flew over a 6ft 4 keeper in John Lukic into the top corner. The away end exploded in the blistering sunshine. Liverpools new look team made a statement of intent, interestingly their first 11 that day was great but in reserve the likes of Paul Walsh, John Wark, Jan Molby and Nigel Spackman didnt play at all, Dalglish himself was no longer a regular and this was before we added Ray Houghton to the ranks. There have been many first 11s that could be the greatest, this for me was the first real great squad.

1994 Dundalk (Friendly) Oriel Park 2-1
Robbie Fowler 18' Michael Thomas 81'
Att 8,000

Unfortunately by the time i was old enough to go to games myself Liverpool werent coming over to Ireland at all, the senior team hasnt played here since 2001. before then it was pretty much a yearly occurence (rumoured to be because Robbie Fowler got minced one game by a keeper who was a united fan, apparently on purpose)

2007 Toulouse (Champions League 3erd qulifying round 1st leg) Municipal Stadium 1-0
Andriy Voronin 43'
Att 30,380

I was really bogged down watching this, i didnt know id a dust allergy and was moving office, the equipment aswell as the fact you cant open a window meant i was just stuffed up every day and ended up in my doctors 4 times in 2 weeks. it was just block up my nose and wear me down. I still made it to the pub after, it was a poor game though. we won 1-0 with Voronin scoring a peach. The game probably didnt get going due to the stifling heat in france but it meant wed one foot in the group stages.

2010 Arsenal (Premier League) Anfield 1-1
David Ngog 46'
Att 44,722

It was roy Hodgsons first league game in charge and with new owners rumoured to be on the way (Kenny huang and CIC were heavily linked) there was a good atmosphere. FIrst half we were largely second best but the dismissal of league debutant Joe Cole left us with an uphill battle on the stroke of half time, but minutes into the second half David nGog scored an absolute belter to make it 1-0 and we were by far the better team now. however in the last minute Pepe Reina scored a bizarre own goal and it was 1-1, as mentioned Steven Gerrard had a thumping free kick saved by Manuel Almunia before Lorent Koscielny was then sent off. I remember watching the game in 3d in a bar in dublin which was interesting. the good mood surrounding hodgson soon disappeared

by the next game with man city away the takeover talk was dying, and Javier Mascherano (immense here) allegedly walked out, he never played for us again. Sad to say this was the highpoint of Hodgson at Liverpool.

[kriss]

16th August 1969 : Tottenham Hotspur 0 Liverpool 2

Two goals in the opening twenty minutes at White Hart Lane bring our third successive victory from the start of the season. Bill Shankly was always keen that the goals were shared around the team. So he would have been pleased by the contributions today’s goalscorers made in this season. Emlyn Hughes scored 7 First Division goals in 1969-70 and Chris Lawler an incredible 10 from full-back. Highlights of this match were shown on “Match Of The Day” in the evening. Emlyn Hughes strides upfield as early as the second minute to place the ball carefully and gleefully into the Park Lane end goal (from 2 minutes on :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU9-3gv0K84);

then Chris Lawler calmly strokes the ball past Pat Jennings with his left foot (it’s the second goal on this clip :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykpB4ItGt6A).

[kriss]

16th August 1975 : Queens Park Rangers 2 Liverpool 0

On the opening day of a new season, we are given a harsh lesson by a team that will push us all the way for the championship trophy itself. Goals here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltI0BOdVQ04

[kriss]

16th August 1980 : Liverpool 3 Crystal Palace 0

Both Kennedy's score as we get a new season off to a winning start. It is a second successive 3-0 defeat at Anfield for a Palace team unwisely forecast to become  the “Team Of The Eighties” under Terry Venables. Kenny Dalglish gets an unintentional kick in the face when diving to head our opening goal in front of the Kop but is able to continue after treatment.

[kriss]

16th August 1986 : Everton 1 Liverpool 1

The previous time we played the Blues in a Wembley Charity Shield match (1984), we lost to a comical open-goal. When Adrian Heath puts Everton ahead ten minutes from time, it looks as if we will lose again until Ian Rush pounces to turn Kenny Dalglish’s cross past Bobby Mimms for a late but deserved equaliser. It is the 11th of the 25 goals Rushie will score in competitive matches against Everton. Bruce Grobbelaar has to be replaced by Mike Hooper after nearly an hour’s play. Our other substitute, the player-manager bringing himself on for the ineffective Kevin MacDonald, makes an immediate difference to our attacking options.

[kriss]

16th August 1992 :    Nottingham Forest 1 Liverpool 0

An unholy alliance between football and television is born as Sky present their first Super Sunday fixture, a match decided by Teddy Sheringham’s excellent strike past a 22-year-old goalkeeper who is making his League debut for us, David James. Goal here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmjBwHqpsxU

[kriss]

16th August 1998 : Southampton 1 Liverpool 2

It is always pleasing to start a new season with a win, especially if it is an awkward away fixture. Karl-Heinz Riedle quickly equalises Egil Østenstad’s opener before Michael Owen, fresh from his astonishing impact at the 1998 World Cup in France, lashes a close-range shot past Paul Jones with a quarter of an hour remaining.

[kriss]

Fernando Torres starts a new season in the same way that he ended the previous one … with a goal. His brilliant strike beats Craig Gordon from twenty-five yards (the goal comes in the first twenty seconds of this clip :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htrstHg6d9M)

[kriss]

16th August 2009 : Tottenham Hotspur 2 Liverpool 1

By an astonishing coincidence, our first away fixture of the season comes forty years to the day after our first away fixture (of 1969-70) also took us to the same venue. But sadly that is where the coincidence ends. In 1969 we had a comfortable two-goal victory; in 2009 there are real hopes of pushing on from the runners-up spot of the previous season. But those hopes are dashed in the very first game of a new season. As the Liverpool Echo candidly put it, “Reds frailties are laid bare”. For only a couple of minutes after Steven Gerrard’s equaliser does our hope return before woeful marking at a free-kick allows Sébastien Bassong to head the winning goal on his Tottenham debut. Our own debutants are Glen Johnson (who plays from the start)  and Daniel Ayala (who comes on for Martin Skrtel). 

[danwms]

Where are you getting all this info from, its insane?

[kriss]

Where are you getting all this info from, its insane?

I work every day for www.lfchistory.net and I have a very good memory and a lot of books!

[Rafa_La]

Today In History
August 16th

1969 Tottenham Hotspur (Division One)White Hart Lane 2-0
Emlyn Hughes 2' Chris Lawler 37'
Att 50,474

1975 Queens Park Rangers (Division One) Loftus Road 0-2
Att 27,113

1980 Crystal Palace (Division One) Anfield 3-0
Kenny Dalglish 25' Alan Kennedy 32' Ray Kennedy 83'
Att 42,777

1986 Everton (Charity Shield ) Wembley 1-1
Ian Rush 87'
Att 88,231

1992 Nottingham Forest (Premier League) City Ground 0-1
Att 20,038

1998 Southampton (Premier League )The Dell 2-1
KarlHeinz Riedle 39' Michael Owen 73'
Att 15,202

2008 Sunderland (Premier League) Stadium Of Light 1-0
Torres 83'
Att 43,259

2009 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League) White Hart Lane 1-2
Gerrard (Pen) 56'
Att 35,935


1st game in charge as joint managers for Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier on this day in 1998



Transfers OUT

Daniel Ayala (2011)


DEBUTS ON THIS DAY

Joey Jones (1975)
Mike Hooper (1986)
Barry Venison (1986)
David James (1992)
Vegard Heggem (1998)
Daniel Ayala (2009)
Glen Johnson (2009)

Born on this day

Barry Venison (1964)

[paulrazor]

Today In History
August 16th
1975 Queens Park Rangers (Division One) Loftus Road 0-2
Att 27,113

It may have been day one of the season but Gerry Francis scored what turned out to be the BBC goal of the season. Liverpool were systematically picked off through the heart of the midfield and Francis finished it well under Ray Clemence in a season where QPR took their title challenge to us to the final day of the season and ended up just minutes from pipping us to the title.

1980 Crystal Palace (Division One) Anfield 3-0
Kenny Dalglish 25' Alan Kennedy 32' Ray Kennedy 83'
Att 42,777

Ive definitely seen Alan Kennedy's goal here, he absolute smashes it into the roof of the Anfield road end.

1986 Everton (Charity Shield ) Wembley 1-1
Ian Rush 87'
Att 88,231

For the first time since his arrival in 1981, Bruce Grobbelaar doesnt feature for Liverpool at some point during a match, Brucie had never missed any action in his first 5 seasons at the club but an injury here allows Mike Hooper to deputise, the 2nd choice role at Liverpool had to be demoralising. Clemence and then Grobbelaar rarely missed any action.

1992 Nottingham Forest (Premier League) City Ground 0-1
Att 20,038

It is a new era, for division 1, read premier league, for ITV or BBC on a sunday, read Sky sports, for John Motson or Brian Moore, read Andy Gray and Martin Tyler, for Elton Welsby read Richard Keys, for passing back to the keeper, read,,,,,, well, just dont pick it up if your in goal.

Sky Sports heralded a new beginning, their ads consisted of slogan like "its a whole new ball game" aligned with the catchy "alive and kicking" from simple minds. Richard keys declared at 2pm on the day "sunday afternoons will never be the same". He wasnt half right. Sky over promised but for 20 years its safe to say they took coverage of the games to new heights. ITV's coverage usually began 5 minutes before kick off if even, Sky's began two hours before this initially.

This was the first game covered by SKY in England's top flight which pitted two teams that traded many a blow over the previous 15 or so years, both teams had high hopes going into the season but both teams seriously disappointed over the course of the season particularly Forest yet it was they who controlled the game. Two minutes in Roy Keane burst through from midfield and his shot was stopped by our debutant keeper David James who reacted brilliantly to then thwart two efforts from Nigel Clough. in the words of Tyler "a triple save, what a way to start a league career with Liverpool"

although James would eventually be beaten by a brilliant effort from Teddy Sheringham he enhanced his reputation as a good up and coming keeper with some stunning saves again from Keane and one effort from Brian Laws. Liverpool offered little in return though I think Dean Saunders hit the bar, Forest would end the season bottom but they were good value for the win. Sky went on from strength to strength, this was also the first league game in which we were sponsored by Carlsberg, an association that last 18 years as shirt sponsor, Carlsberg still sponsor us today although much like their beer, this is a watered down version.

1998 Southampton (Premier League )The Dell 2-1
KarlHeinz Riedle 39' Michael Owen 73'
Att 15,202

Southampton was a tricky enough place to go and when they took the lead they must have fancied that they would take atleast a point but a terrific header from Karl Heinz Riedle and a volley from Michael Owen in the second half gave us a 2-1 win. I dont know if i read it here or saw it on lfctv but for our winner Southampton were a bit pissed that one of their defenders wasnt allowed back on the pitch after leaving through injury just before we scored. Jason Dodd i think it was.

2008 Sunderland (Premier League) Stadium Of Light 1-0
Torres 83'
Att 43,259

Sunderland looked to be containing us and it seemed a frustrating day would end 0-0, although the introduction of Xabi alonso at half time re-affirmed our dominance and 7 minutes from time a blistering shot from Fernando Torres zipped along the surface beyind Craig Gordon in the Sunderland goal for a 1-0 win, it was our 5th consecutive win over them in the league and no goals were conceded in that time. (1-0, 2-0, 2-0, 3-0, 1-0)

2009 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League) White Hart Lane 1-2
Gerrard (Pen) 56'
Att 35,935

If i was hopeful we could win the premier league that season then i dare say i was good company, i remember being a bit hungover from a 15 hour bender the day before. THe first half though we were poor and Benoit Assou Ekotto rifled in an absolute peach. We kicked into gear in the second half in which Steven Gerrard levelled from the spot after Spurs keeper gomez creamed our new boy Glen Johnson but minutes later an unmarked Sebastien bassong headed home on his debut. Liverpool probably were 2nd best but were denied a blatant penalty moments later when Androy Voronin was absolutely creamed clean through on goal by Ekotto. Just to take the absolute piss, Ekotto handled the ball in the box a few seconds later and also got away with that.

[kriss]

Today In History
August 16th


1998 Southampton (Premier League )The Dell 2-1
KarlHeinz Riedle 39' Michael Owen 73'
Att 15,202

Southampton was a tricky enough place to go and when they took the lead they must have fancied that they would take atleast a point but a terrific header from Karl Heinz Riedle and a volley from Michael Owen in the second half gave us a 2-1 win. I dont know if i read it here or saw it on lfctv but for our winner Southampton were a bit pissed that one of their defenders wasnt allowed back on the pitch after leaving through injury just before we scored. Jason Dodd i think it was.

Quite correct, HR. It was indeed Jason Dodd who was trying to get back on the pitch after treatment when Steve Staunton took the long throw that led to our winning goal.

[kriss]

Today In History
August 16th

1980 Crystal Palace (Division One) Anfield 3-0
Kenny Dalglish 25' Alan Kennedy 32' Ray Kennedy 83'
Att 42,777

Ive definitely seen Alan Kennedy's goal here, he absolute smashes it into the roof of the Anfield road end. I have tried to find the goals online but without success so far. Definitely at the Anfield Road end though and definitely a fierce drive past Palace goalkeeper Paul Barron.

Yes. That's how I remember it too. It wasn't on the BBC's "Match Of The Day" (I've just checked that) so it must have been on Granada. I have tried to find the goals online but without success. Definitely at the Anfield Road end and definitely a fierce left-fooded drive past Palace goalkeeper Paul Barron.

[paulrazor]

Quite correct, HR. It was indeed Jason Dodd who was trying to get back on the pitch after treatment when Steve Staunton took the long throw that led to our winning goal.

hurrah

[paulrazor]

Elvis died this day 35 years ago

I know cos it was dads 40th, happy 75th dad

ill give the guinness guzzling monster a bell now

[ALANM]

August 16th 1980 was the date I attented my 1st ever football match......Leicester v Ipswich. I was 14 at the time, and I used to spend a few days every summer holiday with my Auntie and Uncle who lived in Leicester, as did my brother and sister. We basically took it in turns to visit, swapping cars at a Little Chef near Leek. On the Friday night my Uncle took a phone call from a friend who had 9 ST's at LCFC. He was 1st standby should anyone not be able to attend a game. He was told 2 blokes were on holiday, and would he and his wife like to go. He asked if it was ok for me to go instead of his wife, and was told that would be fine. I was sitting in the back garden when he came out to me.

"How would you like to go to a football match?" he said.

My reply was instant.

"I'd love to!"

He then told me about the phone call. I was made up.

We were picked up at 2.00 on the Saturday for the 15 minute drive to Filbert Street. As I got out of the car, I watched trying to take it all in as thousands of fans milled around the outside of the ground. The 9 of us then entered the ground, and found our seats in what would end up being the away section of the ground in later years. Leicester had been promoted as Champions the previous May, while Ipswich had finished 3rd in Division 1, despite being bottom the previous October. This helped create a terrific atmosphere inside the ground.

As for the game itself, Leicester gave it their best shot, but an 88th minute header from John Wark gave Ipswich the points. 4 years later Wark would be regularly scoring for Liverpool. Leaving the ground at the end though I was made up that I had seen a professional game. It was a day I will never forget.

As mentioned by others, Liverpool beat Crystal Palace 3-0 that day. The following Saturday when I had long since returned home, Liverpool were actually the visitors to Filbert Street. My Auntie took the other ticket that day as both were still available. Guess who won the match 2-0!!

[ALANM]

1986: This was a non event for long periods, the highlight of which was a Mexican wave that must have spent 5 minutes goinfg round Wembley. The craze had started in the World Cup just 2 months earlier. As this had been staged in Mexico, that was how the Mexican wave got it's name.

Adrian Heath dispatched a through ball past Mike Hooper on 81 minutes, but Ian Rush scored his 3rd Wembley goal of the year against Everton with 2 minutes left to ensure a share of the Shield.

1992: The 1st ever televised Premier League game. A superb finish from Teddy Sheringham gave Forest victory. That was as good as it got for Forest as they were relegated that season. It was also the season where some would have you believe football began!!

1998: The Dell wasn't always a happy hunting ground for Liverpool, although they had won 3 and drawn 1 of their previous 4 visits. The ill fated joint manager reign started well as the Reds came from behind to win.

2008: I didn't see this game as we'd been on a family day out to Bangor on Dee races to celebrate my Dads 80th birthday that day. Texts I got from friends suggested the result was better than the performance, something that would become a recurring them in the early part of 2008/9. It completed a good day though as I made a £30 profit.

2009: We were well beaten in this game by a much better team on the day. We were denied at least 1 blatant penalty, but anything other than a defeat would have only papered over the cracks in what was a poor display.   

[ALANM]

I'll come back and review August 17th as it's getting late. Unfortunately the site wasn't working when I tried to review August 16th 24 hours ago, so I've had to do it all again. It's called the HR syndrome!!

[kriss]

17th August 1964 : KR Reykjavík 0 Liverpool 5

A hugely-significant date in the club’s history; our first competitive European fixture and the start of an extraordinary story. Phil Chisnall becomes our first European scorer.

I went to the stadium when I was in Iceland four months ago. Even though the stadium has changed significantly since 1964, I was still somewhat awestruck at being there where our European adventure began.

[kriss]

17th August 1968 : Arsenal 1 Liverpool 1

After losing at Southampton in midweek three days earlier, this is a useful point against an Arsenal team who will finish the season in 4th place. Roger Hunt scores the last of his eight goals against Arsenal; and John Radford scores the second of his seven goals against Liverpool.

[kriss]

17th August 1970 : Blackpool 0 Liverpool 0

Blackpool, as you would expect, is heaving during its peak season. I am surprised how many Liverpool supporters are at the match in the evening, although how many of them were already in the town on holiday is unknown (a lot I suspect). I liked the stadium as it was in those days. I feel it had much more character than what is at Bloomfield Road today. After a dismal match I walk round to the coach-station to start my long overnight journey back to London.

[kriss]

17th August 1971 : Liverpool 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2

Bill Shankly makes one change from the team that had defeated Nottingham Forest three days earlier (Kevin Keegan’s debut for the club), bringing in Ian Callaghan for John McLaughlin. As against Forest, the team scores three times but Tommy Smith is the only man who has scored in both fixtures. It is again a penalty-kick but this time a last-minute penalty-kick to win the match after goals from Derek Dougan and Kenny Hibbitt have looked like earning the visitors a point.

[kriss]

17th August 1973 : Anderlecht 0 Liverpool 0

I arrive by train from Berlin to meet up with other members of the London Branch of the Supporters’ Club who have crossed the Channel to attend this pre-season friendly. It is the first of the three times I will watch Liverpool play Anderlecht in this stadium. Bill Shankly picks a strong team …  Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Thompson, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Cormack, Heighway, Toshack and Callaghan … but the match is a complete non-event.

[kriss]

17th August 1974 : Luton Town 1 Liverpool 2

It is always nice to open a new season with a win, even if playing away to a newly-promoted club can often be trickier than it originally appears. Kevin Keegan is free to play because his punishment for being sent off at Wembley in the Charity Shield match against Leeds United has not yet been announced. Luton score first through Barry Butlin (our defenders don’t pick him up at a long throw) but Tommy Smith has us level before half-time. Fifteen minutes from time Ian Callaghan’s cross from the right is headed back by Peter Cormack and Steve Heighway strikes a fierce left-footed shot high into the net past Graham Horn (it’s the first goal on :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx5kFPWAxZg).

Smithy’s goal (the match was featured on “Match Of The Day” in the evening) is from 2 minutes 45 seconds on :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvNm-kQwJuk).