Here are a few memories of games I saw when I first started going to the match
Liverpool 3 Watford 1 FA Cup replay 1/2/67 - My first Liverpool game
Can’t remember a great deal about the game itself, but I recall seeing the green pitch under the floodlights as I walked into the ground through the old entrance behind the Anny Road End goal and being enthralled by the sight and the atmosphere.
Liverpool 4 Southampton 1 25/10/69
It was the last season of the first great Shankly team and we were shortly to go out of the FA Cup at Watford. We were struggling against Southampton at Anfield and the score was 1-1. Roger Hunt was the substitute (only 1 allowed in those days) - he had missed the previous 3 games and came on for Alec Lindsay with about 15 minutes to go. The effect was immediate - Hunt scored in the 83rd and 84th minutes and to add to the excitement, Tommy Lawrence saved a penalty and Southampton put a further one through their own goal. We were all singing ‘Ee-aye addio, Sir Roger Hunt’ and it looked like our old hero had returned. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. Sir Roger only started another 3 games before departing to Bolton and the old Shankly team met its Waterloo at Watford the following February.
Everton 0 Liverpool 3 6/12/69 - My first Derby game
It’s hard to believe now, but Everton were a good team at that time and would eventually win the league by 9 points (with only 2 points for a win) that season. My uncle was a blue and, on the morning of the Goodison Derby, called round to say that he had a spare ticket for the match if I wanted to go with him, but it was for the Gladwys Street End. In those days, that wasn’t a big deal, so off I went to the match. The first half was completely unmemorable, but shortly after half time, Emlyn Hughes headed in a cross for our first goal. I celebrated and got a few dirty looks, but there were plenty of other Reds there too. Not long afterwards was one of my all time favourite Derby memories when Sandy Brown managed to head one into his own net for 2-0. We withstood some Everton pressure and broke away for Bobby Graham to make it 3-0. My uncle wasn’t very pleased and said ‘I’m never bringing you to the game again’!
Liverpool 3 Everton2 21/11/70 - My first Anfield Derby
Fast forward almost 12 months and it’s a new Liverpool team - Clemence, Lloyd, McLaughlin, Heighway, Toshack, Lindsay and Hall were all in the side. I had a ticket for the Kop - one of my first games standing there, along with my Dad. It was another unmemorable first half, but Everton went 2-0 up in the first 20 minutes or so after half time. We were just starting to give up hope when, on 69 minutes, Steve Heighway scored what was to be one of his trademark goals and the Kop really woke up and got behind the team. 5 minutes later, we were level when Toshack headed home. It was then absolute bedlam on the Kop - my Dad was holding on to the hood of my coat to keep contact, but it was nothing compared to what it was like when Chris Lawler scored a 3rd with just over 5 minutes left. I didn’t see my Dad again until after the game and I realised just how great it was on the Kop.
Liverpool 2 Leeds United 0 27th April 1973
I’d been going to the match for 7 years now and we hadn’t wan a trophy in all that time. I was beginning to think I was a jinx, but it all changed on Easter Monday. We played Leeds, knowing that a win would all but guarantee the title. All games then were pay at the gate, so we got to the ground ridiculously early - probably not much after noon, to be sure of getting in. Leeds were an incredibly tough team and always capable of frustrating you and pinching a result, but Peter Cormack put us in front just after half time. The second half remained very tense and we couldn’t relax until Kevin Keegan scored a 2nd with 5 minutes left. Although we still needed a point to be sure of the title, nobody really thought we’d let it slip at that stage and we made sure of it with a dull 0-0 draw at home to Leicester City - but it was that win over Leeds that really won it for us.
