Topic: Famous Liverpool Matches - I was there

[Red_Mist]

I’ve been watching the Reds since 1954 and as my name suggests, I have seen all Liverpool’s great home games and most of their away successes in the last 69 years. In European Competition, Inter Milan, St Etienne, Olympiakos, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Barcelona Man City and United all swept away under a tidal wave of football brilliance, passion and emotion. And at home Notts Forest, Arsenal, Man City, Man United, Crystal Palace and so many more put to the sword.
But, for me, at the age of 14, the 2-0 game against Southampton to clinch promotion to the old First Division in 1962 is one which I will always cherish. It meant Liverpool were joining the big boys and with Shanks laid the foundation for the Reds to go on and become the greatest club in world football.
I can’t believe how lucky I’ve been to follow this great club.

I reckon you should be given that IMAGINE BEING US banner for a few games. Because, well…imagine being you! Few football supporters get to see that much. Brilliant stuff

I think if I could go back in time it would be to that exact season you mention. In at the beginning with promotion, then the seasons that followed (that Panorama program giving us a glimpse into how much fun it must’ve been). It’s the time, along with the post-war team, that my dad and his dad always talked about as the best of times, culminating with the FA Cup win.

[Barneylfc∗]

Did Barnes nutmeg his full back (Steve Chettle?) down in the corner of the Kop and Kemlyn before one of the goals? Think that might be what you mean Yorky but it’s a bit hazy for me too!

Through my dad’s tickets we got to go in the old trophy room afterwards for a classic buffet as well. The breaded chicken drumsticks were a touch of class.

A cut back for Beardsley to make it 4-0. Megged someone, skinned another then Beardsley drilled home from about 12 yards. 

[FlashingBlade]

Luton away when they banned away fans and only home fans
could get in with ID cards..I was there..plus about 250 other Reds

[Barrow Shaun]

A cut back for Beardsley to make it 4-0. Megged someone, skinned another then Beardsley drilled home from about 12 yards.

Exactly what I was about to post. Yep.

[The Cobbler]

St Etienne Anfield 16th March 1977. European Cup QF 2nd leg.

I was there with my girlfriend (now my wife of 45 years) and my wonderful late mother-in-law. We were in the old standing paddock.

The night when dreams, frustrations and tears all came together. 1-0 down from the first leg to the champions of France. Most of their team were the core of the French national team. Finalists the year before, narrowly losing to the great Bayern Munich. They were top drawer……

I won’t go through the details, just watch the highlights on YouTube. Fairclough’s wining goal to make it 3-1 on the night.56,000 there to witness it. Thousands of French in the ARE singing ‘Allez ales Verts’. They left in tears, we floated out in joy and astonishment. My wife’s mother didn’t see the last 10 minutes after Fairclough’s goal. Turned her back and stared at the wall at the back of the paddock. Too frightened to watch!

We KNEW then it was going to be our year. The first one when big ears finally came home. After the robbery and cheating of 1965 when in the semifinal second leg, Inter Milan bribed the Spanish referee, justice was eventually done.

St Etienne was the night LFC graduated to the biggest stage. We then swept Zurich aside and had the great night in Rome against Borussia Munchengladbach.

I was 19. I’ve seen us become Football Royalty. Outside of the UK we are seen as THE English team. Just ignore the envy and bile from those in this country who will never be able to match us.

God bless Shanks and Bob for building the foundations which allowed us to become who we are.

[mikeb58]

Middlesborough away 1981...midweek few weeks before Paris...about 25/30 Liverpool fans there....rest of you just glory hunters!!

If that ended 1-1 I was there (Terry Mac equaliser) one coach went I think, it had been bricked when we got back to it. When it left we had to duck as more shite was getting chucked at it.

I'm sure we stopped off on the way home and got a replacement coach.

When we left the shithole of a ground some fans legged us, but they were grown fellas, no colours or anything we thought they were too old and above all that, luckily we outran the aurl fuckers!

[FlashingBlade]

If that ended 1-1 I was there (Terry Mac equaliser) one coach went I think, it had been bricked when we got back to it. When it left we had to duck as more shite was getting chucked at it.

I'm sure we stopped off on the way home and got a replacement coach.

When we left the shithole of a ground some fans legged us, but they were grown fellas, no colours or anything we thought they were too old and above all that, luckily we outran the aurl fuckers!

won 2-1 Kennedy and Irwin....sure your not confused with Kennys fist game 1-1 McDernott scored...bout 3,000 Reds that day

[Cormack Snr]

Talking of dodgy places like Boro, I went there three times, The famous Kenny one when there were thousands there and twice more for night matches when there wasn't that many, they were both end of season games. Another BAD place in those days was Birmingham, went there by coach in about 76 and Liverpool didn't have too many there and I remember their gang going around punching and kicking people until about 50 Liverpool coming in and getting stuck into them.

We set off from the Albert on a Monday night for that Aberdeen famous McDerrmott game and Billy Bremner got us a few tickets when not one of us from twelve had a ticket but the gateman let us all in. A few of the windows in the mini bus got put in with English Bastards drawn down the side.

City away was always a rough place with all those back streets and the bricks getting thrown from The Kippax, the other Utd game when about 500 of us walked from that Drum pub with murder all the way. Our van driver getting arrested at City for fighting with the keys in his pocket and then having to bunk home.

All those Wembley matches and Charity shields in the 70's and 80's, The mixed Liverpool-Everton coaches from Kirkby and the great nights in The Greenford Legion. The BEST I have seen Liverpool play ever was The 79 Arsenal Charity Shield we won 3-1

Going to Leicester and getting into some type of dog show that had a FREE bar and BUFFET and all the people seemed actually glad to let us stay, we all put in to their collection and even got invited back.

London games on the tube, never had trouble at Chelsea, Arsenal, Millwall, Palace, QPR, West Ham but that Spurs FA cup game when Terry Mc scored and there were about 6000 of us was MAD and I was daft enough to go back the next week with about 500 this time.

Southend on a Tuesday night sitting next to Chris Lawler, bunking into Bristol City and sitting by Bob Paisley until he told us all to get the back before we got thrown out.

Going to QPR in 1976 in a bread van from Halewood and the lads having murder with a coach from Boro and then kidnapping one of them and taking him down the motorway to the next stop.

Going to all those pre-season games abroad in the late 70's and early 80's and getting those Stan Smiths trainies when Leeds and Man Utd were still wearing bother boots.

Going to Paris in 81 and eight of us getting a room for two which also included a prostitute who none us would go with, none of us having tickets or money and sleeping on a train in Paris North and pinching a cooked chicken and some drinks and then not eating till we got home.

Going to Forest, tough games and great manager. Always trouble getting back to the station, my mate losing his shoe and instead of taking the other one off, limped around all night in town.

Going to Ipswich or Norwich which took seven hours each way in those days and again having no food or drink coming home and getting back to town with all the pubs shut and only a few places to go apart from clubs.

Going to another BAD place Leeds, murder everywhere and us setting a bus on fire and hundreds of Woolybacks running back to the station or bus parks, going with my Dad in the early 70's during the power strikes on a midweek afternoon and Liverpool fans smashing up Leeds coaches and mini buses.

Going everywhere on those Sunnyways, Home James, Barnes Travel coaches, fella getting back on with a sheep after coming back from Leeds and getting off with his Liverpool scarf as a make shift lead

Getting off work and going to Villa in about 76 and we we got beat 5-1 and then the van wouldn't start and we didn't get it going till the early hours, getting in at about 3am and going to work again at 6.

Going to Rome three times, Winning the European Cup twice. Getting kept in after that Michael Owen Uefa cup game and getting told to get on ANY plane and our names would be taken and then doing a collection for the pilot.

                      I might be a MOANER and NEVER HAPPY but I have fantastic memories and I am VERY LUCKY

[scouse neapolitan]

Don’t know what the rules are. I’ve already chipped in with one , so apologies, but I have to mention another match that always comes to mind.  I’ve got a few more but I’ll control the urge to nostalge and stick to this one. I was 12 and fortunate to have been born in our great city and therefore able to get to all the home games as well as some of the aways.
 It was the 4-3 comeback against Birmingham City in December 1972. What a game and I remember their opening goal was a screamer (might have been deflected?) by the fella who was to become the Professional Footballers’ spokesman Gordon Taylor. Something like that if my memory serves me right. It was freezing that day too.
 Just reminds me of my old man. He’d been poorly for a while and  he took ill on the way up Utting Avenue. He insisted on going to the game though and we did.
I think we went 3-0 down. Might have been 3-1 but we fought back and won a famous victory. (Fingers crossed for Wednesday night!)
My match-going memories are intertwined with my dad, my uncles and my mates. The songs we sang and the laughs we had and tears we shed. 
Football is so much more than just winning the league. It’s how you got there and the route you took.
 This one’s for my Dad and his mates. Thank you for introducing me to our club, the greatest football institution on earth.

[scouse neapolitan]

Brilliant Cormack Senior. Brilliant. Wonderful post. Thank you

[scouse neapolitan]

I seem to remember that in the match I mentioned L'pool v Birmingham City in 1972, the Birmingham centre-half was Roger Hynd, and I think he was Shanks's nephew or cousin or something.

[howes hound]

Apologies to those who've heard all or part of this before. Beyond 70, repeating yourself comes with the territory.

My first game was a ghastly 1-1 draw against Barnsley, December 10 1955, watched from the Boy’s Pen, freezing cold, windy, ball in the air 70% of the game. Two matches before we’d beaten Fulham 7-0, so some come-down. Sound familiar?

Memorable games before I left the UK in 1973:

2-1 loss to Man City who were high in div 1 back then, us in div 2, a 5th round replay on a snowy pitch, the famous disallowed Liddell equalizer, ref blew the final whistle when the ball was half way between his boot and the net.

1964, the highs and lows of football. Loss to Swansea, Feb 29th in the 6th round, our second season back in div 1 and we looked like world-beaters, Swansea in the second division. They scored twice in two minutes in the first half, I was right behind the Kop goal and remember Gordon Milne’s face as he fished the second out of the net, that ‘I don’t believe this’ look. Ronnie Moran had a chance to equalize with a pen in the 80th minute, blazed it over the bar, nearly took my head off. Salah last Saturday.
Then just seven weeks later we beat Arsenal to win our first league title since 1947. I got into the ground just after 12, I think the Kop and Paddock gates were shut at 12.30, all gates closed before 2 for a 3pm kick-off. Jam packed and bedlam. More penalty drama, Lawrence saving one at minute 29 with us 1-0 up but looking very jittery at the back. After that we settled down and went on to win 5-0, the last half hour of the game one huge party.

2-1 win over Spurs, 5th round replay 1968. Tickets sold mid week before the game and all gone when I was still half a mile from the front of the queue. I was in digs on Anfield Road back then, could see the glare of floodlights from my bedroom, hear all the commotion from the ground. After five minutes, couldn’t stand it any longer, walked to the ground looking for scalpers. Got a Paddock ticket at below face value from a guy wanting to get in there himself with his last one. Came out onto the terrace just as Hunt, on the edge of the box right in line with me, volleyed it in to the roof of the net. Ecstasy.

One of the very few advantages of old age is you’ve had a chance to learn how to take the rough with the smooth, helps you through a season like this one.

[Danny Shone]

won 2-1 Kennedy and Irwin....sure your not confused with Kennys fist game 1-1 McDernott scored...bout 3,000 Reds that day

4 of us went the year before when we got beat 1-0 and no trouble despite singing all over the place. 3 of us went back the next year and there was about 30 of us and a few Boro spotters in our end.Asked the plods to escort us back to station and next thing we were being legged by about 20 of them.Still have the chipped tooth.Best bit got back to Darlington to change trains and got attacked again going the chippy.
Not many people get attacked twice in an hour twenty miles apart.
Nice to see so many of the 30 are still knocking about.
Still enjoyed Paris that time !
Proud to also have been at Brentford league cup 9,092 , Birmingham league Cup replay a couple of days before Xmas 83 when 11,638 there and the Dundalk game when only 12,021 there.
It's not been glory all the way over 50 odd years !

[Lad]

Talking of dodgy places like Boro, I went there three times, The famous Kenny one when there were thousands there and twice more for night matches when there wasn't that many, they were both end of season games. Another BAD place in those days was Birmingham, went there by coach in about 76 and Liverpool didn't have too many there and I remember their gang going around punching and kicking people until about 50 Liverpool coming in and getting stuck into them.

We set off from the Albert on a Monday night for that Aberdeen famous McDerrmott game and Billy Bremner got us a few tickets when not one of us from twelve had a ticket but the gateman let us all in. A few of the windows in the mini bus got put in with English Bastards drawn down the side.

City away was always a rough place with all those back streets and the bricks getting thrown from The Kippax, the other Utd game when about 500 of us walked from that Drum pub with murder all the way. Our van driver getting arrested at City for fighting with the keys in his pocket and then having to bunk home.

All those Wembley matches and Charity shields in the 70's and 80's, The mixed Liverpool-Everton coaches from Kirkby and the great nights in The Greenford Legion. The BEST I have seen Liverpool play ever was The 79 Arsenal Charity Shield we won 3-1

Going to Leicester and getting into some type of dog show that had a FREE bar and BUFFET and all the people seemed actually glad to let us stay, we all put in to their collection and even got invited back.

London games on the tube, never had trouble at Chelsea, Arsenal, Millwall, Palace, QPR, West Ham but that Spurs FA cup game when Terry Mc scored and there were about 6000 of us was MAD and I was daft enough to go back the next week with about 500 this time.

Southend on a Tuesday night sitting next to Chris Lawler, bunking into Bristol City and sitting by Bob Paisley until he told us all to get the back before we got thrown out.

Going to QPR in 1976 in a bread van from Halewood and the lads having murder with a coach from Boro and then kidnapping one of them and taking him down the motorway to the next stop.

Going to all those pre-season games abroad in the late 70's and early 80's and getting those Stan Smiths trainies when Leeds and Man Utd were still wearing bother boots.

Going to Paris in 81 and eight of us getting a room for two which also included a prostitute who none us would go with, none of us having tickets or money and sleeping on a train in Paris North and pinching a cooked chicken and some drinks and then not eating till we got home.

Going to Forest, tough games and great manager. Always trouble getting back to the station, my mate losing his shoe and instead of taking the other one off, limped around all night in town.

Going to Ipswich or Norwich which took seven hours each way in those days and again having no food or drink coming home and getting back to town with all the pubs shut and only a few places to go apart from clubs.

Going to another BAD place Leeds, murder everywhere and us setting a bus on fire and hundreds of Woolybacks running back to the station or bus parks, going with my Dad in the early 70's during the power strikes on a midweek afternoon and Liverpool fans smashing up Leeds coaches and mini buses.

Going everywhere on those Sunnyways, Home James, Barnes Travel coaches, fella getting back on with a sheep after coming back from Leeds and getting off with his Liverpool scarf as a make shift lead

Getting off work and going to Villa in about 76 and we we got beat 5-1 and then the van wouldn't start and we didn't get it going till the early hours, getting in at about 3am and going to work again at 6.

Going to Rome three times, Winning the European Cup twice. Getting kept in after that Michael Owen Uefa cup game and getting told to get on ANY plane and our names would be taken and then doing a collection for the pilot.

                      I might be a MOANER and NEVER HAPPY but I have fantastic memories and I am VERY LUCKY

Great stuff mate. I was at virtually all those games you mention inc Spurs league game after the chaos of the the Terry Mac cup game. And similar experience after the Villa 5-1 defeat, where my mate left his keys in the ignition and locked the car doors, had to get the police to break into it after the game.

[spen71]

Luton away when they banned away fans and only home fans
could get in with ID cards..I was there..plus about 250 other Reds

And me.   Played awful

[spen71]

Loads of games in 80s and early 90s.   Beating Derby 7-1 at their place    The villa defeat    That miss.    Wining at the mancs    The own Goal cost me a lot of money.   Away was always better.   Getting kicked out at arsenal.     Was the time of Harry Enfield.   They were singing loads of money.    I ripped some up and was nicked.    Turned my Ellese shell suit inside out and paid to get in.    Barnes scored and it was mad

[spen71]

I often sit and wonder how many of us have sat in a pub,  on a tube,   Hugged aftwr a goal

[Lad]

Incidentally that infamous midweek 5-1 at Villa was followed by West Ham away on the Saturday the last weekend before Xmas and traditionally worst attendances of the season in those days.
It's were Everton get their '14 went to West Ham' from.
They can't even get that right because the 'special' was cancelled as only 14 had booked by Friday evening, so potentially those 14 did not go to West Ham.
I didn't go as I was skint but I know lads did go on the ordinary, in cars and a coach deffo went.

[HystrixCristata]

A few games I'll never forget.
Fowler's Anfield debut against Fulham. It was a couple of weeks after my 9th birthday and my dad managed to get us tickets. I wasn't super into watching football till then, I'd been to a bunch of games since I was 3 but found it boring a lot of the time. I remember my dad saying there is a new lad you need to watch who is supposed to be pretty good, Robbie Fowler. The game was 5-0 Fowler scored all 5. I was hooked.

A pretty random one, I was at the reserve game a few years later when Ruddock broke both of Andy Coles legs. Ruddock was my hero from then on.

Then one I really won't ever forget as the entire weekend was mental. Was the UEFA cup final in Dortmund against Alavés.

[Yorkykopite]

Apologies to those who've heard all or part of this before. Beyond 70, repeating yourself comes with the territory.

My first game was a ghastly 1-1 draw against Barnsley, December 10 1955, watched from the Boy’s Pen, freezing cold, windy, ball in the air 70% of the game. Two matches before we’d beaten Fulham 7-0, so some come-down. Sound familiar?

Memorable games before I left the UK in 1973:

2-1 loss to Man City who were high in div 1 back then, us in div 2, a 5th round replay on a snowy pitch, the famous disallowed Liddell equalizer, ref blew the final whistle when the ball was half way between his boot and the net.

1964, the highs and lows of football. Loss to Swansea, Feb 29th in the 6th round, our second season back in div 1 and we looked like world-beaters, Swansea in the second division. They scored twice in two minutes in the first half, I was right behind the Kop goal and remember Gordon Milne’s face as he fished the second out of the net, that ‘I don’t believe this’ look. Ronnie Moran had a chance to equalize with a pen in the 80th minute, blazed it over the bar, nearly took my head off. Salah last Saturday.
Then just seven weeks later we beat Arsenal to win our first league title since 1947. I got into the ground just after 12, I think the Kop and Paddock gates were shut at 12.30, all gates closed before 2 for a 3pm kick-off. Jam packed and bedlam. More penalty drama, Lawrence saving one at minute 29 with us 1-0 up but looking very jittery at the back. After that we settled down and went on to win 5-0, the last half hour of the game one huge party.

2-1 win over Spurs, 5th round replay 1968. Tickets sold mid week before the game and all gone when I was still half a mile from the front of the queue. I was in digs on Anfield Road back then, could see the glare of floodlights from my bedroom, hear all the commotion from the ground. After five minutes, couldn’t stand it any longer, walked to the ground looking for scalpers. Got a Paddock ticket at below face value from a guy wanting to get in there himself with his last one. Came out onto the terrace just as Hunt, on the edge of the box right in line with me, volleyed it in to the roof of the net. Ecstasy.

One of the very few advantages of old age is you’ve had a chance to learn how to take the rough with the smooth, helps you through a season like this one.

Lovely stuff Howes.

[longtimered]

Apologies to those who've heard all or part of this before. Beyond 70, repeating yourself comes with the territory.

My first game was a ghastly 1-1 draw against Barnsley, December 10 1955, watched from the Boy’s Pen, freezing cold, windy, ball in the air 70% of the game. Two matches before we’d beaten Fulham 7-0, so some come-down. Sound familiar?

Memorable games before I left the UK in 1973:

2-1 loss to Man City who were high in div 1 back then, us in div 2, a 5th round replay on a snowy pitch, the famous disallowed Liddell equalizer, ref blew the final whistle when the ball was half way between his boot and the net.

1964, the highs and lows of football. Loss to Swansea, Feb 29th in the 6th round, our second season back in div 1 and we looked like world-beaters, Swansea in the second division. They scored twice in two minutes in the first half, I was right behind the Kop goal and remember Gordon Milne’s face as he fished the second out of the net, that ‘I don’t believe this’ look. Ronnie Moran had a chance to equalize with a pen in the 80th minute, blazed it over the bar, nearly took my head off. Salah last Saturday.
Then just seven weeks later we beat Arsenal to win our first league title since 1947. I got into the ground just after 12, I think the Kop and Paddock gates were shut at 12.30, all gates closed before 2 for a 3pm kick-off. Jam packed and bedlam. More penalty drama, Lawrence saving one at minute 29 with us 1-0 up but looking very jittery at the back. After that we settled down and went on to win 5-0, the last half hour of the game one huge party.

2-1 win over Spurs, 5th round replay 1968. Tickets sold mid week before the game and all gone when I was still half a mile from the front of the queue. I was in digs on Anfield Road back then, could see the glare of floodlights from my bedroom, hear all the commotion from the ground. After five minutes, couldn’t stand it any longer, walked to the ground looking for scalpers. Got a Paddock ticket at below face value from a guy wanting to get in there himself with his last one. Came out onto the terrace just as Hunt, on the edge of the box right in line with me, volleyed it in to the roof of the net. Ecstasy.

One of the very few advantages of old age is you’ve had a chance to learn how to take the rough with the smooth, helps you through a season like this one.

Similar vintage as you know.Memorable for me:

-Everton in 61 for St John's debut in senior cup

-Southampton at ANfieldin April 62 to get promotion from the old division2

-Wembley 65 for first facup win

-getting to Anfield at 4pm for evening game against Inter Milan 3 days later and only just getting in before gates shut on kop

-First euro away at Liege in 66

-St Etienne in 77

-Rome for the first final in 77

[Dougle]

Loving the stories here folks.

[andyrol]

My third ever game was the title clincher v spurs. Standing in the Anny road Hoddle looked to have hit spurs goal from just in front of me, then the reception for Clem. The noise I can remember when Whelan scored- that was me hooked for life. The Auxerre game was special. The game v mancs when in the queue for the kop to get in we heard Leeds had won, people with ears to radios! Then winning the following game and Mark Walters being my favourite ever Liverpool player for an afternoon.the Blackburn dilemma game. The Chelsea champ league semis. Stand out for me. What a journey we've been on. Any one of them could be the greatest day for some clubs

[oldman]

Leeds charity shield game where keegan and bremner sent off
Brilliant in the Torch before hand
Thumbing it back and getting a lift on the motorway in a mini bus full of Leeds fans
Being dropped where the m1 and m6 join and walking miles before finding a phone box to sleep in
Getting a lift in an ice cream van to Birmingham and then a fuckin Bentley to stoke
Good times 😂

Does anyone remember a furniture van that used to go Wembley.
They would leave the back open and if you could get in you were welcomed by dozens of fellow reds making the trip
Whenever it stopped more would get in

[A Red Abroad]

Not a 'famous' game by any means - and not one I remember particularly for the football - but, Liverpool v Everton, March 2005.

Everton were actually above us in the league at that time - but no matter.

I used to have season tickets in the Kenny (then the Centenary) with the use of the lounges etc. I regularly took clients to games.

Anyway, a friend from down south asked if he could come along. He called me early on the Sunday as he was driving - telling me he was well ahead of time, so I got there sharpish.

When we got to the Centenary entrance it was still closed (it was THAT early). We hung around for a bit and they eventually opened up and we went up the stairs - we were literally the first in.

As we were walking along the concourse upstairs, ahead of us was none other than Andy Gray. I was gonna dive into the lounge but my mate wanted to go see Gray. I remember thinking he wasn't as tall as I thought he'd be. He was a unit though.

"Andy, my nephew thinks you're great, could you sign this programme for him? His name is Robbie." he said. 

Gray whips out a 'Sharpie' felt pen and duly signs the programme. "To Robbie best wishes Andy Gray"

Then Gray looks at me and then down at my programme and at the pen in his hand - the 'question' unsaid but obvious...

"F*ck off you Bluenose" I couldn't help myself. 

He looked mortified. 

Anyway, for the rest of the afternoon, I had my mate in my ear "I can't believe how rude you were." etc.

I never invited him again.

Anyway just a memory I have. I've been to much better games obviously - but this one has stayed with me. Small things amuse, I guess?

LFC won 2-1 (I think Cahill scored late) - at the time we were on our way to Istanbul whilst still hoping to pip Everton for 4th in the league.

[A Red Abroad]

Leeds charity shield game where keegan and bremner sent off
Brilliant in the Torch before hand
Thumbing it back and getting a lift on the motorway in a mini bus full of Leeds fans
Being dropped where the m1 and m6 join and walking miles before finding a phone box to sleep in
Getting a lift in an ice cream van to Birmingham and then a fuckin Bentley to stoke
Good times 😂

Does anyone remember a furniture van that used to go Wembley.
They would leave the back open and if you could get in you were welcomed by dozens of fellow reds making the trip
Whenever it stopped more would get in

Ace! 

[Barneylfc∗]

Not a 'famous' game by any means - and not one I remember particularly for the football - but, Liverpool v Everton, March 2005.

Everton were actually above us in the league at that time - but no matter.

I used to have season tickets in the Kenny (then the Centenary) with the use of the lounges etc. I regularly took clients to games.

Anyway, a friend from down south asked if he could come along. He called me early on the Sunday as he was driving - telling me he was well ahead of time, so I got there sharpish.

When we got to the Centenary entrance it was still closed (it was THAT early). We hung around for a bit and they eventually opened up and we went up the stairs - we were literally the first in.

As we were walking along the concourse upstairs, ahead of us was none other than Andy Gray. I was gonna dive into the lounge but my mate wanted to go see Gray. I remember thinking he wasn't as tall as I thought he'd be. He was a unit though.

"Andy, my nephew thinks you're great, could you sign this programme for him? His name is Robbie." he said. 

Gray whips out a 'Sharpie' felt pen and duly signs the programme. "To Robbie best wishes Andy Gray"

Then Gray looks at me and then down at my programme and at the pen in his hand - the 'question' unsaid but obvious...

"F*ck off you Bluenose" I couldn't help myself. 

He looked mortified. 

Anyway, for the rest of the afternoon, I had my mate in my ear "I can't believe how rude you were." etc.

I never invited him again.

Anyway just a memory I have. I've been to much better games obviously - but this one has stayed with me. Small things amuse, I guess?

LFC won 2-1 (I think Cahill scored late) - at the time we were on our way to Istanbul whilst still hoping to pip Everton for 4th in the league.

I was at that game also, my first derby game. Cahill scored about 10 minutes before the end after a Gerrard free kick and Garcia header put us in control.
We had 3 injuries in the first half and Garcia I think had to play the second half on 1 leg as we'd no subs left. Baros didn't help matters when he got sent off for snapping Alan Stubbs.
Kerry Katona was sat a few rows behind us, and Ben from Hollyoaks was knocking about in the same area as we saw him on the concourse after the game 

[A Red Abroad]

I was at that game also, my first derby game. Cahill scored about 10 minutes before the end after a Gerrard free kick and Garcia header put us in control.
We had 3 injuries in the first half and Garcia I think had to play the second half on 1 leg as we'd no subs left. Baros didn't help matters when he got sent off for snapping Alan Stubbs.
Kerry Katona was sat a few rows behind us, and Ben from Hollyoaks was knocking about in the same area as we saw him on the concourse after the game 

 

[bossjon]

I was at that game also, my first derby game. Cahill scored about 10 minutes before the end after a Gerrard free kick and Garcia header put us in control.
We had 3 injuries in the first half and Garcia I think had to play the second half on 1 leg as we'd no subs left. Baros didn't help matters when he got sent off for snapping Alan Stubbs.
Kerry Katona was sat a few rows behind us, and Ben from Hollyoaks was knocking about in the same area as we saw him on the concourse after the game 

Very underrated derby match this, went to it as well. One of the best atmospheres I´ve been to at Anfield actually, proper hostile and crazy scenes when Garcia scored. Probably the only time in my lifetime when we were chasing Everton, and the crowd were up for it like we played Man U.
Old school derby with lots of tackles, injuries, sending offs etc. Gerrard was immense in that game, put in some proper tackles early as he usually did in derby games to set the standard and lift the team. I always thought Gerrard was outstanding in most derby games, especially at Anfield. 2005, 2008, both the fa-cup and league match in 2009, hattrick in 2012, opening goal in 2014 etc etc.

[Crosby Nick]

Even one of his early games when he came on as a sub, and cleared a couple off the line before celebrating like he’d scored! Same day Robbie ‘ate the grass’.

[longtimered]

I’ve been watching the Reds since 1954 and as my name suggests, I have seen all Liverpool’s great home games and most of their away successes in the last 69 years. In European Competition, Inter Milan, St Etienne, Olympiakos, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Barcelona Man City and United all swept away under a tidal wave of football brilliance, passion and emotion. And at home Notts Forest, Arsenal, Man City, Man United, Crystal Palace and so many more put to the sword.
But, for me, at the age of 14, the 2-0 game against Southampton to clinch promotion to the old First Division in 1962 is one which I will always cherish. It meant Liverpool were joining the big boys and with Shanks laid the foundation for the Reds to go on and become the greatest club in world football.
I can’t believe how lucky I’ve been to follow this great club.

Only just seen this post-its one of my highlights having started in 1957.Kevin Lewis -probably the Divok Origi of his day!

[kesey]

Speaking of derby matches that we don't often speak about .

That Barmby header one in 98 or 99 . I was in the main stand towards the Annie Road and there was a few Everton lads by us who were sound . Me mate starts pushing his luck though and starts patting one of them on his head going ' ah .. never mind lad '

 

[Oh Jimmy Jimmy]

Loving this thread, especially the likes of Cormack Snr and Howes Hound sharing the real old days. I suppose a modern old day which is vital to our history is the first game of the 87-88 season at Arsenal.

We were in bad place with our identity that summer with Everton pipping us for the league and of course signing our first black player. Remember the terrible reception Barnsey received in the 4-3 at Anfield in late May even though he scored a wonderful free kick.

So we got an early train to London and the Royal Oak outside Euston was packed by 11.30am.  It was very hot that opening day and passions were high with 2-3 months of pent up angst, everyone was up for it. A load of us went to the tube and had a dozen bizzies shadowing us  - a couple of them got thrown off the tube on the platform and by the time we reached “Arsenal” it was straight left and around the ground - or the houses which masked the ground.  That was always the Highbury gag..” cuse me mate, where’s the ground”.

In the ground , we were badly hemmed in and there was some sickening “Liverpool are white” being sung, which caused internal ructions. For once , the police used their initiative and stopped the crushing by allowing us on the open terrace in the Clock End. Unfortunately they came over too and it was mayhem.. a thin ticky  tape separating us. Eventually we went into the bottom of our end.

Barnsey set up our win and a new Liverpool was born.

[Barrow Shaun]

.... Remember the terrible reception Barnsey received in the 4-3 at Anfield in late May even though he scored a wonderful free kick....

......

I think that was a couple of seasons before the 87/88 season - maybe 84/85?