Memories.

[plonky]

not 100% sure but I reckon it might well have been Crusaders in Sept 76

[BRobo]

Nice thread to take your mind off more disappointment today. Bayern Munich early 70s was mine, we won 3-0, Alun Evans with a hat-trick,its all a bit vague,i was only about ten, but i do remember how green the pitch was, the brightness of the floodlights, watchin the sweet sellers with the wooden trays throwin mars bars and wrigleys high up into the Kop . First awayday was Derby County F.A cup about 75/76,we got beat 1-0, special train from Limey,bag of butties,fleming jacket an jeans, junior air ware and me lucky silky(which was never to see light of day again!).The original supersub Roger Davies scored the winner the crowd came forward and I got crushed up against a barrier and conked out, got passed out over the tops off peoples heads to the track, were I duelly left the sand pit via a St.Johns ambulance mans stretcher !, great day out and the start of something special.

Todays football is fucked and does`nt give me the same buzz,I would gladly "trade all my tomorrows for a single yesterday " as somebody once sang.

[Faustus]

I remember my first game was a League Cup game against Stoke in (I think) the 94/95 season. We won 2-1 and Rush scored both. Makes me old to say that Ian Rush scored twice in the first game I ever went to!

[Redshadow]

Ahh yes, a very good idea for a thread to whomever the original poster is; There is much to say about our first games - I don't exactly FULLY remember my very first game at Anfield but I THINK it was in the 1984/1985 season at Anfield against Southampton and Steve Mcmahon scored the winner with a thunderbolt shot from a corner that literally ripped into the roof of the net and nearly brought the house down as we'd been doing much like we did today at Ewood against Southampton (despite being a FAR better team then) Fcuking around in possession, defending to much, NOT attacking when we should and dispensing numerous chances at the back that Grobbelaar had to save at least twice from - The difference is in those days we ALWAYS had the edge enough to grab a goal even when playing dire and Mcmahon's winner that day was a great example of that - One of the best 'live' goals I saw as well (a double 1 - 2 from a corner I think and then a pass across to Macmahon just outside the area and BANG!!) We went on to win 1 - 0 I think and I was about 7/8 at the time.

 

I remember a number of games I went to up until around 1991 when exams/teenage life/school etc took over (after which I went MUCH less and then stopped around 1993) as I had a couple of cousins in Lancashire where I lived when younger for a while and ALWAYS visited them and my dads other family there throughout the 1980's and VERY early '90's only to be dragged down to Anfield more than once at a time when I HATED football full stop; They soon converted me though!!! I had liked it before and supported the Reds no matter what since 1984 but I think a fight at school made me go off footy for a while and it took me cousins to get me back hooked on it again. For some reason I remember a couple of games involving Steve Mcmahon and a couple involving West Ham as well from when I went back then. I remember going in early '87 (February?) to see us beat the Hammers 1 - 0 with a triangular move and ANOTHER Mcmahon rocket from about 19 yards at Anfield and I remember as well the year after with our team of all the talents being held by the hammers; I think Mcmahon and Ince were booked for scuffling or something. The others I remember are when we destroyed West Ham 5 - 1/4 - 1 or something? In 1989 just after Hillsborough and everyone was sad and quiet and football didn't really matter;

 

Being only 10 at the time I had a difficult time knowing why everything was difficult and everyONE was sad, until my cousins explained everything to me - I WAS very impressed with how well we played that day though and there seemed to be a sort of desperate urgency about everything in our play as if we were like ''let's win the league and win it NOW after all that's happened'' and that I think is why we DIDN'T win the damn thing that year despite being better than ANY team in England by a country mile Including Arsenal; Finally I remember a game against West Ham at night time in 1992(? Last year I went for 10 years) where Redknapp or Hutchison or Molby (can't remember which) had a great shot from about 20 yards and Saunders of all people (who I Really DIDN'T like for some now unknown/lost in time reason) scored with a tap in. I remember going to a few games both home and away between 1989-1991 as well and seeing several VERY good Barnes goals moves (I always seemed to pick good games for Barnes for some strange reason to go to). I saw his free kick beat Arsenal at Anfield in 1990 and thought he was foreign saying to my cousin 'why can't he play for England?' I got rather laughed at for that one for a while LOL.!! I saw him against Forest in Nottingham on New Years Day 1990 where he was unbelievable and sort of twisted around WHILE running at full speed WITH the ball and spun out of the way of 3 markers to lay a goal on a plate for Rush and then he laid on a second goal after a 1 - 2 with Beardsley I think (or was it Houghton?).

 

I remember the following year when we couldn't buy a win and went to City and after scoring 2 pens via Molby, Barnes took over, taking the ball from Houghton, he glided past 4 or 5 desperate City defenders and GLIDED (no better word for what he did) the ball into the far corner of City's net securing us a 3 - 0 win that really did flatter us and then some. I saw Barnes dance through half the Arsenal team (5 defenders) on a freezing October night in 1988 in a League cup game and place his shot into the far corner of Lukic's net as well with virtually our first attack in a game where Arsenal really HAD battered us but not scored. I later saw him repeat the trick at Highbury with another defence defying glide past 6 defenders and placed shot on another freezing day (December this time I think). Then there was my favourite Barnes moments against Man' City in the FA Cup in 1988 when I saw him take their whole right wing with him and cross for Houghton to scissor kick a volley for 2 - 0 and later when he did a double 1-2 with Beardsley, flew past 4 City defenders and scored to make it 3-0 with what has to be my favourite goal from 'old' Liverpool.

The other Barnes game I remember is that mad scramble at Elland Road in 1991 where we glided to a 5 - 2 lead and ended up hanging on for dear life against that utter tit Chapman and company. I seem to remember Barnes leading their backline a(nother) merry dance and scoring 2(or was it 3?) goals. We looked several classes above Leeds that day but our defence said it all about why we lost the title that year and we STILL haven't got it back yet.

 

Anyway, those are my best memories of watching the Reds thus far in my life; There were other games I went to - Especially towards the back end of the Halcyon days and the start of our fall from them; As you've probably guessed, that time was when I started REALLY going a lot but it would take to long to list them all so I've put in my best moments; If you're wondering why I never put anything about close shaves or any 'hairy' moments outside grounds; It's because I never had that many; I ALWAYS went with my cousins and often other close family and my dad was VERY picky about WHEN he let me go for a while as I don't think he'd have survived my mum's temper had anything happened to me LOL I know why now with my OWN little boy recently born. So I was VERY closely watched on what games I went to and who with.

 

Still I'll probably not have many more memories to add for a while as I've been unable to afford to go since 2003 due to University fees, family life and now my first little lad who was born in May this year on the day we beat West Brom' 2 - 0 (May 17th); I hope young Redshadow can continue the (newly started with ME) family tradition of being a fanatical Red but we'll have to wait and see as he's only 6 months old at present. He gives me FAR more joy than our present team as well and I find that both sad and upsetting; I hope Rafa' sorts it out soon but have a feeling he may be making a statement against the owners with this Awful run of form as no way does a team go from runners up to us now in the space of 7 or so months without A:) deliberate sabotage or b:) a clueless manager; Everyone knows it can't be B:) as Rafa's far from clueless so I think it's A:) and he's actually trying to force the owners out or to invest with what's happening (even IF we lose 4th this season we WON'T lose it 2 seasons running as whoever takes it WON'T be able to handle the league AND CL AND requalifying all in one season like WE can - remember Everton in 2005? I do). Still, that's my political statement for the day re LFC - Hope you enjoyed the memories I listed AND that the club gets better soon on AND off the pitch; I suppose that soon enough, time will tell as it always does in such matters.....................................................

 

NB; A couple of notes to other posters; Redrosetints - The Coventry demolition job of us came in VERY late '83 if I'm not mistaken with Gibson getting a hat-trick and Stuart Pearce (yes THAT one) getting the other; We then crushed Notts County 5 - 0 at home the following week; Those were the days when you could set your store by Liverpool punishing someone after a bad performance - Wonder how we lost those days/THAT ability so quickly?

 

RobbieOr Never mind mate - I am a great jinx for the club to; Or at least I have been since the Kop was pulled down in 1994 as every game I've been to since then has gone wrong - All 2 of them (kids ARE expensive you know? And I don't live near Liverpool anymore either as I did for the games above); Both were in the awful 2002/2003 season: The first was the Sunderland game where we absolutely PULVERISED them and did everything BUT bloody score with something like 23 shots (15 on target) and Macho performing sheer heriocs in their goal and the second game was the even more annoying one against City where we scored through Baros - saw that sod Schmeichel pull off the greatest (double) save I've ever seen live from Diouf and Baros and then let in 2 Anelka goals to lose after taking the lead for the first time in 70 odd games, talk about bad luck!! I've not been able to go back since due to a combination of time in hospital, University, Work and my new little boy taking up all my time but I hope to go to at least one more game before Anfield is no more. Plenty of time at present then haven't I? The way things are bloody well going re the stadium. Ridiculous.

Edited December 6, 2009 by Redshadow

[Paul]

I think it's hit home just how much the club these last few years (actually football in general) is a world away from the one I fell in love with all those years ago and I've been seriously considering calling it a day at the end of this season.

 

I think I've just made my mind up.

 

Sad to hear that mate, but I couldn't agree more - we are nothing even remotely like what we were, be it on the pitch, in the boardroom or even in the stands. The fans are the closest connection to the old days, but even being a Red is not what it was - the culture is definitely changing.

[llego]

As someone who's never been to a game I appreciate the detailed accounts, they are a real pleasure to read.

[Ian Sea]

I remember my first game was a League Cup game against Stoke in (I think) the 94/95 season. We won 2-1 and Rush scored both. Makes me old to say that Ian Rush scored twice in the first game I ever went to!

 

I was at that game and remember Michael Stensgaard scoring a 25 yard overhead kick past David James when they were warming up. He went mental but there was hardly anyone in the ground at that point; he did get a standing ovation from the few of us that saw it though!

[PaulMcC]

I wish i was about 40.

 

Just to see us beating any team put in front of us would've been amazing.

 

The only thing i have to compare is 2005.

[Redshadow]

Paul McC - We DID beat damn near EVERYONE put in front of us last season or did you forget? In fact other than this season - I don't think we lost to a team outside the Top 4 under Rafa' at home since 2004 and rarely at all since 2007 either. THAT type of consistency is what I presume you're on about yes?

 

Also I'm only 31 and I clearly remember us winning 9 or 10 titles, several European Cups and an FA Cup to say a few as well. I especially remember our 1986 and 1988 teams - 2 of the best we EVER had - and I'm nowhere near 40; Guess I'm just lucky then.

[stringvest]

My first games were in 69 - I just about remember the game against Dundalk that Hermes refers to. Apart from the momentous occasions and the fantastic games, it's the little things that I treasure - For the game against St Etienne I remember standing in the line outside the kop in my school uniform from about 5.15, as I knew if I'd gone home to get changed there was no way I'd get in. I remember a lot of grief and a shit view on the tiny number of occasions I watched from the boys pen....... bunking in at three quarter time when I didn't have any money to get in..... my very first games in the Paddock (my owl feller thought it would be less hassle for an 8 year old standing on a box)..... trying to work out what the fuck the letters meant when the half time scores were put out... the big open stairs to get up to the kop.....

 

Thousands of great memories, in those days there was such certainty - we were the best, we dominated teams and pressured them until they broke, we knew the manager and the supporters personified the club, we knew we could trust each other, and we knew the manager absolutely understood and identified with the people on the terraces. It's dismaying to see what we've become now. People like me, who have had the club as a constant in their lives for decades through all of the ups and downs of the rest of our lives, find this the least edifying period to be associated with the club.

 

We hope that we will be able to get back the feeling of oneness, get back the genuine spiritual uplift - not to be confused with excitement - that walking those streets and entering the ground used to bring to us all. I am optimistic those days will return.

Edited December 6, 2009 by stringvest