The new Liverpool Way - take nothing for granted
A party 35 years in the making awaits
Liverpool fans used to take winning the first division title for granted. That first division trophy, named the Lady because of the small statue of lady that sits atop of it, now resides at the National football Museum in Manchester.
The Football League was formally created and named at the Royal Hotel in Manchester on April 17, 1888, according to efl.com. “Founded in 1888 by 12 visionary Clubs under the direction of pioneer William McGregor, it has spent 130 years going from strength to strength. ‘I beg to tender the following suggestion: that 10 or 12 of the most prominent Clubs in England combine to arrange home and away fixtures each season’ said McGregor.”
Liverpool were and weren’t among those visionary clubs. Everton were, and, Liverpool, originally part of Everton, told them to sling their hook from Anfield. And, thus, a legend was born. The first league title came in 1901, the second in 1906. And, then cam Bill Shankly, Joe Fagan, Bob Paisley and the Boot Room. And, so, a quick history lesson…
Team owners were a lot more patient back then. Shankly lasted from 1958-1974. Paisley won 20 trophies in nine seasons, six of those league titles. Fagan continued the trend, then Kenny Dalglish before what Liverpool had taken for granted was no longer granted to them.
I watched the 1989-90 title win in the student at Rhodes. Thirty years of despair followed. Steven Gerrard wanted to go again, but then there was the slip seen around the world. If only we had known.
Speaking to The Times, Gary Gillespie, the Scotland defender, who won that 1989-90 on April 28 with 2-1 win over QPR, wondered what might have been: “There were no big celebrations but when you think that was the last time we won [for 30 years], maybe we should have celebrated it better than we did. We lost five games that season, Aston Villa lost ten, and when you talk about the two teams going head to head now it just seems bizarre. I can’t recall thinking there was going to be a decline.”
No one did. The Hillsborough disaster may have been the watershed, a grief too catastrophic to overcome, a storm that took years to walk on through.
Jim Beglin, the Irish defender, said there “were no massive celebrations when” they won in 1986-86. “On the coach on the way to Wembley for the FA Cup final the following week, Ronnie handed our medals out. No fanfare. Nowadays, I imagine there would be a function. Then it was low key.”
Ray Houghton, the Scot who represented Ireland, remembered: “We could have done the Double in each of my first three years. Won the league, lost the FA Cup in ’88, won the cup but lost to Arsenal on goal difference in ’89 and then lost in the cup semi-final to Crystal Palace and won the league. That is how close we were. For those three seasons, it was ridiculous.
“I didn’t get my winner’s medal until the start of the following season. Ronnie Moran just handed them out. ‘Did you play enough games? Yes, you can have one. No? Better luck next season, son.’ They were thrown around the room. That was the ‘Liverpool way’.”
There will be celebrations this year. You can count on that. Nothing is taken for granted at Liverpool these days. That is now the Liverpool Way.
