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Does anyone here follow soccer?
I have to admit I'm an EPL tragic. It's not unusual for me to watch the noon kick off game in England, then when the 3pm games kick off I watch the new Foxtel innovation with 4 games all going at the same time. It's hard to concentrate, but I'm getting better at it.
I have a soft spot for Wigan Athletic as my Dad was born in Wigan, tho he's a Rugby League man, not into soccer.
Liverpool are my team. I have supported them since I was a kid. In those days you never got anywhere near the coverage you do now. I know twodogs is a Gooner & with a name like FredieKanoute I'm tipping there may be a Spurs fan out there?
My most memorable games are the 1989 FA Cup Final which pitted the Merseyside rivals against each other. You may remember the semi final that season was between Liverpool & Nottingham Forest, played at Sheffield Wednesday's home ground, Hillsborough. 96 Liverpool fans lost their life that day due to a massive crush. As a result, the high fencing around grounds were removed & stadiums were required to be all seater. I digressed a bit there, but the FA Cup Final was an outpouring of emotion as many families in the city of Liverpool are divided. Some are Red (Liverpool) & some are Blue (Everton), many losing family & friends at Hillsborough.
There was a bit of an outcry as the Royal Family were conspicuous by their absence on Merseyside in the wake of Hillsborough. When the National Anthem was sang Liverpool (& unbelievably many Evertonians) showed their displeasure at the Royal Family & refused to sing God Save The Queen, instead singing their own anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.
Onto the game & John Aldridge scored after 4 minutes. It looked as tho the game was heading for a Liverpool victory until Stuart McCall equallised for Everton with just 3 seconds remaining. Ian Rush (who had returned after his ill fated transfer to Juventus) had now replaced John Aldridge & shortly into extra time put Liverpool ahead. Within minutes Stuart McCall's long range shot levelled things up again, only for Ian Rush to restore Liverpool's advantage moments later. Such an outpouring of emotion afterwards as a club hadn't just won an FA Cup Final, but a City had, guided on by 96 angels watching from heaven.
Obviously the 2005 European Cup Final ranks right up there. Liverpool had a tough run getting there as they had to see of Chelsea over 2 legs in the Semi Finals & Juventus over 2 legs in the Quarter Finals. A late Steven Gerrard goal at Anfield in the group stages allowed Liverpool to qualify for the knock out phase. it took 3 second half goals to get there, something that would be memorably repeated.
Liverpool took a massive travelling contingent to Turkey to watch the game. Vision at the time showed Istanbul awash in red. Unfortunately Liverpool were ruthlessly ripped apart by AC Milan in the first half of the final & were fortunate to only trail by 3 goals at the interval.
I have no idea what the team talk was at half time but Liverpool came out a totally different side. It didn't take long for their skipper & talisman Steven Gerrard to strike with a powerful header. 4 minutes later Vladimir Smicir in his final game for Liverpool saw his long range effort elude AC Milam's Brazillian goalkeeper Dida. Suddenly Liverpool's travelling fans had found voice & roared their hero's on. A foul inside the box after a typical Steven Gerrard marauding run resulted in a penalty just 2 minutes later. Xabi Alonso saw his spot kick saved, fortunately in rebounded back to him & suddenly in the space of 6 minutes it was 3-3.
There was more drama to follow as just as the final whistle was about to blow after extra time AC Milan's Ukranian striker Andre Schevchenko went one on one with Liverpool's Polish goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, who somehow managed to save the initial shot & deflect the follow up shot over the bar when it looked certain that Schevchenko must score.
A nerve racking penalty shoot out ensued (is there any other & is there any more exciting theatre in sport than a Penalty Shoot Out? Jjust cast your mind back to the Socceroos qualifier against Uruguay in Sydney) with Dudek saving from 2 of the Italian team's penalty takers. After trailing 3- at half time Liverpool went on to lift 'Old Big Ears' 4-3 in a penalty shoot out.
The Reds were greeted by a massive crowd upon their arrival in Liverpool with estimates putting crowd numbers at 500,000 as their open topped bus travelled from the Airport to Anfield.
Great memories those games & hopefully there are others out there who have a similar passion for The World Game.
I have to admit I'm an EPL tragic. It's not unusual for me to watch the noon kick off game in England, then when the 3pm games kick off I watch the new Foxtel innovation with 4 games all going at the same time. It's hard to concentrate, but I'm getting better at it.
I have a soft spot for Wigan Athletic as my Dad was born in Wigan, tho he's a Rugby League man, not into soccer.
Liverpool are my team. I have supported them since I was a kid. In those days you never got anywhere near the coverage you do now. I know twodogs is a Gooner & with a name like FredieKanoute I'm tipping there may be a Spurs fan out there?
My most memorable games are the 1989 FA Cup Final which pitted the Merseyside rivals against each other. You may remember the semi final that season was between Liverpool & Nottingham Forest, played at Sheffield Wednesday's home ground, Hillsborough. 96 Liverpool fans lost their life that day due to a massive crush. As a result, the high fencing around grounds were removed & stadiums were required to be all seater. I digressed a bit there, but the FA Cup Final was an outpouring of emotion as many families in the city of Liverpool are divided. Some are Red (Liverpool) & some are Blue (Everton), many losing family & friends at Hillsborough.
There was a bit of an outcry as the Royal Family were conspicuous by their absence on Merseyside in the wake of Hillsborough. When the National Anthem was sang Liverpool (& unbelievably many Evertonians) showed their displeasure at the Royal Family & refused to sing God Save The Queen, instead singing their own anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.
Onto the game & John Aldridge scored after 4 minutes. It looked as tho the game was heading for a Liverpool victory until Stuart McCall equallised for Everton with just 3 seconds remaining. Ian Rush (who had returned after his ill fated transfer to Juventus) had now replaced John Aldridge & shortly into extra time put Liverpool ahead. Within minutes Stuart McCall's long range shot levelled things up again, only for Ian Rush to restore Liverpool's advantage moments later. Such an outpouring of emotion afterwards as a club hadn't just won an FA Cup Final, but a City had, guided on by 96 angels watching from heaven.
Obviously the 2005 European Cup Final ranks right up there. Liverpool had a tough run getting there as they had to see of Chelsea over 2 legs in the Semi Finals & Juventus over 2 legs in the Quarter Finals. A late Steven Gerrard goal at Anfield in the group stages allowed Liverpool to qualify for the knock out phase. it took 3 second half goals to get there, something that would be memorably repeated.
Liverpool took a massive travelling contingent to Turkey to watch the game. Vision at the time showed Istanbul awash in red. Unfortunately Liverpool were ruthlessly ripped apart by AC Milan in the first half of the final & were fortunate to only trail by 3 goals at the interval.
I have no idea what the team talk was at half time but Liverpool came out a totally different side. It didn't take long for their skipper & talisman Steven Gerrard to strike with a powerful header. 4 minutes later Vladimir Smicir in his final game for Liverpool saw his long range effort elude AC Milam's Brazillian goalkeeper Dida. Suddenly Liverpool's travelling fans had found voice & roared their hero's on. A foul inside the box after a typical Steven Gerrard marauding run resulted in a penalty just 2 minutes later. Xabi Alonso saw his spot kick saved, fortunately in rebounded back to him & suddenly in the space of 6 minutes it was 3-3.
There was more drama to follow as just as the final whistle was about to blow after extra time AC Milan's Ukranian striker Andre Schevchenko went one on one with Liverpool's Polish goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, who somehow managed to save the initial shot & deflect the follow up shot over the bar when it looked certain that Schevchenko must score.
A nerve racking penalty shoot out ensued (is there any other & is there any more exciting theatre in sport than a Penalty Shoot Out? Jjust cast your mind back to the Socceroos qualifier against Uruguay in Sydney) with Dudek saving from 2 of the Italian team's penalty takers. After trailing 3- at half time Liverpool went on to lift 'Old Big Ears' 4-3 in a penalty shoot out.
The Reds were greeted by a massive crowd upon their arrival in Liverpool with estimates putting crowd numbers at 500,000 as their open topped bus travelled from the Airport to Anfield.
Great memories those games & hopefully there are others out there who have a similar passion for The World Game.
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