Remember Anfield 1983?

[Pj2000]

Yes remember it very well, the club was flying the players upto Anfield and had chartered a plane from British Caledonian and there were a few spare seats on the plane which were taken up by the then executive club and local journalists . Due to further demand a second plane was to follow on behind with more supporters, I was lucky to be on that plane with my then girlfriend . Both planes travelled one after the other and flew to Speke Airport. We had coach transfer to the ground and sat in the away end behind the goal, police in the ground were very unfriendly and just used a large batten to control any trouble .

Fantastic result , will remember it all my life.

Well on the return trip to the Airport and on a Liverpool coach they lined the streets waiting for us and stoned the coach as we left.

You can imagine the atmosphere on the flight home . Just cannot think why the club never arrange similar transport this time , it would have be hugely successful and profitable , must be a couple of planes on Sunday just sitting at Gatwick we could have chartered.

Anyway " Up the Albion"

 

[NMH]

Tremendous viewing.
Being abroad I couldn't get to these matches and only heard results by phoning.
Winning against a Liverpool side that had Lawrenson was unbelievable - both sides having close shaves, us with a penalty escape and a header from under the crossbar, them with Robinson's header off the underside of the bar. I felt the glow when seeing that second one go in from Case alright!

Er....isn't that the definition of "marvelous scenes"? I believe it might be.

Crossing fingers for tomorrow - Liverpool are not unbeatable, probably a much more daunting outfit back in 83

 

[Charlies Shinpad]

I went there in 83, we left Littlehampton at 5.30 am after being on the lash all night, no drinking on the Coach (King of The Road Coaches !!) but had a bag full of cans with us anyway !
Got to Anfield went in the pub next to the ground and they wouldnt serve us because of our accents, just ignored us actually !!
Inside the ground The Old Bill said to us that if we beat them we would get battered all the way back to the coaches, and we beat them and we got battered all the way back to the coaches, by the old bill on horse back and the kids throwing rocks etc at us.
Great day out even tho the coach driver only done one and toilet stop all the way home !!

 

[jezzer]

It was the most unbelievable away day ever, the most shocked I have ever been that we won. Got the seagull special from haywayds heath on sunday morning. Remember some old boy who will be long gone by now saying to me "we`re gonna win today!"in all seriousness when we got into our seats, I was 16 at the time and smiled at him and nodded but thought he was mad.

I can remember getting escorted by the police to buses, then to the ground from the station and was amazed how big and noisy the ground was. I remember they were sponsored by Dulux or Crown paints at the time and before kick-off they had an enormous paint tin on the half way line and the bton fans sang "What the *ucking hell is that?!"

Their team was sheer class, kenny dalgleish was THE top striker of the day, lawrenson, phil neal the best penalty taker in the league at the time, grobelaar in goal, etc. The first half was amazing for us though, we didnt appear out of our depth at all and I know memories play tricks and the video of the game doesnt lie but it felt like we played really well, Michael Robinson and Gerry Ryan stood out in particular. When we went 1-0 up I just couldn`t believe it. When we went in at half time 1-0 up we all said, well, at least we can say we were winning for half the game and were happy with that, expecting an onslought in the 2nd half.

The onslought never really came though, but you just felt if they did equalise theyd go on and win it. Then they did and it wasnt a good goal either and we all thought here we go, then we kick off again, get it to jimmy case, he lets rip with a pearler, takes a deflection and dips in the net, Cue Bedlam!


The most amazing part of the game was after that though, as Liverpool gave it all they got then and thought theyd done it when they get the penalty and Phil Neal steps up. But he doesnt bury it and its like weve scored again, you could feel the shock of the liverpool fans too.

I can also remember the last few minutes dalgelish standing literally 6 yrds out and having a humungous chance to score and I think it ended over the bar. Unbelievable. It probably wasnt, but my memory says it was Alf Grey who was the ref that day who went on to do the cup final, playing god knows how much injury time, it seemed like 5 minutes or more that was unheard of in the 1980s felt like he was giving liverpool every chance to equalise, that might just be cos of the tension in waiting for the whistle but it was the greatest agony til he blew. Then bedlam when he did, i remember jimmy Melia running on to the pitch and us just going ballistic. My mates were more confident than me and had backed us at 9-1, the same price as tomorrow.

After the game, because it was Bob Paisleys last year in charge and he was supposed to be destined to take them to the final the liverpool fans were bereft, some were sitting in the gutters on the road crying cos theyd lost, showing emotion youngsters wouldnt be able to comprehend about the FA cup now.

We got on the bus to take us back to the station and the liverpool fans then bricked the windows! lost some respect for them then!

Got back on to the train and the old boy I saw when we first left in the morning came up to me and said "Told you we`d win!"

It was probably the best game ive ever attended as a bton fan I know its Des`s favourite too, I just hope that the team, contrary to comments made this week, dont show them too much respect cos we wont have any chance of winning if we play like they`re gods. We didnt back in `83 and we should go out there tomorrow and give em hell!

 

[Pj2000]

White was them

Yes remember the big paint tin, was crown paints, well tomorrow we are going to white wash them again ,

 

[Working class pride]

I seem to recall we beat them despite Liverpool being given their usual iffy penalty.