Liverpool FC Forum

by **mottman** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 6:40 pm

Wolves away - a must win situation.

Wolverhampton Wanderers V The Tricky Reds 04 May 1976

How ironic that the first game of that season was QPR away, QPR were the darlings of the Southern based press and the BBC loved them. To be honest they had a cracking team and played some superb football at times.

Something like four soccer specials travelled from Lime Street that sunny Saturday morning, all hands and his dog wanted to watch the Reds. Once at Loftus Road we queued up along with the rest of the reds, only to be told “it’s a full house, you won’t get in”. We weren’t going to travel 200 odd miles to miss a game, so we queued up along South Africa Road and went in the QPR end.

QPR was an easy away game we always took thousands there, this time we took even more. We used to laugh to ourselves “How come very few of these ever went to West Ham or Chelsea etc” anyway once inside we were surprised how many reds had got in there as well. Loftus Road was jam packed to the rafters, the boy’s were back in town.

QPR beat us 2.0 that day and to be honest we were awful, I can’t even remember us having a single shot on target. The next day Bob Paisley had shrugged the defeat off saying “He would have some words with the lads” whilst the daily papers revealed in us getting beat and touted QPR as genuine Championship material. The season would indeed confirm QPR as genuine challengers for the title.

The run in went right to the wire, as the reds put together an impressive string of results to keep the pressure on QPR.

As the penultimate game of season 1975 – 76 approached, Queens Park Rangers topped Division One by one point, the Anfielders where second with all to play for.
QPR’s final game of that season ended in a 2.0 win for them. David Webb’s face was plastered all over the papers with a cigar in his mouth already celebrating QPR’s Championship victory. David Webb was never a favourite amongst the Liverpool hoards, his tenacity is stating QPR would be Champions grated on our minds.

Liverpool could only win the Championship, if we won or drew away at Wolves, because of the closeness of goal difference between us and QPR, we could only afford to draw 0.0 1.1 2.2 or 3.3 anything above that would hand QPR the Championship. On the other hand Wolves needed a win to stay in Division one, depending on how Sheffield United got on that night at Brammell Lane.

Our game was billed as the title decider, it was also the title / relegation clash to end all title / relegation clashes.

For some strange reason one of our Everton mates volunteered to drive us down, we sorted Dougie out with petrol money and off we went. His lime green Ford Anglia was jam packed with four reds, Doug and copious amounts of Ashe & Nephews finest beers.

Travelling down to Molineux bedecked in red and white rugby shirts, Wrangler jeans and Gola trainees the mood was full of anticipation as we soon polished of as many cans as possible. The M6 was chocka block full of reds on their way South to our destiny, coaches, vans, cars etc would pull up in the hard shoulder of the motorway as us greedy Scousers needed to empty our spleen’s, to make ready for another bellyful of ale.

We had been to Wolves a few times prior to this and we knew our way around, Wolves was one of my favourite away games, we always took thousands down with us and the “away” end “The South Bank” was superb, it was massive similar to our very own Kop.

Dougie had driven down with Everton before and he knew a quicker way to get to Molineux (A449 I think?). Anyway we got off the motorway and headed down this dual carriageway, we where not alone? Other reds aware of the potential traffic situation had also taken heed of the warnings and also choose to go the same way.

We soon parked up in a housing estate behind the North Bank (the Wolves end) we were all dying for a slash so we knocked on this bloke’s house and asked could we use his loo. We were meet by one of the most obnoxious people I have ever had the misfortune to meet “***** off to Liverpool you Scouse Baskets” came the reply. Fair enough I could understand his reluctance to let us in his house, but there was no need for that. A few choice words were exchanged as we let him know what we thought of him.
“C’mon I have an idea” one of the lads say’s, so we leg it around the back of the houses and empty our swollen spleen’s all over the blokes car! Revenge is sweet?

Relieved and refreshed we walk towards the ground, reds and old gold everywhere without a hint of trouble. We get to the road on the side of the ground and look up towards our end, Jesus it was mayhem! Thousands and thousands of reds queuing up to get in and the gates hadn’t even opened yet. Police on horses compounded the issue further by trying to control the crowd that was generally under control, and well behaved.

It was only around 6.00 at night then this copper says “Take it easy and we’ll try and get as many of you in the ground as possible, but your all not gonna get in” what a stupid thing to say? As you can understand some people panicked and the crush to try and get in was very worrying. After some time, the main gates into the South Bank were broken down carefully we entered the ground and picked a spot to watch the game.

As you can imagine our end was teaming with Liverpool supporters, in time the rest of the stadium filled up. This was some show of strength, Liverpool supporters in every section of the ground, on the roofs, on the floodlight pylons – everywhere you looked. The official “estimated” attendance for this game was just under 50,000, in reality it was probably nearer 60,000 or more as thousands of us got in without paying.

Close to kick off time a few Wolves supporters ran onto the pitch up to our end and made some provocative gestures towards the thousands, unbeknown to them some of the lads in the paddock had jumped out and where behind them. It was no contest as the Wolves supporters experienced a little bit of Liverpool hospitality.

“You’ll Never Walk Alone” boomed out across the ground as both teams entered the pitch. The noise was incredible it was that loud you couldn’t hear what you were singing, god knows what the players made of this? It was that special.

Anyhow, the game kicked off this was it do or die. Liverpool started off a bit sluggish as Wolves dictated the early play, the pattern of the game was not what we wanted and at half time we were 1.0 down. Much had been said about Liverpool’s powers of recovery. This had been an exhaustingly long season for us, would Bob Paisley and the backroom staff be able to muster one last second half challenge?

Whatever Bob and the lads said at halftime or whatever they put in the orange juice we will never know but it worked a treat. The second half was a different kettle of fish, the redmen attacked the South Bank as we screamed ourselves horse willing an equalising goal. Time after time Wolves managed to defend their goal, bodies thrown in front of any goal bound effort, lucky deflections you name it! Could the reds make the breakthrough?

With around 15 minutes to go the Gods smiled upon us, as Kevin Keegan at last found the net, it was sheer pandemonium as we celebrated like only we could. The ground was in uproar, as the Wolves fans stood in silence contemplating their doom.
At that moment in time we knew and the Wolves supporters knew that it was going to be our night. The pretenders from West London (QPR players and directors) were also at Molineux that night to lay claim to the Championship if we couldn’t overcome Wolves, they left on mass once John Toshack had made it 2.1. The travelling Koppites mocked goodbye to the QPR contingent, as they waved goodbye to any Championship aspirations.

The crowd went ballistic, grown men cried and hugged total strangers like a long lost son’s, we were as one, we were Liverpool football Club. After a few minutes the Liverpool supporters left the field so that play could commence, the air was electric with so much excitement in the ground. Big Ray Kennedy sealed Wolves fate and ensured that our immortality was written with a third goal for the tricky reds minutes from the end. Another pitch invasion another reason to celebrate – what a night – probably one of the most enjoyable times to be a Liverpool supporter.

The journey home was one long celebration as the motorway’s ground to a standstill while fellow reds jigged and danced with glee. I’ll never forget the memory of Phil Thompson, Tommy Smith, Dave Fairclough, Ian Callaghan and co passing out bottles of Champaign from the team coach and joining in singing our anthems of appreciation.

Liverpool FC “You’ll Never Walk Alone”

by **Owzat** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 12:14 pm

I think we're beyond "must win" situations and as I post this I feel very deflated. The target has been reiterated by Moores and we can lose another six games and still end up fourth. Let's face it we're not that far off fourth place and we've been very ordinary this season. The targets asked of Houllier are far too generous given the claim that he would land the title in five years. The target Houllier faces now should have been fulfilled since his second or third season given the money he's spent/wasted. He has not managed to guarantee Champions League football despite spending over £100m and that simply isn't good enough.

Leeds paid the price for extravagant spending and failure to reach their targets, why has Houllier got away with it? While we haven't been as stupid as Leeds and spent money we didn't have, we spent millions and still didn't achieve our goal. Even another £25m wouldn't guarantee we'd be any closer to our goal than we were to start with

by **Dom1** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 12:49 pm

BLIMEY!
YOU LOT CAN'T HALF YAP. WHEW!

DOM :;):

by **Owzat** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 12:51 pm

I'm sure there must be just enough Everton fans with computers to have their own forum, why don't you go and play there? Take cheesymancpoof with you

dom1 has offended nobody,and because of this he has every right to air his views..an outsider looking in can sometimes give a different perspective.

by **leothelion** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 3:20 pm

well seen as game is postponed at least we cant lose this weekend

by **REDTILLDEAD** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 4:44 pm

Iv,e told that blue nosed ar#e wipe before.../ get back to WOODISON!! YOU BLERT!!
[no blue sh#te on this forum]

by **Wendi Richter** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 5:24 pm

Owzat wrote:I think we're beyond "must win" situations and as I post this I feel very deflated. The target has been reiterated by Moores and we can lose another six games and still end up fourth. Let's face it we're not that far off fourth place and we've been very ordinary this season. The targets asked of Houllier are far too generous given the claim that he would land the title in five years. The target Houllier faces now should have been fulfilled since his second or third season given the money he's spent/wasted. He has not managed to guarantee Champions League football despite spending over £100m and that simply isn't good enough.

Leeds paid the price for extravagant spending and failure to reach their targets, why has Houllier got away with it? While we haven't been as stupid as Leeds and spent money we didn't have, we spent millions and still didn't achieve our goal. Even another £25m wouldn't guarantee we'd be any closer to our goal than we were to start with

The more I think of Moore and Houllier targetting fourth the more ridiculous it becomes to me. Not simply cos of the settling for mediocrity but if we pinch 4th, just how far in the CL would we get anyway. Bottom of our group and then out the door most likely. Not even a UEFA Cup berth. Whats the point. The goal should be to assemble a team good enough to win the CL not just get there.

by **redandblue** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 11:54 am

The Pools Panel got it right on Saturday.........Wolves v Liverpool. Home win. They are not as daft as I thought.....

by **greenred** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 2:13 pm

redandblue wrote:The Pools Panel got it right on Saturday.........Wolves v Liverpool. Home win. They are not as daft as I thought.....

is that true?

by **Owzat** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 2:34 pm

greenred wrote:
redandblue wrote:The Pools Panel got it right on Saturday.........Wolves v Liverpool. Home win. They are not as daft as I thought.....

is that true?

I understood they gave it as a draw

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Wolves away - a must win situation.

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