| 1983–84 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | John W Smith | ||
| Manager | Joe Fagan | ||
| First Division | Champions | ||
| FA Cup | Fourth round | ||
| League Cup | Winners | ||
| FA Charity Shield | Runners-up | ||
| European Cup | Winners | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Ian Rush (32) All: Ian Rush (47) | ||
The1983–84 season wasLiverpool Football Club's92nd season in existence and their 22nd consecutive season in theFirst Division. It was Liverpool's first season under the management ofJoe Fagan, who was promoted from the coaching staff after the retirement ofBob Paisley, their manager of the last nine seasons who had won at least one major trophy in all but the first of his seasons as manager (including six league titles and three European Cups). Fagan's first season as manager ended with Liverpool becoming the first team in England to win three major trophies in the same season as they won the league title, European Cup and League Cup. They beatAS Roma on penalties to win theEuropean Cup for the fourth time (their sixth European trophy win overall), and defeated Merseyside rivalsEverton in the League Cup final replay, and fought off a challenge from the likes ofSouthampton,Nottingham Forest,Manchester United andQueens Park Rangers to win their 15th league title, and their third consecutive title.
The undoubted star of the season was strikerIan Rush, who scored 32 goals in the league and 47 in all competitions.[1]
It was the last season at the club for midfielderGraeme Souness, who was sold to Italian sideSampdoria at the end of the campaign.[2]
This team is regarded as one of Liverpool's greatest teams of all time and is considered as one of the greatest teams in football history.[3][4][5]
AugustBob Paisley, the most successful manager in English football, retired as Liverpool's manager at the end of the1982–83 season after nine glorious years at the helm. His successor was 62-year-old "boot room" veteranJoe Fagan.
The Fagan era began with theFA Charity Shield atWembley Stadium on 20 August 1983. Liverpool, defending league champions, lost 2–0 in front of a 92,000 crowd, withBryan Robson scoring both of the goals forFA Cup winnersManchester United. The league campaign began unspectacularly seven days later with a 1–1 draw at newly promotedWolverhampton Wanderers.
SeptemberLiverpool's bid for a fourthEuropean Cup triumph began on 14 September with a 1–0 away win in the first round first leg overDanish championsOdense. Qualification for the next stage was confirmed two weeks later when the Reds won 5–0 in the return leg atAnfield.
They had a decent month in the league as well, finishing the month in fourth place behindWest Ham United, Manchester United andSouthampton.[6]
OctoberOctober saw Liverpool's League Cup quest begin in the second round, where they eliminated Third DivisionBrentford by a comfortable margin. Their European Cup campaign thrown into question with a goalless home draw withAthletic Bilbao ofSpain in the second round first leg, leaving them to need at least a score draw in the return leg in order to progress to the quarter-finals. In the league, however, excellent wins over West Ham United and Luton Town helped them to attain second place as the month drew to a close, two points short of leaders Manchester United. As well as the surprise challenge from West Ham United, they also had a race for the title mounting from fellowLondon sideQPR, who like West Ham had never won the title before, but were also playing their first top division season since promotion the previous campaign.[7]
NovemberNovember was a rocky month for the Reds. They did manage to dispose of Atletico Bilbao in the European Cup, but were held to two draws by Fulham in the League Cup third round, finally winning the second replay. They did, however, climb to the top of the First Division, though the challenge from West Ham United and Manchester United remained intense, while a surprise challenge was springing from Tottenham Hostpur and unfashionable Luton Town – the latter who had been on the receiving end of a 6–0 demolition (and five goals byIan Rush) by the Reds a month earlier.[8]
December10 December 1983 brought one of the most embarrassing defeats ever inflicted on Liverpool Football Club. They travelled toHighfield Road for a First Division clash with aCoventry City side who were emerging as surprise title challengers under young managerBobby Gould, and found themselves on the receiving end of a 4–0 defeat. However, they pulled together the following weekend to demolishNotts County 5–0 at Anfield, and entered 1984 still in pole position and three points ahead of their nearest rivals Manchester United.[9]
The League Cup quest continued with a replay win overBirmingham City in the fourth round.
JanuaryThe first Liverpool game of 1984 was a 1–1 home draw with Manchester United in the league, billed by many as a championship decider – the outcome of which left the top two unchanged. The FA Cup quest began with a 4–0 home win over aNewcastle United led by former Liverpool strikerKevin Keegan, but ended later in the month with a shock 2–0 defeat at the hands of the previous season's losing finalistsBrighton & Hove Albion. They also achieved a League Cup quarter-final replay win overSheffield Wednesday, like Keegan's Newcastle on the way to promotion to the First Division. There was a real chance of a treble this season.
FebruaryLiverpool maintained top place in the First Division throughout February.[10] In the League Cup semi-finals, they were held to a surprise 2–2 draw by Third Division minnowsWalsall in the first leg at Anfield before winning the return leg 2–0 atFellows Park, to secure a place in the League Cup final a month later againstMerseyside rivalsEverton, who were on a run in the cup competitions despite dismal league form which had seen repeated calls from fans for managerHoward Kendall to be sacked.
MarchMarch saw Liverpool seal their first trophy of the season when they won 1–0 in the final replay atMaine Road on 28 March 1984, three days after the first game saw them draw 0–0 with Everton atWembley Stadium. The European adventure resumed with an excellent 5-1 aggregate win overPortuguese championsBenfica. They were still going strong in the league as well, and by the end of March only Manchester United (two points behind them) were looking able to catch them.[11]
AprilA succession of wins could have wrapped up Liverpool's 15th league title before the end of April, but a shock defeat to relegation threatenedStoke City and a 3–3 draw withLeicester City meant that April ended with Liverpool still just two points ahead of Manchester United with four games remaining. And a late surge from QPR and Southampton suggested that the title might not end up at Anfield orOld Trafford.[12]
Liverpool reached their fourth European Cup final by eliminatingDinamo Bucharest in the semi-finals.[13]
MayMay 1984 was one of the most glorious months ever experienced by Liverpool Football Club, but it began with a result that suggested the month could turn out to be one of the most disappointing. A goalless draw at relegation threatenedBirmingham City (who soon went down thanks to a late escape act by Stoke City) could have been enough for Liverpool to lose their lead to Manchester United on goal difference, butRon Atkinson's side also managed only a draw that weekend, and there was still a mathematical chance of either QPR or Southampton winning the title.[14]
Two days after the scare in the midlands, another midland side –Coventry City – took on Liverpool, this time at Anfield. Any talk of a repeat of the December humiliation at Highfield Road was quickly silenced as the Reds crushed the Sky Blues 5-0 (with Ian Rush scoring four goals and pushing them to the edge of the relegation zone just five months after they had been pushing for the title) and opened up a five-point lead to a Manchester United side who were beaten byNottingham Forest on the same day. Southampton were now the only side other than Manchester United who could catch Liverpool, but the Reds only needed two points from their final two games to be sure of the title.[15]
Liverpool drew their penultimate league game of the season with doomedNotts County atMeadow Lane, but Manchester United and Southampton were only able to draw their games as well – meaning that Liverpool had become only the third English club to win three successive league titles.[16][17]
The championship trophy was presented to the club on 15 May 1984 after the final league game of the season – a 1–1 draw withNorwich City at Anfield.
The European Cup final was played on 30 May 1984. Veteran defenderPhil Neal put the Reds ahead againstAS Roma at theStadio Olimpico inRome, but theItalians later equalised to force a 1–1 draw which remained the score as full-time and then extra time loomed. The match went to a penalty shoot-out, which the Reds won 4–2, becoming the first English club to win three major trophies in the same season. It was their fourth European Cup triumph – a record only bettered byReal Madrid who won it six times between 1956 and 1966.
Jim Beglin
Gary GillespieAlan Hansen
Alan KennedyMark LawrensonJohn McGregorPhil NealSteve NicolPhil Thompson| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Division 1 | FA Cup | Charity Shield | League Cup | European Cup | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| FW | SCO | Kenny Dalglish | 51 | 12 | 33+0 | 7 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 8+0 | 2 | 8+1 | 3 | |
| DF | SCO | Gary Gillespie | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| GK |  ZIM | Bruce Grobbelaar | 67 | 0 | 42+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 13+0 | 0 | 9+0 | 0 | |
| DF | SCO | Alan Hansen | 67 | 1 | 42+0 | 1 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 13+0 | 0 | 9+0 | 0 | |
| FW | ENG | David Hodgson | 12 | 1 | 1+4 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+2 | 1 | 0+2 | 0 | |
| MF |  AUS | Craig Johnston | 52 | 4 | 28+1 | 2 | 2+0 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 11+1 | 0 | 7+1 | 1 | |
| DF | ENG | Alan Kennedy | 67 | 2 | 42+0 | 2 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 13+0 | 0 | 9+0 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG | Mark Lawrenson | 66 | 0 | 42+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 12+0 | 0 | 9+0 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG | Sammy Lee | 67 | 3 | 42+0 | 2 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 13+0 | 0 | 9+0 | 1 | |
| DF | ENG | Phil Neal | 64 | 3 | 41+0 | 1 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 12+0 | 1 | 8+0 | 1 | |
| MF | SCO | Steve Nicol | 38 | 7 | 19+4 | 5 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 9+0 | 2 | 2+2 | 0 | |
| FW | IRL | Michael Robinson | 42 | 12 | 23+1 | 6 | 2+0 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | 8+1 | 3 | 5+1 | 2 | |
| FW |  WAL | Ian Rush | 65 | 47 | 41+0 | 32 | 2+0 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 | 12+0 | 8 | 9+0 | 5 | |
| MF | SCO | Graeme Souness | 61 | 12 | 37+0 | 7 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 12+0 | 5 | 9+0 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG | Phil Thompson | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| MF | SCO | John Wark | 9 | 2 | 9+0 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| MF | IRL | Ronnie Whelan | 34 | 9 | 20+3 | 4 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 4+1 | 3 | 5+0 | 2 | |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool(C) | 42 | 22 | 14 | 6 | 73 | 32 | +41 | 80 | Qualification for theEuropean Cup first round |
| 2 | Southampton | 42 | 22 | 11 | 9 | 66 | 38 | +28 | 77 | Qualification for theUEFA Cup first round |
| 3 | Nottingham Forest | 42 | 22 | 8 | 12 | 76 | 45 | +31 | 74 | |
| 4 | Manchester United | 42 | 20 | 14 | 8 | 71 | 41 | +30 | 74 | |
| 5 | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 22 | 7 | 13 | 67 | 37 | +30 | 73 |
| Manchester United | 2–0 | Liverpool |
|---|---|---|
Robson 23’ 62’ | Report Report |
          Manchester United |      Liverpool |
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Match rules
|
| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06-Jan-84 | Newcastle United | H | 4–0 | Robinson 8'Rush 28',86'Johnston 63' | 33,566 | Report | Report |
| 29-Jan-84 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 0–2 | 19,057 | Report | Report |
| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05-Oct-83 | Brentford | A | 4–1 | Rush 23',70'Robinson 51'Souness 57' | 17,859 | Report | Report |
| 25-Oct-83 | Brentford | H | 4–0 | Souness pen 38'Hodgson 65'Dalglish 69'Robinson 87' | 9,902 | Report | Report |
| 08-Nov-83 | Fulham | A | 1–1 | Rush 64' | 20,142 | Report | Report |
| 22-Nov-83 | Fulham | H | 1–1 | Dalglish 50' | 15,783 | Report | Report |
| 29-Nov-83 | Fulham | A | 1–0 | Souness 114' | 20,905 | Report | Report |
| 20-Dec-83 | Birmingham City | A | 1–1 | Souness 26' | 17,405 | Report | Report |
| 22-Dec-83 | Birmingham City | H | 3–0 | Nicol 39'Rush 53',pen 74' | 11,638 | Report | Report |
| 17-Jan-84 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 2–2 | Nicol 20' Neal pen 60' | 49,357 | Report | Report |
| 25-Jan-84 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 3–0 | Rush 37',85'Robinson 74' | 40,485 | Report | Report |
| 07-Feb-84 | Walsall | H | 2–2 | Whelan 14',73' | 31,073 | Report | Report |
| 14-Feb-84 | Walsall | A | 2–0 | Rush 13'Whelan 52' | 19,591 | Report | Report |
Final
Liverpool |      Everton |
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Match rules
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Replay
Liverpool | Everton |
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Match rules
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| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14-Sep-83 | Odense BK | A | 1–0 | Dalglish 14' | 30,000 | Report | Report |
| 28-Sep-83 | Odense BK | H | 5–0 | Robinson 14',72'Dalglish 32',40'Own goal 65' | 14,985 | Report | Report |
| 19-Oct-83 | Athletic Bilbao | H | 0–0 | 33,063 | Report | Report | |
| 02-Nov-83 | Athletic Bilbao | A | 1–0 | Rush 66' | 47,500 | Report | Report |
| 07-Mar-84 | Benfica | H | 1–0 | Rush 66' | 39,096 | Report | Report |
| 21-Mar-84 | Benfica | A | 4–1 | Whelan 9',87'Johnston 33'Rush 79' | 70,000 | Report | Report |
| 11-Apr-84 | Dinamo Bucharest | H | 1–0 | Lee 25' | 36,941 | Report | Report |
| 25-Apr-84 | Dinamo Bucharest | A | 2–1 | Rush 11',84' | 60,000 | Report | Report |
Final
| Liverpool | 1–1 (a.e.t.) |  AS Roma |
|---|---|---|
| Neal 13' | Report Report | Pruzzo 42' |
| Penalties | ||
Nicol Neal  Souness Rush Kennedy | 4–2 | Di BartolomeiContiRighettiGraziani |
Liverpool |    AS Roma |
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