What can one say about this evening all those years ago?
Liverpool were on a sensational run of league titles winning the league 11 times between 1973 and 1990, and having won the league in 1988 they undoubtedly expected by the Liverpool adoring mass media to win it again in 1989.
Compare this with Arsenal’s one title in 1971 before that night in 1989. 11 titles to Liverpool, one to Arsenal.
And yet, amazingly despite only one championship through the whole period up to that night in 1989, on this day we won the league at Liverpool by 0-2 at Anfield.
Perhaps what is also interesting is that after that defeat and Micky Thomas’ winner – followed by an attempted head stand – Liverpool only won the league once more – the following season before going into a barren spell that went on and on and on for 29 years.
All we can do, is think of what we remember from that night. I remember George Graham trying to keep everyone calm. A hopeless task. I remember Perry Groves saying that Graham, when bringing him on as a substitute, had given him the instructions, “go on and run around a bit”.
I seem to remember Micky Thomas being back in defence just after scoring the second goal – mopping up a Liverpool attack.
I remember feeling so desperately sad with 10 minutes to go that we had come so close.
I remember phone calls into the night from friends saying thank goodness those Merseysiders had been beaten at last on a ground where they were renowned for the penalty in front of the Kop with five minutes to go.
And watching it on TV, the commentator doing all the usual rubbish about Arsenal “keeping their powder dry” and so on and so forth.
Oh and I remember how Arsenal also handed out flowers to the Liverpool fans before the match.
They don’t write history like this any more.
Henry Norris at the Arsenal: There is a full index to the series here.
Arsenal in the 1930s: The most comprehensive series on the decade ever
Arsenal in the 1970s: Every match and every intrigue reviewed in detail.
100 Years: 100 Years in the First Division
