
Summer 1987. Liverpool Double winners in 1986 had finished the 1986/87 season empty handed. Everton had stormed to the Title ahead of Dalglish’s men and Liverpool had lost the League/Littlewoods Cup Final 2-1 to Arsenal, the first time they had lost a game when Ian Rush had scored. Mark Lawrenson had missed most of the season with injury and the Reds looked vulnerable without him. Gary Ablett had emerged at left back but Kenny rarely played that season, with Paul Walsh forming a partnership with Ian Rush up front. Rushie had equalled Dixie Dean’s 19 goal Merseyside Derby goal record in a 3-1 victory at Anfield in April. Mike Hooper replaced the injured Grobbelaar in goal but Liverpool had lost home and away to Manchester United in Alex Ferguson’s first season in charge at Old Trafford.
Major rebuilding was needed for Liverpool to be contenders again. Star striker Ian Rush had been sold to Juventus in Summer 1986 for a record £3.2M but had stayed at Anfield on loan for the 1986/87 season. Lifelong Red and Scouser John Aldridge had arrived from Oxford but he had struggled to start many games. In fact many fans had joked that Liverpool should send Rush lookalike Aldo to Juventus instead of Rushie.
How do you replace Ian Rush? It turned out with three players. Peter Beardsley had arrived from Newcastle for a British transfer record £1.9M. The skilful striker was joined by Watford winger John Barnes for a fee on £900,000. They would form a partnership with John Aldridge up front. How would the new signings adapt? On the opening day of the season all three players combined as Aldridge headed Liverpool in front at Highbury. A late long range header by Steve Nicol gave Liverpool a 2-1 victory in their new silver away kit, on a scorching day in North London. A broken sewer on the Kop had delayed Liverpool’s first game at Anfield. On the 12th September Barnes and Aldridge scored against his former club Oxford United in a 2-0 win. Liverpool were on their way. Steve Nicol scored a hat trick at Newcastle in a 4-1 victory, live on Match of the Day at the end of the month.
Early leaders Queens Park Rangers arrived at Anfield in mid October. In front of Ian Rush, Liverpool produced a fine display. John Barnes scored twice, including a memorable run from the halfway line in a 4-0 victory, to send the Reds top of the table. Liverpool’s winning run was ended by Everton in the Littlewoods Cup at the end of October. A deflected Gary Stevens shot gave the Toffees victory, in a game notable for Graeme Sharp missing an open goal at the Kop end.
In October, in a bid to strengthen the midfield, right sided Oxford United player Ray Houghton was signed for £825,000 and scored in his second game, a 1-1 draw at Wimbledon. Liverpool faced Everton live on Match of the Day at Anfield on the 1st of November. Liverpool put on their best display of the season so far to win 2-0. Former Toffee Steve McMahon had given the Reds a first half lead before Beardsley smashed home the second goal in front of the Kop. BBC commentator Barry Davies excitedly declared: “and he gets a kiss for it, from a man in a blue stripped shirt!”
The next test for Dalglish’s men was at Old Trafford. John Aldridge headed Liverpool ahead but Whiteside equalised, as both teams settled for a point in a 1-1 draw. The Reds won their next three games before facing Chelsea live on ITV on the 6th December. A late Steve McMahon goal at the Kop end gave Liverpool a 2-1 win.
The FA Cup campaign began with a 1-0 win over Stoke City in a replay at Anfield. George Graham’s Arsenal then arrived at Anfield. In front of a live European television audience Liverpool ran out 2-0 winners. Steve McMahon famously kept the ball in play, ran off the pitch then came back on to set up John Aldridge to give the Reds the lead. In the second half a brilliant Peter Beardsley run and chip sealed the victory. After the game French Captain Michel Platini hailed the Reds performance as “displaying the best in continental football”.
In the FA Cup Liverpool beat Aston Villa 2-0 at the end of January thanks to a Barnes header and a Beardsley strike. Kenny’s men looked unstoppable. Their reward for victory at Villa Park was a 5th Round tie away to Everton. In a poor game remembered for John Barnes flicking a banana off the pitch thrown at him by racists, Ray Houghton headed home the winger’s cross to give Liverpool a narrow 1-0 win.
Liverpool kept winning and they went to Derby in March knowing that if they avoided defeat, they would equal Don Revie’s great Leeds United team’s 1973/74 record of 29 league games unbeaten from the start of a season. Craig Johnston scored in a 1-1 draw at the Baseball Ground. Could Liverpool beat the record? Wayne Clarke, the brother of former Leeds striker Wayne scored at Goodison, following an error from Bruce Grobbelaar to condemn Liverpool to a 1-0 defeat in front of ITV’s cameras.
After another defeat at Nottingham Forest over Easter, the press questioned if Dalglish’s men would blow their lead at the top of the First Division. Manchester United were next up at Anfield. In a thrilling game Steve McMahon fired Liverpool into a 3-1 lead but ten man Utd fought back to earn a 3-3 draw. After Alex Ferguson had ranted to the press after the game Dalglish declared: “you might as well listen to my baby daughter, you will get more sense out of her”. On the 9th April Liverpool faced Brian Clough’s young Nottingham Forest team in the FA Cup Semi Final at Hillsborough. An Aldridge penalty and a second half volley which was named as the Goal of the Season, gave Liverpool a 2-1 win and a place at Wembley.
A few days later the Reds faced Forest again at Anfield. In a game described by Tom Finney as “the best display of football he had ever seen” Liverpool thrashed Clough’s boys 5-0. The game was remembered for a brilliant Beardsley through ball and chip by Aldridge in the first half, and a John Barnes nutmeg on Steve Chettle at the Kop end, to set up Peter Beardsley to score again. John Motson laughed as the winger beat the hapless Forest defender and ‘Psycho’ Stuart Pearce sank to his knees as the ball was fired home. Many observers claimed it was best performance that they had ever witnessed from a Liverpool team at Anfield.
On St George’s day Liverpool knew a win over Terry Venables’ Tottenham would give them the Championship with four games remaining. Peter Beardsley curled home the winner and the Kop saluted Kenny’s 1-0 winners at full time. Liverpool finished the season with the record: P40 W26 D12 L2 F87 A24 and a record 90 points. The front three of Barnes, Beardsley and Aldridge were the finest in Europe that season, and it is fascinating to speculate how they would have fared in the 1987/88 European Cup. Sadly Liverpool were not admitted back into Europe until 1991.
Was this the Reds greatest ever team? Or was that the 1978/79 team? Had Liverpool won a second Double they could have claimed to be the best but sadly they lost to Wimbledon. Had Beardsley’s first half goal been allowed to stand and John Aldridge not seen his first penalty of the season saved by Dave Beasant, Liverpool would have won. Aldo won the Golden Boot with 28 League goals and a few days later a Liverpool X1 beat an England X1 3-2 in Alan Hansen’s Testimonial. A memorable end to an unforgettable season.
