For May 8th I'm going back 28 years to 1993 and Tottenham's Premier League visit to Liverpool.
On a miserable day weather wise as well as football wise, in order to avoid accusations that my programme memories conveniently forget about the disappointments, today I recall an end of season 6-2 hammering for Spurs at Anfield.
This was the inaugural season of the new FA Premiership (before renamed the Premier League in later years). We had been used to seeing Liverpool winning league titles year after year and yet, by 1993 Liverpool had failed to get their hands on the crown for an unprecedented (at least since 1972) three years! This match had been preceded by a lot of Clash-inspired "would he stay or would he go" chatter concerning manager Graeme Souness who, to the surprise of many, remained in charge of the club at the beginning of the following season and lasted until January 1994 when he was finally replaced by Roy Evans. Eighth placed Spurs, who finished the season with the same record of league wins and losses as sixth placed Liverpool, fielded an almost unrecognisable side of youngsters. Playing for Spurs under the management of Doug Livermore that day were David McDonald, Danny Hill, Kevin Watson, Stuart Nethercott and Lee Hodges, none of whom went on to turn themselves into a household name.
Ian Rush started the match on 299 club goals for Liverpool and he didn't have long to wait for numbers 300 and 301 as they came in this game. Rush is a legend at Liverpool who went about his business in a quiet unassuming way and finished his Liverpool career having made 660 appearances and scored 346 goals. Maybe Rush's low profile demeanour is explained by the fact that he was the ninth of ten siblings! I doubt that there will have been a more prolific ninth child in world football!
Souness apparently decided to go and watch Leeds on this particular Saturday and missed a goal fest at Anfield unlike the 43,385 attendees. Liverpool recorded six goals via Ian Rush (2), John Barnes (2), Steve Harkness and included a penalty from Mark Walters. Tottenham's two came from Teddy Sheringham and Steve Sedgley. Sheringham's goal was his 22nd league goal of the season as he secured the inaugural Golden Boot despite missing a penalty in this game! It was a crazy, carefree and open end of season game. Rich entertainment football-wise and being beaten so heavily fortunately didn't seem to matter very much that day.
CRB Match No. 838
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