19 tales from Liverpool's 19 top-flight title wins: Part two
To mark the launch of '19' – a new book detailing the story of each of Liverpool's top-flight title successes – author Carl Clemente has shared a collection of anecdotes from the special publication.
Written with the help of the highly-respected LFChistory.net, the 540-page offering is packed with insights, facts and statistics from a journey that started back in September 1900.
It also features the thoughts, opinions and memories of the players, managers, protagonists and fans who were involved in delivering the championship to the Anfield trophy cabinet time and time again.
In the second of three excerpts from the book, which can be ordered here, Clemente provides a tale from each of Liverpool’s six title-winning seasons between 1965 and 1980…
1965-66
On October 23, 1965, a rather unpleasant incident occurred during Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat at The Hawthorns against West Bromwich Albion. A hard-boiled egg was thrown on to the pitch from the terraces. Tommy Smith handed it over to referee T.W. Dawes, who temporarily stopped the game while he spoke to the police. A loudspeaker announcement then followed, threatening to call off the game in the event of further egg throwing or other incidents.
1972-73
On September 16, 1972, one of the most bizarre incidents of the 1972-73 season occurred. An injury to linesman Dennis Drewitt during Liverpool’s clash at Highbury resulted in former footballer, turned TV pundit, Jimmy Hill taking over with the flag in a sky-blue tracksuit. A PA announcement had been put out for any qualified referees in the crowd, which Hill was, and he stepped forward so the game could continue. Shankly and the Arsenal manager, Bertie Mee, seemed to find the whole thing rather amusing. The match finished 0-0 and Shankly commented: “He was the best linesman I have ever seen.”
1975-76
Admission prices for the 1975-76 season were set at 65p to £1.30. However, supporters were charged 10p more for home European games to help the club manage the high travel costs involved in the European away ties.
1976-77
On October 14, 1976, Liverpool’s new souvenir shop was opened by Ray Clemence and club director Mr Corkish, which was a part of the new development complex, costing £300,000, situated at the back of the Kop and run by development officer Ken Addison. Liverpool were one of the first top division clubs to set up such initiatives and other money-raising events, which raised around £50,000 a year. Addison had a staff of six to keep things ticking over.
1978-79
Ahead of the 1978-79 season there was an important change to the Kop grandstand at Anfield. After many decades the famous Boys’ Pen, which started off in the lower Kemlyn Road stand in 1922, was removed, increasing the Kop’s capacity by 1,000.
1979-80
Ahead of the 1979-80 title-winning campaign, Liverpool competed an important deal, but it wasn’t for a player. Liverpool decided to wear shirt advertising and the sponsor was Japanese TV and electronics giant Hitachi. The shock behind the pioneering move by Liverpool, the most successful club in the league, is that they claimed they were doing it to stay alive. “We are fighting for our existence,” chairman John Smith told the press as he announced a one-year, £50,000 deal with Hitachi. Quoting figures that emphasised the grim financial position in football, Smith revealed: “From a turnover of £2.4 million last year, Liverpool’s profit at the end of the day was a meagre £71,000... this for one of the leading clubs in Europe. It shows the paucity of money in British football. The days are gone when a club like ours could control their destiny on the money coming through the turnstiles. It is absolutely essential to generate income from other sources. We have agreed to this deal to help safeguard the long-term financial interest of the club.”
Click here to order your copy of 19 now.