The agony and the bliss of the 1964-65 Liverpool season

[Guest Skeever]

Here's a good article that many of you will enjoy reading

 

John Martin who wrote the excellent Liverpool life in the 2nd division now profiles the highs and the lows of the eventful 1964-65 season.

 

It's a very interesting account where he experienced one of the most terrifying days in his life when he almost was crushed to death along with a number of Liverpool supporters which came close being a precursor to Hillsborough and also witnessing at first hand the great day Liverpool won the FA cup for the first time.

[fred]

Enjoyed reading that - thanks for putting up the link.

[Guest Portly]

I enjoyed reading that, because I was at all the games he mentions, except the away games in Europe.

 

I was interested to read about the crush inside the ground at the time of the abandoned home tie against Cologne. I wasn't aware of that, but there was also a bad crush in Kemlyn Road while we were waiting in the snow to get in the Kop. The pressure was such that many of the low walls in front of the terrace houses collapsed.

 

Stockport away in the FA Cup was an entertaining trip. The end of the ground where we were didn't have proper terraces, just cinders and wooden boards. When the crowd surged forward, I got my foot caught behind one of these boards, and went flat on my face. There were shouts of "man down" and somehow, a sufficient gap was cleared to enable me to get back to my feet. My shoe was passed up from lower down on the terraces. When I got home and undressed for bed, I found my underpants were black, although I don't remember my trousers coming off!

 

We were on a "Home James" coach on the way back. Someone tried to pee out of a window, and missed. Every time the bus went round a corner, we had to lift our feet up to avoid the lake of pee that was swilling around.

 

Roger Hunt's goal against Leicester at the Kop end is also a vivid memory. Banks had single-handedly won the FA Cup semi against us the previous season, and it had seemed that we would never be able to score past him. I was right behind the goal when Hunt's shot went in, I can still see Banks' flailing hand as he tried to stop it.

 

The FA Cup Semi against Chelsea was also one of the best Liverpool matches I ever saw. Chelsea were hot favourites - at that time Liverpool were regarded by the Press as a talentless "machine" but in the event we wiped the floor with them by playing vastly superior football. John Martin refers to Peter Thompson's goal, and that really was a cracker. Thompson didn't score many, but he cut in from the wing and lashed in an unstoppable shot. Terry Venables did look sad!

 

We should also have won the European Cup that season. John Martin refers to suspicious refereeing in the second leg, which Inter won 3-0 to go through 4-3 on aggregate. Actually the referee was subsequently proved to have been bribed by Inter. The same guy had refereed about 70% of Inter's European games, and he was given a villa by the sea by the club. It was all exposed by Brian Glanville the British journalist who at that time wrote for the "Sunday Times."

[sirstan]

I enjoyed reading that, because I was at all the games he mentions, except the away games in Europe.

 

I was interested to read about the crush inside the ground at the time of the abandoned home tie against Cologne. I wasn't aware of that, but there was also a bad crush in Kemlyn Road while we were waiting in the snow to get in the Kop. The pressure was such that many of the low walls in front of the terrace houses collapsed.

 

Stockport away in the FA Cup was an entertaining trip. The end of the ground where we were didn't have proper terraces, just cinders and wooden boards. When the crowd surged forward, I got my foot caught behind one of these boards, and went flat on my face. There were shouts of "man down" and somehow, a sufficient gap was cleared to enable me to get back to my feet. My shoe was passed up from lower down on the terraces. When I got home and undressed for bed, I found my underpants were black, although I don't remember my trousers coming off!

 

We were on a "Home James" coach on the way back. Someone tried to pee out of a window, and missed. Every time the bus went round a corner, we had to lift our feet up to avoid the lake of pee that was swilling around.

 

Roger Hunt's goal against Leicester at the Kop end is also a vivid memory. Banks had single-handedly won the FA Cup semi against us the previous season, and it had seemed that we would never be able to score past him. I was right behind the goal when Hunt's shot went in, I can still see Banks' flailing hand as he tried to stop it.

 

The FA Cup Semi against Chelsea was also one of the best Liverpool matches I ever saw. Chelsea were hot favourites - at that time Liverpool were regarded by the Press as a talentless "machine" but in the event we wiped the floor with them by playing vastly superior football. John Martin refers to Peter Thompson's goal, and that really was a cracker. Thompson didn't score many, but he cut in from the wing and lashed in an unstoppable shot. Terry Venables did look sad!

 

We should also have won the European Cup that season. John Martin refers to suspicious refereeing in the second leg, which Inter won 3-0 to go through 4-3 on aggregate. Actually the referee was subsequently proved to have been bribed by Inter. The same guy had refereed about 70% of Inter's European games, and he was given a villa by the sea by the club. It was all exposed by Brian Glanville the British journalist who at that time wrote for the "Sunday Times."

 

My dad went to that away game in Milan. Some of the locals told him at lunchtime on the day of the game that whatever happened later, Inter WOULD go through, it had all been arranged.

[Guest Portly]

My dad went to that away game in Milan. Some of the locals told him at lunchtime on the day of the game that whatever happened later, Inter WOULD go through, it had all been arranged.

 

At the time, Inter Milan employed a Hungarian guy as a full-time match fixer. He arranged for the selection of referees and the pay-offs. The ref in the second leg in Milan had obviously been got at. Every time St. John got the ball, he blew for a foul!