Memory Lane Memories of 1979

[USAShrimper]

Was reading about how we only need to sell a few more tickets to break our record sales for a blues match when I started thinking back to Wed 10th Jan, 1979 and thought it would be nice for those of us old and fortunate enough to be at the Liverpool match to share a few memories.

The 3rd round FA cup match was supposed to be played on the Saturday but was called off due to snow and had to be switched to the Wed night.

I was 13 at the time and went to the match with my Dad and sat in the main stand and I do remember the Liverpool team being made up of players when they were at the height but have just googled the team and it reads like a whos who of liverpool legends:

Clemence, Neal, Hughes, Thompson, R.Kennedy, Hansen, Dalglish, Case, Fairclough, McDermott (Heighway 77), Souness.
Manager: Bob Paisley

My main abiding memories of that night are the old South Bank (before the flats) absolutley heaving with thousands upon thousands of blues fans (no thoughts of health and safety then!!).

Remember Derek Parker being clean through late on to score a possile winner only for Clemence to slide in at his feet (I think).

Just wondered if anyone else had anything they wanted to reminisce about that night when over 31000 were packed into the Hall.

I was there, and remember the snow and the old South Bank being "chock a block" I thought it was Morris who was through at the end to nearly score for us.

 

[Mick]

I think you will find that 12 coaches was not a record as we took 52 coaches and a train to Derby - first time round.

I remember all the Scousers hanging around Stanley Park after. I think some Southend fan also had a sheepskin taken as well Oz - broken collar bone too.

The "Southend" chant from The Kop was amazing. Over 37,000 at Anfield for the replay!!

definately a midweek record !

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I was right in the middle of the swaying Southend fans near the top of the then massive South Stand. For those that were too young, if you can imagine 31,033 at the Hall, the atmosphere was electric, especially when we got to about the 60th Minute and Liverpool still hadn't scored. After all they had just won the European Cup along with dominating our domestic League for years and had just beaten Man U. 3-0 at old trafford on boxing day.

My Liverpool supporting friend kindly pointed out that all of their outfield players chipped in with goals, and that they would win by at least 3 goals and don't be surprised if it's 6. Supersub Fairclough would come on if they're playing badly and he will probably get 2.
He opened his big mouth and said that if Liverpool didn't score, then he will meet me about an hour after the game at the top of Pier Hill and he would run naked to the Ivy House ( Chinnery's ) and walk up to the bar in the pub and then run back up to the top of Pier Hill.
After the game a lot of us piled onto the pitch as you did in them days to celebrate. The game was played on a rock hard frozen pitch. Wouldn't be allowed in this day. I know this as I run onto it after the game and slipped over and cut my knee and hand open, on the way over to the North Bank Liverpool fans. As I reached the North Bank with what seemed like a few thousand others, we were celebrating in front of the Liverpool fans as if we had won the cup. Most of them clapped us as they realized that Southend had pulled off a near miracle. But a little group started getting nasty, so I made a snowball from the snow swept up around the pitch and threw it at them. The Liverpool fans then reached over the little pitch wall for snow and we had a big snowball fight that was eventually stopped by the old bill, as they pushed us away from the Liverpool fans. That was my claim to fame for that special match. Could have been an even better evening had Parker scored when thru on goal for a One on One.
I then made my way to Pier Hill and to my amazement my friend kept his promise. Absolutely hilarious and it must have been -5 degrees.
''Happy Days.''

 

[Sutton Who]

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[Kevin Hogg]

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Souness, Parker, Gerry Fell?, Phil Neal. What a pic! What a night!

 

[Neil 15GB]

Remember it well. Didn't get into the West Bank until half time ! Remember John Motson stuck on the television gantry of the west stand covering the game in a snow storm.

 

[billy best was god]

Remember the replay well, there was a
train strike so the only way to get back to Hockley was to get off
the coach at the weir and walk, as we got past Rayleigh a police car
pulled over where the 2 officers pushed us against the wall and
started to question us, as soon as my mate said his name was Kerry
all hell broke loose and we were arrested as IRA suspects for the
bombing in Canvey luckily we had our Southend v Liverpool programs which
proved our story along with our nearby parents.


Also remember soon after finishing with
my girlfriend, (the one that got away).If anyone
knows Georgina Maskell TELL HER "SORRY"

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Road End graffiti painted on the railway bridge at Prittlewell by the scouser's,mind you used to see Pak, sufc and ozzie in various locations around the town and country in that decade

 

[Farmer Fossett]

Would love to see some pictures or film of the day especially of the South Bank full. Does anyone know if the match was televised? Apparently Roots Hall had a capacity of 36000!!

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

Remember being very worried after the game on the Sat was postponed, I was due to go to the Brecon Beacons the following week on a Geography A Level field trip on the Monday and had that feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach as I realised Iwould miss the re=arranged game.

Imagine my joy when the teacher called on Sunday to say the field trip had been postponed until the following month due to the weather - he was less than impressed re my lack of disappointment

Remember queuing for two hours wiv me Dad and sis to get in - the Queue for the West Stand stretched right round the road behind the back of the South bank. We got in 20 mins late.

Key memory of the game was the sheer heaving mass of folk inside the Hall and that missed chance by Parker

Oh how I would love to get my hands on the BBC video for that game - surely the club could make an effort to get that sorted?

Gone all misty eyed now. Feeling a Moyet moment coming on. :blush:

 

[The Big Dady]

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Great pic, here is another one

 

[The Big Dady]

Would love to see some pictures or film of the day especially of the South Bank full. Does anyone know if the match was televised? Apparently Roots Hall had a capacity of 36000!!

Yes it was recorded and televised by the BBC, here is a pic of John Motson commentating on the game sitting above the West Stand covered in a sheet to try to keep the snow of him, you can just make out part of the old South Bank.

In this BBC item "When snowy weather and football collide" there is some actual footage taken at the Southend v Liverpool game at Roots Hall.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21082815

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

remember that biff,they bombed the empty one!!if they had got a full one!!!i remember thinking that liverpool fans were nice!!but big ron said they were not.you lot went one way,i went the other & a car full of lpool fans tried to knock me down.got chased through that car park,with them in the motor&me running like hell!!never forgot,i wore a donkeyjacket,those days ,they were in,down south.but those to§§ers all wore parkers.they had been out for years.but they wore them,dont know if they wereout of date or ahead of the times!!when i lived in exeter,i met an exeter fan ,who went up for a cup game lpool-exeter,wearing a sheepskin,met a group of lpool "fans",who said to him" i like your sheepskin,no really like your sheepskin"got back to devon,rather cold!!what a dump

Ha Ha the old donkey jackets thats what Joe and me were wearing when we came across them on Crewe Station in the middle of the night. If you read the hooligan book written by one of the Anfield Road lads he says they couldn't believe that southerners wore donkey jackets. funny thing is I couldn't stop bumping into that Anfield road gang I went and see the Buzzcocks at the Rainbow in 79 and then we drove straight to Brighton to see the Who spent the night in the car and went to a Cafe at 7 in morning for some breakfast and who walks in Anfield Road again 7 in the morning and they were still on the rob. Worst one I heard at Anfield for replay was Tricky Dicky he got chatting and drinking with them in a bar before match, they took him on the Kop after match took him back across Stanley Park out came the stanley knives and robbed him blind.

 

[shrimptank]

Memories of '79 for me are very limited as I was only just 10 and was not very tall...not that that has changed much!

My grandad took me and I was up the back of the South, freezing my balls off but bizarrely i remember it also being hot at the same time! Must have been the heaving mass.

My Grandad had also taken me a few years earlier but I never knew who against, or when, so I pretty much make Liverpool my first proper match from memory. It was that game and the atmosphere that ignited my passion for this beautifully annoying game of football. I hardly saw any of the match as it was so busy and I was so small at the time. Remember thinking we were going to score and time sort of pausing briefly. To me the Liverpool players were the best of the best and for us to hold them was absolutely amazing.

I think we went by train from Brentwood which again was packed. I also remember him taking me for something to eat before the game, certain he said "fancy a bag of chips son?" Was the Fish House a chippy then?? Might have actually been in the Town Centre.

When we got back he hung his flat cap on my Grandma's saucepan stacker holder thing and she went mad. Strange what you remember isn't it!!??!!

 

[Kevin Hogg]

Ha Ha the old donkey jackets thats what Joe and me were wearing when we came across them on Crewe Station in the middle of the night. If you read the hooligan book written by one of the Anfield Road lads he says they couldn't believe that southerners wore donkey jackets. funny thing is I couldn't stop bumping into that Anfield road gang I went and see the Buzzcocks at the Rainbow in 79 and then we drove straight to Brighton to see the Who spent the night in the car and went to a Cafe at 7 in morning for some breakfast and who walks in Anfield Road again 7 in the morning and they were still on the rob. Worst one I heard at Anfield for replay was Tricky Dicky he got chatting and drinking with them in a bar before match, they took him on the Kop after match took him back across Stanley Park out came the stanley knives and robbed him blind.

I wasn't half dangerous in those days eh Biff? Ha ha.

 

[Mick]

Snow was forecast for the week of the replay and it was not decided until the Saturday that the Wednesday would be the best bet of getting the game on, at the time I was on the supporters club committee and as "the brothers" did not a a telephone at home it was my home number (parents house) that was on all the Supporters Club membership cards, I must have had over 300 calls that weekend asking for a weather report from Merseyside, we took a then record 12 coaches to the replay and when we arrived back at Roots Hall after the match, about 3am, six inches of snow had fallen since we had departed!

Not going up into the loft to check but I think the replay programme may have had Monday's date on it. As you say, it was a latish decision and I don't think the Monday was ever confirmed.

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

I wasn't half dangerous in those days eh Biff? Ha ha.

Definitely dangerous Kev but also I wouldn't have wanted to be going away in any other era, it was such a laugh and made mates that I still have a beer with now. I think because we all had to trust each other when things came on top for us.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

Definitely dangerous Kev but also I wouldn't have wanted to be going away in any other era, it was such a laugh and made mates that I still have a beer with now. I think because we all had to trust each other when things came on top for us.

100% spot on!!

 

[londonblue]

My memories are vague, I was only 8. I didn't turn nine for another month. Anyway, here goes:

• We used an orange ball because there was snow on the pitch.
• I was upset because Liverpool had sold Keagan to Hamburg and I wouldn't get to see him play, and I hadn't heard of Dalglish
• The SUFC ticket office didn't reserve mine, my dad's or my brother's season ticket seats so we couldn't sit where we normally did. All we could get was the back row of the main stand.
• I remember the public address system continuously imploring fans in the paddock to move nearer the half way line so more people could get in. (You wouldn't get that nowadays - it was a disaster waiting to happen.)
• My brother, my dad and I sat in the car park of my grandparent's flat on the way to them from another home game to listen to the 3rd round draw.
• In the car park my brother predicted we'd get Liverpool at home. When we did I was so excited I couldn't talk. And then reality kicked in when realised we had to beat Watford first.
• Derek Parker having three really good one on ones with Clemence, and being beaten every time. We really should have won that game.
• My dad wouldn't let me or my brother go the the replay because we had school the next day. He did, however buy me a programme which I still have.

 

[Csboy]

Was about 11 and a joint Liverpool and Southend fan(though supporting Southend that night) at the time and thrilled to see all those Liverpool legends play, no squad rotation in those days the full 1st team played. Remember the draw being made on the Saturday evening after Grandstand and couldn't believe it when we drew Lierpool. Though we had a small matter of beating Watford the 3rd Division leaders at the time which we did a few days later. The club did a voucher system for the Brentford home game despite there being plenty of tickets to go around and got 14,000 for that game.
Was in the South Bank end the night of the game. Seems scary now that there were 15,000 there in icy conditions and if a few people had slipped it could have been really nasty but as others have said health and safety wasn't such an issue in those days.
The game was a farce and the snowy pitch helped us get a 0-0 draw which was a great achievement against that side and argubly an even better resuly than our win against Manu. Did manage to get home in time for the highlights that night. Would loved to have gone to the replay but was way to young.
To think it will be the 1st time we have will have had 30,000 fans watching us since then