8th April

Semi-final joy and despair
2001 - We played in our 21st FA Cup Semi-final, beating Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 at Villa Park, with Emile Heskey and Robbie Fowler scoring after the underdogs had kept us out for nearly eighty minutes. Keith Ryan bagged a late consolation for Wanderers.
1981 - We were held to a goalless draw at home by Bayern München in the European Cup with Kurt Niedermayer rattling the crossbar, but we went through on away goals after the return in Germany. This game marked Steve Heighway’s 475th and final reds game, as he came on at half time to replace Terry McDermott, while Graeme Souness missed the match through injury.

1990 - We lost 4-3 to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup, also at Villa Park. This is the furthest we have ever gone in the competition as holders. We went in ahead at half time, thanks to an Ian Rush strike, and in total control, although our goalscorer had gone off injured after half an hour. However, the Eagles came out fighting in the second half. The game ended 3-3 after ninety minutes, with Steve McMahon also on target, and John Barnes scoring from spot. Future Eagles boss Alan Pardew grabbed the dramatic winner in extra time, with Mark Bright, Gary O’Reilly and Andy Gray all also on target for Palace.

Tom born
1859 – Tom Watson was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He was appointed as reds boss in July 1896, doubling his salary to £300 a year from his time at Sunderland, whom he had led to three League titles and three FA Cup Semi-finals in four seasons. He went beyond the remit of Club Secretary at Anfield, involving himself in team selection, tactics and player recruitment, so becoming a Manager in all but name. He led the reds to two League titles and the Second Division championship and our first ever FA Cup Final, remaining in charge until his death in May 1915.

Through to another semi
2008 - We beat Arsenal 4-2 in the second leg of our Champions League Quarter-final. Abou Diaby put the visitors ahead before Sami Hyypiä and Fernando Torres gave us the lead. Emmanuel Adebayor looked to have sent the Gunners through on the away goals rule after a storming run from Theo Walcott, with one of his five goals past us to date, but moments later Ryan Babel was brought down in the box and Steven Gerrard converted the spot-kick to score in his fourth consecutive home game in Europe, a new club record. Babel then added a fourth in stoppage time.

In Bob’s honour
1999 - The Paisley Gateway was officially opened at Anfield by his widow Jessie, three years after Bob’s death, to commemorate his service to the club. As Manager, he won an incredible nineteen trophies in nine seasons. He had also played 277 times in our first team, netting twelve times.

Quadruple trebles
We have three times bagged hat-tricks on this day over the years.
1933 - Gordon Hodgson grabbed three in a 4-3 defeat of Blackpool, with Dave Wright also on target. Phil Watson bagged a brace for the visitors.
1905 - Jack Parkinson netted a treble in our 8-1 thrashing of Burslem Port Vale at Anfield, with Robert Robinson and Jack Cox adding braces and Sam Raybould also scoring. Defender George Latham made the first of his nineteen reds appearances in this game.
1955 - Ex-red Cyril Done bagged four in our 4-3 defeat at Port Vale, as they were by then known. Eric Anderson, Johnny Evans and Billy Liddell netted our goals.

1899 - Inside-right Johnny Walker struck three times as we beat Derby County 4-0 at Anfield, with Alex Raisbeck also on target. Outside-right Andrew McCowie played his 35th and last reds game.
We have also beaten the Rams twice more in First Division matches at Anfield on this day.
1980 – David Johnson netted while playing his hundredth League game for the reds as we won 3-0, with Colin Irwin scoring and Keith Osgood putting through his own net.
1939 - Phil Taylor bagged a brace in a 2-1 victory, with Dave McCulloch netting the last of his seven goals against us.

Heading to another European semi
2010 - We faced SL Benfica for the tenth time in European competition, a joint club record along with Chelsea. We overcame a first leg deficit in our UEFA Europa League Quarter-final by winning 4-1 at Anfield. Dirk Kuyt headed us in front from a corner before Lucas Leiva bagged the second. Fernando Torres then struck a brace either side of Óscar Cardozo’s consolation, so becoming the first red ever to net twice in four consecutive home games.

For Gerry
1970 - A testimonial match was staged for Gerry Byrne with the reds drawing 8-8 with an All Star XI at Anfield. Bobby Graham, Chris Lawler and Ian St. John each netted a brace, with Roger Hunt and Willie Stevenson also on target. Steve Heighway played his first reds game and was so unfamiliar with his surroundings that he asked a member of the opposition which end was the Kop!

Sammy starts off with a bang
1978 - Sammy Lee scored on his reds debut as a substitute for David Johnson, who tore his knee ligaments, in our 3-2 home League win over Leicester City. Tommy Smith nabbed both our other goals, his final reds strikes.

Brian’s ton up
1974 – Brian Hall played his hundredth League game as we lost 1-0 at Sheffield United, with Terry Nicholl on target and Ray Clemence saving a penalty from Keith Eddy.

Beaten by the Blues
2009 – We lost 3-1 at home to Chelsea in the first leg of our Champions League Quarter-final after Fernando Torres had handed us the lead, to suffer our only defeat of the season at Anfield. Branislav Ivanović twice headed in when unmarked at set pieces, with Didier Drogba rounding off the scoring late on with one of his eleven goals past us to equal our worst ever home defeat in European competition. Pepe Reina played his fiftieth European Cup game.

Three off the mark
1912 – American outside-left Hugh Lester and James Scott both debuted as we won 2-0 at Bradford City in a top-flight fixture, with the former becoming the first player born outside of the British Isles to play for the reds. Forward James Speakman grabbed his only reds goal with Sam Gilligan also on the scoresheet as Dickie Bond missed a penalty for the home side.

Red beginnings and ends
1944 - Outside-left Hugh McQueen died in Norwich. He had made 61 reds appearances after signing from Leith Athletic in October 1892, bagging eighteen goals and helping us to the Lancashire League and Second Division titles in successive seasons before joining Derby County in July 1895.
1889 - Inside-forward Arthur Metcalf was born in Seaham, County Durham. He signed from Newcastle United for £150 in May 1912 and netted 28 times in 63 reds games, playing in every position on the park.

Most recently
2015 - Philippe Coutinho bagged the only goal of our FA Cup Sixth Round replay at Blackburn Rovers. Sadly, we crashed out to Aston Villa in the subsequent Semi-final at Wembley.
2017 – We won 2-1 at Stoke City’s rechristened bet365 Stadium, despite falling behind to the last of Jon Walters’ seven goals past us on the stroke of half time. The Brazilian pair Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino both came off the bench to score within two minutes of each other to hand us victory.

Souey in charge
1986 - Graeme Souness joined Rangers as Player/Manager from Sampdoria for £300,000, scoring three times in 73 outings and leading them to three League titles and four League Cups.

Mixed fortunes against Oldham
We have faced Oldham Athletic three times on this day in history.
1911 - Sam Gilligan netted the only goal of our top-flight meeting at Anfield, with centre-half Jimmy Harrop playing his hundredth League game for the reds.
1916 - Dave Watson struck our consolation as we lost a Wartime League match 2-1 at Boundary Park.
1922 - We were thumped 4-0 away from home in another First Division meeting, on the way to our third League title, with left-half Tom Bromilow away on international duty. Harry ‘Smiler’ Chambers played his hundredth League game for the reds as Jack Marshall bagged a treble for the home side, the last of his five goals past us, with Reuben Butler also scoring.

Beating the Owls
1989 - We thumped Sheffield Wednesday 5-1 in a top-flight encounter at Anfield that kicked off at 11:30am due to it being Grand National day. Peter Beardsley was on target twice, with Steve McMahon, Ray Houghton and John Barnes also netting. This remains our joint record victory over the Hillsborough outfit.
1896 - We also beat the Owls, with Clarke netting the only goal of our friendly against The Wednesday at Anfield.

Disappointment at St. James’ Park
We have twice visited Newcastle United on this day in history.
1950 - Willie Fagan grabbed our consolation as we were thumped 5-1 in a top-flight match. Robert Mitchell bagged two of his eight goals against the reds, with Ernest Taylor netting the first of his five past us, with Tommy Walker and George Hannah also on target.
1893 - Our friendly ended goalless.

Derby stalemate
1963 - Our top-flight trip to Goodison Park ended without score, with right-half Gordon Milne reaching a century of reds games.

International beginnings
1992 - Myllykosken Pallo-47’s Sami Hyypiä won his first Under-21’s cap for Finland as they drew 1-1 in a friendly in Poland.
2007 – Future reds reserves forward Nikola Sarić won his only official cap for Denmark Under-16’s, netting in their 3-2 defeat by Georgia in Portugal.
2009 – Conor Coady played for England Under-16’s for the first time as they beat Russia 3-1 in the Montaigu Tournament.

International endings
1970 - Emlyn Hughes won his eighth and final England Under-23’s cap as they thumped Bulgaria 4-1 in Plymouth.
1905 – John ‘Geezer’ Hughes made his third and final senior international appearance for Wales as they drew 2-2 with Ireland in the British International Championships in Belfast.
1900 - England’s Raby Howell and Scotland’s Hugh Morgan both won their second and final caps, and only ones as reds players, as the Scots won 2-1 at Villa Park in the same tournament. Future reds keeper Ned Doig was in the Scotland goal.
1999 - Future red Gary McAllister announced his international retirement after a total of 57 caps.

Other reds games
1996 – Stan Collymore and John Barnes netted as we beat West Ham United 2-0 on Easter Monday at Anfield.
1992 – Wimbledon won 3-2 in L4 as Ronnie Moran took charge of the side with Graeme Souness recuperating from a heart operation. Michael Thomas struck before Lawrie Sanchez equalised, but Ronnie Rosenthal put us in front at the break. Andy Clarke levelled the scores again before John Fashanu scored one of his five goals against the reds from the spot.
1972 – We defeated Coventry City 3-1 at home with Kevin Keegan and John Toshack on the scoresheet either side of a Tommy Smith penalty.

1961 – We beat Charlton Athletic 2-1 in a Second Division encounter at Anfield as Roger Hunt bagged a brace.
1959 – We lost 2-1 to Middlesbrough in a Second Division fixture in L4. Jimmy Melia struck our consolation after Eddie Holiday and then Brian Clough had scored for the home side, the latter with one of his ten goals past us.
1901 – Sam Raybould bagged the only goal of Notts County’s visit.

Razor sheathed
2001 - Neil Ruddock was released by Crystal Palace after 28 games for them. He joined Roy Evans at Swindon Town four months later.

Also in international action
1922 – Tom Bromilow played for England as they beat Scotland 1-0 in the British International Championships at Villa Park, with ex-red Ken Campbell in the visitors’ goal.
1964 – Peter Thompson played for England Under-23’s in their 2-2 draw in France.
1987 – Ex-red Avi Cohen featured as Israel lost 3-2 to Romania in a friendly in Brasov.

1992 – Future red Torben Piechnik played for Denmark in their 2-1 friendly defeat in Turkey.
2016 – Future red Ozan Kabak captained Turkey Under 16’s to a 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.
2023 – Future red Trey Nyoni played for England Under-16’s as they beat Romania on penalties after their friendly in France ended goalless.