1971 FA Cup Final

[New York Red]

Just finished watching it for the first time since I saw it live. Incredible for many reasons.

 

LFC played in long sleeved shirts on a boiling hot day. Why?

 

The way goalies played in those days was awful. Passing back all the time.

 

Heighway had some skinny, skinny legs.

 

Tommy Smith was very impressive.

 

The plaeys all had cramps. You rarely see that now, though I do remember Carra in 2005.

 

TV graphics were pretty strange to see.

 

It was great seeing Fagan throwing water on the players to cool them off and Paisley rubbing their legs.

 

Oh, and all the players wouldn't stand a chance playing today. It's amazing how far the game has progressed.

[Tosh]

I was thinking about that yesterday, although for a different reason. Sky mentioned our 13 finals and 7 wins. Meaning we lost 6.

 

Arsenal in 71

ManU in 77 and 96

Wimbledon (shudder)

 

Then I couldn't remember the other 2. My guess is they are older (Leeds in 65?)

[L19red]

I was thinking about that yesterday, although for a different reason. Sky mentioned our 13 finals and 7 wins. Meaning we lost 6.

 

Arsenal in 71

ManU in 77 and 96

Wimbledon (shudder)

 

Then I couldn't remember the other 2. My guess is they are older (Leeds in 65?)

lost to arsenal in 1950 and burnley in the mists of time

Edited January 7, 2008 by L19red

[John am Rhein]

Didn't watch it - I was 4 years old, but I remember by Everton supporting grandad watching it and gloating.

[pipnasty]

LFC played in long sleeved shirts on a boiling hot day. Why?

 

 

I read somewhere that cold, wet weather was actually forecast for the final and Liverpool brought down their winter jerseys for the final. Arsenal were just down the road and changed theirs to lighter shirts when it became apparant that it was going to be a scorcher of a day.

[timbos goals]

Just finished watching it for the first time since I saw it live. Incredible for many reasons.

 

LFC played in long sleeved shirts on a boiling hot day.

 

It certainly was - and we were in the end with the sun beating down - thousands had bunked in so it was so cramped - which made it more unbearable.

 

Tommy Smith was very impressive.

 

My heart almost skipped a beat when I read this comment. It's not often I have seen folk pick up on this. I have always championed Tommy as a player. In fact he is the best LFC footballer I ever saw bar Kenny and Barnesey. Yeah - sure Emlyn, Souey, Jocky and Stevie G are more obvious choices and they do run him close but what those fans don't appreciate who never saw Tommy Smith live in his prime position alongside the stopper centre half is his amazing skill level on the ball, his nigh perfect passing skills and his attacking/dribbling prowess. Week in week out. Game in game out. Think of Jamie C but with - believe it or not - slightly greater courage/heart, infinitely finer skill, greater relative speed, dribbling, passing, bursting forward to support the attack, better tackling ability etc etc.

 

Most who never saw him really do think of him as a tackler pure and simple. Yes he was arguably the finest tackler ever to grace a football pitch but he was so so so much more. In fact for the 3/4 seasons from 1965 -1968 I'd say he was Europe's finest defender. And he proved it too on that European stage during those seasons. Of course southern bias [The Dagenham factor] actually kept him out of the '66 world cup 22 - which was why I could only half celebrate the world cup success at the time. Sure Bobby Moore could read a game better than anybody but Tommy was the finer footballer - by some distance.

 

All that said Tommy's media comments these past ten years are a complete joke and have probably contributed to his alienation since in the eyes of the internet generation of fans. Ditto Ian st John.

 

 

Oh, and all the players wouldn't stand a chance playing today. It's amazing how far the game has progressed.

 

Sorry - your comment about the progression [in fitness and thus closing down etc] says it all. Any comparison simply has to take account of the steady advance in fitness levels. In fact even without adjusting for those differentials I'd guess that 71 team would have given a better account of themselves against that inspired Luton team than yesterday's sorry bunch.

[Flip Martian]

Tosh - Leeds in 65 was actually our first win...

 

We lost 2-0 to Arsenal in 1950 and 1-0 to Burnley in 1914 (those were our first two FA Cup finals so not a terribly good start!). Actually if Sky had been around in 1971 they may have happily pointed out that Liverpool had now only won 1 of their 4 finals

 

Regarding the state of the players...ESPN showed our game against Stoke in around 75/76 the other week and my other half (rather younger and so from a different era) watched it and couldn't "believe how unfit all the players look". Not so much puffing and panting, just the fact that physically they were far less muscular than they appear to be today. Watching these old games does make you realise how much has changed.

Edited January 7, 2008 by Flip Martian

[Murphman]

Timbo is spot on with his analysis of Smithy, he and Callaghan are the two who never seem to get the recognition they deserve.

 

I watched that game around my (then) Arsenal supporting girlfriend's house, Her Dad (Who gone to Wembley) was the first on the block to buy a colour telly.

 

Shortly afterwards I went to the Arsenal supporters dinner with her and met George Armstrong and Peter Simpson. Geordie admitted Heighway was the quickest player in the game, they were sh*t scared of him.

 

That was the start of the 'second coming' that game.

Edited January 7, 2008 by Murph

[Guest sniffer]

Timbo is spot on with his analysis of Smithy, he and Callaghan are the two who never seem to get the recognition they deserve.

 

I watched that game around my (then) Arsenal supporting girlfriend's house, Her Dad (Who gone to Wembley) was the first on the block to buy a colour telly.

 

Shortly afterwards I went to the Arsenal supporters dinner with her and met George Armstrong and Peter Simpson. Geordie admitted Heighway was the quickest player in the game, they were sh*t scared of him.

 

That was the start of the 'second coming' that game.

 

Not surprised they were scared of Heighway. Anyone on here who can remember the impact Stevie H. had when he came to Anfield? When he first arrived, he used to streak up to the byline - then surprise the opposition by running up the line towards the goal, causing all kinds of panic. I remember BBC TV did a special programme on him halfway through the season, such was the furore over him. It showed him driving away from the ground in his Volkswagen Beetle. Someone at Ford saw it and promptly arranged for him and the players to get Fords! Used to see Stevie play for Skelmersdale earlier and actually stood alongside Ronnie Moran just before he signed. That's when I found out Liverpool were watching him. Not before time, there were a host of clubs chasing him.

[New York Red]

I read somewhere that cold, wet weather was actually forecast for the final and Liverpool brought down their winter jerseys for the final. Arsenal were just down the road and changed theirs to lighter shirts when it became apparant that it was going to be a scorcher of a day.

 

I felt so bad for them. They were absolutely boiling! Even Tosh had long sleeves on and he wore short ones in the winter. Amazing that they wouldn't think of bringing two sets of shirts...

[Des]

Anyone on here who can remember the impact Stevie H. had when he came to Anfield?

 

[New York Red]

I agree Timbo. But is you took that team, then, and plunked them down in Anfield now, they would be slaughtered. I understand though that the raw talent would still shine through with todays fitness levels.

 

Tommy Smith really looked special in that game. Like a harder Sami Hyypia.

 

I do recall crying my eyes out after that one as a kid.

[New York Red]

 

Very much so Des. I thought he was brilliant. I remember being perplexed that he was #9 but he really was a winger. He was definitely the guy who stood out until Keegan got there.

[pipnasty]

Very much so Des. I thought he was brilliant. I

 

[New York Red]

 

I also recall someone singing someone singing some cheesy "Heighway, did it My Way" Frank Sinatra style thing on Grandstand. Brutal...

[pipnasty]

I also recall someone singing someone singing some cheesy "Heighway, did it My Way" Frank Sinatra style thing on Grandstand. Brutal...

 

 

Was he Stevie or Steve then?

[New York Red]

Was he Stevie or Steve then?

 

Most definitely it was Steve.

 

They made a big deal in those days about the fact that him and Brian Hall had university degrees. That was a massive oddity then.

[Des]

They made a big deal in those days about the fact that him and Brian Hall had university degrees. That was a massive oddity then.

 

Then? It would be even more amazing now.

[pipnasty]

Most definitely it was Steve.

 

They made a big deal in those days about the fact that him and Brian Hall had university degrees. That was a massive oddity then.

 

 

 

 

I can't imagine him being bright enough to go to university.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 7, 2008 by Pipnasty

[pipnasty]

I read a quote somewhere that said that he was as powerful as you could possibly imagine - can't remember who said it though. Was that true or was it all pace but no power?

[Guest The Bin Man]

Just finished watching it for the first time since I saw it live. Incredible for many reasons.

 

I was at the game and remember it well. Went down to London sitting on a deckchair in the back of a van with three other guys. The M1 wasn't even finished either so it was a long journey.

 

It was just after we had signed Kevin Keegan from Sc***horpe. He was at the game but had not made his debut yet. I remember it being unusual to see Peter Thompson coming off the bench to play alongside Heighway - Peter laid on Steve's goal too. A game to forget really - very disappointing to lose the way we did. Still it shows us that we can lose any time even when we have a good side.

[Flip Martian]

Most definitely it was Steve.

 

They made a big deal in those days about the fact that him and Brian Hall had university degrees. That was a massive oddity then.

 

Big Bamber and Little Bamber was it not? Steve was my favourite player in the early/mid 70s - he always looked so "stiff" and semi embarrassed when he celebrated scoring. Seeing him fly down the wing was something else.

[New York Red]

I read a quote somewhere that said that he was as powerful as you could possibly imagine - can't remember who said it though. Was that true or was it all pace but no power?

 

Not Heighway. He looked like he was 10 stone soaking wet. He was quick and he was elusive. Great turn too.

[L19red]

I got my first pair of footy boots from steve heighway's shop. They tried to flog me them horrible umbro numbers he wore, but I wanted adidas.

[New York Red]

I got my first pair of footy boots from steve heighway's shop. They tried to flog me them horrible umbro numbers he wore, but I wanted adidas.

 

I got the Umbro ones. They were identical to the George Best ones except that they were a maroon colour.

 

100% man made.