Favourite season watching Liverpool?

[kop205]

Which has it been?

 

I'm 32 thisyear so am more than old enough to have very clear memories of us winning the League a number of times, both treble and the double seasons, even some memories of Paris 81.

 

However, I think that nothing can match 2004/2005 for me. Oddly, I probably went to fewer games that season than any of the last 12 as I was away from August to December in Australia and January to April in West Africa, but that just kind of added to the excitement. My Liverpool shirt attrcated so much attention and people genuinely in awe of the fact that they were meeting someone who'd actually stood on the Kop and I suppose I had very much the 'Poor Scouser Tommy' feel of being 'sent far away from home'.

 

I saw the Spurs game before leaving and then can remember being in an internet cafe in the Whitsunday Islands finding out we'd signed some lad called Luis Garcia; I can remember making the Aussie girl I was seeing get up at about 4am to which the Monaco Champions League game when cisse scored; I can remember getting rave reports about Alonso and coming straight of the plane from Australia to go to the Portsmouth match to see him for the first time in the flesh; I can remember losing to Birmingham in the snow (I watched it in a tin shack in Sierra Leone) and wondering if things were unravelling a bit; I remember getting back from Sierra Leone and straight to Anfield for the Juve game (various mates had been using my fan card on the proviso it was mine again when I got back) and then of course being there for Chelsea and Istanbul; on the way back from Liverpool airport after Istanbul, being all together as a family for the last time before my nan died a few weeks late; the homecoming.

 

A memorable season by anyone's standards, but expecially so for me as it was a fairly magical time in my life anyway.

 

Anyone else?

Edited July 25, 2008 by kop205

[Gunga Din]

its a tough one that. i think the success of the 80's was taken for granted a bit, and although the 2005 season ended with that night in Istanbul, easily the best single moment following the club, as a fan i have to say the 2001 treble season. from about February on, we had the three finals, the UEFA Cup final was just unbeliveable, going from despair to ecstacy in Cardiff, Gary Mac at Woodison, and the 4 months when Gary Mac became the best player in the world. it really was just brilliant.

[pipnasty]

I really enjoyed the 87/88 season. They played some (lot's) of fantastic football and I think I was just the right age to be spellbound by the whole thing. I managed to get to every home game except for 2 and there was a good bunch of us who went weekly. I was still at school at the time and it was always good looking around the Kop to see who else we could spot. Barnes was at his peak and Hillsborough was just another s***ty ground in Yorkshire. An incredible season.

[fred milne]

I always thought 95-6 season was an underrated one - great football, memorable games (Utd x 2, Blacburn, Villa, Forest, Leeds, Newcastle etc) - albeit it ended on a sour note at Wembley.

Edited July 25, 2008 by fred milne

[psl]

its a tough one that. i think the success of the 80's was taken for granted a bit, and although the 2005 season ended with that night in Istanbul, easily the best single moment following the club, as a fan i have to say the 2001 treble season. from about February on, we had the three finals, the UEFA Cup final was just unbeliveable, going from despair to ecstacy in Cardiff, Gary Mac at Woodison, and the 4 months when Gary Mac became the best player in the world. it really was just brilliant.

 

The second half of that season was just awesome.

 

Winning in Rome

Winning the Worthington Cup

Two late goals at Leeds in the FA Cup

Completing the league double over the Mancs (with that goal from Stevie)

Knocking Barca out of the UEFA Cup

Owen's run of form

Gary Mac's run of form culminating, obviously, in the derby

Amazing end to the FA Cup final

Best UEFA Cup final in history

Sealing Champions League football with a great second half at Charlton.

 

As amazing as the 2004 - 2005 European run was, 2000 - 2001 has to be my favourite season.

Edited July 25, 2008 by psl

[fred milne]

The second half of that season were just awesome.

 

Winning in Rome

Winning the Worthington Cup

Two late goals at Leeds in the FA Cup

Completing the league double over the Mancs

Knocking Barca out of the UEFA Cup

Owen's run of form

Gary Mac's run of form culminating, obviously, in the derby

Amazing end to the FA Cup final

Best UEFA Cup final in history

Sealing Champions League football with a great second half at Charlton.

 

As amazing as the 2004 - 2005 European run was, 2000 - 2001 has to be my favourite season.

That was the key to the run-in for me - even more than Gary Mac's indian summer. After he scored those 2 goals in Rome he was on fire for the rest of the year until he picked up another hamstring injury in the following season (against Spurs at home if memory serves).

Edited July 25, 2008 by fred milne

[psl]

That was the key to the run-in for me - even more than Gary Mac's indian summer.

 

Indeed, that was him at his peak. From the second half of that season through to the following year. He was unplayable. I remember him scoring two goals against Chelsea at Anfield and it just seemed that everything he hit was flying in.

[sutty]

its a tough one that. i think the success of the 80's was taken for granted a bit, and although the 2005 season ended with that night in Istanbul, easily the best single moment following the club, as a fan i have to say the 2001 treble season. from about February on, we had the three finals, the UEFA Cup final was just unbeliveable, going from despair to ecstacy in Cardiff, Gary Mac at Woodison, and the 4 months when Gary Mac became the best player in the world. it really was just brilliant.

 

2004-2005 was a bizarre season. For the highs of Chelsea and Juve in the european cup in the league we were f***ing awful at times, particularly away from home.

[Gunga Din]

That was the key to the run-in for me - even more than Gary Mac's indian summer. After he scored those 2 goals in Rome he was on fire for the rest of the year until he picked up another hamstring injury in the following season (against Spurs at home if memory serves).

 

i dunno, i think Gary Mac was the catalyst. had we not won at Goodison, and at the time of that game we were unravelling, and his subsequent goal scorig form, i think he got 6 in 6, his experience and composure and leadership on the pitch was unbelievable. Gary Mac more than anyone was the reason we won the treble and secured champions league football that season

[baz2107]

Started watching Liverpool as a 5 year old in the 1989-90 season, so any championship memories are very vague!

 

95-96 we did play some cracking football, similar in 96-97 but both seasons ended in disapointments, and as good as that team could be, they just let us down at times when it really mattered.

 

00-01 was brilliant for me, was at a bad point in my life and football was about the only good thing going, and in the end finally having something to lord over all the Mancs at school/college was fantastic, when the football was on that year nothing else seemed to really matter.

 

04-05 was great Champions League wise, turned 21 that summer and celebrated for about 3 months and was a great time for me, going abroad wearing my shirt the final was what everyone wanted to talk about it was fantastic

 

but overall I'd say 00-01 as it was the most satisfying all round, where everything went right

[kop205]

2004-2005 was a bizarre season. For the highs of Chelsea and Juve in the european cup in the league we were f***ing awful at times, particularly away from home.

 

Think I kind of missed the real low feelings with being away from home, kind of made me more defiant in a way.

 

2001 was amazing as well and if it wasn't for the other stuff I had going on with my travels and all the excitement that added to things in 2005, 2001 would probably have the edge over 2005 which, in purely footballing terms, ultimately came down to one big night in Istanbul.

[sutty]

Think I kind of missed the real low feelings with being away from home, kind of made me more defiant in a way.

 

2001 was amazing as well and if it wasn't for the other stuff I had going on with my travels and all the excitement that added to things in 2005, 2001 would probably have the edge over 2005 which, in purely footballing terms, ultimately came down to one big night in Istanbul.

 

I saw pretty much every league game in that season

 

We were f***ing bobbins on the road. I had a good time though

[psl]

2004-2005 was a bizarre season. For the highs of Chelsea and Juve in the european cup in the league we were f***ing awful at times, particularly away from home.

 

Southampton and Crystal Palace were particular highlights!

[Gunga Din]

2004-2005 was a bizarre season. For the highs of Chelsea and Juve in the european cup in the league we were f***ing awful at times, particularly away from home.

 

 

aye, Southampton away was probably the lowest point. there were a few others too, that we were just shocking in

[fred milne]

2004-2005 was a bizarre season. For the highs of Chelsea and Juve in the european cup in the league we were f***ing awful at times, particularly away from home.

The League Cup final against Chelsea from that season tends to be forgotten. I remember Hamann giving a colossal performance in a game where he didn't get too much support from Gerrard.

[sutty]

i dunno, i think Gary Mac was the catalyst. had we not won at Goodison, and at the time of that game we were unravelling, and his subsequent goal scorig form, i think he got 6 in 6, his experience and composure and leadership on the pitch was unbelievable. Gary Mac more than anyone was the reason we won the treble and secured champions league football that season

 

I've always thought the Gary Mac impact was overstated but actually thinking about it you aren't far wrong

 

Hadn't we just been beaten by Leeds? A draw in that derby would have been a massive kick in the balls given Winter's performance in that game

[psl]

I've always thought the Gary Mac impact was overstated but actually thinking about it you aren't far wrong

 

Hadn't we just been beaten by Leeds? A draw in that derby would have been a massive kick in the balls given Winter's performance in that game

 

I seem to remember that goal being absolutely crucial. Leeds won at Anfield on Good Friday and I think we went to Goodison on the Easter Monday.

[johngibo YPC]

Yeah 2000-01 for me too

My first year at Uni, but had no lectures on a friday so used to come home on a thursday afternoon and go to the Uefa game on the thursday night and the league game on the sunday.

Still got all 3 final tickets in a frame

[fred milne]

i dunno, i think Gary Mac was the catalyst. had we not won at Goodison, and at the time of that game we were unravelling, and his subsequent goal scorig form, i think he got 6 in 6, his experience and composure and leadership on the pitch was unbelievable. Gary Mac more than anyone was the reason we won the treble and secured champions league football that season

The goal against Everton was massive - you're absolutely right. I just think, that aside, Owen's was the greater contribution but we are arguing over small details - both were fantastic.

[kop205]

Other thing I remember about 2005 was watching the Olympiakos game in Melbourne, all my house mates coming down stairs in the morning to find me camped in front of the telly, just as Rivaldo was lining up his free kick, and they scaterred when he scored cos they knew how pissed off I'd be.

 

They all went off to work apart from one who was working at home and just sat watching me watch the game in the second half, jumping up with me when Gerrard scored, them all saying it was Kewell who made the difference for setting up Pongolle's goal, my bro phoning me from the match with a couple of minutes and just holding the phone up so I could hear the crowd and could hear my dad screaming instructions, then You'll NeverWalk Alone, absolutely spine tingling, was only a few days before I came home and just wanted to be there right then!

 

I agree that in terms of an incredible run of matches and performaces, 2001 has the edge, but 2005 just has so many personal memories and stories for me (plus I wasn't in Dortmund so didn't feel quite as much a part of that as I did Istanbul).

[Gunga Din]

I've always thought the Gary Mac impact was overstated but actually thinking about it you aren't far wrong

 

Hadn't we just been beaten by Leeds? A draw in that derby would have been a massive kick in the balls given Winter's performance in that game

 

unless my mind is playing tricks on me, which is very possible as i spent most of that season drunk, i think we were on a really poor run of form going into the derby, i think a draw would have sent us way behind whoever it was we were fighting for a champions league place with, Leeds maybe, or even Everton might have been close to us, and Gary Mac lifted us by the scruff and dragged us through

[Knox_Harrington]

I've always thought the Gary Mac impact was overstated but actually thinking about it you aren't far wrong

 

Hadn't we just been beaten by Leeds? A draw in that derby would have been a massive kick in the balls given Winter's performance in that game

Good Friday, Leeds; Easter Monday, Everton.

[johngibo YPC]

I seem to remember that goal being absolutely crucial. Leeds won at Anfield on Good Friday

 

A reminder of the joys of following two sports. Watched us get beat by Leeds at Anfield and then drove to Leigh to watch Widnes Vikings get beat as well

[kop205]

Got the tickets from every round of the FA Cup 2001 in a frame, went to every match. Only final I missed was Dortmund.

 

Gary Mac derby was followed by Barca of course, queued 8 hours for my tickets for that in the bitter cold!

 

In temrs of a single goal, the Gary Mac one in the derby is probably the most astonising I've known, not least in terms of the reaction. Wasn't there, but the pub went mental.

[psl]

unless my mind is playing tricks on me, which is very possible as i spent most of that season drunk, i think we were on a really poor run of form going into the derby, i think a draw would have sent us way behind whoever it was we were fighting for a champions league place with, Leeds maybe, or even Everton might have been close to us, and Gary Mac lifted us by the scruff and dragged us through

 

If I recall correctly, Leeds and Ipswich (who had already won at Anfield and everyone had gone mental because big Emile was 'rotated') were on our heels and a draw in that game would have been very damaging.