Now He’s Munchin' Gladbach

This was an occasion when 30,000 or so of our supporters was like having an extra man on the pitch, the famous twelfth man would not let the Reds walk alone.  Against a Borussia side that included established international World class players such as Vogts, Bonhof, Heynckes and Simonsen the task facing Liverpool was indeed an almighty one but with such fanatical support ringing in their ears surely they wouldn’t let us down.

We started well, with every Liverpool player getting an early touch of the ball to help settle any nerves [if they had any] This was Kevin Keegan’s last game for the Reds he looked lively and full of determination as he began to ask some questions to his man marker, the superb Berti Vogt’s.  In the 27th minute Ian Callaghan received the ball in midfield and played a precise pass to Steve Heighway running through the middle. Cally carried on running to the right taking a couple of  Borussia defenders with him. Terry McDermott had run unnoticed to the edge of the penalty area. Everybody was anticipating Steve Heighway to play the ball back out wide to Cally but instead he played a very simple ball inside to Terry McDermott. Terry took what was not an easy chance to put us into the lead by lifting over goalie.  The place erupted!!! It was like standing under an airplane with its engines on full blast, everybody went mental in mass celebration as the very foundations of the Olympic stadium were tested.  For several minutes after, the ground actually shook as we bounced the night away. “EE -  Aye - Addio – The Pope is a Red.” Boomed around the ground. The goal gave the German’s a bit more fight in their bellys and they began to ask some questions of their own… Rainer Bonhof hit a beauty which fortunately for us hit the post, the ball was cleared to safety.  Half time arrived with the Reds 1.0 up, the cheers could have been heard back home as we acknowledged a superb first half.  Only 45 minutes to go and the dream would be fulfilled, this wasn’t gong to be easy. The night time Roman Sky turned Red as the Sun finally bade us goodbye. We roared the teams onto the pitch in anticipation of what was about to happen – only 45 minutes from immortality? 

The teams lined up with the Reds kicking towards the majority of the expatriate Kop. Six minutes into the second half Jimmy Case lost control of the ball in midfield to Allan Simonsen, who carried the ball on and on until he reached the edge of our penalty area, he then hit this vicious shot that not even Ray Clemence could stop.  For the first time we noticed and heard the Borussia supporters in the ground. The goal galvanised Borussia and put Liverpool on the back foot it was now time for Borussia to ask us some questions.  Uli Stielike was put through on goal one on one with only Ray Clemence to beat. Somehow Ray Clemence managed to make a truly remarkable save and the ball was cleared away.  Borussia unperturbed continued to attack with everything they had in their armoury during their period of ascendancy.  This was Kevin Keegan’s last ever game for Liverpool before his move to Hamburg.  Keegan [to his credit] wasn’t taking it easy he was trying his very best.  Ian Callaghan was also full of energy bringing Terry McDermott and Ray Kennedy into the game as much as possible, these where two of our flair players we needed them to have the ball as much as possible. In time you could sense that something had to give - it did in the 65th minute and from someone else playing his last game for the Reds.  We won a corner on the left hand side of the pitch Steve Heighway floated this ball across the penalty box, on and on it went until Tommy Smith headed it straight into the back of the Borussia net.  Tommy was mobbed by every Liverpool player as the place went ballistic once again. The ground shook once again as we went berserk, the people where happy and it was time to celebrate. You could see that the goal had knocked the stuffing out of Borussia as they began tire and give what possession they had away cheaply.  Then eight minutes from the end Kevin Keegan gained control of the ball and made a run towards the Borussia penalty box.  On and on he went into the box closely followed by Berti Vogts, [Hit it Kevin…. hit it] too late Berti Vogts had brought  Keegan down PENALTY!!!

A hushed silence descended as Phil Neal placed the ball onto the penalty spot, we held our breaths and crossed our fingers as he turned and walked away… 1,2,3,4,5 steps he calmly turned around and confidently despatched the ball into the back of the net.         

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees that was it!!!

We sang our hearts out and danced the night away during the closing last minutes, Bill Shanklys and Bob Paisleys dreams where about to come true.  The final whistle went and perhaps the biggest roar of the night took place. Complete strangers hugged each other in the stark reality that Liverpool Football Club were CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE for the very first time…

The players jigged about the pitch in total disbelief, whilst Joey Jones legged it over to his people and joined in the biggest party Rome’s Olympic Stadium ever saw. The sight of Crazy Horse walking up the rostrum and then holding aloft the European Cup will always be with us – his smile as wide as the River Mersey said it all. It was hardly necessary for the loudspeaker to announce “Liverpool are the winners”, the electronic scoreboards at either end of the pitch had one word standing out in the Mediterranean night sky:  “Liverpool.”  For the first time, Liverpool where champions of Europe.

The people cried out in one voice… Shankly – Shankly – Shankly! This was followed with cries of Paisley – Paisley – Paisley and deservedly so. We said our goodbye’s to Keegan by singing “Kevin Keegan” over and over again. “EE-Aye-addio, we’ve won the Cup” went on for what seemed like forever. An unusual cry of “Bo-roo-syah, Bo-roo-syah, Bo-roo-syah” started behind us, gradually his reached full volume as we acknowledged our beaten foes.  Time to return to Rome’s city centre and to celebrate that balmy night, it was surprising to see the majority of supporters in a quiet frame of mind. It seemed as if they were drained of all emotion? Our contingent were extremely well behaved, were having a good laugh, a good drink and a sing song and were generally keeping both themselves and the Romans amused. It should be noted that not one Liverpool supporter was arrested during our invasion of Rome.

We had to be back at Romes Tiburtine Station for one O’clock in the morning armed with bottles of very cheap Italian wine [don’t ask] we found that armed Italian police guided us through a three foot wide door. It took an eternity in the Eternal City to make that short 50 yards trip. We left Rome around 2.30 that morning – one last chance to leave our mark on Rome and the Romans with a different version of a well known song which went something like this.

We're on our way back homer
Its the 25th of May
All The Kopites are still singing
Vatican bells they are still ringing
Liverpool boys are still drinking
and we’ve won the European Cup

The eyes of hardened dockers glazed over as more and more joined in, it echoed superbly around the station as the train slowly started to pull away for the long trip back home. We missed the Liverpool player’s homecoming and Tommy Smith’s testimonial. We didn’t get back to Lime Street until around 7.00 that Friday night, we got a taxi and asked to go to Anfield he said “Have you got tickets lads its already sold out and the gates are locked with thousands locked out.” We headed for the George [behind the Strand in Bootle] and drank the night away.