LOOK FORWARD - LOOK BACK
LIVERPOOL DECEMBER 2ND 2014
LOOK FORWARD - I think I would probably need to write a book to justify writing a blog about our next visitors to The King Power Stadium because games against Leicester and our visitors are always special, welcome Liverpool.
Liverpool put in a serious challenge for the Premier league title last season and it was mainly thanks to the exploits of Luis Suarez. I am positive that if Suarez could have curbed his cannibalistic tendencies‘! he would still be a Liverpool player and they would be competing for the title again this season. However Suarez has moved on and Liverpool have done some rebuilding, but unfortunately they have lost their way a little and are struggling to make an impact as dramatic as last season.
Following the departure of Suarez, Liverpool splashed the cash to bring in Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana from Southampton and Emre Can from Bayern Leverkusen and they have also recruited Mario Balloteli to the ranks. Unfortunately the gamble of Lambert and Balloteli hasn’t paid off so far, with Lambert being stuck on the bench and Balloteli looking far from impressive in a Liverpool shirt. But you can never right off Liverpool and they have enough quality and strength in depth to turn things around, plus although Steven Gerrard is getting on a bit!!! He epitomises everything about Liverpool Football Club with his never say die spirit.
LOOK BACK- Football matches between Leicester and Liverpool always seem to have something special about them ( for me anyway! ) and over the years we have had some fantastic games against them. My memories go back to the days of Bill Shankly and it was Shankly who was manager of Liverpool when I made my first visit to Anfield all the way back to the 7th February 1970. City were playing in the second division following relegation the previous season and were enjoying another FA Cup run; and after disposing of Southampton at Filbert Street in a fourth round replay winning 4-2, the reward was a tie at Liverpool in round five. I remember standing with the large contingent of Leicester supporters in the away end, and just looking across at the famous kop at Anfield was awesome! And despite Liverpool being favourites to progress to the next round City gave a good account of themselves and the game finished 0-0
Liverpool were still fielding some of the famous names I grew up with being a football supporter, Tommy Lawrence, Chris Lawler, Ron Yeats, Ian Callaghan, Peter Thompson and Ian St John to name a few of them, a memory I will always cherish.
In the replay at Leicester I remember standing in the kop at Filbert Street and there was so many packed in to see the game, without a doubt the biggest crowd I have ever been in at Leicester 42,100 were crammed into Filbert Street that night; and once again City gave a good account of themselves and it took Alun Evans to come on as substitute for Liverpool to score two goals past us to end our cup run. But great memories.
We faced Liverpool again in the FA Cup in 1974 and once again following a 0-0 draw City lost in the semi final replay 3-1 at Villa Park.
More memories for me was seeing Keith Weller score a hat trick in 1972 as we won 3-2 at Filbert Street, John Toshack scored both Liverpool goals; and when Jock Wallace got us promoted in 1980 we enjoyed one season in the first division before being relegated again but we managed to beat Liverpool home and away that season, who could forget Andy Peake’s screamer at Filbert Street and Alan Young’s own goal at Anfield!
Probably though one game in particular stands out in my memory, the day Leicester won the charity shield for their first and only time.
Saturday 7th August at Filbert Street and Leicester played Liverpool in the charity shield final. Arsenal had won the league and FA Cup double in 1970/71 and declined to take part in the charity shield, and so with Liverpool being beaten FA Cup finalists and City being second division champions it was Leicester v Liverpool in the charity shield final. I was one of the 25,104 crowd that saw a Steve Whitworth goal win the charity shield for Leicester. Good times and great memories.
LOOK FORWARD - Hopefully Leicester can re-ignite the passion I saw many years ago in Leicester v Liverpool games and we can witness another memorable night at The King Power Stadium
Shout loud for the foxes
Alan ’ meashamfox ’ Bennett
Leicester Till I Die
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