The season was young as newly promoted Crystal Palace made the daunting trip to Anfield to take on a Liverpool team still hurting over that Michael Thomas moment in the previous campaign. What looked a tough examination on paper proved to be on grass too. September 12, 1989, would be a day many associated with Palace would never forget, no matter how hard they tried.
After two defeats in their opening three matches, at least Steve Coppell’s team could make the journey up north on the back of a win. Ian Wright had scored in the 2-0 victory over Wimbledon, and the striker who netted 24 goals in Palace’s promotion season was certainly grabbing the attention of other clubs. Indeed, Wright had been linked with a £2 million move to Liverpool prior to their meeting.
The chances of Wright impressing at Anfield seemed slim, though, with Palace manager Steve Coppell emphasising the size of the job ahead. “Once we’ve been to Anfield there is no sterner test the First Division can throw at you,” Coppell commented. “It’s the ultimate. The extreme.”
Worryingly, Coppell also admitted that his players were a little frightened about the whole Anfield experience that awaited. Sadly, their worst fears were realised. From the first minute, Liverpool set about delivering “a crash course on life in the big time,” as John Keith wrote in the Express.
Steve Nicol opened the floodgates, scoring in the 8th minute, and although Geoff Thomas struck the post from a free kick, Steve McMahon doubled the advantage, chipping Perry Suckling, on a harrowing night for the Palace keeper.
On the stroke of half-time, Ian Rush extended the lead, and after further goals from Gary Gillespie (56 minutes) and Peter Beardsley (61), there was even room for sentimentality from manager Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool were awarded a penalty in the 68th minute.
John Aldridge was introduced from the bench for his final appearance before a move to Real Sociedad, the home fans delighted when John Barnes stood down from penalty duties, allowing the departing hero to go out in a blaze of glory.
Worse was to come for Palace, if that is imaginable. After being given a penalty of their own after Glenn Hysen had upended Alan Pardew, Thomas blazed the spot kick high into the night sky, much to the delight of the home crowd.
A stunning free kick from Barnes (79) and a first Liverpool goal from Hysen (82) stretched the lead to eight, and Nicol finished what he had started, netting the final goal in the 88th minute, completing the nine-goal drubbing.
As many reached for their record books, Aldridge made his way to the Kop, throwing his shirt and boots into the crowd during an emotional farewell. If Aldridge felt sadness after leaving the field, it was nothing compared to what was going on within the Crystal Palace dressing room.
“Our players came in at the end as if they had just gone 15 rounds with Mike Tyson,” Coppell said. “I just felt numb like them. They came in emotionally and physically drained. Everything Liverpool touched turned to gold. Everything we touched turned to dust. This will haunt us for the rest of our careers.”
Liverpool’s biggest ever First Division win was also Palace’s record defeat, and for the first time ever, eight different players scored in an English league match. Understandably, the result was big news, with “Liverpool landslide” and “Cloud nine” two examples of the headlines come the following day.
The Palace players attempted to put a brave face on things as the press sharks circulated. “It was an education, not humiliation,” was Wright’s spin on events, with Coppell stating that it was a shame that Liverpool could not test themselves in Europe.
Despite the Times reporting that Palace “were indebted to Suckling for his defiance in goal”, and defender David Burke admitted that “No one could blame Perry for any of the goals,” naturally a lot of the aftermath focussed on Suckling and his chastening time that evening.
Crystal Palace Vice-President Bob “The Cat” Bevan tried to make light of Suckling’s nightmare, listing a number of jokes – for example, why do Perry Suckling and Michael Jackson wear gloves for no apparent reason – but Suckling admitted that he was having nightmares about the match.
“After getting to sleep [at 2.30am] John Barnes’ wonder goal from a free kick whizzed past me in a flash and I woke up. I had to walk around and have a cup of tea. I went back to bed but I was soon up again still dreaming of the seventh goal flashing past me.”
It probably didn’t help that Suckling’s next match was at The Dell, a ground where he had let in eight for Coventry in 1984. But with speculation surrounding his future, a 5-0 League Cup defeat at Nottingham Forest and a 3-0 league reverse at Manchester City in early November signalled the end of his time as Palace’s number one.
Brian Parkin took Suckling’s place for the visit of Luton, with Palace stating that their keeper was officially injured. But not many were buying this. When England B international Nigel Martyn arrived from Third Division Bristol Rovers, becoming the first £1 million keeper in the process, there was no way back for Suckling.
The introduction of Martyn, and the signing of Andy Thorn steadied the ship, and Palace would finish the season in a creditable 15th place. And one of the many comments from Suckling after his turmoil would later prove very apt.
“We might draw them [Liverpool] in the FA Cup. And so what if we do.” Brave talk, but when the draw was made for the semi-final, no one gave Palace a prayer (after Liverpool disposed of QPR in a quarter final replay). Yet in a year that saw James Buster Douglas shock Mike Tyson, there was room for another sporting upset.
“Not even the most imaginative fiction writer could have dreamed up such a storyline and ending,” stated the Times report after Palace had stunned all and sundry in defeating Liverpool 4-3 in a thriller at the Villa.
For John Pemberton, Andy Gray, Gary O'Reilly, Thomas, Mark Bright, and Pardew, players who had appeared in both fixtures, the win was that much sweeter. From Anfield agony to Birmingham bliss, their journey from embarrassment to elation was complete.
No comments:
Post a Comment