1982 World Cup qualification: Wales

It can almost be viewed as the forgotten campaign, the chapter of heartbreak held between the hands of Joe Jordan and David Phillips. The story of Wales and their attempts to qualify for the 1982 World Cup is not one that is often told when recalling the history of Welsh agony since their only appearance at a finals tournament in 1958.

Maybe it is the 1977 and 1985 agonies that are the real reason for this. Anything compared to those two nights of Scottish-induced suffering will forever live in the shadows. But the 1982 campaign was just as deflating. A qualification programme of two halves that at first brought hope before the reality of despair arrived.

Marathon seasons: Liverpool 1983/84

Looking back at Liverpool's memorable 1983/84 campaign that saw the club win the League, European Cup and Milk Cup.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, currently chasing a quadruple, may match or even surpass the efforts of their 1983/84 counterparts. But it's doubtful that they will have quite as much fun along the way. It was a season of 67 matches, cup replays, shocks and thrashings, broken bones, beer, brawls and spaghetti legs, Scully and Chris Rea. 

Unusually for Liverpool at the time, it was also a season with a few doubts along the way, starting with the retirement of Bob Paisley at the end of the previous campaign. Joe Fagan, a member of the famous Liverpool Boot Room had been at the club since 1958, was hesitant as to whether he should step up to replace Paisley.

1985: Worst Avid Golfer tournament

Maybe moving the Players' Championship back to March was not such a good idea. With weather heavily impacting the 2022 tournament, it appears as if a Tuesday finish is likely. The only problem is, no one knows if that is Tuesday this week or next.

It has been a frustrating time for players, spectators and television teams covering the event. Love it or hate it, the TPC Sawgrass course is an ideal location for the so-called fifth major. Providing entertainment, thrills, and spills for people at the venue and for those of us at home, the closing few holes in particular mean that this particular show is not over until the fat lady sings.

1983/84: Manchester United v Tottenham

There was very little hype. No cheerleaders on the pitch, no fireworks, no whole new ball game as Sky would have us believe at the start of the Premier League. The first live league match on the BBC on Friday December 16, 1983, was in many ways the complete opposite to what we experience now. An undersold product that on the pitch would exceed expectations.

The Division One fixture between Manchester United and Tottenham was an ideal beginning for live league football on the BBC. But circumstances would play a part in this. It had been intended that the Watford-West Ham match in October would be the first live league match on the BBC. But a technicians strike prevented this.

1981 FA Cup Fifth Round: Peterborough v Man City

Despite a revival in the fortunes of the club since the appointment of manager John Bond in October 1980, many Manchester City fans would still have been apprehensive when they were drawn away to fourth division Peterborough United in the 1981 FA Cup fifth round. "There's no way Manchester City can afford to be complacent," Peterborough manager Peter Morris announced. 

City fans would have been nodding wisely at this advice. The previous two seasons had seen the club humilated against lower league opponents in Shrewsbury and Halifax, so there may have been a fair amount of trepidation amongst the 8,000 City supporters making the trip to London Road. The BBC were obviously hoping for a shock; Barry Davies and the Match of the Day cameras would be present.

1985/86: West Ham v Newcastle United

Normally if a football team concedes eight goals or more the inquests begin immediately. The players are a disgrace, the manager needs to go, sack the board; these are a few of the responses we would usually expect to hear from disgruntled supporters. But sometimes things can escalate that are beyond the control of players or a manager. Newcastle's eight goal hammering at West Ham in April 1986 was one such example of this.

1984/85: Newcastle United v Everton

Comparing football in the 1980s to the shiny product we witness today is a fairly pointless exercise. When Eddie Howe was appointed Newcastle manager in November 2021, he arrived in the knowledge that the Saudi Arabian owners would provide an open cheque book to help the club stay in the top flight. It was a little different for Jack Charlton in the summer of 1984.

Despite being promoted to Division One at the end of the 1983/84 season, nothing was ever straight forward at Newcastle. Kevin Keegan retired, but worse was to follow when manager Arthur Cox departed after a dispute with the board. The club was also reportedly in debt to the tune of £700,000, something that surprised Charlton when he was appointed Cox's successor.