Bob Paisley - Liverpool's 1977 European Cup Triumph, May 25th, Rome

1976-77 1st Round
Liverpool started the campaign with a tie against Northern Ireland champions Crusaders. A comfortable 2-0 victory over the Belfast side at Anfield was secured via a first half Phil Neal penalty and a second half goal from John Toshack. It was sadly to be Toshack's last European goal in a red shirt for the big Welshman, whose goals had helped secured the UEFA Cup the previous season, was shortly to fall foul of injury problems that would severely restrict his appearances.	Match Facts: Liverpool 2 v 0 Crusaders September 14th 1976 Clemence, Neal, Jones, Smith, Kennedy, Hughes, Keegan, Johnson, Heighway, Toshack, Callaghan Goals Neal (18 pen) Toshack (64) Attendance 22,442
The second leg scoreline of 5-0 belied a gritty performance from the Irish part timers, with four of Liverpool's goals coming in the last ten minutes as tiredness took an inevitable toll on the hosts. A couple of goals from David Johnson, who had been struggling to make an impression following his Ł200,000 move from Ipswich Town, and a first ever European goal from Terry McDermott, were harbingers of greater things to come for both players.	Crusaders 0 v 5 Liverpool September 28th 1976 Clemence, Neal, Jones, Smith, Kennedy, Hughes, Keegan, Johnson, Heighway, Case ( McDermott ), Callaghan Goals Keegan (34) Johnson (81,90) McDermott (84) Heighway (87) Attendance 10,000

2nd Round
A trip to Turkey broke new ground for Liverpool. Champions Trabzonspor, though relative unknowns outside of their own country, were bound to pose unique problems for Liverpool, buoyed as the were by a partisan home support. What they also had to contend with was a very bumpy pitch and a poor quality match ball. In the event, a single goal defeat gained through a very dubious penalty was not as disastrous as it may have appeared.	Trabzonpsor 1 v 0 Liverpool October 20th 1976 Clemence, Smith, Jones, Thompson, Kennedy, Hughes, Keegan, McDermott, Heighway ( Fairclough ), Toshack ( Johnson ), Callaghan Goals Attendance 25,000
Liverpool blew the Turkish side away with a breathtaking opening quarter to the match. The tie was effectively over as early as the 19th minute when Kevin Keegan slotted home the third goal of the night to give Liverpool a 3-1 aggregate lead, a lead that never looked under any threat from then on in.	Liverpool 3 v 0 Trabzonspor November 3rd 1976 Clemence, Neal, Jones, Thompson, Kennedy, Hughes, Keegan, McDermott, Heighway, Johnson, Callaghan Goals Heighway (8) Johnson (10) Keegan (19) Attendance 42,275

3rd Round
The classy French outfit were strongly fancied to win the competition having been cruelly defeated in the previous year's final by a fortunate Bayern Munich. Liverpool, minus Kevin Keegan and losing Toshack mid way through the game through injury, were always going to be up against it. Boasting several top class internationals, including the charismatic Dominique Rocheteau, St Etienne settled the game with a single goal and looked a good bet to take the tie over two legs.	St Etienne 1 v 0 Liverpool March 2nd 1977 Clemence, Neal, Jones, Thompson, Kennedy, Hughes, McDermott, Case, Heighway, Toshack ( Smith ), Callaghan Goals Attendance 28,000
Unquestionably one of the greatest ever nights at Anfield saw Liverpool edge through a pulsating tie with a late, dramatic winner from substitute David Fairclough. Liverpool had gone ahead as early as the 2nd minute through a rather fortuitous Keegan strike but Bathenay's spectacular equaliser swung the tie back towards the Frenchmen. A Ray Kennedy goal levelled the aggregate score duly set the stage for the intervention of 'super sub' himself.	Liverpool 3 v 1 St Etienne March 16th 1977 Clemence, Neal, Jones, Smith, Kennedy, Hughes, Keegan, Case, Heighway, Toshack ( Fairclough ), Callaghan Goals Keegan (2) Kennedy (59) Fairclough (84) Attendance 55,043

Semi Final
After the heoics of the previous round, the semi final tie was a strangely muted, anti-climactic affair. A Phil Neal double and a goal from Steve Heighway, who was fast becoming the player of the season, more of less killed of the tie at the half way stage.	FC Zurich 1 v 3 Liverpool April 6th 1977 Clemence, Neal, Jones, Smith, Kennedy, Hughes, Keegan, Case, Heighway, Fairclough, McDermott Goals Neal (14, 67 pen) Heighway (48) Attendance 30,500
The tie had been effectively won in Zurich and as expeced the Reds ran out comfortable winners at Anfield. Jimmy Case, who was to go on and achieve the European Young Player of the Year award, enhanced his reputation with two more strikes. Second half substitute Alan Waddle made the last of his 21 appearances for the club in the second half, failing to add the solitary goal of his Anfield career, scored memorably against Everton in 1973.	Liverpool 3 v 0 FC Zurich April 20th 1977 Clemence, Neal, Jones, Smith, Kennedy, Hughes, Keegan, Case, Heighway ( Waddle ), McDermott, Johnson Goals Case (33,79) Keegan (83) Attendance 50,611

Final

Despite John Toshack's recovery from injury, manager Bob Paisley opted for Ian Callaghan in a starting 11 that was to be Kevin Keegan's last match as a Liverpool player. With 30,000 Scousers packed into the stadium, the players emerged from the dressing rooms into a sea of red and white

Terry McDermott, rapidly establishing himself in the side, opened the scoring after 27 minutes after good work from Steve Heighway to give the Reds a half time lead. The Germans hit back early in the second half with a fine goal from Dane Allan Simonsen, and for a while put Liverpool under intense pressure.

Ray Clemence performed some wonderful saves before unlikely goal hero Tommy Smith rose salmon like to meet a Steve Heighway corner and power the Reds back into the lead.

With the Reds now back in control, man of the match Kevin Keegan who had tormented his German marker Berti Vogts all night, won a penalty when Vogts finally chopped him down as he bore down on goal. Phil Neal coolly slotted home to complete the historic victory.

Borussia Moenchengladbach 1
Liverpool 3
May 25th 1977

Clemence, Neal, Jones, Smith, Kennedy, Hughes, Keegan, Case, Heighway, Callaghan, McDermott

Goals
McDermott (27)
Smith (64)
Neal (82 pen)

Attendance
57,000

Liverpool's victory was achieved 10
years to the day after Glasgow Celtic
had become the first British side to
win the same competition.

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