Fan Zone: 1st European Night At Anfield

First Experience of a European Night at Anfield by Owain Gethin Williams

Liverpool v Auxerre Agg: 3-2, November 6th 1992 – Att: 23,094

1 B Grobbelaar

2 G Ablett

3 D Burrows

4 M Marsh

5 J Molby

6 N Tanner

7 S McManaman

8 R Houghton

9 I Rush

10 M Walters

11 S McMahon (c)

Liverpool went into this game trailing 2-0 from the first leg in France and with a record of 2 wins in the last 11 matches, yet we knew from a previous encounter with a French side that such an occasion brings out the fighting spirit in the reds that’s still there today. As my father was driving up we were optimistic yet nervous and this was felt outside the ground on Anfield road. We entered the stadium early to soak the atmosphere as this was my first experience of a European night at Anfield and what an occasion it turned out to be. Liverpool selected a young side due to the 4 non English player rule.

Anfield wasn’t even half full and yet those present and the singing of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” made that night one of the most memorable nights of my life and showed why I and my family are so passionate about Liverpool. We needed an early goal and that came from the penalty spot and the great Dane Molby. Just before half time Mike Marsh headed us into a 2-0 lead and level on aggregate. The buzz felt around the stadium at half time was unbelievable and still remember to this day that I could hardly speak due to singing so loud.

Liverpool poured forward in the second half and it was wave after wave of attack from the redmen towards the kop end who were doing their best to suck the ball into the net. As the minutes ticked away, Molby’s pass sent Mark Walters through on his own, and at this point I wasn’t confident as I never rated him as a player, but he proved me wrong and the ball nestled in the far corner of the net to the delight of the Anfield faithful. Maybe this wasn’t on a par with St Etienne in ’77 as my Dad says, but as a first experience of a European night at Anfield it was emotional and still one of the greatest nights in Liverpool’s history.

Post by Owain Gethin Williams

You can follow Owain on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gethno1