Memories of 88-89

To commemorate Arsenal’s dramatic winning of the League at the very end of the 1988-89 season, AISA invited supporters to share their memories of that amazing night and the season that led to it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Warren

ANFIELD '89 - IT'S UP FOR GRABS BUT I STILL DIDN'T SEE THE TROPHY

Born in '68, too young to remember the '71 double year, I spent the majority of my formative Arsenal years watching rubbish, first under Terry Neil and then Don Howe.  However bad it got, and boy did it get bad (Walsall at home, anyone!) I still clung to the dream of one day seeing an Arsenal captain lift the League Trophy.

Fast forward to the 26th May '89.  Left for Highbury early in the morning, arriving with minutes to spare, I was on my own as the rest of my usual crowd had decided against the trip following the postponement of the original date. Everyone was in a good mood on the coaches with loads of banter flying around. Then we hit traffic on the M1, credit goes to the coach driver for doing his best to jump the queue each time we got to a junction.

As we entered Liverpool about 10 minutes before kick off, a member of the local constabulary boarded the coach. He assured us that due to the traffic the kick off had been delayed and no need to panic, we wouldn't miss a kick. So it was no suprise that we entered the ground just as Bouldy flashed a header just wide.

Half time came and went and then the first magic moment when Smudger's header hit the back of the net, cue bedlam. Then we come to Mickey bursting through the midfield and time is almost suspended. At this point I should explain that I was wearing glasses and without them am nearly blind (-8.0 in both eyes for anyone who's interested). The last thing I saw clearly that night was the ball hit the net.

I leapt in the air with everyone around me, but my glasses also leapt about 30 yards forward never to be seen again. The final whistle came and went, I celebrated along with everyone else. Big Tone lifted the trophy but all I could see was a blur in the middle of the pitch, only knowing the trophy was raised by the cheers.

It was to be another two years before I finally saw that trophy lifted by an Arsenal captain, by which time I had taken the sensible step of investing in contact lenses. If anyone was hit or injured by a flying pair of glasses that night I apologise, but I'm sure under the circumstances you'll forgive me.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

Click here for more stories.
 

More memories of Anfield ’89, and/or from any match or incident from the 1988-89 season are invited.

Please email your contributions to anfield89@aisa.org with “1988-89 season” in the subject line. There is no limit on the length of your contribution but we reserve the right to edit.