It was 22 years ago to the very day, that Arsenal won the League title at Anfield in ultra-extraordinary fashion.
I think it’s fair to say that no team will ever win a league like that again, in such an unbelievable fashion.
That goal from Michael Thomas is literally the perfect footballing moment, as it sums up how emotional and important football is for the fans.
For me, Anfield 89 will always be the most spectacular moment in the history of Arsenal Football Club.
Despite myself not actually being alive to witness it, the 26th of May 1989 will always be a night that I’ll never forget. To label that night as “incredible” would be the ultimate understatement. And yes, like all of you younger readers, I would give anything to have witnessed that goal.
I know a handful of people who were lucky enough to be at the game, and I thought it would be a good idea to share a few of their personal experiences and memories of that gloriously wonderful night in Merseyside, all those years ago.
Both my father and uncle were at the game together. But unlike most other Arsenal fans on the night, they were sitting in the Liverpool stand. They were unable to acquire tickets in the away section, but thanks to a close friend (who has since become forever immortalised!), all 3 of them managed to get seats 25 rows behind Kenny Dalglish in the Main Stand.
Most of you will know that the game had to be put off for 15 minutes, because the traffic was so bad on the M6. Fortunately, the lucky 3 were able to make kick-off.
After dropping points against Derby and Wimbledon, beating Liverpool by clear 2 goals seemed quite literally, an impossible task. Like the majority of Arsenal fans that night, my father doubted we could do it, but despite that, he still made the trip up to Merseyside.
The first half ended goalless, which meant we needed to score 2 goals in 45 minutes against one of the best teams in Europe at the time. It seemed almost certain that we had blown it.
But then, in the 52nd minute, “Alan Smith put us 1-0 ahead and the title was back on. We needed just one more goal”.
Smith’s header signalled that there was still hope. “The goal also made the home fans in the Main Stand aware that they were sitting with 3 Gooners”.
“There was no trouble”. My dad believes the home supporters were too nervous, and “all they could do was just sit there in shock. They too realised that the game was well and truly on”.
Michael Thomas was the hero on the night, but I’m sure you’ll all know that he had an earlier chance to clinch the League title, but failed to do so. Like my dad, “we all believed that he had blown it, as we would probably not get a better chance”. We had failed to take the opportunity and time was running out. The clock was rapidly approaching full-time.
As the game entered injury time, the whistling from the home fans became intense. The game looked over and it appeared that the Division One Championship trophy was staying at Anfield.
But then suddenly, from out of nowhere, Lee Dixon lobbed it down the line, found Alan Smith who then flicked it onto Michael Thomas, in what would surely be the last attack of the game. Thomas kept his cool and chipped it over Grobbelaar, and the rest is history.
“When Thomas went through, it seemed to take forever for him to get the shot away”. All my dad could do was just sit there and watch, just praying that Thomas would find the net.
“Time stood still”. “Shoot for f*ck’s sake!”…. GOAAAAALLLLL!!!!!!
“Everyone knew that Arsenal had done it”. They had won the League, in the most spectacular fashion. “Liverpool were down on their knees and despite there still being a little bit of time left on the referee’s watch, everyone knew the League trophy was coming back to Highbury, for the first time in 18 years”.
Surrounded by thousands of Liverpool fans, the 3 Gooners went crazy and began the wild celebrations. Naturally, they were expecting a beating. But amazingly, they were congratulated by handshakes from the shell-shocked Scousers who were sitting around them.
25 rows back, my dad made his way to the front in an attempt to get onto the Anfield turf. As you can imagine, pretty much of the whole security had gone to cordon off the Arsenal supporters – including Niall Quinn and Paul Davis who sat in the front close to Denton!
There was only one steward in his way, but miraculously, he let my dad onto the pitch, where he managed to “snog Michael Thomas and shake hands with David O’Leary”. He was soon escorted off the pitch, where he watched the trophy presentation from the stands.
My uncle said “lots of Liverpool fans remained on The Kop afterwards and applauded us. Now, I was impressed with that”.
The lucky 3 walked down the road back to the car and remarkably, the streets were empty. “It was like a ghost town”.
They headed back to Wrexham and crashed out at an inlaws. My uncle tells me that they “sat there until about 3:00am and watched the entire game 3 times, and THAT goal about 300 times”.
My uncle has always insisted that “Michael Thomas’ lasting memory of the night was having your dad’s toungue thrust down his throat!”.
Just over two years later, I was born. My name was never in question, probably even if I had been a girl!
The birth of your children is supposed to be the happiest day of your life. However, my dad states “if anybody tells you that, then they weren’t at Anfield on the 26th of May 1989”.
Unfortunately, a so-called Arsenal fan “acquired” the jersey my dad was wearing on the night. It’s pretty sad to think that we had spent years getting the players of the ’89 squad to sign the shirt, but even more upsetting to think that it was stolen at the 20th anniversary dinner at the Emirates Stadium.
by MIKE HARVEY
I’ve been an Arsenal fan for as long as I can remember. My family has had Arsenal links since the 1920’s, and that trend is showing no intention of slowing down. I have been going regularly since ’98, and finally got my first season ticket when we moved to The Emirates (after being on the waiting list since I was about 10). Of course, I attend every home game, a handful of away games and the odd Champions League away trip each season. Arsenal is my passion. Writing is my passion. I was never good enough to play for The Arsenal, so I’ll do the next best thing!
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
