We are the Champions: 1982-83 – Liverpool

May 7, 1983 – Paisley bows out Photo: PA

THE 1982-83 season was not a vintage campaign and even Liverpool’s players, weary at the end of a gruelling league programme, had to admit that “the champagne tasted sour” after a lack-lustre finale.

Liverpool were champions by an 11-point margin, newly-promoted Watford were the surprise runners-up. Bob Paisley’s team failed to win any of their last seven league matches, but still managed to be comfortably ahead of their nearest challengers.

Paisley added Middlesbrough’s promising striker David Hodgson to his squad, paying £ 450,000. He started well at Anfield, scoring four times in his first half dozen games, but with Ian Rush and Kenny Dalglish now forming a lethal and telepathic partnership, the tall front-man’s opportunities were limited.

Liverpool remained unbeaten in the league until the beginning of October when Ipswich Town beat them 1-0 at Portman Road. Manchester United were keeping pace with them, however, and within a few weeks, Liverpool had dropped to fifth and United were on top.

Liverpool returned to the leadership and cemented their position with a 5-0 win at Goodison Park, home of their rivals, Everton. Ian Rush scored four times and the victory put the Reds two points clear of second-placed Manchester City.

They ended 1982 with a six-point lead at the summit, Nottingham Forest now moving into contention. Nobody could match Liverpool’s consistency in the league, although Brighton & Hove Albion beat them in the FA Cup at Anfield and Polish side Widzew Lodz knocked them out of the European Cup in the third round.

At the time of their European exit, Liverpool had built a formidable 14-point lead over second-placed Watford and 18 ahead of Manchester United. The general feeling was that the title race was already over and this may have been why Liverpool started to get more careless.

That said, they beat Manchester United 2-1 in the Football League Cup final, coming from behind to win in extra time, courtesy of a Ronnie Whelan goal. United were now in second position, but were trailing Liverpool by 16 points. On April 9, Liverpool won 3-0 against Swansea to maintain their strong lead at the top, but with seven games to go, it proved to be their last of the season.

A 0-0 draw at Coventry extended Liverpool’s margin to 17, but a few days later, Southampton beat them 3-2 at the Dell. Although Watford were in second place, only Manchester United could deny Liverpool the championship, but their chance almost went when they lost at Everton.

On April 23, Liverpool needed a point in their game at home to Norwich to clinch the title. Norwich won 2-0 as Liverpool froze on the big occasion. Frustratingly for Bob Paisley, who had announced his retirement, they were beaten again at Tottenham, but as United could only draw at Norwich, it meant that Liverpool were champions. Two more defeats in three games, with a home draw with Aston Villa in between, brought the season down in rather disappointing style. The final game of the Paisley era came at Watford, the shock runners-up in 1982-83, with Liverpool losing 2-1.

Liverpool’s regular team in 1982-83 was: Bruce Grobelaar; Phil Neal, Alan Kennedy; Mark Lawrenson, Alan Hansen, Phil Thompson; Craig Johnston, Ronnie Whelan, Sammy Lee, Graeme Souness; David Hodgson, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush.

Bruce Grobbelaar (25): Joined Liverpool in March 1981 from Vancouver Whitecaps, costing the club £ 250,000. A flamboyant goalkeeper, occasionally prone to bizarre mistakes, he became something of a folk hero at Liverpool. Born in Durban, South Africa, he was a Zimbabwean international.

Phil Neal (32): One of the most decorated players in English football history, winning 50 England caps and countless honours with Liverpool. Cost the club just £ 66,000 when he joined from Northampton Town in 1974.

Alan Kennedy (28): Surprisingly only won two England caps in his career, but could console himself with the fact that he scored two European Cup-winning goals, in 1981 and 1984. Joined Liverpool from Newcastle in 1978 solving the club’s “left back problem”. A fine attacking full back.

Phil Thompson (29): A local lad who realised a boyhood dream in becoming Liverpool captain in 1979. A consistent central defender, he won 42 caps for England.

Alan Hansen (27): Signed from Patrick Thistle in 1977 for a £ 100,000 fee, Hansen established himself in the Liverpool defence in his second season at Anfield and proved to be an excellent reader of the game. He won 26 caps for Scotland and was later named Liverpool’s club captain.

Mark Lawrenson (25): Joined Liverpool in August 1981 from Brighton for a £900,000 fee. Played for Preston North End earlier in his career and won 39 caps for the Republic of Ireland. A tough tackler, he was also a very skilful and fast defender.

Ronnie Whelan (21): A hard-working and consistent midfield player who was signed from Irish club Home Farm in 1979 for £ 35,000. Dublin-born, Whelan was being courted for some time by a number of English clubs, including Manchester United. He developed a reputation for being the man for the big occasion and won 53 caps for Ireland in his long career.

Graeme Souness (29): Signed by Liverpool midway through the 1977-78 season from Middlesbrough for £350,000. Edinburgh-born Souness had started out with Tottenham, but failed to make the first-team breakthrough at White Hart Lane. A tough, skilful player who won 54 caps for Scotland. His Liverpool career ended in 1984 when he moved to Sampdoria in Italy for £ 650,000.

Sammy Lee (24): Strong-running stocky young midfielder who became a popular figure with the Kop at Liverpool. A local lad, he made his debut for Liverpool in 1977-78, but had to wait until 1980-81 to become a regular first team player. Won 14 England caps.

Craig Johnston (22): South African-born Australian who joined Liverpool from Middlesbrough in March 1981 for £ 650,000. A busy, skilful midfielder who had an eye for goal. He was capped at under-21 level by England.

Kenny Dalglish (32): Named both FWA and PFA Player of the Year in 1982-83. Dalglish arrived from Celtic in August 1977 and became one of the club’s most popular and celebrated players, winning over 100 caps for Scotland and becoming player-manager in 1985, leading Liverpool to the coveted “double”.

Ian Rush (21): Arrived at Anfield from Chester in March 1980, costing Liverpool £300,000. Became one of the most prolific goalscorers in the history of the game and in two spells with Liverpool, netted 346 goals for the club. After an excellent campaign in 1982-83, he was named PFA Young Player of the Year.

David Hodgson (22): Joined Liverpool in the summer of 1982 from Middlesbrough, costing the club £ 450,000. A member of England successful under-21 squad in 1982, he was tipped to earn full honours, but never fulfilled his early promise.

Football League Appearances

Dalglish, K	42	Kennedy, A	42	Rush, I	34
Fairclough, D	3+5	Lawrenson, M	40	Souness, G	41
Grobbelaar, B	42	Lee, S	40	Thompson, P	24
Hansen, A	34	McDermott, T	0+2	Whelan, R	26+2
Hodgson, D	20+3	Neal, P	42
Johnston, C	20+3	Nicol, S	2+2

Goalscorers: Rush 24, Dalglish 18, Souness 9, Neal 8, Johnston 7, Lawrenson 5, Hodgson 4, Fairclough 3, Kennedy 3, Lee 3, Whelan 2, Own Goal 1 Total: 87

Football League Results

Aug 28	West Bromwich A	Home	W	2-0	Lee, Neal (pen)	35,652
Aug 31	Birmingham City	Away	D	0-0	–	20,176
Sept 4	Arsenal	Away	W	2-0	Hodgson, Neal	36,429
Sept 7	Nottingham Forest	Home	W	4-3	Hodgson 2, Souness, Rush	27,145
Sept 11	Luton Town	Home	D	3-3	Souness, Rush, Johnston	33,694
Sept 18	Swansea City	Away	W	3-0	Rush 2, Johnston	20,322
Sept 25	Southampton	Home	W	5-0	Whelan 2, Souness, Lawrenson 2	32,996
Oct 2	Ipswich Town	Away	L	0-1	–	24,342
Oct 9	West Ham United	Away	L	1-3	Souness	32,500
Oct 16	Manchester United	Home	D	0-0	–	40,853
Oct 23	Stoke City	Away	D	1-1	Lawrenson	29,411
Oct 30	Brighton & Hove A	Home	W	3-1	Lawrenson, Dalglish 2	27,929
Nov 6	Everton	Away	W	5-0	Rush 4, Lawrenson	52,741
Nov 13	Coventry City	Home	W	4-0	Dalglish, Rush 3	27,870
Nov 20	Notts County	Away	W	2-1	Johnston, Dalglish	16,914
Nov 27	Tottenham Hotspur	Home	W	3-0	Neal (pen), Dalglish 2	40,691
Dec 4	Norwich City	Away	L	0-1	–	22,909
Dec 11	Watford	Home	W	3-1	Rush, Neal (2 pens)	36,690
Dec 18	Aston Villa	Away	W	4-2	Hodgson, Dalglish, Kennedy, Rush	34,568
Dec 27	Manchester City	Home	W	5-2	Dalglish 3, Neal, Rush	44,644
Dec 28	Sunderland	Away	D	0-0	–	35,041
Jan 1	Notts County	Home	W	5-1	Rush 3, Dalglish 2	33,643
Jan 3	Arsenal	Home	W	3-1	Rush, Souness, Dalglish	37,713
Jan 15	West Bromwich A	Away	W	1-0	Rush	24,560
Jan 22	Birmingham City	Home	W	1-0	Neal	30,986
Feb 5	Luton Town	Away	W	3-1	Rush, Kennedy, Souness	18,434
Feb 12	Ipswich Town	Home	W	1-0	Dalglish	34,976
Feb 26	Manchester United	Away	D	1-1	Dalglish	57,397
Mar 5	Stoke City	Home	W	5-1	Dalglish 2, Neal, Johnston, Souness	30,020
Mar 12	West Ham United	Home	W	3-0	Own goal, Lee, Rush	28,511
Mar 19	Everton	Home	D	0-0	–	44,737
Mar 22	Brighton & Hove A	Away	D	2-2	Rush 2	25,030
Apr 2	Sunderland	Home	W	1-0	Souness	35,821
Apr 4	Manchester City	Away	W	4-0	Souness, Fairclough 2, Kennedy	35,647
Apr 9	Swansea City	Home	W	3-0	Rush, Lee, Fairclough	30,010
Apr 12	Coventry City	Away	D	0-0	–	14,821
Apr 16	Southampton	Away	L	2-3	Dalglish, Johnston	23,578
Apr 23	Norwich City	Home	L	0-2	–	37,022
Apr 30	Tottenham Hotspur	Away	L	0-2	–	44,907
May 2	Nottingham Forest	Away	L	0-1	–	25,107
May 7	Aston Villa	Home	D	1-1	Johnston	39,939
May 14	Watford	Away	L	1-2	Johnston	27,173