I WANT FOOTBALL

1965

Considering that the club has such a long list of honours, it is perhaps surprising that Liverpool was not victorious in the FA Cup until 1965. Having beaten West Bromwhich, Stockport County (after a replay), Bolton, Leicester (at last!) and finally Chelsea, Liverpool came to the final to play up and coming Leeds United, managed by Don Revie. It may not come as a surprise to students of the game that Liverpool were the more inventive and adventurous of the two. However, the game remained goalless from the first to the ninetieth minute.

So, extra time was started and almost immediately, the heavy Wembley pitch came into play as in the 3rd minute of extra time the deadlock was broken. Roger Hunt, arguably Liverpool's greatest forward stooped low to head in a cross from broken arm victim Gerry Byrne, who was struggling on at left back as because substitutes weren't allowed until 1967. This must have stung Leeds, because the advantage was held for just 2 minutes before Billy Bremner equalised following a knock down from Jackie Charlton. The game was back to its previous stalemate then, until Ian St John, another Liverpool great, got the winner. This time it was the 23 year old Ian Callaghan who supplied the cross and now there was no way back for Leeds.