This was the year when Frank Bruno finally became a boxing world champion, when Oasis let (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? rip into our lives and when Pierce Brosnan had a first bash at being James Bond in Golden Eye.
Michael Jackson’s Earth Song was topping the charts, usurping Robson & Jerome, and Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise had left its musical mark weeks earlier.
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Curly Watts was marrying Raquel in Corrie, there were footballers serving bans for kicking fans and there were grey kits that were soon to become a thing of controversy.
Kevin Keegan was on the steps of St James’ Park explaining why he was shifting Andrew Cole on, and we got a heatwave and one of the driest summers in recorded English meteorological history.
These are cultural landmarks, but for some, the high point of 1995 was commentator Martin Tyler uttering the words “he’s wrong-footed Schmeichel” as Robbie Fowler sent a free-kick over the wall pictured above and into the top corner in front of the Kop.
On this day 30 years ago, a 20-year-old Fowler proved too much for Manchester United in a festive 2-0 win.
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The Guardian headline in the aftermath read “Safety-first Reds rout limp United” – the ‘safety’ reference noting Liverpool’s use of a back five, despite being without some key defenders because of injury.
This, of course, was the Roy Evans way – a 3-5-2 formation initially perceived as defensive, only for the passing of time to create the narrative of a team that shipped goals, gave opponents a chance and never quite had the ruthless edge needed to close out a title.
Not that such generosity was extended the way of United on this day.
With Christmas looming, the Reds rode a fabulous Anfield atmosphere to batter their biggest rivals. Stan Collymore passed up chance after chance, with Peter Schmeichel, the woodwork and everyone bar Mr Blobby conspiring to deny him a goal on the day.
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Strike partner Fowler, though, was at his effortless best, caressing a first-half free-kick past a motionless Schmeichel, before putting the finishing touches to a counter-attack late on. The way he slalomed through the closing manoeuvre of the break away before waiting for Schmeichel to make his move, creating time to clip the ball over him, pointed to a finisher who seemed to feel the game was moving to his own beat.
“Our first-half performance was as lifeless as I have seen in many years,” said Sir Alex Ferguson. “All things considered, it was a really poor display. We were absolutely dreadful up until half-time. We never got to grips with Liverpool, never matched them in midfield.”
United wore their now infamous grey kit, one they would swap at half-time during a drubbing at Southampton five months later, citing issues with its visibility.
Ferguson’s side would see enough in the campaign to secure the Double, including an FA Cup at Liverpool’s expense.
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Fowler rattled home 28 league goals in 38 outings that season – his best return – to follow 25 the season before. Remarkably, by this stage, he was yet to be capped by England. Kopites didn’t care. He was theirs, not England’s.
This day was him in his pomp, delivering a joyous Christmas gift for those of a Liverpudlian persuasion during these halcyon days of 90s football.
What are your best memories of Fowler in a Liverpool shirt? How much would he be worth now? Would he succeed in the modern game? Tell us here
[BBC]
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