Were you at Anfield in May 1995?

[4,000 Holes]

New fanzine coming out in spring. Hoping to celebrate 14th May 1995 by hearing some supporter stories from the day, especially if you were at Anfield and featured in any of the footage.

So many questions! Who had the Greece flag?! Full suit, shirt and tie combo? A Liverpool shirt? Umbro Top Guy telling Flowers it's 1-1 at Upton Park! Recognise anyone?

Already tracked down 5 names, including Martin Smith and Andy "fucking hell" Jones from the iconic post-Redknapp image. Any more insight or tales are very much appreciated!

[Neal]

My dad is there somewhere

[rigger]

I was in Germany, and the only English person I could find to celebrate with was a Man City fan.

[booth]

5 minutes ago, 4,000 Holes said:

Already tracked down 5 names, including Martin Smith and Andy "fucking hell" Jones from the iconic post-Redknapp image. Any more insight or tales are very much appreciated!

Andy "fucking hell" Jones, brilliant. I think he summed up every Rovers fans emotional state at that very moment.

[Leonard Venkhater]

I was there. I couldn't get a ticket with our own fans.  Staff from one of our Liverpool services lent me two season tickets, so we were on the side -where Ripley crossed for Shearer.

I wore a Rovers shirt -with a Liverpool cap! There were several other Rovers fans in the same area.

I can clearly remember scouse voices saying, "You're gonna do it.!" Then Redknapp's goal...

At the end, I know I teared up, as I watched at all my fellow Rovers fans celebrating behind the goal.

I was thinking "This is for Bristol '81 and Palace '89.

But, in truth, it was like being in limbo. I was stuck in the wrong part of the ground , aching to be with the Rovers contingent behind the goal...

[Neal]

My dad has a bit of a story but he doesn't post on here just lurks...

 

He went on the day without a ticket. Paid for a ticket outside the ground, went to go into the ground but the coppers stopped him, turns out the tickets were stolen (what a suprise 😂) anyway... Whoever the tickets belonged to originally very kindly gave them to my dad, wether they were too shook up to bother with the game I don't know but he was very lucky to get in for the game. 

 

Wonder if anyone knows those folks? 

[Mashed Potatoes]

I wasn't there but the thing I will always remember is that it was only a few seconds after Liverpool scored their winning goal that the news came through that Man United had only drawn and so we were champions.

[Hasta]

I watched it round at my Gran's (only she had Sky) and then shot off to the pub afterwards.

Redknapp scored, my brain quickly processed that it was now far more important what was happening at Upton Park so I switched channel across to the West Ham / Man U game. The game had just finished but it took me a few seconds to actually work out it was over, and by the time I realised I switched it back and the Rovers players were celebrating with the game still being played.

 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Couldn't get a Ticket,not a chance.Had to celebrate back at Ewood during that Looonnng Evening!.

Unbelievable Scenes,the stuff of Dreams,everyone pushing in the right direction together,THE pride of Lancashire.

Wonder how many Rovers fans there that day still follow the Club though?....

 

Edited March 17 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Rogerb]

In with the Liverpool fans behind the goal on Anfield Road. Brother in law had used his father in laws Birmingham address to get tickets from Liverpool 

[MarkBRFC]

We didn't manage to get away tickets unfortunately as we didn't quite have enough stubs to qualify, think we were one maybe two short but did manage to go and sit in the Anfield Road End with the Liverpool fans.

My mum used to work lunchtimes in a pub in the week and two Liverpool fans who were season ticket holders used to go in every lunchtime for a couple of pints and got to know my mum quite well. After the Newcastle Monday night game they went in and gave her there season tickets for the day so we could go and watch and experience it as it was a pretty nothing game for them and they had obviously seen Liverpool win numerous leagues. I didn't find out until the morning of the game which was probably the best surprise I have ever had.

Of course I went decked out in blue and white and nobody bat an eyelid, and the Liverpool fans were brilliant with us, we were in the block nearest to the Rovers fans but when we took our seats everyone ushered us along so we could be right next to the Rovers fans for the best experience possible. Felt really lucky as a 14 year old lad being able to witness all that when there were thousands of long standing Rovers fans who couldn't get anywhere near a ticket.

My lad is 14 now and is every bit invested in Rovers as I was then, just a shame the experience nowadays is so so different.

Venkys out.

[...]

Sadly didn't get there but just remember all down preston old road and livesy branch road everyone was out at the road side scarves waving flags waving people up lamp posts and on top of the bus stop outside the beehive pub Cherry tree, everyone honking their horns, the town came alive a few of us decided to run down to Ewood and it was same down there mental day mental scenes best day ever.

[roverandout]

I was at Ewood in the evening when they paraded the trophy around the ground 

[StubbsUK]

We watched the end of the United game on Sky so I didn't know we'd lost for about half an hour afterwards. The last thing I remember is hanging out of a car window singing at Colin Hendry's double glazing advert under Darwen Street Bridge 😂

This is me and my mate Andy (with the crown on his head) the day after (or maybe the day after that), with the actual trophy at Ewood, we'd heard it was going to be in the bar and I think we were the only 2 in there in the end. The photo was taken by the guard and we didn't have to pay £20 for it.

 

[...]

Not gonna lie hearing these stories just makes you yearn for those days again what a bloody great time we had proud as anything our little town

[martonrover]

2 hours ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

I was there. I couldn't get a ticket with our own fans.  Staff from one of our Liverpool services lent me two season tickets, so we were on the side -where Ripley crossed for Shearer.

I wore a Rovers shirt -with a Liverpool cap! There were several other Rovers fans in the same area.

I can clearly remember scouse voices saying, "You're gonna do it.!" Then Redknapp's goal...

At the end, I know I teared up, as I watched at all my fellow Rovers fans celebrating behind the goal.

I was thinking "This is for Bristol '81 and Palace '89.

But, in truth, it was like being in limbo. I was stuck in the wrong part of the ground , aching to be with the Rovers contingent behind the goal...

Had a very similar day.

In with the Liverpool fans, and there was a woman sat just behind me listening to the West Ham v Man U game through earphones.

I knew it was 1-1 in that game, but I was just waiting to hear her say, “Man United have got a second “.

Even before Redknapp’s free kick, I was so tense I had to go downstairs to the food / toilet concourse to escape for a while.

I met another Rovers fan down there doing exactly the same 😂

The most nerve wracking day of my life!

 

[oneandycrawford]

I was working in Manchester at the time so didn't go to watch in a pub. No Sky in my house so ended up listening to it on Radio Lancs. When the final whistle went at Anfield the commentators seemed to forget about the West Ham game. I remember screaming at the radio - 'has the f'ing Man U game finished????'

[Neal]

I remember being outside Ewood celebrating. The ITN news van was there and there was a guy driving around with a sofa on his roof with people celebrating on it. 

[simongarnerisgod]

no chance of a ticket,we had to celebrate in feniscowles with  their impromptu street party😄,made it into blackburn later on only to find out the brewers arms had run out of beer😃

[Herbie6590]

3 hours ago, StubbsUK said:

We watched the end of the United game on Sky so I didn't know we'd lost for about half an hour afterwards. The last thing I remember is hanging out of a car window singing at Colin Hendry's double glazing advert under Darwen Street Bridge 😂

This is me and my mate Andy (with the crown on his head) the day after (or maybe the day after that), with the actual trophy at Ewood, we'd heard it was going to be in the bar and I think we were the only 2 in there in the end. The photo was taken by the guard and we didn't have to pay £20 for it.

 

The hair...😁

[Herbie6590]

I posted a video on YT of the celebrations on the Monday...

 

 

[WacoRover]

I love hearing the stories. 
Rovers fan (2013), but Dallas Cowboys since birth (1962). 
Strange, both of my clubs last made it to the Promised Land in 1995 😢 

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Yes, I was there. I drove two mates. The match is a blur. All I remember thinking was Rednapp had fucked it up for us.....many had little tranny radios, and rumours were abound. The relief when we found out WHU had stopped Man Ure!

We stopped at the Clock Face pub on the way out of Liverpool (no longer there), and we set Ceefax (remember that) on the PL table and sat staring at the screen!

I got back to Clitheroe, Threshers was still open (not now, I'm so old), and bought a bottle of champagne (I don't even like it....), and drank the bottle. I was a bit worse for wear the following morning, but in the words of Irene Cara, WHAT A FEELING!!!

[StubbsUK]

42 minutes ago, Herbie6590 said:

The hair...😁

Classic 90s curtains 😁

[wilsdenrover]

I watched the match in The Jubilee - if memory serves me correctly (because of Sunday laws at the time) we had to buy vouchers in the days beforehand to exchange for beer on the day.

After the match I remember being in Salvador Dali’s and The Moorings and can only assume I frequented other establishments along the way.

I believe I finally made it back to my room (Halls of Residence) roundabout the Wednesday 😁😁