"Wembley is Wonderful for Whelan!" - "Liverpool FC - The Retro Series" #lfc #liverpoolfc

Four decades have now passed since ITV commentator of the day Brian Moore eulogised over the performances of “the two youngsters in this Liverpool side” with the two “youngsters” in question in the very birthing stages of glittering, record breaking careers for the mighty Reds of Liverpool, as well as sharing all three goals on a March afternoon in front of 100,000 at Wembley Stadium that secured a thoroughly deserved 3–1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur that retained their hold on the Football League Cup for a second successive season. That Saturday afternoon of 13th March 1982 was Ronnie Whelan’s first ever appearance at a Wembley Stadium he’d grace with his footballing presence a number of times in his trophy laden future and fellow whippersnapper Ian Rush was in the middle of the first of many incredible record breaking goal scoring seasons for the Reds. Surrounding these fledgling players in a Bob Paisley managed Liverpool team that would only grow stronger as it transitioned in the next season or so an all time great one, was Zimbabwean Bruce Grobbelaar in goal (replacing his counterpart and Liverpool legend Ray Clemence now the custodian of the Tottenham Hotspur goal) as well as a legendary spine of a team that had won all that the English and European game had to offer. Ex captain Phil Thompson returned for the final in place of an injured Alan Hansen but this only reinforced still further an incredible team of the time that contained Phil Neal, Alan Kennedy and Mark Lawrenson in defence, through a midfield of Sammy Lee, Terry McDermott and new skipper Graeme Souness being the guiding light for a young Ronnie Whelan, and “The King” Kenny Dalglish feeding the young and impressionably hungry Ian Rush in attack.

On the other side of the ball, Tottenham Hotspur (more simply just “Spurs”) had never lost at Wembley Stadium and were currently on a run of 25 consecutive cup ties unbeaten in all competitions. Spurs famously won a replayed 1981 FA Cup Final against Manchester City (and would do so again in this years final against Queens Park Rangers in a matter of weeks to retain the FA Cup) and in between defeated Manchester United, Wrexham, Fulham, Nottingham Forest and West Bromwich Albion to continue their unbeaten cup tie streak and reach the 1982 Football League Cup Final. The spine of their FA Cup winning team of just ten months ago in 1981 remained (plus the addition of ex Reds keeper Ray Clemence): captain Steve Perryman organised a tough defence alongside the grizzled warrior that was Graham Roberts, Micky Hazard was breaking into their midfield ala Ronnie Whelan for the Reds and he had the silky skills of Argentinian great Ossie Ardiles and the mercurial Glenn Hoddle surrounding him in a midfield supplying wingers Tony Galvin and Garth Crooks who fed central striker and Scotland International, Steve Archibald.

With the Reds unbeaten in their last 16 games in all competitions and Spurs unbeaten in a cup tie for 25 games, this final had a lot to live up to, and it did.

The above opening paragraphs are taken from my original article first penned and published to my Medium blog site on 25th September 2022 and which can be read for free and in full (please also consider subscribing for free too!) via my Substack blog site and original article linked immediately below:

https://ramblingmusings666.substack.com/p/wembley-is-wonderful-for-whelan-43f3e8764267

Although not contained within the book on Liverpool Football Club I've always wanted to write (and as I mention once or twice in this video!) I've linked this pride and joy of mine immediately below, together with other ways and means of supporting me, if you are able, to thumb the eye of the traditional publishers who refused to read my original manuscript!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C6W6TYCL

https://www.patreon.com/TheBlackfordBookClub
https://www.paypal.me/TheBlackfordBookClub
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/steveblackford

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