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It was a 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Anfield that
confirmed an eleventh crown with another two games to
play. Alan Kennedy’s first-minute strike set them on their
way with Kenny Dalglish and Terry McDermott also on
target.
“I regard Bob Paisley as the greatest servant Liverpool
have ever had,” said former team-mate and fellow great
Billy Liddell afterwards, “No one could have done more
to help to make Liverpool the great club they are and I’m
proud to be his friend.”
Another campaign without defeat at Anfield helped the
Reds to a further championship, and again confirmation
came in a big win over Villa at home, this time on
Saturday 3 May 1980.
Manchester United were the closest challengers
domestically with Forest dropping off the pace in pursuit
of a second European Cup of their own. Two points was
the gap between first and second after 42 matches, and
beating the Villans 4-1 was the 1979/80 clincher.
David Johnson’s double, Avi Cohen’s only LFC goal
(after scoring at the wrong end earlier that afternoon) and
a Noel Blake own-goal wrapped things up with a game to
spare, also putting behind the disappointment of losing an
FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal earlier in the week that
had gone to a third replay.
Villa were champions in 1980/81 and would win the
European Cup a year later but the Reds were about to
enjoy a run of three successive titles for the first time in
their history.
The 1981/82 triumph though came after quite the
wake-up call of being 12th in the table at Christmas anda comprehensive turning-over by Flamengo in the World
Club Championship. Like in 1975/76 it took a heart-to-
heart between the players and manager – as well as a
change in the captaincy – to reverse fortunes and confirm
a 13th title in the penultimate fixture, again at home.
The game was fondly remembered for Ray Clemence’s
welcome back to Anfield, now a Tottenham Hotspur
player. He was powerless to stop second-half Kop-end
goals for Mark Lawrenson, Kenny Dalglish and Ronnie
Whelan from overturning Glenn Hoddle’s spectacular
opener. It made sure of the title eventually won four points
better off than Ipswich Town in second.
Season 1982/83 was Paisley’s last as manager, though
he would later return as advisor to player-manager
Dalglish as well as club director. His sixth title as boss,
as well as a third League Cup, was a fitting send-off for
the man who in 2020 had a statue unveiled outside this
stadium.
1973: now this, kids, is a Spion Kop