“THE DOC TOLD THE FANS WE WOULD BE BACK
IN A YEAR WITH THE CUP. THE CROWD CHEERED
BUT US PLAYERS THOUGHT, ‘THIS GUY’S MAD’”
European Cup quarter-finals, and Everton in the FA Cup semi-finals,
word ‘treble’ was on the country’s eager lips. Everywhere except
Anfield, of course. “No, there was none of that,” says left-back Joey
Jones. “Bob and his staff wouldn’t have any of that and nor would us
players. We simply didn’t talk about it.”
However, Peter Etherington, a Liverpool fan in his early 20s at the
time, was having none of the club’s caution. “You started to hear it
on the Kop and after Saint-Etienne it got even louder. ‘We’re gonna
win the treble!’ We just felt unbeatable.”
Liverpool, steered by Paisley and his backroom staff, were a squad
focused on winning silverware. “They were incredibly professional,”
explains Coppell. “They would socialise loads, but as soon as they
crossed that white line, something clicked. No team was more on it.”
The country’s back pages might have been screaming ‘TREBLE’ but
at the Reds’ Melwood training base the staff trusted their players to
stay calm and look after themselves, mentally and physically. Once,
esteemed full-back Phil Neal went to coach Joe Fagan with concerns.
“Joe, on Saturday, should I be showing the winger inside or outside?”
“You tell me,” Fagan deadpanned in reply to the defender. “You’re
the one who f**king plays for England.”
ImagesAlamy, Getty ImagesBelow Respectful rivals in
the 1970s, Wembley was
awash with red-and-
white flags and scarvesSimple but forward-thinking, Liverpool circa ’77 won the title with
a game to spare after a 0-0 draw against West Ham. Unlike the year
before when they had nicked it with late goals at Wolves – sparking
mass celebrations up the M6 – this was a far more subdued affair.
“It was almost as though the fans had taken a title triumph for
granted and they were preoccupied with the FA Cup final that was
coming up,” admitted Paisley at the time. “Even inside our dressing
room there was no champagne. Everyone sensed that winning the
league title was just the first of a three-round contest – that puts into
perspective the position we’ve reached.”
That position was still some way from the summit they hoped to
scale, though. So without wanting to complicate things, Paisley had to
decide on team selection for two finals in five days. Rotation was an
alien concept back then. Emlyn Hughes would play 62 games in
1976-77, but outside factors had got into the gaffer’s head and his
decisions would be unusually compromised.
The FA had announced that due to the Merseysiders’ European
commitments, any potential FA Cup final replay would be played
on 27 June, during the Wimbledon tennis championships and just
a fortnight before pre-season training began.
Paisley and Docherty were both incensed. “We’ll have to take our
holidays on the Costa del Stretford,” joked the latter. Paisley called for
a penalty shootout but the FA’s decision was final. In response,
Paisley picked a team to win the game, opting for a more attacking
4-3-3 and dropping the more pragmatic Ian Callaghan to the bench.So, off both teams went to north London, followed vociferously and
colourfully by their frantic supporters, for a clash that today would be
tinged with vitriolic nastiness. “Back then, there was not the same
hatred as now,” says United fan, Gary Thompson. “In fact, you1977 FA
CUP FINALFourFourTwo.com The Story of Man Utd 31