The 1977–78 season was Liverpool Football Club's 86th season in existence and their 16th consecutive season in the First Division. It was a season of contrasts for Liverpool as they retained the European Cup, following a 1–0 victory against Club Brugge in the final at Wembley in London, and won the European Super Cup by beating Hamburg, who included former Liverpool forward Kevin Keegan in their side, 7–1 on aggregate with a 6–0 Second Leg win at Anfield. However, in both the Football League and the Football League Cup they would end as runners-up to newly promoted Nottingham Forest managed by Brian Clough. The replay of the Football League Cup final would prove to be very controversial with a penalty that decided the match, followed by a disallowed goal when it was adjudged that Terry McDermott handled the ball.
Liverpool manager Bob Paisley bought Kenny Dalglish from Celtic for £440,000, a record transfer fee between British clubs. Dalglish went on to score 20 goals in the league and 31 in all competitions, including the winner in the European Cup Final. Realising that Ian Callaghan was nearing the end of his career at Liverpool, the club also spent £352,000 on Graeme Souness from Middlesbrough.
However, Callaghan's final season started with a call up to the England squad, and would play in the match against Switzerland on 7 September 1977[1] under new manager Ron Greenwood. It was to be his first cap since playing in the 1966 FIFA World Cup finals against France.[2]
Terry McDermott's emergence would also see him make his debut in the same match with Ray Clemence, Phil Neal, Emlyn Hughes and Ray Kennedy also playing as well. Kevin Keegan also played in the match, making it seven current and former Liverpool players in that game.
Appearances and goals
[edit]
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions
Notes:
Date
|
Opponents
|
Venue
|
Result
|
Scorers
|
Attendance
|
Report 1
|
Report 2
|
20-Aug-77 |
Middlesbrough |
A |
1–1 |
Dalglish 7' |
31,000 |
Report |
Report
|
23-Aug-77 |
Newcastle United |
H |
2–0 |
Dalglish 46' McDermott 87' |
48,267 |
Report |
Report
|
27-Aug-77 |
West Bromwich Albion |
H |
3–0 |
Dalglish 18' Heighway 81' Case 85' |
48,525 |
Report |
Report
|
03-Sep-77 |
Birmingham City |
A |
1–0 |
R. Kennedy 2' |
28,239 |
Report |
Report
|
10-Sep-77 |
Coventry City |
H |
2–0 |
Fairclough 65' Dalglish 67' |
45,574 |
Report |
Report
|
17-Sep-77 |
Ipswich Town |
A |
1–1 |
Dalglish 22' |
29,658 |
Report |
Report
|
24-Sep-77 |
Derby County |
H |
1–0 |
McDermott 80' |
48,309 |
Report |
Report
|
01-Oct-77 |
Manchester United |
A |
0–2 |
|
55,109 |
Report |
Report
|
04-Oct-77 |
Arsenal |
A |
0–0 |
|
47,110 |
Report |
Report
|
08-Oct-77 |
Chelsea |
H |
2–0 |
Dalglish 2' Fairclough 79' |
40,499 |
Report |
Report
|
15-Oct-77 |
Leeds United |
A |
2–1 |
Case 36', 63' |
45,500 |
Report |
Report
|
22-Oct-77 |
Everton |
H |
0–0 |
|
51,668 |
Report |
Report
|
29-Oct-77 |
Manchester City |
A |
1–3 |
Fairclough 29' |
49,207 |
Report |
Report
|
05-Nov-77 |
Aston Villa |
H |
1–2 |
Own Goal 65' |
50,436 |
Report |
Report
|
12-Nov-77 |
Queens Park Rangers |
A |
0–2 |
|
25,625 |
Report |
Report
|
19-Nov-77 |
Bristol City |
H |
1–1 |
Dalglish 12' |
41,053 |
Report |
Report
|
26-Nov-77 |
Leicester City |
A |
4–0 |
Fairclough 18' Heighway 69' Dalglish 81' McDermott 84' |
26,051 |
Report |
Report
|
03-Dec-77 |
West Ham United |
H |
2–0 |
Dalglish 37' Fairclough 82' |
39,659 |
Report |
Report
|
10-Dec-77 |
Norwich City |
A |
1–2 |
Thompson 80' |
24,983 |
Report |
Report
|
17-Dec-77 |
Queens Park Rangers |
H |
1–0 |
Neal 30 Pen' |
38,249 |
Report |
Report
|
26-Dec-77 |
Nottingham Forest |
A |
1–1 |
Heighway 30' |
47,218 |
Report |
Report
|
27-Dec-77 |
Wolverhampton Wanderers |
H |
1–0 |
Neal 22 Pen' |
50,294 |
Report |
Report
|
31-Dec-77 |
Newcastle United |
A |
2–0 |
Thompson 48' Dalglish 89' |
36,456 |
Report |
Report
|
02-Jan-78 |
Middlesbrough |
H |
2–0 |
Johnson 39' Heighway 80' |
49,305 |
Report |
Report
|
14-Jan-78 |
West Bromwich Albion |
A |
1–0 |
Johnson 10' |
35,809 |
Report |
Report
|
21-Jan-78 |
Birmingham City |
H |
2–3 |
Thompson 74' R. Kennedy 87' |
48,401 |
Report |
Report
|
04-Feb-78 |
Coventry City |
A |
0–1 |
|
28,965 |
Report |
Report
|
25-Feb-78 |
Manchester United |
H |
3–1 |
Souness 39' R. Kennedy 49' Case 84' |
49,590 |
Report |
Report
|
04-Mar-78 |
Chelsea |
A |
1–3 |
Neal 48 Pen' |
35,550 |
Report |
Report
|
08-Mar-78 |
Derby County |
A |
2–4 |
Fairclough 70' Dalglish 88' |
23,413 |
Report |
Report
|
11-Mar-78 |
Leeds United |
H |
1–0 |
Dalglish 47' |
48,233 |
Report |
Report
|
25-Mar-78 |
Wolverhampton Wanderers |
A |
3–1 |
Case 35' Dalglish 75', 82' |
27,531 |
Report |
Report
|
01-Apr-78 |
Aston Villa |
A |
3–0 |
Dalglish 3', 19' R. Kennedy 21' |
40,190 |
Report |
Report
|
05-Apr-78 |
Everton |
A |
1–0 |
Johnson 13' |
52,759 |
Report |
Report
|
08-Apr-78 |
Leicester City |
H |
3–2 |
Smith 42', 76' Lee 56' |
42,979 |
Report |
Report
|
15-Apr-78 |
Bristol City |
A |
1–1 |
Heighway 41' |
31,471 |
Report |
Report
|
18-Apr-78 |
Ipswich Town |
H |
2–2 |
Dalglish 58' Souness 62' |
40,044 |
Report |
Report
|
22-Apr-78 |
Norwich City |
H |
3–0 |
Own Goal 4' Fairclough 35', 46' |
44,857 |
Report |
Report
|
25-Apr-78 |
Arsenal |
H |
1–0 |
Fairclough 24' |
38,318 |
Report |
Report
|
29-Apr-78 |
West Ham United |
A |
2–0 |
McDermott 38' Fairclough 66' |
37,448 |
Report |
Report
|
01-May-78 |
Manchester City |
H |
4–0 |
Dalglish 24', 55', 80' Neal 53 Pen' |
44,528 |
Report |
Report
|
04-May-78 |
Nottingham Forest |
H |
0–0 |
|
50,021 |
Report |
Report
|
Match rules
- 90 minutes, no extra time
- Five named substitutes
- Maximum of three substitutions
Date
|
Opponents
|
Venue
|
Result
|
Scorers
|
Attendance
|
Report 1
|
Report 2
|
30-Aug-77 |
Chelsea |
H |
2–0 |
Dalglish 25' Case 47' |
33,170 |
Report |
Report
|
26-Oct-77 |
Derby County |
H |
2–0 |
Fairclough 72', 75' |
30,400 |
Report |
Report
|
29-Nov-77 |
Coventry City |
H |
2–2 |
Fairclough 40' Neal 44 Pen' |
33,817 |
Report |
Report
|
20-Dec-77 |
Coventry City |
A |
2–0 |
Case 5' Dalglish 80' |
36,105 |
Report |
Report
|
17-Jan-78 |
Wrexham |
A |
3–1 |
Dalglish 14', 58', 87' |
25,641 |
Report |
Report
|
07-Feb-78 |
Arsenal |
H |
2–1 |
Dalglish 26' R. Kennedy 81' |
44,764 |
Report |
Report
|
14-Feb-78 |
Arsenal |
A |
0–0 |
|
49,561 |
Report |
Report
|