Friday, May 9, 2008

LFC STORY

If it wasn't for one man, Liverpool Football Club would never have been born. When Everton left Anfield in a dispute over rent in 1892, club chairman John Houlding stayed behind along with a handful of supporters and just three first-team players. But he was determined to see football continue at the ground. He formed a new club from scratch, chose the name Liverpool… and created a legend.

Even John Houlding couldn't have predicted how successful it would become. More than 100 years on, no English club can match the LiverpoolFC roll of honour; League Champions 18 times, FA Cup winners seven times, League Cup winners seven times, European Cup winners five times and UEFA Cup winners three times.

When it is completed, the History channel will chart the rise and rise of Liverpool FC to the very summit of the England game, from the struggles of the early years right up to Gerard Houllier's historic treble in 2001. This channel will recall glorious domestic victories and European triumphs and reflect on the tragedies of Heysel and Hillsborough.

We've focused on 10 key dates in Liverpool Football Club's history to begin with but over time, we'll have over 100 chapters in this section alone as we present the ultimate history of England's greatest ever football club. This is a story of incredible passion and pride - a story that not only inspires Liverpool fans but football supporters the world over.

1892 – Liverpool Football Club formed
The history of Liverpool Football Club begins with our greatest rivals and neighbours, Everton, for it was from a dispute with Everton that Liverpool Football Club was born.

1901 - Our first title win
In mid-February of the 1900-01 season, Liverpool had lost eight games and conceded 31 goals and the championship looked a pipe-dream. Twelve games later and after nine wins and three draws, the title was ours. Here's how we did it…

1950 - First Wembley appearance
Arsenal provided the opposition when Liverpool made their first appearance at Wembley. It should have been a momentous occasion in the club's history but a 2-0 defeat prolonged the Reds’ wait for FA Cup glory.

1959 - Shankly appointed manager
December 1st 1959 is a date that will forever be etched in the annals of Anfield history. For it was on this day that Liverpool Football Club announced Huddersfield Town boss Bill Shankly would be their new manager in succession to Phil Taylor.

1965 - Winning the FA Cup for first time
There was a feeling of quiet optimism around Anfield that this could, at last, be Liverpool’s year in the competition we so desperately craved success in. After all, we were the reigning league champions and, under Bill Shankly, anything seemed possible.

1977 - European Champions
If winning the FA Cup for the first time in 1965 is regarded as the greatest day in the history of Liverpool Football Club, then there is no doubt that winning the European Cup for the first time in 1977 was the greatest night.

1985 - Heysel Disaster
No one will ever forget the tragic events at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels on May 29 1985. Liverpool were playing Juventus in the European Cup Final and what should have been one of the greatest nights in the club's history turned into the lowest.

1986 - Doing the Double
Liverpool Football Club kicked off the 1985/86 under a giant cloud. The events of Heysel just four months previous had heaped shame on Anfield but that grey cloud was to have a glorious silver lining.

1989 – Hillsborough

On April 15th 1989, over 25,000 Liverpool supporters travelled down to Hillsborough to watch the FA Cup semi-final match with Nottingham Forest. 96 of them never returned.


2001 - Clinching the cup treble

Just four days after dramatically snatching the FA Cup from Arsenal's grasp in Cardiff, and with the Worthington Cup already safely tucked away in the Anfield trophy cabinet, Liverpool's class of 2001 completed an unprecedented cup treble.



2005 - Champions League Winners 2005

On what will go down as THE most incredible night in this club's illustrious history Liverpool reclaimed their crown as Kings of Europe after miraculously overcoming a 3-0 half-time deficit to defeat AC Milan at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul..



2006 - FA CUP WINNERS 2006

The 2006 FA Cup Final will be remembered in Anfield folklore as the Gerrard final as captain fantastic Steven Gerrard rescued Liverpool with a stunning last minute equaliser to break West Ham's hearts and force extra-time...

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