Liverpool FC’s illustrious history told through newspaper headlines

This Is Anfield’s resident historian Jeff Goulding sits down with Historic Newspapers’ beautifully presented Liverpool Newspaper Book to relive the club’s decorated and passionate history.

Book Review
Personalised Liverpool Newspaper Book
Published 2017 by Historic Newspapers

This is a must have gift for any Red with a passion for the history of Liverpool Football Club. It will delight the match-going fan as well as those watching from afar and, for any avid collector of memorabilia, it is a treasure trove of memories from the Reds’ glorious history.

This is a hardback delight, the cover deep Liverpool Red, obviously, with gold lettering. It is also big enough to display the newspaper stories, exactly as they would have appeared on the day they rolled off the printing press.

Each issue is stunningly reproduced, complete with advertisements and cartoon serials. These allow you to immerse yourself in the period as you rediscover past glorious and magical stories. In fact opening the book is like discovering a long lost time capsule and you are transported through the ages with every turn of the page.

The journey begins in 1906 and there are further instalments from the 1920s, 30s and 40s, but it from the 1960s onward that the story really takes off. Relive the age of Shankly, told through league title wins and that magnificent first FA cup victory at Wembley. There’s tales of transfer sagas, the rise of Keegan and European glory all told by the journalists of the day.

Then into the 1970s we go and the rise of Bob Paisley, a period of unparalleled glory and the club’s first ever European Cup. A new King emerges in Kenny Dalglish and Bob finally wins the “Micky Mouse cup” three times in a row, as the 70s give way to the 80s.

Here we visit Joe Fagan‘s historic treble winners, Kenny’s double winners, the all Merseyside cup finals and the flamboyance of the John Barnes era. The terrible grief of Hillsborough and the catharsis of the 1989 cup final, that brought a city together, all told by voices from the past.

Turn the pages and stroll into the 90s, a relatively barren period from a trophy perspective, but still littered with drama and intrigue. There’s the FA Cup final win over Sunderland and Graeme Souness’ one and only trophy as manager. Then there’s the turn of Roy Evans with League Cup glory, before the 90s give way to a new millennium and the Houllier years.

Relive the treble season, in picture and text. Images of glorious celebration jump off the pages, as the Reds conquer Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium and bring home the League and FA Cups. Then the greatest UEFA Cup final of all time as Liverpool finally overcome a plucky Alaves side to win 5-4.

Then we say “au revoir” to Gerard and “hola” to Rafa and a new period of magnificent conquest begins. From the eternal joy that was Garcia’s “ghost goal” against Chelsea, in a pulsating semi-final at Anfield, to the historic majesty of the Reds heroic fightback in the Ataturk stadium in Istanbul, we relive every column inch and photo snapped. It really fills the heart to bursting.

Marvel at the Gerrard final and reread the story of Stevie’s single-handed destruction of Alan Pardew’s West Ham, before we descend into the dark days f defeat in Athens and the eventual downfall of Rafa Benitez.

Mercifully we skip the ownership debacles and the brief but painful Roy Hodgson months, and leap instead to King Kenny’s second coming and the return of silverware. Then it’s onto the Brendan Rodgers near miss and the magic and madness of Luis Suarez. You’ll drink it all in, loving every image and pouring over every word.

Finally we arrive in the present day and the age of Jurgen Klopp. The journey from doubt to belief and the memorable fightback against Borussia Dortmund is food for the soul. Then there’s the four goal demolition of Everton and the UEFA cup semi-final victory over Villarreal.

Here the journey, in headlines at least, must end. Of course Liverpool FC’s journey will go on. As Jurgen once said, “History is great, but it’s only for enjoying”. Well anyone leafing through the pages of this book will enjoy every magic moment.

If you have an affinity with Liverpool Football Club, you really shouldn’t be without this little gem. It’s also an ideal gift for the Red in your life.

* You can buy the personalised Liverpool Newspaper Book from Historic Newspapers here. There is also a Deluxe Pictorial Edition available, telling the story of Liverpool Football Club through iconic photographs. 

Historic Newspapers’ full list of Personalised Football Books can be viewed here.