Twenty years ago, football witnessed the most riveting finish in the history of the league, so riveting that throughout this season, in every match-day programme, Arsenal have returned to the “Spirit of 89”, interviewing anyone and everyone involved on May 26, 1989 at Anfield. This is the moment, as told by those who made it . . .
Alan Smith: We had to beat them by two clear goals [to pip them to the title] and that sounded impossible given Liverpool’s home form. At training, Bob Wilson [the goalkeeping coach] came out and said: “Cheer up, lads, this is the week we’re going to win the league.” We all looked at him as if he’d gone mad.
Niall Quinn: In fairness to George [Graham, the manager at the time], in the team-talk before the game he virtually said: “We don’t want to go one up too early.” He said: “Nil-nil half-time will do fine, then we’ll get one and then, please God, in the last five-ten minutes we’ll get a second.” Of all the things that were said that night, it happened.
Graham: I thought we’d win 3-0, by the way. This is what I told the boys. I had to lift them. When you are in charge of a team, you have to believe anything is possible. I told the lads before the game: “Never mind what’s in the media that we’ve got to come flying out of the traps. That’s nonsense. Make sure we don’t concede.” So I said: “Make sure we come in at half-time at 0-0 if we don’t score. Then in the next 20 minutes of the second half, we will score and that will make Liverpool nervous.”
Paul Merson: George said we would win 2-0. I thought: “What’s he on?” I am a gambler and as a betting man I wouldn’t have bet on it. Liverpool had not lost in 18 games since January 3, only three of which had been drawn. Along with Milan they were the best team I ever played against.
Michael Thomas: I believed it. I believed him. I knew what the players were capable of. We weren’t frightened of Liverpool and George had it all planned out. It was a masterstroke.
Brian Marwood: I never saw any fear in the dressing room that night. Sometimes you look in players’ eyes or you can smell there is doubt in the air, but there was a freshness and steely determination, a belief that they could do something special.
Alan Smith: We had to beat them by two clear goals [to pip them to the title] and that sounded impossible given Liverpool’s home form. At training, Bob Wilson [the goalkeeping coach] came out and said: “Cheer up, lads, this is the week we’re going to win the league.” We all looked at him as if he’d gone mad.
Niall Quinn: In fairness to George [Graham, the manager at the time], in the team-talk before the game he virtually said: “We don’t want to go one up too early.” He said: “Nil-nil half-time will do fine, then we’ll get one and then, please God, in the last five-ten minutes we’ll get a second.” Of all the things that were said that night, it happened.
Graham: I thought we’d win 3-0, by the way. This is what I told the boys. I had to lift them. When you are in charge of a team, you have to believe anything is possible. I told the lads before the game: “Never mind what’s in the media that we’ve got to come flying out of the traps. That’s nonsense. Make sure we don’t concede.” So I said: “Make sure we come in at half-time at 0-0 if we don’t score. Then in the next 20 minutes of the second half, we will score and that will make Liverpool nervous.”
Paul Merson: George said we would win 2-0. I thought: “What’s he on?” I am a gambler and as a betting man I wouldn’t have bet on it. Liverpool had not lost in 18 games since January 3, only three of which had been drawn. Along with Milan they were the best team I ever played against.
Michael Thomas: I believed it. I believed him. I knew what the players were capable of. We weren’t frightened of Liverpool and George had it all planned out. It was a masterstroke.
Brian Marwood: I never saw any fear in the dressing room that night. Sometimes you look in players’ eyes or you can smell there is doubt in the air, but there was a freshness and steely determination, a belief that they could do something special.
