23 years ago, exactly 35 days after Hillsborough, Liverpool met Everton in the FA Cup Final at Wembley to contest the second all-Merseyside final in 3 years.
Ian Rush scored twice (again) as the mighty Reds walked away with the trophy.
That day, Liverpool and Everton fans walked together down Wembley Way singing ‘Merseyside’ and there seemed to be a sense of unity and togetherness between the two.
Yet, 23 years on, the mood between both sets of fans could not be any different. The bitterness has risen up considerably since that sunny London afternoon and in two weeks when we both meet again one day short of the 23rd anniversary of the disaster, a quite fitting event could turn nasty.
Its’ hard to figure out where all of this bitterness and hatred started. Or is it? It is no secret that some of our blue brethren still hold resentment for what happened on that tragic night in Brussels in 1985. But, the resentment doesn’t stem from the fact that 39 innocent people died. The resentment stems from the fact that Everton were denied the chance to compete in the European Cup as English champions in 1986. Denied the chance to take on the giants of Europe, some of Everton’s best players left for the continent despite another league title arriving in 1987.
Throughout the 90’s, there was hardly any mention of Heysel. There never seemed any resentment. It seemed as though the fans of both sets of clubs in that time knew the damage that the slurs of Hillsborough did to the city. However, as the world moved into a new millennium and new managers began to take to the dugout at each club, the bitterness and jealousy rose. Liverpool began to win trophies again, whilst Everton continued to win relegation battles.
Then, Everton looked north of the River Ribble and gave a fairly unknown Scotsman a call. David Moyes was given the managers job and from that moment on, the fairly volatile Evertonian’s began to gather and shout. It was just over 10 years ago that Moyes was unveiled to the waiting press.
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It was then that he added unnecessary fuel to a fire that was already burning away on the County Road. He proclaimed that Everton were ‘The Peoples Club’ – insinuating that the majority of Liverpool locals were Evertonian’s and that almost nobody outside of Merseyside supported the blues. The Norwegian branch of the Everton supporters club disagreed with this but what does it matter if some points were scored over the ‘Red’ side’?
When Everton were knocked out of The Champions League at the hands of Villarreal in2005 a new wave of conspiracy theories were written up. When Duncan Ferguson’s header was disallowed by Pierluigi Collina, it ensured that the Toffees were dumped out of the Champions League in the blink of an eye.
But, instead of looking in the mirror and blaming their own failings (for instance, getting outplayed at home), Moyes and co chose to place the blame at the feet of the referee. In an interview with an English radio station, the Everton manager said that Uefa had used ‘Warm Balls’ to stop 5 English sides entering the group stages of that season’s Champions League. And all of this was because Liverpool were European champions that year.
So when both sides meet at Wembley in 2 weeks time, there will be no love lost. Although is it surprising? No, it isn’t. But is the manner of the vitriol surprising? To an extent, yes. In the age of Sky Sports football, greed and jealousy are top of some fans agenda. And even though there were ‘Justice For The 96’ banners when Everton played Manchester United at the same venue in 2009, I’m not expecting the same thing on the 14th of April. Football has changed for the worst, and so has our rivalry with Everton. And I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that it will only get worse.
You can find me on twitter @Robbie_OR or you can also read more of my work at http://ballsoutinpublic.wordpress.com/category/robert/
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Well written. Have been a Norwegian Evertonian for more than 30 years, married to a Liverpudlian, and it’s sad to know that the friendly derby has changed to this bitter game between two sets of great fans. I just wish they could all clean their plate and start fresh – I hope to once again proudly sitting next to my wife watching the friendly derby, hopefully in the near future.
I am a blue and brother is a red, both of us will be sitting together in the everton end. We dreamed of this as kids, watching the 87 and 89 cup, now we get a chance to do it for real.
In any event, we both get a chance to fulfill our dream of watching the teams we both love, play each other at wembley. COYB!
Pretty one sided opinion around where the “bitterness” in the relations between the two clubs has developed over the past 20 years. Think both clubs could do a lot more to build the bridges that have been burnt..
Pretty one sided . I hve never known such bitterness as displayed by Liverpool fans in 1985 when Kendall’s team won the league and Benitez’s ‘ small club’ comment has also conveniently been forgotten
To suggest David Moyes is responsible for the friction just shows the lack of responsibilty taken by your club and supporters over the years. Do you remember Hughes jibes from the Town Hall steps ? The “who knocked Everton out of Europe – Liverpool” jokes after Heysel. Get some balance.
One sided article…not a wrong word said about Liverpools part in the so called bitter rivalry.
If you look at some of the new breed Liverpool supporters they are even more bitter towards Man Utd, but in terms of football have been no where near them in 20 odd years.
Alternatively, it could be the advent of one eyed, needlessly partisan user generated content on the internet that’s stoked these apparent fires of hatred. Stuff like this article, for example.
Have a word, son.
Terrible article,so one sided,just efc fans that are bitter?dont think so.as soon as everton became a threat in the eighties the liverpool fans couldnt handle the competition,emilyn hughes daft singing about the everton are tragic thing didnt help
As an Evertonian with Anfield season ticket-holding brothers I can quite assuredly say that Liverpool are happy to promote friendly rivalry until Everton start winning. At that point all manner of nonsense comes out.
Neither side has done itself favours in the last 20 or so years, but to say ‘it was them what’s to blame’ shows an acute lack of understanding, maybe even wilful ignorance, of a relationship that is dysfunctional and one that Liverpool FCs representatives are at least equally responsible for. For every ‘people’s club’ there’s a ‘small club’ (Benitez post failing to win an Anfield derby in around 2007), obviously your editor must have cut that out prior to your publishing this?
when did Everton start winning?
For a century before Liverpool started and then again before Liverpool fans got us banned from Europe and caused our decline with antics off-field when they couldn’t beat us on the field. Is there anything else, blindingly obvious that you require educating about?
Kopite in “blame someone else for something else” shocker.
In other news, fish swim.
Sure it’s not because of the 20 or so sendings off in these games over the last few years and all the controversy? From Fowler and Unsworth in 97, Gerrard,Westervald,Jeffers 99, Kyrgiakos,Piennar 10 then all the trouble surrounding the Rodwell sending off and all the others! Everton taking ex-United players! Think the players have created the bitterness not the fans or managers!
As a blue, I hope we can get back to a friendly rivalry and I think it’s moving in that direction, I disagree that its getting worse.
I think Dalglish has respect for Everton and that helps from a blue perspective. While there will always be bitter blues there will always be bitter reds too. Certainly Moyes has too much respect for you in his tactics – when will we ever a go?!
The vast majority of blues have solidarity with you on the 96. It’s not as keenly felt & it never could be, but it’s definitely felt so don’t be surprised to banners in support.
Here’s to a great game without a referee spoiling it! COYB!
Terrible piece, ‘since the turn of the new millennium Everton continued winning relegation battles’. Give your head a wobble soft lad, since Moyes took charge only one season could you even remotely consider as a ‘relegation battle’. As an above comment rightly states, articles like this with an obvious undertone of dislike, don’t help matters. Very poor.
Well thats it then , its all David moyes fault . Unbelievable . you say it could turn nasty , only stupid one sided posts like yours could help that become a reality . you are always the victims its never your fault .
Amazing. All the tensions exist between Liverpool is all down to Moyes! Talk about myopia. Reflect on Heysel, the ambulance chasing of Alan Smith etc. But no. Koppites always want to be seen as the victim never the culprit. Against this backdrop to attribute Moyes’s use of the “people’s club” as responsible for bad blood is simply laughable. You really are fast becoming the premiership’s version of Milwall – “no one likes us we don’t care”. Its not just Evertonians who don’t like you.
Having watched Everton through all our winning 80’s and the success that Merseyside enjoyed, for me personally the rot set in when grEmlyn Hughes gave that chant at a JOINT celebration. Since then our success has wained, but jealousy had never led to bitterness until Benethus started his small club crusade, and then this was combined by very poor and one-sided refereeing decisions…Kuyt two footed challeneg on Neville, Gerrard penalty and getting Hibbo sent off (Gerrard clearly trips himself), Carra rugby tackle on Lescott, no penalty…far too many CLEAR bad decisions ALL in Reds’ favour combined with Reds’ supporters total refusal to accept that there was anything wrong with any of those decisions, makes me, honestly, absolutely hate Liverpool now with a vengeance! But I don’t hate their fans as they’re fellow Scousers and family and friends, so now answer that conundrum!
That was only one match. It happened in several matches, not least of which was the referee saying he blew the whistle for full time just before the ball crossed the line for an Everton winner, when it can clearly be seen that, although hurrying, he didn’t get the whistle to his lips before the ball crossed the line. I agree with other posts though. Liverpool’s attitude that it is never their fault is making them the most hated team in the premier
Liverpool fan/writer in, writing from his Red perspective, on a Liverpool fansite, for Liverpool fans, accused of one-sided view from Blues, shock.
Imagine that…
Funny thing is…why so many Blues on a Liverpool fansite? Or is it? ;)#obsessed
Because it flags up on the Newsnow Everton site!!!!! And after reading the title of the article I thought it may have been a well balanced piece on why we no longer have solidarity under the Merseyside banner. How wrong could I have been?
Turns out its just another dig at Everton and its fans. And you call us bitter and obsessed, you need to take a long look in the mirror
Reel ’em in boys…I think we’ve caught a few nibbles…
Ah, that old chestnut. You win the internet for making people type stuff, well done.
File it next to the kit deal.
Wow you really are a moron. Check out Newsnow/Everton. If you can read
As I remember there was a similar article once written in When Skies Are Grey – similar but from a Blue perspective. As I remember it also varied inasmuch as it explored faults on both sides. I read it using my Toffee – coloured glasses so I may be wrong. Would be interesting to see it linked here if anyone’s got the wherewithal. But this was tripe.
What a load of crap, think you Liverpool fans should look closer to home, the latest breed of Liverpool fans seem to be the bitter ones not Everton fans
I remember winning our semi and reaching Wembley when we heard of the the events at Hillsborough. The celebration stopped euphoria disappeared. Every Blue shirt was worried sick about mates and family. We were all trying to reach relatives to get the latest news that was unravelling, No joy just a sick feeling in the pit of our stomachs and yes, plenty of tears for all those who lost their lives. No bitterness, We all walked down Wembley Way, Red and Blue together Proud of our joint hertitage. Articles like this do neither set of supporters any favours. I am Scouse and Proud and Blue, And will join arm in arm with the Reds to sing “Merseyside, Merseyside” to show the world we are brothers united in football
Just one more comment, I was Proud of Liverpool football Club and their supporters for the way they reacted to the Rhys Jones tragedy. Sometimes life events overtake rivalries. Lets show the world what Scousers are really like and join together again to prove that WE are collectively the greatest supporters on the planet