They say every fan has one moment in football that makes them truly realise why they love the game and why they love the club that they do.
Those that were Anfield on the 7th February 1984 whitnessed one of, if not the greatest night in Walsall Football Club’s history.
The Saddlers were flying high in Division Three under the stewardship of Alan Buckley but no one in world football gave us a prayer in the Semi-Final as we faced the greatest team in the world.
For any youngsters reading this it’s like Lincoln City going to Manchester City now and giving them a game. For those that were there say that we were unlucky not to beat Bob Paisleys side that night.
I am talking as if I was there, unfortunately I wasn’t born until a year later (I’m graced to have a middle name as Alan, I’m still sure my dad gave it me because of B-U-C-K-L-E-Y)
An own goal from Phil Neal and Kevin Summerfield sent over 10,000 Saddlers fans home jubilant and confident that they could reach the final of a major cup.
On the thirty-fifth anniversary since that night we shared the goals on our Twitter and Facebook pages and received so many great memories from that night. Memories which we can embrace and try to grasp what that night would have felt like.
Here are a few….
Against the Champions of Europe to be… https://t.co/yQVsaBXE9c
— 🇵🇸 Richard Hall 🇵🇸 (@HallyMk1) February 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/anandshukla200/status/1093570189332004864?s=21
https://twitter.com/papah6969/status/1093574002679914496?s=21
What a night!! Aged 16 bunked off school behind the goal Row B with my Dad in my Parker coat. #UTS https://t.co/Fxt1JMNgG1
— Mark Boden (@markandliz1) February 7, 2019
Still remember everything about this 35 years on. What a night and what a team. https://t.co/OBeIxczaJr
— Paul Davis (@pd4right) February 7, 2019
What a great night that was. Drawing (should have won) against the best team in the world at the time. https://t.co/dSsXn8S8xe
— Bryn 96.5% (@bryn1970) February 7, 2019
What a night that was never forget it uts
— Trevor cockayne (@TrevorCockayne) February 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/saddler1972/status/1093583138700382213?s=21
I was only 3 so memories of this bar my dad's stories. But was saying to someone recently, this was possible back then. Now Burton v Man City ends up…. well the way it did. Gulf used to be big but not insurmountable.
— Michael Beardmore (@MickeyBeardmore) February 7, 2019
What a night that was for a young 11 year old kid my 2nd away game
— Keith Fisher (@HappySaddler) February 7, 2019
My first away game not a bad place to start, missed the second leg and the wall collapse as parents went and we only had two tickets 😩#UTS!⚽️
— Lee Allen (@snappedlv426) February 7, 2019
One of the best nights ever 🔴⚪️UTS
— Jason (@jksaddler) February 7, 2019
Still one the finest evenings of my life (Although I was only 14 at the time!) https://t.co/VdHvZMmSmk
— retepnotnats70 (@retepnotnats70) February 7, 2019
My dad's last game following Walsall such fond memories
— 🇬🇧Kev🏴 (@WS8KEV) February 7, 2019
Proud I was there … Kev Summerfield equaliser … a coach that has recently retired from Derby …….. https://t.co/hS7T1E8ie3
— David Fieldhouse (@DavidFieldhous4) February 7, 2019
I was there. Behind the goal when Kev lobbed in equaliser. What a night.
— Neal Keeling (@NealkeelingMEN) February 7, 2019
My first away game #walsallfc https://t.co/vyzlTe4av0
— Jason Broadhurst (@Fobba1988) February 7, 2019
Ran the Champions of Europe ragged. A night that will be with me forever.
Where did those 35 years go?— Darren Fellows (@dazfellows) February 7, 2019
My dad still tells me how Liverpool fans chanted “Walsall, Walsall, Walsall” and demanded our return to the pitch at full time so everyone inside Anfield could appreciate our efforts that night.
The Saddlers lost the second leg due to a Souness masterclass but for one night in 1984 the Saddlers were on top of the world.
I guess the way football is now we will never see another night like that but stranger things have happened and I still live in hope that supporting the mighty reds will give us a night like that again.
