1977–78 Liverpool F.C. season


It was to be a season of contrasts for Liverpool F.C. as they retained the European Cup, following a 1–0 victory against Club Brugge in the final at Wembley in London and winning the European Super Cup by beating Hamburg, who included Kevin Keegan in their side Seven-One on aggregate with a Six-Nil Second Leg win at Anfield.
However, in both the Football League and the Football League Cup they would end as runners-up to newly promoted Nottingham Forest managed by Brian Clough. The replay of the Football League Cup Final would prove very controversial with a penalty which decided the match, followed by a disallowed goal when it was adjudged that Terry McDermott handled the ball.
Liverpool manager Bob Paisley bought Kenny Dalglish from Celtic for £440,000, a record transfer fee between British clubs. Dalglish went on to score 20 goals in the league and 31 in all competitions, including the winner in the European Cup Final. Realising that Ian Callaghan was nearing the end of his career at Liverpool, the club also spent £352,000 on Graeme Souness from Middlesbrough.
However, Callaghan's final season started with a call up to the England squad, and would play in the match against Switzerland on 7 September 1977 under new manager Ron Greenwood. It was to be his first cap since playing in the 1966 FIFA World Cup finals against France.
Terry McDermott's emergence would also see him make his debut in the same match with Ray Clemence, Phil Neal, Emlyn Hughes and Ray Kennedy also playing as well. Kevin Keegan also played in the match, making it seven current and former Liverpool players in that game.

Squad

Goalkeepers

Results

First Division

DateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendanceReport 1Report 2
20-Aug-77 Middlesbrough A 1–1 Dalglish 31,000
23-Aug-77 Newcastle United H 2–0 Dalglish McDermott 48,267
27-Aug-77 West Bromwich Albion H 3–0 Dalglish Heighway Case 48,525
03-Sep-77 Birmingham City A 1–0 R. Kennedy 28,239
10-Sep-77 Coventry City H 2–0 Fairclough Dalglish 45,574
17-Sep-77 Ipswich Town A 1–1 Dalglish 29,658
24-Sep-77 Derby County H 1–0 McDermott 48,309
01-Oct-77 Manchester United A 0–2 55,109
04-Oct-77 Arsenal A 0–0 47,110
08-Oct-77 Chelsea H 2–0 Dalglish Fairclough 40,499
15-Oct-77 Leeds United A 2–1 Case 45,500
22-Oct-77 Everton H 0–0 51,668
29-Oct-77 Manchester City A 1–3 Fairclough 49,207
05-Nov-77 Aston Villa H 1–2 Own Goal 50,436
12-Nov-77 Queens Park Rangers A 0–2 25,625
19-Nov-77 Bristol City H 1–1 Dalglish 41,053
26-Nov-77 Leicester City A 4–0 Fairclough Heighway Dalglish McDermott 26,051
03-Dec-77 West Ham United H 2–0 Dalglish Fairclough 39,659
10-Dec-77 Norwich City A 1–2 Thompson 24,983
17-Dec-77 Queens Park Rangers H 1–0 Neal 38,249
26-Dec-77 Nottingham Forest A 1–1 Heighway 47,218
27-Dec-77 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 1–0 Neal 50,294
31-Dec-77 Newcastle United A 2–0 Thompson Dalglish 36,456
02-Jan-78 Middlesbrough H 2–0 Johnson Heighway 49,305
14-Jan-78 West Bromwich Albion A 1–0 Johnson 35,809
21-Jan-78 Birmingham City H 2–3 Thompson R. Kennedy 48,401
04-Feb-78 Coventry City A 0–1 28,965
25-Feb-78 Manchester United H 3–1 Souness R. Kennedy Case 49,590
04-Mar-78 Chelsea A 1–3 Neal 35,550
08-Mar-78 Derby County A 2–4 Fairclough Dalglish 23,413
11-Mar-78 Leeds United H 1–0 Dalglish 48,233
25-Mar-78 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 3–1 Case Dalglish 27,531
01-Apr-78 Aston Villa A 3–0 Dalglish R. Kennedy 40,190
05-Apr-78 Everton A 1–0 Johnson 52,759
08-Apr-78 Leicester City H 3–2 Smith Lee 42,979
15-Apr-78 Bristol City A 1–1 Heighway 31,471
18-Apr-78 Ipswich Town H 2–2 Dalglish Souness 40,044
22-Apr-78 Norwich City H 3–0 Own Goal Fairclough 44,857
25-Apr-78 Arsenal H 1–0 Fairclough 38,318
29-Apr-78 West Ham United A 2–0 McDermott Fairclough 37,448
01-May-78 Manchester City H 4–0 Dalglish Neal 44,528
04-May-78 Nottingham Forest H 0–0 50,021

FA Charity Shield

FA Cup

DateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendanceReport 1Report 2
07-Jan-78 Chelsea A 2–4 Johnson Dalglish 45,449

Football League Cup

DateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendanceReport 1Report 2
30-Aug-77 Chelsea H 2–0 Dalglish Case 33,170
26-Oct-77 Derby County H 2–0 Fairclough 30,400
29-Nov-77 Coventry City H 2–2 Fairclough Neal 33,817
20-Dec-77 Coventry City A 2–0 Case Dalglish 36,105
17-Jan-78 Wrexham A 3–1 Dalglish 25,641
07-Feb-78 Arsenal H 2–1 Dalglish R. Kennedy 44,764
14-Feb-78 Arsenal A 0–0 49,561

Final

Nottingham Forest
Red shirts/White shorts/Red socks		0-0
Liverpool
White shirts/Black shorts/White socks
Manager: Brian Clough
----
Team:
1 Chris Woods
2 Viv Anderson
3 Frank Clark
4 John McGovern
5 Larry Lloyd
6 Kenny Burns
7 Martin O'Neill
8 Ian Bowyer
9 Peter Withe
10 Tony Woodcock
11 John Robertson
Substitute:
12 John O'Hare
----
Scorers:
None
Half-time:
0–0
Competition:
Football League Cup
Date:
15.00 GMT Saturday 18 March 1978
Venue:
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance:
100,000
Referee:
Pat Partridge
Match rules:
90 minutes.
30 minutes extra-time if necessary.
Match replayed if scores still level.
One named substitute.
Report
Manager: Bob Paisley
----
Team:
1 Ray Clemence
2 Phil Neal
3 Tommy Smith
4 Phil Thompson
5 Ray Kennedy
6 Emlyn Hughes
7 Kenny Dalglish
8 Jimmy Case
9 Steve Heighway
10 Terry McDermott
11 Ian Callaghan
Substitute:
12 David Fairclough
----
Scorers:
None

Final Replay

Nottingham Forest
Yellow/Yellow shorts/Yellow socks		1-0
Liverpool
Red shirts/Red shorts/Red socks
Manager: Brian Clough
----
Team:
1 Chris Woods
2 Viv Anderson
3 Frank Clark
4 John O'Hare
5 Larry Lloyd
6 Kenny Burns
7 Martin O'Neill
8 Ian Bowyer
9 Peter Withe
10 Tony Woodcock
11 John Robertson
Substitute
12
----
Scorers:
  • John Robertson
Half-time:
0–0
Competition:
Football League Cup
Date:
19.45 BST, Wednesday, 22 March 1978
Venue:
Old Trafford, Manchester
Attendance:
54,375
Referee:
Pat Partridge
Match rules:
90 minutes.
30 minutes extra-time if necessary.
Match replayed if scores still level.
One named substitute.
Report
Manager: Bob Paisley
----
Team:
1 Ray Clemence
2 Phil Neal
3 Ray Kennedy
4 Tommy Smith
5 Phil Thompson
6 Emlyn Hughes
7 Kenny Dalglish
8 Jimmy Case
9 Steve Heighway
10 Terry McDermott
11 Ian Callaghan
Substitute
12 David Fairclough
----
Scorers:
None

European Super Cup

First leg

Second Leg

European Cup

DateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendanceReport 1Report 2
19-Oct-77 Dynamo Dresden H 5–1 Hansen Case Neal Kennedy 39,835
02-Nov-77 Dynamo Dresden A 1–2 Heighway 33,000
01-Mar-78 Benfica A 2–1 Case Hughes 70,000
15-Mar-78 Benfica H 4–1 Callaghan Dalglish McDermott Neal 48,364
29-Mar-78 Borussia Mönchengladbach A 1–2 Johnson 67,000
12-Apr-78 Borussia Mönchengladbach H 3–0 Kennedy Dalglish Case 51,500

Final