13 LFC Timelines

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LFC Timelines

A new series celebrating the Liverpool FC dates that matter. Next up: Post-war Anfield attendances



27 December 1949 58,757 v Chelsea (drew 2-2)

Nearly seven decades on this remains Liverpool FC's highest league home attendance of all time, beating a previous Anfield high of 57,561 v Middlesbrough the previous season (1948/49). The Reds, featuring stars like Billy Liddell, Bob Paisley and Albert Stubbins, were top at the time but ultimately finished eighth.

2 February 1952 61,905 v Wolves (won 2-1)

Sill LFC's highest home attendance for an FA Cup tie, it eclipsed a previous tournament record at Anfield of 61,036 for another fourth-round clash, against Tranmere Rovers in January 1934 (our Mersey neighbours had switched that tie from Prenton Park). On the day the Reds beat the Wolves 2-0, Bob Paisley getting the first goal.



8 April 1963 56,060 v Everton (drew 0-0)

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A goalless Monday-night draw between Bill Shankly's Reds and Harry Catterick's Blues attracted the highest attendance for a league derby at Anfield. Of LFC’s top 40 home league attendances 13 have been for a Merseyside derby, with three in the top 10: this one and 55,994 in February 1939 and 55,975 in October 1972.



28 April 1973 56,202 v Leicester City (drew 0-0)

28 Apr

The highest Anfield league attendance during the Shankly reign. The occasion: the clinching of an eighth top-flight title and Liverpool FC's first for seven years. The Sunday Express reported: 'It marked the crowning of a new side, champions every one of them, with soaring hopes of a new era of achievement'.



14 April 1976 55,104 v Barcelona (drew 1-1)

Anfield's highest-ever European attendance – higher than St Etienne (53,043 in March 1977), Inter Milan (54,082 in May 1965) and Celtic (54,208 in April 1966). For this UEFA Cup semi-final second leg the pitch was graced by the late, great Johan Cruyff and the draw put LFC through to the final, 2-1 on aggregate.



12 October 1977 50,850 Wales v Scotland (Wales lost 2-0)

This World Cup qualifier was actually a home tie for Wales switched to Anfield in expectation of a big, big crowd. In the end it felt more like a Scotland home game, with the Spion Kop swathed in tartan as home-boy Kenny Dalglish sealed victory for the Scots with a header three minutes from time.



12 February 1980 50,880 v Nottingham Forest (drew 1-1)

12 Feb

Anfield highest League Cup gate, back in the days when Cloughie's Forest had the hoodoo over Paisley's Reds. The first leg had finished 1-0 to Forest but LFC had then won 2-0 at the City Ground in the FA Cup before this second leg came along. No wonder nearly 51,000 crammed into Anfield, but Forest still went through.



3 May 1980 51,841 v Aston Villa (won 4-1)

3 May

This was the last 50,000-plus attendance at Anfield before the recent Main Stand expansion, and those lucky enough to be there saw Liverpool FC secure the old league championship in style, scoring four times after going behind. It was the second year running that the Reds took the title by beating Villa on home ground.



27 November 2011 45,071 v Manchester City (drew 1-1)

27 Nov

One of five late-2011 Anfield league attendances that just exceeded the 45,000-mark (the others were against Manchester United, Sunderland, Queens Park Rangers and Swansea City). Together they constituted the top Premier League-era gates at Anfield prior to this season. Incidentally Mario Balotelli was sent off for City late on.



26 September 2015 44,228 v Aston Villa (won 3-2)

26 Sep

The highest Anfield gate for last season, 2015/16, rather curiously. Maybe it was to see James Milner score his debut goal for LFC; or perhaps it was to witness a brilliant Daniel Sturridge brace: a left-footed volley and a precise right-footed shot into the bottom corner after a one-two with Philippe Coutinho.



10 September 2016 53,075 v Leicester City (won 4-1)

10 Sep

LFC’s first 50,000-plus attendance for 36 years, courtesy of the stunning Main Stand expansion which has added 8,500 more spectators and even more atmosphere to Anfield. It seemed to do the trick, with the Reds beating the reigning champions emphatically with four excellent goals in the September sunshine.