Introducing Treble Week Over the course of the next five days we will be celebrating the heroic achievements of Joe Fagan's treble winners, from a narrow Milk Cup success over neighbours Everton right through to title number 15 and that unforgettable shoot-out win against AS Roma in their own backyard. We will take a detailed look back at all the matches in that trophy-laden campaign courtesy of Alan Kennedy's exclusive diary, while we will be speaking to some of the other heroes of '84 as well as some of the game's most distinguished journalists. We're also asking for your thoughts on that sensational season and will be publishing the very best of your comments. There's this and plenty more in our week of glorious nostalgia so make sure you don't miss out!
Profile Of Smoking Joe Fagan Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley are lauded as the greatest Liverpool managers of all-time, but what of Joe Fagan? Here we pay tribute to British football's first treble-winning boss. It was almost inevitable that the successor to Bob Paisley's reign as Reds boss would come from within the confines of the club's famous Bootroom. It was an evolution that had served Liverpool so well when Shanks handed over the reins to Paisley and it would continue to do so under the leadership of Joe Fagan. A quiet and effective worker behind the scenes, Joe's succession to the Anfield throne was the logical step after he had risen through the ranks under Paisley after Shankly resigned back in 1974. While many observers felt it was an easy job to take over a well-oiled winning machine like Liverpool FC, Fagan was faced with some serious decisions on taking charge and needed all his experience to ensure he did not upset the apple cart. To put it simply, events had transpired that meant he could not simply take on Paisley's side and hope it would continue to win trophies. The Reds had lost the inspirational Graeme Souness to Sampdoria and with other first-team regulars beginning to wane it was clear that astute transfer moves were needed. Fortunately for Liverpool, Fagan was up to the task. Kevin MacDonald and Jim Beglin, who both did their respective jobs with distinction, were brought in as well the then unfamiliar face of Danish player Jan Molby. Molby went on to become a Kop hero, a cultured player of rare quality, and it is testament to Fagan's years of accumulated experience that he could see the enormous potential in the midfielder. Following Paisley and the impressive range of trophies secured under his tenure was never going to be an easy task. But it was a challenge Fagan more than rose to, leading the Reds to the league, European Cup and League Cup treble. Under Fagan the Reds played with a cool, calculating efficiency, with every part functioning in balance and harmony. Few would doubt that if history had not intervened, he could well have gone on to win another major honour in his final season. After securing a place in a fifth European Cup final, and with a side tipped by all but the Juventus fans to win, he had every reason to be optimistic. But after the appalling crowd violence and the meaningless deaths of Italian supporters in the crumbling and inadequate Heysel Stadium in Brussels, his retirement was overshadowed by tragedy. It was a sad end for a quiet and unassuming man, who did the club a great service. He must always be remembered for it. In his later years he would often show up at Melwood and offer advice to a fellow bootroom graduate, Roy Evans, who always had time to listen to the words of wisdom Fagan had to offer. As the years wore on he began to suffer from a long illness, from which he eventually died in July 2001, at the age of 80. A fine Reds manager and a true Bootroom great. Joe Fagan - You'll Never Walk Alone.
Souness - Our Greatest Season Ever "It annoys me when people claim Manchester United were the first team to do a treble because we did it in 1984." -Graeme Souness-