Midway through the 1986/87 season the shocking news was announced that Ian Rush was leaving Liverpool to join Juventus for three million pounds at the end of the season. At the time this was very upsetting and devastating news for Reds fans, imagine how you would feel if you woke up tomorrow and saw the headlines that Gerrard or Carragher were leaving Liverpool. That gives you a rough idea how it felt back then with the news about Ian Rush going to Italy.
So the speculation naturally began as to who would replace Rushie. I don’t think anyone genuinely believed it was possible to be honest, which just added to the pain and worry. A few names were bandied about in the press including Mark Hateley whose father Tony played for Liverpool in the 1960’s. Also linked was Charlie Nicholas of Arsenal, who a few months later went on to score the winner against Liverpool in the League Cup Final. An interesting fact about that particular match is that it was the first occasion in which we lost a game when Ian Rush had scored first. In January 1987 the speculation was over when Kenny Dalglish signed a Scouser who was also an Ian Rush look-alike, it was our man John Aldridge. He was signed from Oxford United on January 27th 1987 for £750,000.
Aldo grew up on Merseyside as a huge Liverpool fan, spending many hours standing on the Kop cheering on his heroes. He was a great footballer at school and my dad and his brothers actually played against him in school matches. Due to lack of money for proper boots, my dad used to play footy wearing his dad’s old hobnail boots that were two sizes too big. One time in a game involving Aldo playing for a rival school team, my dad went to kick the ball and his boot flew off hitting the referee in the head, knocking him unconscious. What made the incident even funnier was that the referee was also my dad’s school headmaster!
John Aldridge didn’t turn professional until he was almost twenty-one after plying his trade in non-league football for South Liverpool. He played for Newport County and then Oxford United with an outstanding goal scoring record at both clubs and at Oxford he had the fantastic achievement of a goal every 1.25 games.
The end of the 86/87 season was quite depressing for Liverpool fans. We finished the season without winning a trophy. The league title was won by Everton, we lost in the League Cup Final and Ian Rush moved to Italy. Things could only get better but I don’t think even the most optimistic Kopite could have predicted just how much better things were about to become. The double signing of Peter Beardsley from Newcastle United and John Barnes from Watford was a masterstroke from King Kenny in the summer of 1987.
The opening day of the 87/88 season was a sign of things to come as we beat Arsenal at Highbury two-nil with goals from Aldo and Steve Nicol. I’ve said this many times before and I will say it again now, this was the best Liverpool team I have ever witnessed. It wasn’t just the twenty nine game unbeaten streak it was the way we played. It was a joy to watch the skill, especially from Barnes and Beardsley as we just outplayed everyone we came up against. Memorable victories that season include the Barnes one man show against QPR and the famous five – nil against Nottingham Forest. Aldo went on to score twenty six goals in thirty six games to help drive us to our seventeenth league championship.
The only blip on the season came right at the end with the 1988 FA Cup final against Wimbledon. Aldridge had scored both goals in the semi final win against Nottingham Forest and going into the final we were the overwhelming favourites. I remember the night before the match I was talking about it with my dad and he was so confident he predicted a five – nil win for Liverpool. We listened to the ‘Anfield Rap’ which was our cup final song that year and got in the mood for the next day which would surely end in a second double for Liverpool. Unfortunately The Crazy Gang had other plans. Vinny Jones instantly made his intentions clear when he whacked Steve McMahon hard from the kick-off and after that we never really managed to get into the game. I haven’t seen it since watching it live but from memory there were only two moments in the match in which I can recall us threatening to score. The first was a disallowed goal from Peter Beardsley when the referee had already blown for a Liverpool free kick and didn’t play the advantage. The second big moment is one of the most famous in football history when John Aldridge had a penalty saved by Dave Beasant. It was the first penalty ever to be missed in an FA Cup Final. A goal from Lawrie Sanchez was enough to give Wimbledon the trophy and stop us winning a second double in three years.
Heartbreak was soon turned into excitement in the summer of 1988 when Ian Rush made a surprising return from Juventus after spending only one season in Turin. Speculation soon mounted as to who would be the preferred strike partnership with Aldridge and Beardsley both assumed to be competing to partner Rush. Most people predicted it would be Aldridge who would make way for Rush as it was thought that Aldo and Rushie were too similar and wouldn’t play well together. However this was wrong and people forgot they had already played well together in the second half of the 86/87 season. It was actually Aldridge who had the more successful season as Rush took a long time to really get his form back after a bad season with Juventus. Starting with two goals in the Charity Shield win against Wimbledon, Aldo went on another goal scoring streak while Rush spent long periods on the bench.
On the 15th April, 1989, ninety-six Liverpool fans died at Hillsborough during the FA Cup semi final against Nottingham Forest. The tragedy deeply affected the entire city of Merseyside and the players themselves. The entire team was absolutely devastated and local born players such as Aldridge and Steve McMahon were affected in an even deeper way having been supporters themselves. After a number of weeks without play the difficult decision was made between the club and the bereaved families to continue with the season and try to win in honour of those who had died.
Aldridge scored in the replayed FA Cup semi final to set up the second ‘all Merseyside’ FA Cup final of the 80’s. It was the perfect final for this time as supporters of both teams came together. On Merseyside lots of families, including my own, contain both Blues and Reds. It was a terrific game, Aldo opened the scoring and Rush came off the bench to score twice in extra time and win the trophy for Liverpool in a three- two victory. Liverpool may have won the cup but the real winner that day was the city of Merseyside as the fans and players truly did themselves, the ninety six and the entire city proud.
Unfortunately a second double was cruelly denied for a second successive season as Arsenal grabbed two late goals at Anfield to steal the title on goal difference. The second goal from Michael Thomas came in injury time with virtually the last kick of the season. I remember the game was on a Friday night and the most abiding memory I have of that night was my dad’s extreme anger when he returned from his weekly darts match at the pub.
The following season Rush was fully settled back into the Anfield groove and early in the season Liverpool accepted an offer of one million pounds for Aldridge from Real Sociedad. In true Aldo style he bid his adoring fans a fond farewell, coming off the bench to score a penalty in front of the Kop in the 9-0 destruction of Crystal Palace in September 1989. At the final whistle an emotional Aldridge repaid the supporters for their support by throwing his boots and shirt into the crowd. The next day he became the first non-Basque player ever signed by Real Sociedad.
Aldo was a huge hit in Spain and became a big favourite with the Sociedad fans. He scored thirty three goals in sixty three games before moving back to Merseyside with Tranmere Rovers in 1991. He made an instant impression at Prenton Park and scored a club record forty goals in his first season.
It was while he was at Tranmere that Aldridge was involved in one of his most famous moments. It took place in Orlando, Florida during the 1994 World Cup in the USA. With Ireland trailing 2-0 to Mexico in the final group game, manager Jack Charlton tried to send Aldridge on as a substitute but was delayed by an official's sluggishness. Aldo and Big Jack both launched into expletive-laden tirades which were clearly heard by television viewers. When Aldo was finally on, after 6 minutes of trying, he scored a goal to give Ireland a chance to get back into the match. Despite losing the game 2-1, Aldridge's goal was crucial in securing qualification for the second round as they went through on goal difference.
In 1996 he became player-manager at Tranmere before hanging up his boots in 1998. While he was manager he led Tranmere to some memorable runs in cup competitions. In 2000 they reached the League Cup final where they put up a tremendous fight eventually losing to then Premiership side Leicester City. The following season Tranmere beat Southampton in one of the greatest comebacks and giant killing acts in FA Cup history. Down 3-0 at half time they came back to win 4-3. They were eventually knocked out in the quarter final 4-2 by Liverpool who were on the way to winning the treble. Unfortunately at the end of the season Tranmere were relegated to Division Two (now Division One) and Aldridge resigned as manager.
After leaving Tranmere he began a successful broadcasting career and he now co-commentates on Liverpool games and mans the phone in after the games for Merseyside radio station Radio City. His commentary during the 2005 Champions League final was brilliant entertainment as he forgets all professionalism and becomes a fan once again.
Although he only spent two seasons at the club, John Aldridge will always be fondly remembered for his contributions and goals. It’s actually hard to believe it was only two seasons when you consider just how much impact he had. His 26th place in the ‘100 Players Who Shook The Kop’ series is proof of this. He is one of the greatest goal scorers British football has ever produced with a record of 474 goals in 882 games and I’m proud that he is also a Scouser and a great ambassador for Merseyside.
