Alternative Football History Part IX – Only Liverpool banned from Europe! 1989/90
This is the fifth and final season of this particular ‘Alternative Football History’ in which I write about what would have happened if only Liverpool were banned from European football in the 1980’s.
Several clubs missed out between 1985 and 1990 because of a five year ban on all English clubs after Liverpool were involved in the tragic Heysel Disaster at the 1985 European Cup Final. Aston Villa and Manchester United were the first to return to Europe in the 1990/91 season. Liverpool were given an extra year ban and returned in the 1991/92 season.
This is a look at what would happen to Arsenal, Everton and Nottingham Forest if they qualified for Europe in the 1989/90 season.
Arsenal dramatically beat Liverpool to the league title thanks to a goal in the final game of the season from Michael Thomas. The two sides played each other at Anfield; Thomas scored in the final seconds to give Arsenal their first championship in 18 years and they qualified for the European Cup.
Everton qualified for the Cup Winners Cup despite losing 3-2 in the FA Cup Final to Liverpool, who were still banned from European football. Nottingham Forest completed the English trio in Europe by qualifying for the UEFA Cup after finishing third in the First Division.
Champions Arsenal began their European Cup campaign away to Maltese side Sliema Wanderers. A 3-0 convincing win thanks to a double from Paul Merson and a late Perry Groves header was followed up with a 6-0 win at Highbury.
Alan Smith scored a first half hat-trick in the return leg before Tony Adams, Briaan Marwood and Paul Merson completed the rout.
In the Second Round, Arsenal were drawn against Greek champions AEK Athens. They made hard work of the first leg at Highbury, having fifteen shots at goal and finally breaking the deadlock on 89 minutes after Alan Smith nodded in a Brian Marwood corner. Lee Dixon scored a penalty in the second leg to give Arsenal a 2-0 aggregate win.
In the Quarter Final, Arsenal faced their biggest test. Bayern Munich were their opponents and sadly the German side progressed to the semi final. The first leg at Highbury ended goalless and two goals from Alan McInally gave Bayern a 2-0 win in the second leg in West Germany. Arsenal’s European adventure was over for but they would had some great performances, the most notable being the 6-0 win over Sliema.
Everton began their Cup Winners’ Cup campaign in sensational style, hammering Irish side Cork City 13-0 in the First Round.
An 8-0 win in the first leg at Goodison Park ended Cork’s hopes before a 5-0 win a fortnight later.
Mike Newell, Tony Cottee, Stuart McCall and Ian Snodin both scored twice in the first leg before Cottee grabbed all five in the second leg.
Real Valladolid were Everton’s Second Round opponents and the Spanish side raced into a three-goal lead in the first leg in Valladolid. Gabriel Moya scored twice and Jesus Hidalgo added a third in first half stoppage time.
Tony Cottee and Stuart McCall gave Everton a lifeline with goals in the second half as Valladolid rather naively went out to get a fourth goal. They should really have shut up shop and defended their three-goal lead but instead conceded two away goals that would prove vital in the second leg.
A single goal from Mike Newell at Goodison Park was enough to send Everton through on away goals after the tie ended 3-3 on aggregate. Everton had now reached the Quarter Finals and Italian side Sampdoria lay in wait.
Sampdoria won the first leg at Goodison with an excellent show of counter attacking football. The 2-0 scoreline didn’t do the performance enough justice, with goals from Attilio Lombardo and Roberto Mancini.
Everton couldn’t break down the stubborn Sampdoria defence in the second leg which ended goalless. Like Arsenal, Everton dropped out at the Quarter Final stage.
Meanwhile in the UEFA Cup, Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest were disappointing and went out in the Second Round.
Despite winning 2-1 on aggregate in the First Round against Scottish side Hibernian, a solitary goal from Karl-Heniz Riedle in the first leg against Werder Bremen knocked them out of the competition. Clough was irate after French referee Michel Girard refused to give a penalty for a clear foul on his son Nigel in the second leg in Bremen.
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