|
Replacing a man who had scored 207 Liverpool goals in just over six
seasons was never going to be an easy task for anyone. But when
Liverpool paid Oxford United £750,000 for the services of John Aldridge
in January 1987, thus ending a long search for a replacement for the
Juventus-bound Ian Rush, it soon became clear that not only had the Reds
signed a Rush lookalike, they had signed a Rush scorealike as well.
Although the Liverpool-born Irish forward would have to wait until the
1987-88 season to become a first-team regular, the few appearances he
did make in the latter stages of the 1986-87 season were enough to
ensure the Kop faithful that there would be life without Rush - a goal
in a 2-2 draw against Southampton in his first appearance at Anfield
merely a sign of things to come.
The 1987-88 season could not have got
off to a better start for 'Aldo'. A goal in the opening league match
against Arsenal was followed by strikes in the next eight games,
including a hat-trick (2 penalties) in a 4-0 drubbing of Derby County,
as a new look Liverpool side - John Barnes and Peter Beardsley had also
been signed from the proceeds of the Rush sale - started the season in
confident fashion. So impressive were Liverpool, in fact, that by the
time they eventually lost their first match of the season to Everton 29
games into the campaign, the title was all but secured.
However, while
26 goals in 36 league matches proved that Aldridge certainly knew where
the net was, his first full season wasn't to have a happy ending. A
missed penalty at Wembley against Wimbledon in the 1988 FA Cup final
contributed to a shock 1-0 defeat and left John with the somewhat
dubious honour of becoming the first player to miss a penalty in the FA
Cup final. Worse was to follow for 'Aldo' when it became clear that
Rush, who had endured a disappointing season in Italy, was to return to
Anfield in time for the new season. However, while pundits mused that
this may well spell the end of Aldridge's Liverpool career - it was
suggested that the two players were too similar to form an effective
partnership - clearly nobody had told John himself.
It was the Welshman
who started the season on the bench as Aldridge once again started the
campaign in scintillating form, grabbing a brace in Liverpool's 2-1
Charity Shield victory against Wimbledon, and a hat-trick in an opening
day 3-0 win at Charlton. Despite continued rumours that Aldridge and
Rush couldn't play well together, manager Kenny Dalglish persisted with
the partnership for much of the season, with John often outshining his
strike partner to finish the season with 21 goals in 35 league games.
Although the Reds would eventually miss out on the league title that
season after agonisingly losing 2-0 to Arsenal thanks to a last minute
Michael Thomas goal in the final match title decider - a result that
left Aldridge inconsolable at the final whistle - there was joy in the
FA Cup, Aldo opening the scoring as the Reds' defeated Everton 3-2.
However, with Rush by now once again finding the form that had made him
such a hit during his first spell at Anfield, Dalglish decided to accept
a £1.1 million offer for Aldridge from Spanish club Real Sociedad at
the beginning of the 1989-90 season. His Liverpool career would finish
as it had started: with a goal. With Liverpool already 5-0 up against
Crystal Palace on 12th September 1989, Peter Beardsley offered to be
substituted so that sub Aldridge could take a penalty that had just been
awarded. Aldo duly scored and Liverpool went on to win 9-0. It was
John's 63rd goal in just 104 matches for Liverpool. After a successful
stint in Spain, Aldridge returned to Mersyside in 1991 with Tranmere
Rovers, a side he would later go on to manage. (David Fuller).
|