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Scotland midfielder John Wark joined Liverpool in March 1984 in a £450,000 transfer from Ipswich Town, where he had begun his professional
career in 1975 and won the FA Cup in 1978 and the UEFA Cup in 1981. He
made his Liverpool debut on March 31, 1984, scoring in a 2-0 League win
at Watford, and went on to play another eight League games that season,
scoring one more goal, as Liverpool wrapped up their third successive
championship. John, however, suffered the disappointment of missing out
on a medal as he had not played sufficient games and his late transfer
also meant he was ineligible to play in either the League Cup or
European Cup finals, two trophies which Liverpool won that season to
complete a unique treble. Playing in his accustomed attacking midfield
role, the 1984-85 campaign was to prove Wark's most successful at
Anfield.
His late runs into the penalty area and accurate shooting
proved a lethal combination and he ended the season as Liverpool's top
scorer with 27 goals in all competitions (from 56 appearances), even
finishing ahead of legendary striker Ian Rush. Particularly memorable
was a hat-trick that John notched as Liverpool destroyed West Brom 5-0
at The Hawthorns, whilst the moustacheioed midfielder also found the net
twice in League wins against West Ham (3-0), his former club Ipswich
(2-0) and Coventry (3-1). In the FA Cup there was another treble as York
City were thrashed 7-0, but only in a 5th round replay after the
'Minstermen' had surprisingly held the Reds to a 1-1 draw at Bootham
Crescent, whilst the goals continued to flow in Europe as well,
including three more as Liverpool saw off Polish side Lech Poznan 4-0 at
Anfield. However, despite Wark's goalscoring feats, Liverpool failed to
win a trophy that season, finishing runners-up to local rivals Everton
in the League and losing 1-0 to Juventus in the tragic European Cup
final at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels.
The 1985-86 season saw
increased competition for midfield places at Anfield as Jan Molby and
Steve McMahon joined an already impressive squad. Molby's passing skills
and McMahon's tough tackling complemented each other well in
Liverpool's midfield, meaning far fewer opportunties for Wark, who
played only nine League games that term (thus missing out an a
championship medal for the second time), scoring three goals. John's
season ended prematurely in April 1986 when he broke a leg, forcing him
to watch from the sidelines as Liverpool completed the League and FA Cup
double for the first time in the club's history and there was further
disappointment when he also missed Scotland's trip to the World Cup in
Mexico that summer. Wark marked his return from injury by scoring twice
in Liverpool's 10-0 hammering of Fulham in a League Cup tie on August
23, 1986 but, with Molby and McMahon still the dominant pairing in
central midfield, he was unable to hold down a regular first team place
and made only 11 League apearances in 1986-87, although he still managed
to show his nose for goal by netting five times.
Now out of favour at
Anfield, Wark didn't make a League appearance in 1987-88 and he was
transferred back to Ipswich for £100,000 on January 4, 1988. In total
he made 108 senior appearances for Liverpool, with the prolific return
of 42 goals. (Martin Greensill)
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