Football 79

round programme when they built on two earlier draws to shock hosts Spain with a 1–0 victory in Valencia. Billy Hamilton set up Gerry Armstrong – both sporting green tracksuit tops with huge Adidas logos in Espana 82 – for the only goal. Hamilton scored twice against Austria in their opening second-round match, but France had grown in confidence as the tournament went on, overwhelming the Irish 4–1 to top Group D.

The French marched on to a semi-final meeting with West Germany, qualifiers at the expense of England from a Group B that produced two goalless draws in three games. A tense encounter finished 3–3 after extra-time before West Germany showed their mettle at penalty shoot-outs. Horst Hrubesch – the two-goal hero in the Europa 80 final – struck the winning kick.

A final against Italy, who had earlier beaten Poland 2–0, awaited. But the Italians’ 1982 World Cup story really begins in the second phase, after a dull first round that saw then sneak through on goals scored at the expense of Cameroon, who were making their first appearance in the finals.

Reigning champions Argentina lost 2–1 to Italy and then 3–1 to Brazil (a match that featured a bushy-haired Maradona being shown the red card), leaving the last match as the decider for semi-final qualification. A draw would have been enough for Brazil and they seemed on course to progress when Falcao made full use of a decoy run to fire past Dino Zoff to make it 2–2 after 68 minutes. By that point in the match, Paolo Rossi had scored twice and he duly completed a hat-trick soon after to give Italy a memorable 3–2 victory.

For the neutrals it was devastating to see the team of Zico, Eder, Junior, Socrates et al. exit the tournament, but memories endure of a side that lit up Spain 82.

Rossi – seen in Espana 82 wearing an older national team jersey to his team-mates as he had only just returned to action following a ban – added a further two goals to his tally in the semifinal victory over Poland.

After a cagey first-half in the final in Madrid, Rossi scored with a header as Italy then went on the rampage. Marco Tardelli’s outpouring of emotion following the second goal was more iconic than the strike itself, while substitute Alessandro Altobelli made the game safe with a third. Paul Breitner’s reply was too little, too late. Winning 3–1, Italy secured their third World Cup and the first of the Panini era.

1982 WORLD CUP

Winners:

ITALY

Runners-up:

WEST GERMANY

Third:

POLAND

Fourth:

FRANCE

Golden Boot:

PAOLO ROSSI (6)

FOOTBALL 84

Liverpool’s neighbours ensured Merseyside took an even firmer grip at the top of English football, while Aberdeen ruled the roost once more in Scotland. Collectors had reason to cheer too, as Panini dished up another timeless classic.

Pre-publicity billed Football 84 as ‘new and improved’, though in many ways this season’s offering was a throw-back to the tried and tested formula used before the renegade full-length player shots of Football 83.

The cover was also similar to previous years, although a Union Jack incorporated into the design meant a slightly smaller action shot – Brighton and Hove Albion’s Gary Howlett and Sheffield Wednesday’s Pat Heard were chosen, from the 1983 FA Cup semi-final at Highbury. Both teams were in the Second Division in 1983–84, suggesting a more egalitarian approach to front page images back then than in more recent times, when only star players will do.

A great new element for 1984 was the stadium pictures, featured as part of the doublepage spreads given to each First Division club. These are even more evocative today as so many of the grounds are no longer in existence. In total, English topflight clubs had 16 stickers each – 13 players, the manager, team group and a foil badge in gold with a silver border.

Scottish Premier Division teams had seven ‘half-and-half’ stickers (13 players, plus the manager), a team group and a badge.

Meanwhile, English Second Division clubs retained shared badge stickers plus an individual team group. There was also a ‘Second Division AllStar Team’ with Portsmouth’s Alan Biley’s latest mullet earning him a place by itself, irrespective of his footballing

Brighton and Hove Albion’s Gary Howlett and Sheffield Wednesday’s Pat Heard got chosen... suggesting a more egalitarian approach to front page images.

ability. Newcastle United’s Kevin Keegan also got in during what turned out to be his final season of professional football.

Other new elements were ‘Collectors’ Corner’ – programme covers from classic matches; ‘First Division Goal Getters’ – nine of the top-flight’s sharpest shooters from the previous season, including Luther Blissett, whose goals earned him a move to AC Milan; and ‘Scottish Strike Force’ – eight of the leading

strikers from 1982–83, two of whom had moved in the summer (Charlie Nicholas from Celtic to Arsenal, and Brian McClair from Motherwell to Celtic).

On the pitch, Manchester United had looked well-placed to win their first league title since 1967 before ending the season with just two wins in their last 10 games. That meant Liverpool could stutter towards the title, winning only two of their last eight league games, as they focused on another European Cup bid.

By contrast, Southampton took 20 points from the last possible 24 to finish second while Nottingham Forest also ended strongly to move above United into third.

A pivotal moment in the league season came on 10 December, 1983 when Coventry City hosted Liverpool in front of the Match of the Day cameras. Nick Platnauer – whose summer 1983 haircut made him look like a member of Kajagoogoo – stunned the visitors with a goal in the opening minute. Terry Gibson then struck a hattrick as Coventry moved into fourth, just three points behind Liverpool at the top.

While Liverpool quickly recovered to stay ahead of the chasing pack, the Sky Blues picked up only 19 points from

At the top of the table, Liverpool striker Ian Rush scored even more goals than the previous season, notching 32 in the league and 47 overall.

their remaining 25 games to eventually finish only two points above the drop zone.

Coventry beat Norwich City on the final day while Birmingham City could only draw with Southampton, resulting in manager Ron Saunders enduring relegation with the Blues just three seasons after winning the title with rivals Aston Villa. Birmingham’s Martin Kuhl had extra cause for regret as his Football 84 sticker was actually an image of team-mate Wayne Mumford. Notts County and Wolverhampton Wanderers – who won only six league matches all season – went down too.

Back at the top of the table, Liverpool striker Ian Rush scored even more goals than the previous season, notching 32 in the league, and 47 overall. Five of those came on one October day against Luton Town in a 6–0 win at Anfield. Remarkably, Tony Woodcock scored five goals for Arsenal on the same afternoon in a 6–2 victory away to Aston Villa.

With new signing Charlie Nicholas playing alongside Woodcock it seemed the Gunners were about to enjoy a goal glut, but it took Nicholas until 27 December to score his first goal at Highbury, by which time manager Terry Neill had been sacked.

Newly-promoted Queens Park Rangers finished as the top London club, which brought manager Terry Venables to the attention of Barcelona, who he joined in the summer of 1984.

There was another change of management in London at the end of the season as Keith Burkinshaw stepped down, despite masterminding his third trophy for Tottenham Hotspur in four seasons.

In general, Britain dominated the European club competitions as six teams reached the semifinal stage. But for some corrupt refereeing in the second leg of the Anderlecht v Nottingham Forest semi-final, it should have been an all-English clash in the UEFA Cup Final. Fourteen years later it was discovered Anderlecht’s former President had bribed the referee to help the Belgian club overturn