Welcome to Beesotted Reloaded – a series of podcasts, YouTube videos and articles where we take a look back on the most exciting, unusual and memorable periods in Brentford Football Club history.
In this three-episode series of Beesotted Reloaded, Brentford legend Allan Cockram joins us to look back to the year 1988, when Third Division club Brentford FC were set to embark on their most exciting cup run in over half a century.
It was the season that Brentford reached the final eight of the prestigious FA Cup and were only ninety minutes away from a historic semi-final at Hillsborough.
In this episode, we listen to the players’… the managers’… and the fans’ memories from Brentford’s trip to the FA Cup Quarter Final at Anfield, Liverpool.
Ex Bees Allan Cockram. Terry Evans. Richard Cadette all feature on this podcast as we recall the Man City and Blackburn FA Cup matches.
Plus we hear from fans Clarkey, Paul Jamison, Gary Smith, Steve Bordeaux Bee Lewis, Gary Scammell, Greville Waterman, Monty, Blondie, Steve Horowitz, Jo Whelan and Colin the South Coast Bee in this episode.
Beesotted have produced a series of articles, YouTube videos and podcasts on the 88/89 FA Cup run which you can check on Beesotted.com, PrideOfWest.Londonand Beesotted1992 YouTube.
You can catch the article for Rounds 1, 2 and 3 (Halesowen, Peterborough and Walsall) here
👉🏼👉🏾 https://beesotted.com/beesotted-reloaded-brentfords-fa-cup-88-89-cup-run-rounds-1-2-and-3/
And you can catch the article for Rounds 4 and 5 (Man City and Blackburn) here
This article and the accompanying podcast, covers Brentford’s 80’s background and the first three rounds of the 88/89 FA Cup run.
Enjoy
Billy Grant
THE MATCHES
FA Cup Quarter Final (Round 6)
Date: Sat 18th March 1989
Opposition: Liverpool
Venue: Anfield
Result: Liverpool 0 Brentford 4
Crowd: 42,376
Goalscorers (for Liverpool): McMahon (15), Barnes (62), Beardsley (79,82)
Liverpool Kop v Brentford FA Cup Quarter Final 1989. Photo – Legends Publishing
Liverpool were flying high in The Premier League sitting in 4thplace at the time of the match – behind Millwall and Norwich – with Arsenal topping the league.
It was the season where they were literally one kick away from winning the title. Kevin Campbell infamously scored for Arsenal with literally the last minute of the match between the teams who occupied first and second place on the final day of the season to snatch the title from Liverpool.
There was no European football for English teams as they were on a ban due to the Heysel disaster.
Before Brentford’s visit, Liverpool has won their previous three matches against Charlton, Middlesbrough and Luton with an aggregate score of 11-0.
They had also dispatched Hull 3-2 in the previous round of the FA Cup.
Players in the Liverpool squad include Bruce Grobbelar. Alan Hansen. Steve Nichol. Steve Staunton. John Barnes. Ray Haughton. Steve McMahon. Jan Molby. Ronnie Whelan. John Aldridge. Peter Beardsley and Ian Rush.
Brentford fans en route to Liverpool. FA Cup Quarter Final 1989. Photo – Legends Publishing
The pre-match build-up had reached fever pitch in the run up to the match. On the day, 7,000 fans in a convoy of coaches made their way up the M1 to Liverpool.
Brentford came out the traps quick and Richard Cadette was inches away from putting Brentford ahead in front of the kop early on before McMahon put Liverpool ahead.
Brentford put up a good battle and could have equalised on a number of occasions. But once John Barnes scored the second with an outstanding individual goal. Liverpool took command of with the match. Peter Beardsley’s two late goals gave Liverpool a scoreline that flattered them.
Keith Jones. Brentford v Liverpool, Anfield. FA Cup Quarter Final 1989. Photo – Legends Publishing
The Bees left the pitch to a massive ovation from both sets of fans. To this day, Brentford players talk in awe about receiving a rousing round of applause from the legendary Kop end.
Brentford player at Liverpool FA Cup 89 Final Whistle. Photo – Billy Grant
Liverpool went on to win the FA Cup that year – beating Everton 3-2 in the final after beating Nottingham Forest in a semi-final that as rescheduled after the first match at Hillsborough was stopped when fans were tragically crushed due to overcrowding as a result of poor policing.
The Players
Richard Cadette: “I was gutted as I wanted to draw Wimbledon as we would have beate them. We badly missed Simon Radcliffe. I should have scored. But Liverpool’s class took over. They were fantastic on the day.”
The Fans
Brentford fans at Liverpool. FA Cup Quarter Final 89. Photo – Billy Grant
Gary Smith
I went to all the cup matches. Took the coach to Liverpool. Got slightly delayed on the motorway. Then it was a mad rush across Stanley Park to the ground.
I was unable to get a programme as we were told the programme seller had collapsed in the programme hut whilst we were queuing. I still don’t have one to this day!!!
Abigail Hadjigeorgiou
This was the first Brentford game I ever went to. I was a student at Liverpool University and my boyfriend was a massive Brentford fan – having been taken to Griffin Park by his friend’s dad, Ron Griffin, from a young age.
I can’t remember exactly how we got there but I do however remember a decent stop in the pubs prior to the game and being desperate to utilise Anfield’s facilities on entry.
Although supporting Brentford, we had tickets in the Liverpool end and stood on the legendary Kop surrounded on all sides by a sea of red shirts and Scouse ‘taches.
It became pretty clear to all around us that we were supporting the visitors as each time Liverpool found the back of our net, we remained silent and unmoved.
Still, letting in four against the ultimate winners of the trophy that year and a team two divisions above us, was not to be sniffed at. Nowhere near as bad as the 9:0 battering they would inflict on Crystal Palace later that September.
The famous Scouse humour was much on show from:
“….ehh lads, we got some Brentford fans here.…”
to, at the end of the game,
“…..you were a bit unlucky there laaa, 3-1 would have been fairer….”
Although it all started that Saturday in Scouse-land, it certainly didn’t end there.
My boyfriend became husband and thirty years down the line I’m a fully-fledged, Ealing Road Terrace chanting, season ticket holding Bees fan.
Brentford fans at Liverpool. FA Cup Quarter Final 89. Photo – Billy Grant
Liverpool away was the loudest I ever heard us. I just remember that every house had a burglar alarm on it.
A great day with my old man.
Jo Whelan
The queue for the tickets wrapped all the way around Griffin Park, down Brook Road South and past the New Inn. It was horrendous.
We got the Official Unofficial bus – a double decker bus. It was a fantastic atmosphere travelling up the M1 with all my mates in a great mood.
All aboard the Official Unofficial double decker to Liverpool. Liverpool v Brentford FA Cup Quarter Final 89. Photo – Billy Grant
I can’t remember too much from the match except the miss from Richard Cadette. If he had scored it would have been a different game.
The one other lasting memory I had was the noise inside the stadium. It was amazing. I have never heard anything like it. Not even at Wembley.
When we left Liverpool and looked behind us and saw the line of 49 coaches, it looked unreal
Monty
I found out we had beaten Blackburn when I was travelling in America. I was in Madison, Wisconsin when my sister called and told me that we were playing Liverpool in the next round.
I immediately bought a plane ticket back to London and made my way up to Manchester. Saw the Waterboys. Then made my way over to Liverpool via Ken Dodd’s Knotty Ash.
As for the match. It was never a 4-0 game. Maybe 2-1 to Liverpool would have been fairer. It would have been lovely to have got a result for me to tell my mates as I got older that I saw Brentford in an FA Cup semi final. But it wasn’t to be
Brentford fans at Liverpool. FA Cup Quarter Final 89. Photo – Billy Grant
Blondie
It was great to see 6000 fans travelling up to Anfield. One thing that sticks out in my mind. Half way through the first half, a woman with ginger hair walked past the away end. Her hair was cut like Cilla and we all started chanting ‘Cilla’ at her.
The result didn’t go out way but we got a great reception from the Liverpool fans
South Coast Bee
Brentford fans onboard the Official Unofficial Double Decker Bus to Anfield. FA Cup Quarter Final. Liverpool v Brentford. Mar 89. Photo – Billy Grant
This was our cup final. Everyone and their families booked up for this.
Boarded BillytheBee’s Double Decker bus wearing my commemoration double decker bus FA Cup t shirt.
As we were approached Liverpool, something shattered the top windscreen. We were hoping the driver would have sorted the window while we were at the game. But no he didn’t.
I was absolutely freezing on the way home
But what a great day regardless
Kenny Raymond
What a brilliant day. Got on the double decker London bus at something like 6.30am. There were loads of faces on there. Everyone was completely gone by 8 o’clock in the morning. Dancing. Signing.
The song “A message to you Rudy” by The Specials sticks in my head because it was played on the stereo so many times. Every time I hear that tune it reminds me of the Liverpool game.
The thing about that coach as fun as it was, it was a slow coach. It took forever to get there. And when we did get there, Brentford got hammered.
But it was a fantastic day regardless
Went with my old man and my uncle and parked in some pub car park. I had a ticket for our end with my old man and my uncle had some kind of hospitality. We got kept in after the game and ended up in the police escort. At a junction, all our fans turned left whereas I had to carry straight on right past this pub full of evil looking scousers.
I absolutely sh!t myself and got to the car park. My old man and uncle were not there yet and I had to endure all these little scallies on their bikes giving me loads of hassle – threatening to Stanley knife me right up.
My old man and uncle turned up about 20 mins later I nearly killed them.
Oh and my f***ing inflatable bee burst
Brentford fans at Liverpool. FA Cup Quarter Final 89. Photo – Legends Publishing
Will always remember that Liverpool trip. Travelled with an old school friend who has now sadly died.
As we drove towards Liverpool, we passed lots of cars flying Brentford colours. We may have lost but we played well.
I went to every game of that run…except Anfield!
Clarkey
We were one nil down for 65 minutes or so. In the end, 4-0 was a heavy defeat but The Bees played well.
The Brentford fans did themselves proud and the Liverpool Kop End clapped Brentford off after the match.
Ben Kemp, @benkemp_uk
I was the mascot for the Liverpool game
Paul Holland, @DomaineValescia
A nine year scallywag came up to us as we parked car and said something twice that I couldn’t understand. My mate did and gave him £5.
After the game he was sitting on roof of the car crossed legged protecting it
Beesotted Reloaded Part 1 – Rounds 1, 2 and 3 (Halesowen, Peterborough, Walsall)
Article 👉🏼👉🏾 https://beesotted.com/beesotted-reloaded-brentfords-fa-cup-88-89-cup-run-rounds-1-2-and-3/
Beesotted Reloaded Part 2 – Rounds 4, 5
(Man City, Blackburn)
Article 👉🏼👉🏾 https://beesotted.com/beesotted-reloaded-brentfords-fa-cup-88-89-cup-run-part-2-man-city-blackburn-rounds-4-5/
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