Phil Thompson

A well respected figure within the world of football and no less than iconic within the realms of Anfield, Phil Thompson’s devotion to Liverpool Football Club is unprecedented.

As a player he achieved First Division Championship 1972/73, 1975/76, 1978/79, 1979/80, 1981/82 and 1982/83, FA Cup 1974, League/Milk Cup 181 and 1982, European Cup 1978 and 1981, UEFA Cup 1973 and 1976, Charity Shield 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980 and 1982 and The European Super Cup 1977.

Totaling 477 1st team games with Liverpool and 41 international caps while at the club, Thompson left Liverpool finally in 1985 for Sheffield United, before coming back to Anfield a year later as reserve team manager.

We caught up with Thommo and asked his views on the game today.

What are your thoughts on the current Liverpool squad?
“I think Rafa has built a terrific squad. At the moment the way we play, I don’t think the squad is big enough though. Although the first team is squad is strong I think the rotation system is putting too much faith in the second team. We have 14-15 strong players at the moment compared to the likes of Man Utd who have maybe 19. I think Rafa needs the backing of the owners and with the right cash we can get another 3-4 players, which is what the team needs. It’s the minor details that have cost us vital points. The squad are still able to put good runs together but we can’t afford to lose another 2 games.”

Do you think Benitez’ priority is The Premiership or The Champions League?
“All the right noises have been made by the camp and I think The Premiership is important to Rafa, but I think the Reading game shown his priorities lay with The Champions League. We basically surrended that game with 20 minutes to go. Bringing Gerrard and Torres off shown they were being protected for the Marseille game.
I know Rafa wants to win The Premiership, but not as much as the fans do.”

If Benitez was not the Manager who would you choose? Mourhino ?
“ I wouldn’t want to see Rafa go. He’s a top class manager and has a big impact on the club. Even though he has lot’s of experience he is still learning. You can never know it all. He has had a big impact with Liverpool this season and I think next season will bring titles. No doubt Mourhino is also a great manager.”

What are your thoughts of Everton’s proposals to move to Kirkby?
“ As a Kirkby lad I’m passionate about my town. The majority of Everton fans are against the move because they think it’s out of the city. I find that embarrassing, no doubt they’d tell me to keep my nose out! But growing up in Kirkby and as a lad I’ve always regarded Kirkby as being in Liverpool?, it’s only 10 minutes from Goodison.
However, as a resident I would be against it. There’s been a lot of comments about how it will bring a lot to the town. I think it will have a massive impact, but not all good. Kirkby is only a small town and I wonder how it would cope with a huge number of people on match days and the aftermath following a game. It will also have a bad effect on residents, especially the new build housing estates on what used to be Brookfield. Some residents could face losing sixty or seventy thousand on there house, its not right”

What are your thoughts on Liverpool, Everton and groundshare?
“Definitely not. Liverpool has a lot of tradition and a lot of history. I was brought up being proud of my team. There has been many changes to the game which the fans have had no control of, match days, kick off times, all seater stadiums…but groundsharing doesn’t work. A pitch can’t take a game every week, you only have to look at Santero”

When you brought the European Cup back in 1981, it apparently went missing, and it was your fault. Where did it go?
“ Back to The Falcon in Kirkby! Before we went I promised the lads in the pub I’d bring it back if we won. When we got back we did the bus tour around Liverpool and afterwards I put the cup in the back of my Ford Capri! Not a Baby Bentley, or Maserati! My 3 litre Capri was luxury then! I took it The Falcon that night and everyone had there photos took with the cup, and we celebrated to the early hours. Before I left that night I’d promised everyone I’d bring the cup back on Monday morning so the kids could have there photo took aswell.
At the time Peter Robinson was the Chairman. He called me the next morning, I was suffering with the worst hangover, and he asked me did I know where the cup was? Apparently, he thought it had been left on the back of the bus when it went back the depot! Being manager at the time is was my responsibility to take of it! Peter told me to make sure it was back at Anfield by 9:00 am on the Monday, the press would be there for photo’s.
11:00 am Monday morning I remember I was still in The Falcon! I’d promised everyone? Obviously in them days mobile phones weren’t out. There was a massive queue at the pay phone while everyone was calling around Kirkby to say  ‘the cup is in the falcon!”
I eventually got back to Anfield at 12, with the cup, the world press had been waiting for 3 hours….they weren’t pleased”

When you were banging your hands on the window in Istanbul, did you stop because your hands hurt !?
“ That was a very proud moment for me. I remember I was in the Sky Box with Ray Wilkins and Luca at the time. I’d got my sons tickets for the game, and ironically they were sat right outside the box window. I just lost it shouting. Afterwards I had to apologise to Ray and Luca. Only Liverpool could have done what they did that day, especially in European football. A very proud moment”

Do you think it’s healthy having foreign owners?
“ No I don’t. I think you have to understand the culture of the club. The way it was. I know David Moores and English shareholders did that. Though in the modern game investment is important if you don’t want to lag behind, so you have to keep up. I think the new owners have to believe in the culture, heritage and history of the club. Not just win but understand it will be here in a 100 years from now. The owners are only the custodians there to serve. Liverpool Football Club will always belong to the fans.”

Which ex players do you still keep in contact with?
“ Most of them, really, though I do see Sammy Lee a lot”

Any who you don’t speak to? Why?
“ Graeme Souness. Being sacked as coach was an upsetting time, having that taken away from me. Especially for my sons. That decision was personal and not professional. If he had come to me and told me I was no good at my job, fair enough. But he didn’t. I was sacked because of a rumour”

Is it true Robbie Fowler kicked a ball at your head? If so Why?
“ Me and Robbie get on well, still do. There was no hard feelings. It was at the training ground. We used to have 4 large nets with about 10 balls in each. They get kicked around everywhere, but after training the players would leave them all over the place for the staff to pick up. It was a discipline thing, more out of respect. At the end of traing the players were asked to put the balls in the back of the net, they were all kicking them in and one just hit me, that’s all. It could have hit anyone. We know Robbie can be a bit hot headed and wouldn’t apologise. It was sorted out though, we still get on well now”

Choose from the following…Flames or The Living Room? Gerrard or Dalglish? Sky or BBC?
“ Flames, Dalglish and Sky”

First published in magazine issue - January 08