There is no doubt that the 1980s represented the city of Liverpool's zenith as a global footballing capital.
Liverpool FC and Everton have both enjoyed their eras of successes - the former in particular. But the 1980s was the period when both Merseyside clubs dominated in the same decade.
The red half of the city won seven league titles, two European Cups and two FA Cups from 1979-80 to 1989-90. Not to count multiple League Cups. The blue half prospered too. Everton won two leagues, an FA Cup, League Cup and Cup Winners Cup in that span.
A City On Its Own
But it's interesting to note, attendances dipped at Anfield and Goodison Park during that golden era. Because off the pitch, the city struggled under the yoke of Thatcherism.
Indeed, the term "managed decline" appeared to be the unofficial government policy. Stereotypes were also applied to the city, which fed into the outside media coverage of events like Heysel and Hillsborough.
"It sounds barbaric, the mere words being written out"@Simon_Hughes__ tackles the term "managed decline" which was applied to Liverpool during the Thatcher era w/@teamthirtythree @Raftastico @JHiggins3
The full interview on 'There She Goes': https://t.co/dtkbPu8xww pic.twitter.com/9utzOWpRzt
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) November 21, 2019
That "long decade" is the essential time period of a new book by The Athletic's Merseyside correspondent Simon Hughes. There She Goes: Liverpool, A City on its Own: The Long Decade: 1979-1993 reveals the social and political history of Liverpool during a difficult period for the city.
He joined Jonathan Higgins and I on Team 33 this week to discuss the book.
"Amazingly the people I was speaking to at Liverpool didn't have contact details for Jurgen Klopp's representatives"
The Athletic's Simon Hughes tells @teamthirtythree's @raftastico @jhiggins3 the inside story of #LFC's Klopp appointment
Full interview: https://t.co/dtkbPtQWEY pic.twitter.com/H8BYCC9XAz
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) November 21, 2019
And he also touched on his own small role in Liverpool's appointment of Jurgen Klopp.
You can watch the full interview above via YouTube. Or you can listen in below or via iTunes:
