Ian Callaghan v. The Liverpool Reserves

How do you make a Liverpool supporter smile? Well, winning the league would certainly keep us grinning nonstop for a good year or more, but on Sunday, March 9th in it was two Liverpool legends and two-dollar pints that did the job. Not a glum face in the house.

Along with the other members of the Greater Boston LFC Supporters Club, I’d been eagerly awaiting Ian Callaghan’s visit to The Phoenix Landing--the Cambridge pub where we gather weekly for matches and pints--since September when the idea of hosting an Ian Callaghan Night first arose. Now we were gathered, about seventy-five of us, clad in Liverpool jerseys and scarves, sipping our specially-priced Carlsbergs, discussing the legend soon to arrive.

Callaghan played for Liverpool from 1960 until 1978. He holds the record for most club appearances at 857. This record will likely never be broken. These days if a player reaches five-hundred appearances at one club, we’re amazed.

Callaghan played under two legendary managers, Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley, earned a healthy collection of honors including the most prestigious titles: five League, two FA Cup and one European Cup. For all his appearances he only ever received one booking.

And while we waited for Mr. Callaghan’s arrival, another legend slipped into our ranks, unnoticed at first.

“Who’s that?” said regular Carl, reaching for his pint of Carlsberg, a beer he normally hates. “He looks familiar.”

I turned, expecting to see the face of one of those occasional fans who only show up for the Arsenal and Manchester United matches--the Liverpool supporter’s equivalent of Christmas and Easter, with about as much praying. But it was Steve Nicol, a versatile Liverpool mainstay from 1981 until 1995, now the head coach of the New England Revolution.

“How’d we get Steve Nicol here?” asked Jamie, another regular.

“I asked him,” grinned Brighton Pete. Calling Pete a regular might be putting it mildly. We all looked at Pete in bewilderment. He shrugged. “See: I do things!” Apparently, this had been in doubt.

As Ian Callaghan walked in with Kevin Treanor, co-owner of the Landing and lifelong Liverpool supporter, I wondered if I was in the middle of some sweet footballing dream. Liverpool were doing well in the League and Europe (there’d been frustrating patches in both) and I was in my favorite pub clutching a pint and standing between two Liverpool legends. Any minute I was sure to wake up, I’d be alone in the pub, we’d be losing to Derby County and the kegs would be kicked. Thankfully, I never woke up.

Mr. Callaghan began to mingle and shake hands. He was modest and personable, pausing for pictures and thanking us for having him. Socializing carried on for a good hour or so, then Kevin and Roy Yates, of the US Liverpool Supporters Club, introduced the evening. First highlights from classic matches were shown on the televisions. These included classic FA Cup finals against Leeds (1965) and Newcastle (1974) as well as a memorable FA Cup semifinal against Everton (1971) all featuring Mr. Callaghan as a part of top-form Liverpool sides.

The most memorable part of the night was probably the question and answer session where about every question coaxed a poignant memory from the man of the night, carrying us back to past days of Liverpool glory. A time before most of the spectators that night had started following the club.

Callaghan shared anecdotes about choosing Liverpool over Everton though the Reds were then a league below; asking Bill Shankly to talk to his father who didn’t think Callaghan should give up an apprenticeship to play football; playing against George Best; and facing Inter Milan in the historic 1965 European Cup semifinals. And we soaked it all up with glee.

“Who was the greatest player you ever faced and who was the greatest side you ever faced?” asked Marty, resident Scouser.

George Best was the answer to the first part. As Callaghan thought a moment about the second, Pete yelled out, “The Liverpool reserves!” Referencing the classic Shankly quote:

There are only two teams in Liverpool; Liverpool and Liverpool reserves.

“Yes!” said Callaghan quickly. “The Reserves. I’ve always liked that answer.”

The the structured part of the evening ended with Callaghan helping our club president, Eric, with a raffle which included two sets of tickets to the upcoming home match against Everton.

Both Callaghan and Nicol continued to nurse pints and socialize with us deep into a very memorable evening. After a few beers it almost felt like these might be two regular members of our club, just hanging out after watching a match with us. But looking around I could see the glow on all my fellow supporters faces and those irradicable smiles. We were carousing with greatness and we all knew it. Now, who else is going to waltz in when we someday host Steve Nicol Night? Robbie Fowler?