The very last kick

The outcomes of some football matches are like…. made in Heaven. Look at Liverpool’s truimph over AC Milan and Man Utd's recovery against Bayern Munich. Truly remarkable and unbelievable.

For me, the mother of all football folklore had to be Arsenal’s win over Liverpool on May 29, during the 1988-89 season. The win was to be as dramatic as any Hollywood script.

It came down to the last match of the season, between the first and second sides of the then First Division. Graham, the Bung adopted a sweeper system that denied space that the Liverpool so craves for. I remember the pace in that match was so bloody relentless.

Seven minutes into the second half, lanky Alan Smith scored. With 90 minutes almost up, right-back Dixon cleared the ball and passed to Smith. He lobbed it for the rushing Michael Thomas to score the most dramatic goal in English league history. Thomas even evaded two challenges, let Grobbelaar commit, then flick to score.

Wow... Arsenal got to win by two clear goals...they did it...at the last match of that season and with the final kick. I don’t think any gooner could sleep that night. I didn’t.