Gary McAllister
In a nostalgic recollection, Gary McAllister shared a humorous yet poignant memory of being asked to leave Goodison Park by the late Everton chairman Bill Kenwright. This occurred following Liverpool’s dramatic last-minute victory over Everton in the Merseyside derby, a match made famous by Sadio Mane’s decisive 94th-minute goal in December 2016.
Gary McAllister said: “We were in (Goodison) after a game once, I think it was when Mane did it as well. Five or six seasons ago, he scored a last-minute winner too. Bill Kenwright walks in (to the lounge after the game) and Kenny (Dalglish), Ian (Rush), and myself were all stood together. He says, ‘Look at you! Look at the f*****g three of you! You three are the same! Not just Mane. You’ve done it! You’ve done it! You’ve done it! (Now) Get out!’”
The incident was a light-hearted moment shared among football legends, highlighting the intense rivalry and passion that characterizes the Merseyside derby. McAllister, who himself scored a memorable last-minute winner against Everton at Goodison Park in April 2001, further reminisced about his own experiences on the pitch.
Gary McAllister continued: “How is that fella by the way? How is Paul Gerrard? Is he still around? I watch the goal every time I get the opportunity to watch it. I never tire of watching it, I’ve got to say. Prior to taking the free-kick that we’d scored the goal from, we had a free-kick in the exact same spot literally a minute before. I deliver it, float it up to the far post and I think it’s Sami Hyypia who flashes a header wide. A minute goes past and we’re into stoppage-time. We get a free-kick in the exact same spot and I can see Paul Gerrard thinking he was going to kill the game and just take the cross. Because I’m signalling again that I’m going to replicate the free-kick I took the minute before and hopefully this time we’ll score. Sit it up to the back post for Babbel, Heskey, and Hyypia to attack. But I can see, just as I’m looking to them, Gerrard starting to creep. Just as I take two or three yards back from the ball, Carra’s walking up behind me and goes, ‘F**k off, Macca lad. Don’t even f*****g think about it, lad’. He can see that Gerrard is going to try and anticipate the cross. So I take another wee step back and it’s one of those magical moments for somebody who takes free-kicks or takes penalties. If you see a goalie making an early decision and going early, you’ve got that split second to change your mind. And just as I was about to take the free-kick, I could see Gerrard moving. So I thought, ‘Why not?’ And then to see Sammy (Lee) and Phil’s (Thompson) faces when that ball hits the net, and then the likes of Carra and Steven in the dressing room, who just love beating that mob across there. Seeing their faces and then the contrast to the Everton fans who were absolutely spewing! You’re doing it for the Scousers!”
McAllister’s recollections provide a vivid glimpse into the fierce competition and camaraderie among players, as well as the enduring memories that such matches create for both players and fans alike. The anecdotes serve as a testament to the rich history and emotional intensity of the Merseyside derby, a fixture that continues to captivate football enthusiasts around the world.
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