The season 1977-78 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by defending champions Liverpool FC in the final against Club Brugge K.V., who had knocked out Juventus in the semi final.
The game finished 1-0, started a run of six consecutive finals that finished 1-0 after ninety minutes, five of them won by English clubs.
The 1977 European Cup was won for the first time by Liverpool FC in the final against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Three times defending champions Bayern Munich were knocked out by FC Dynamo Kyiv in the quarter finals. It was only the second time an English side had won the tournament, but it started a run of six consecutive wins of English clubs.
Including this one, Liverpool FC reached five finals in nine years, of which they won four.
The season 1980-81 of the European Cup football club tournament was won for a third time by Liverpool FC in the final against Real Madrid. In eleven seasons up to and including this one, there were only four winners of the European Cup (Ajax Amsterdam, Bayern Munich, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool), but interestingly there were eleven different runners up.
1984 final of the European Cup was won for a fourth time by Liverpool FC in a penalty shootout in the final against AS Roma.
Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar put his name into football history for making key saves and distracting his opponents during the penalty shootout with his leg-wobbling antics. Jerzy Dudek would copy his movement in 2005 when Liverpool defeated AC Milan in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Liverpool's tally of eighteen Football League championships is a record for English clubs, their nearest challenger being Manchester United with sixteen. Liverpool achieved the League and FA Cup "Double" in 1986 and have won two "Trebles". The first treble of League, League Cup and European Cup was achieved in 1984 and a cup treble was achieved in 2001 comprising the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup.
Liverpool's total of five European Cups is an English record and the third highest total overall, after Real Madrid and AC Milan. The fifth victory in 2005 entitled Liverpool to receive the UEFA badge of honour, thus allowing them to keep the trophy permanently. However, Liverpool have never won the Intercontinental Cup (football) nor the FIFA Club World Cup as of yet despite all the European Cups with many instances involving refusal to take part.
Liverpool's total of three UEFA Cups is an English record, and equal to the overall record, shared with four other clubs. The tallies of seven League Cups and three European Super Cups are also English records.
Steven Gerrard was born in Huyton, Liverpool on 30 May 1980.
He has been with Liverpool since the start of his career as a trainee on 26 February 1988. Gerrard made his debut for Liverpool in November 1998 as a sub against Blackburn. His full debut came in the UEFA Cup against Celta Vigo.
The midfield ace has been dogged by injury problems but there is no doubting his determination and great ability. Particularly impressive are his vision that enables his accurate long passing, and his shooting accuracy from long range.
Gerrard's skill has attracted praise from some unlikely quarters. In May 2004 Sir Alex Ferguson told the Sunday Times:
"He has become the most influential player in England, bar none. Not that Vieira lacks anything, but Gerrard does more."
Steven Gerrard has won with Liverpool the Worthington Cup (twice), the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup. However, he has made it known that he craves higher honours and now that's just what Gerrard has done.
When Liverpool beat Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2005, Steven Gerrard said of the forthcoming final: "It will be the proudest moment of my career when I lead these incredible men out in Istanbul."
But Steven Gerrard was even prouder after Liverpool's incredible victory against AC Milan in the Champions League final. A regular for England when fit, Steven Gerrard scored his first goal for his country with a typically brilliant shot in the impressive 5-1 win over Germany in September 2001. Gerrard has regularly captained Liverpool after first being given the opportunity by Gerard Houllier in October 2003.
In November 2005, Steven Gerrard came an impressive third just behind Frank Lampard and Ronaldinho in the European Footballer of the Year - the award known as the Ballon D'Or - voted for by European football journalists selected by French magazine France Football.
Steven Gerrard was named the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year in 2006.
It proved to be just the start of a great end-of season for the Liverpool captain. Gerrard pulled off a stupendous performance in the FA Cup Final against West Ham. The highlight was his last minute strike when suffering from cramp to level the scores in the 90 minutes at 3-3. Liverpool, captained by Steve Gerrard went on to win on penalties.
Steven Gerrard was part of England's 2006 World Cup squad, but he was not at his best and he, Frank Lampard and Jamie Carragher missed their penalties in the losing shoot-out against Portugal.
"Of the three English [Champions League semi-finalists] I would have preferred Manchester [United] in the final," he said. "Partly because we got a view of them in the semi-final both at Old Trafford and San Siro and partly because they [United] are a technical squad who play and let you play. I don't get the feeling that will be the case with Liverpool."
