FA Cup memoriesThe day Liverpool ended a 73-year curse

By 1965 – 73 years into Liverpool Football Club’s existence – so much had been achieved, so many stories written and so many legacies forged.

The league championship had been won on six occasions, with the title success of the previous year under Bill Shankly setting up a first crack at the European Cup for the legendary Scot’s team during 1964-65.

But there was one thing neither Shankly’s great side or any of their predecessors had yet been able to accomplish.

The FA Cup, world football’s oldest domestic cup competition, remained stubbornly out of reach, becoming an ever bigger, ever more frustrating blot on the LFC copybook.

There had been heartbreaking near-misses in the form of final defeats against Burnley (1-0 in 1914) and Arsenal (2-0 in 1950).

There had been humbling lows, too, not least with a 2-1 third-round exit at non-league Worcester City in 1959 that precipitated the appointment of Shankly.

Some whispered the Liver birds would fly away from the city were Liverpool ever to get their hands on that silver trophy.

Undeterred, Shankly’s boys marched on and on May 1, 1965 – without losing the Liver birds – the Reds finally found what had become their holy grail.

After 73 years and 90 minutes, they were forced to wait another half-hour at Wembley as a dogged final versus Leeds United, affected by rainy conditions, ended goalless and required extra-time.

Roger Hunt nodded them in front courtesy of a cross from Gerry Byrne, who had played on with a broken collarbone since a third-minute collision. “[Byrne] should have had all the medals to himself,” said Shankly.

An instinctive, rising finish by Billy Bremner brought Leeds back on level terms, but Liverpool’s curse would nevertheless finally be lifted, Ian St John pouncing on an Ian Callaghan assist to write history.

“Ee-aye-addio!” sang the travelling Kopites as Ron Yeats put the FA Cup above his head in joy.

An estimated quarter of a million supporters lined the streets to welcome their heroes back to Merseyside with the cherished trophy in tow.

It had been worth the wait.

Route to the final

Third round: West Bromwich Albion 1-2 Liverpool

Fourth round: Liverpool 1-1 Stockport County, Stockport County 0-2 Liverpool (replay)

Fifth round: Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Liverpool

Quarter-final: Leicester City 0-0 Liverpool, Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City (replay)

Semi-final: Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea

FA Cup top scorers

Roger Hunt – 5

Ian St John – 2

Ian Callaghan, Gordon Milne, Willie Stevenson, Peter Thompson – 1