FOWLER'S ANFIELD HIGHS AND LOWS

This article appeared on the official Liverpool FC site today. Quite interesting...

Mark Platt 19 August 2004
Almost three years after his leaving of Liverpool, Robbie Fowler remains one of Anfield's favourite sons. With him due back at his spiritual home this Saturday he talks to .tv about the highs and lows of his career with the Reds.
Five goals v Fulham

To score five goals at any level is always an achievement but to do so in only my second game at Anfield, in a full scale Liverpool game was unbelievable. The first one, Rob Jones had a shot. It came back off the keeper and I pounced from about seven yards. The second one was from a free-kick that Neil Ruddock played to me at the back post and I just tapped it in. The third goal was again down to Rob Jones who crossed from the right wing and I knocked it in from close-range. I can't really remember the fourth and the fifth, I think, was a header.

Four minute hat-trick

Arsenal had one of the best defences in Europe around that time and for a young lad playing against such experienced players as Seaman, Adams, Keown, Dixon and Winterburn I did quite well that day. After scoring the first the other two followed real quick. I suppose it was a great achievement and a memory that will live with me forever.





The Cream Suits Cup Final

A lot has been made about the cream suits but if we had won that game they would have been the best things ever. It was not one specific player who chose them, it was a collective thing but it was obviously a mistake and we should have just wore a normal black suit. It's easy saying that in hindsight though. As for the game itself I don't remember much about it to be honest. Everyone just remembers it for those suits.

Supporting the Dockers

The Dockers were getting a lot of stick for what they were doing and what they believed in. One of Stevie Mac's uncles was having a bad time because of the strike and Macca brought two t-shirts in for us to put under out kit to show our support. The plan was to show off these t-shirts at the end of the game when we exchanged tops. But obviously I scored and decided to lift my top up then. The amount of publicity it receivedwas great for the Dockers. We believed in what they were trying to do and showed our support for them. I got fined the equivalent of £900 at the time but it got the point across.

The Cup treble

The most memorable moment for me was the tour around the city when we won the treble. I don't think you can describe it, it was incredible and it will live with me forever. The amount of people that came out to see us was, frightening.

The leaving of Liverpool

If I was honest, it was probably on and off for two years. I was hearing so many rumours that I was going to leave and that the club didn't want me. But it was not until other clubs started showing interest in me that things got serious. I wasn't playing and there was no point in me sitting on the bench. I was there under false pretences. Picking up wages for doing nothing. I felt I needed to get away start a fresh somewhere else. I'd maybe gone a little bit stale towards the end at Liverpool but I was gutted when it happened. People thought I wanted to go. I'd been at Liverpool since I was eleven and when the time came to go it was upsetting. Obviously I didn't cry because I tend not to show people my emotions but I felt like crying because a big part of me had been taken away. I wanted to go so that I could play first team football but deep down I didn't want to go and it was a massive wrench. But I've left now and it's pointless dwelling on it.





Regrets?

If I could change anything it would be my last game for Liverpool. I got brought off at half against Sunderland and we were winning 1-0. We had had a man sent-off and for me there are no words I can describe it. I more or less knew I would be leaving and it was horrible not being able to say good-bye to the fans, and if there was one thing I could change it would be that more than anything else. It was even worse than losing the FA Cup to Man U, being left out of the starting line-up for cup finals and the cream suits!

Favourite goals

1. Brann Bergen, the first leg in Norway,
2. Alaves in the UEFA Cup Final
3. Overhead kick against Charlton
4. Diving header v Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-final
5. The free-kick against Man U at Anfield
6. The one against Schmeichel in Cantona's comeback at Old Trafford
7. And I loved scoring against Everton too!