FOOTBALL: THIS WEEK

On 9 April 1988, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest met in the semi- final of the FA Cup at Hillsborough.

Kenny Dalglish saw his side win, courtesy of two goals from John Aldridge. Nigel Clough scored for Forest, but it was not enough to keep his father's team in the cup.

Liverpool were immediately installed as hot favourites to complete the double, and, as they were 11 points clear at the top of the First Division and due to meet lowly Wimbledon at Wembley, no-one could really see how they would fail.

The day after the semi-final win over Forest, John Barnes was voted the Player of the Year by his fellow professionals. The strength of the Liverpool side was emphasised by the fact that Barnes' closest challengers for the award were his team-mates Steve McMahon and Peter Beardsley. (The PFA's Young Player award went to Newcastle's Paul Gascoigne, incidentally).

Liverpool went on to take the title comfortably in May, but were unable to do the double. They lost the Cup to the Crazy Gang.