Hump day is Matt Wills day. Here he is with the final update of his Liverpool 89/90 save but can it end in glory?

The season is rattling to a crescendo – if you’ve been following the earlier parts of this blog I’ve reconstructed the last P.C. (Pre Covid) Liverpool team to win the league championship but updated their ages and stats to make as young as they once were on 15^th July 1989.

It’s not been easy – we’re up against the Champ Manager 97/98 Man Utd squad after all. Plus John Barnes keeps getting injured, Beardsley, Rush and Aldridge are hit and miss in front of goal and Hansen (34) and Dalglish (37) are starting to look their age.

Still, we’re chasing Utd down hard in the league, into the FA Cup Final and halfway through the EUFA Cup Semi-finals against Parma, which is where the action takes us now.

Last time out, Parma held us to a 2-2 draw and gave themselves 2 valuable away goals. As we travel to Italy, I try to get the inside scoop from Ian Rush, but, well, y’know what he thinks of being abroad…

Having said all that, Rushie is keen on the night and he and Pedro sandwich a Chiesa goal as we hang on to make it through the final against Ronaldo’s Inter. Ray Houghton cops an unfortunate one though…

There’s some weariness in these legs. The swim in the Cocoon pool might be finally wearing off…

David James did his best to stop us getting the 3pts we so desperately need. United went and blitzed Blackburn 3-0, so we’re still chasing…

I’m hoping the international break is kind to us and allows my lads to have some respite. Barnes and Ablett get a run out from the bench in a friendly defeat to Belgium but neither are involved in the 1-1 draw with Austria thankfully.

Ian Rush can’t even get a game against Malta – maybe the Welsh FA have listened to my pleas to ease up on him? Scotland leave my boys on the bench for a stalemate against Portugal and so do EIRE, I’m a mixture of relieved and snubbed to be honest, what’s wrong with my lads?

It might be to do with the fact we’re playing a catch up game on the following Monday after all our FA Cup replays and it takes us a good hour to get going. Mike Marsh stepping in for Ray Houghton like the squad player everyone needs on a run in…

Utd make light work of Sheffield Wednesday 4-0, so we’re no better or worse off really, just another game less to turn the tide.

2 days later no-less and Arsenal come to Anfield. Theirs history here of course but injuries and red cards go in our favour for a change and Ray marks his timely return from injury with a goal – magic!

Over at Old Trafford though, Utd come up against Kasey Keller, my least favourite keeper in the game as he always plays a blinder and this time he does us a big favour….

As fate and the fixture list computer would have it, we’re pitted against Leicester in our very next game and no heroics from Kasey and his Sunshine Band this time, its all over inside 7 first half minutes. It makes me want to do a little dance, make a little love, maybe even get down tonight, but I restrain myself, I don’t want to Give It Up just yet.

While that was happening, another stalwart of the game was trying to keep Utd and Scholes at bay – thanks for trying Oggy…

Its time to peek at the table and we’re top!

But its not in our hands with that game in hand and goal difference looks tight too…

This is our run in – a league game 2 days before the EUFA Cup final….

United are away to West Ham while we face down Ronaldo, but before that, time to face Southampton while Utd take on Newcastle.

I watch the game and Prince Phillippe of Albert does us the most amazing favour when he chips a static Schmeichel from 90 yards (one for King of the Rooks there…)

So what can we do against already relegated, Le Tiss-less, bottom of the pile Southampton then?

Peter Beardsley is the Belle of The Dell and it couldn’t be tighter at the top

One game from glory, but its EUFA Cup action now and a final against Inter to contend with.

Here’s the line ups…

Emerald Ray gets us off to a flyer but the second half sees pressure from Ronaldo and Zamorano and after Molby takes another injury, they force Ablett to head past Bruce, but just when you think the chips are down, up pops Pedro with the winner!

Lovely stuff!

Whilst we’re in Holland, Utd are at Upton Park and it’s going to go down to the wire….

We’re at home to Derby while Utd entertain Vinnie and co…

We do our bit, Emereld Ray gets the ball rolling and even though were jitters when Baiano pulls one back there’s no finer sight than Kenny Dalglish heading a shot off the line in the last minute (I imagine through the magic of text…)

United choke and Neil Sullivan is impervious….

30 years of hurt ended 22 years early!

That final table….

At the other end, some goodbyes…

Vicenza prevail in the Cup Winners Cup

We’re off to Wem-ber-ley!

Beardsley is the man again to win the cup for Liverpool! Bruce is the man, repelling wave after wave of United attacks…

United pick themselves up for the Champions League final to see off Juventus, so only runners up in 3 competitions for them…

Its World Cup squad time and these treble winners will hopefully have a few more games to play in France.

Around Europe, Barcelona do the league and cup double while McManaman and Owen (who played one solitary game) finish empty handed at Real Madrid.

Inter claim Serie A and Juve get their hands on the Coppa Italia, while down in Division 2 Karl Heinze Riedle propels Fulham into Division 1.

In the World Cup, Eire crash out in the group stage, while England and Scotland stumble in the Quarter Finals to the eventual finalists Bulgaria and Germany.

In the final, a Stoichkov-less Bulgaria shock the world…

Just enough time for the end of season stats and awards

A good spread of goals in the end, veteran Kenny and Alan showing the way

Well, that’s it for me for a while – I hope you enjoyed it as much as I have and if anyone wants the database to play out the season themselves, let me know.

King of the Rooks will be back next week with the excellent Wonderkids series, as for me, I’m sure I’ll be back at some point when something sparks my imagination and I fiddle with the editor yet again…

Huge thanks to Matt for his efforts this summer, I’m already looking forward to what he comes up with next!