The FA Cup final is often the pinnacle of many players’ careers but one former Liverpool player walked out of the stadium before one final for the Reds.
Speaking on ‘The Football Historian Podcast’ about the 1974 final, Phil Boersma said: “It was only when we got to Wembley that [I found out] first of all I wasn’t playing.
“And then Chris Lawler who was injured, who couldn’t have gone on because Bob Paisley had scolded him with some electric ice on his ankle but he persuaded Shanks to put on the bench rather than me because he scolded his ankle.
“At the time, I was going out with an actress who was working in London at the Lyric Theatre and I just walked out.
“I said to Stevie Heighway, I said: ‘I’m off.’ he said: ‘where you going?’ I said, ‘I’m going, I’m not even in the squad, I’m not even on the bench.’
“So, he went: ‘you kidding?’ I went: ‘no, I’m off’.”
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It was a decision that the 74-year-old clearly stands by today and given the manner in which the Reds defeated Newcastle United, that almost makes it more admirable.
It was later revealed that Bob Paisley forgave the Scouser for making this decision when he became boss in the summer, due to the similar treatment he received for the 1950 FA Cup final.
You can view Boersma’s comments (from 12:56) via The Football Historian Podcast on YouTube:
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