Fans recall their top Anfield memories ahead of 100th visit

The games leading up to that milestone have taken in some great – and, occasionally, not-so-great – days out for United, but it is, nonetheless, a big milestone.

To celebrate, Inside United spoke to fans in their last edition about their most vivid memories of trips to see their side face the Merseysiders.

As we warm up to what will hopefully be a positive 100th visit, we've collated a selection of their tales.

Pete Molyneux, a legendary Red behind the infamous 'Ta ra, Fergie' banner in 1989, said: "My oldest memory is October 1968. I was 14 and just of an age where my dad would let me go to games without him.

"We'd just won the European Cup, but United and Liverpool had won the league for four out of the last five seasons, so it was always a big game. 

"Anfield can still be an intimidating place now, but it has changed over the years. The policing is a lot better. But that first visit was memorable!"

Asked for his favourite memory of Anfield, United We Stand fanzine contributor Tony Murphy picked out a 1993 visit as one of his best, where goals from Mark Hughes and Brian McClair overcame a single Ian Rush effort in our Premier League clash at the ground.

"I was in the Kemlyn Road Stand – now the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand – and a lot of tickets had ended up in Manchester on the black market," Murphy recalled. "They were £20 back in 1993, which was a fair bit of money.

"I remember Mark Hughes scored and I, being 20 years old and daft, jumped up and celebrated. I got quite a boisterous response from the Liverpool fans around me, and was happy to trade with them.

"Would I do that now? No chance! It was the absolute folly of youth. But that was another treasured moment."

At a venue like Anfield, however, not every experience can be a positive one, and Darren McGurrin, who has been supporting United home and away for five decades, cast his mind back to 1985, in what was a rare defeat in his time spent travelling to Merseyside to watch the Reds – a 2-1 defeat in the competition now known as the Carabao Cup.

"The Milk Cup game in 1985," McGurrin replied when asked for his lowest moment at Anfield. "Jan Molby had a beautiful touch, even though he wasn't much of an athlete, and he ran from the halfway line and blasted one in the corner.

"We had been playing well. That was a sickener, because it's the only time I've ever seen us lose at Anfield.

"They should take me with United every season!"

Players and fans alike appreciate how special travelling to Anfield with United is – only enhanced by the rivalry that comes along with those trips – but naturally, when asked to say something nice about the venue, it often comes wrapped up in a Reds win.

"Back in those days, the Kop was impressive," McGurrin admitted. "It was bigger than the Stretford End then, and, when it was packed, it looked amazing.

"It was an impressive place, no question about it. But you just wanted to win and get out of there quick..."

Looking ahead to Sunday's clash, our 100th trip to Anfield to face Liverpool, Ruben Amorim's charges will no doubt agree with that sentiment.

Fans gave their Anfield memories for the October edition of Inside United – order your copy here!