Touching Distance

03 April 1996 - FA Carling Premiership
Liverpool 4 Fowler 2, 55, Collymore 68, 90+2
Newcastle United 3 Ferdinand 10, Ginola 14, Asprilla 57

Liverpool David James - Jason McAteer, Mark Wright (Steve Harkness 45), John Scales, Neil Ruddock, Rob Jones (Ian Rush 85) - Jamie Redknapp, John Barnes, Steve McManaman - Stan Collymore, Robbie Fowler
Newcastle United Pavel Srníček - Steve Watson, Steve Howey (Darren Peacock 82), Philippe Albert, John Beresford - Peter Beardsley, David Batty, Robert Lee, David Ginola - Faustino Asprilla, Les Ferdinand. Booked Peter Beardsley, David Batty
Attendance 40,702 at Anfield Referee Mike Read (Birmingham)
Kick-off 8pm. Live on Sky Sports.

KEVIN KEEGAN slumped over an advertising hoarding at Anfield. It is a defining image of football as a Newcastle United fan in the 1990s.

Stan Collymore closed in on his stoppage time goal exactly 20 years ago today as the Magpies' stab at a first league title since 1927 suffered a horrendous blow.

This 4-3 match is still considered an era-defining game and was voted as the Premier League's "match of the decade".

But, as a Newcastle fan, it would be a soul-destroying 90 minutes.

The anxiety began early as the aforementioned Collymore produced an inch-perfect cross for Robbie Fowler to head Liverpool into the lead after just two minutes.

Newcastle under Keegan, however, had genuine spirit - after all, they were going for the title - and they fought their way back to take the lead inside of the first quarter hour.

First, Faustino Asprilla jinked down the right and set up Les Ferdinand to strike in front of the Kop - then David Ginola finished a fast break by firing home from the edge of the box.

The Magpies held the lead at half time - but the first 45 minutes of action had merely served as an aperitif of what was to follow.

Liverpool got back on terms within 10 minutes of the break as Steve McManaman turned Philippe Albert inside out on the right before setting up Fowler for his second. Fowler slid into the net head first in celebration.

Nonetheless, two minutes later, Newcastle were ahead again with the best goal of the game.

Peter Beardsley slipped in Robert Lee on halfway and the England midfielder slid in Asprilla down the right-hand channel.

David James came right out to the edge of his box in an attempt to close the angle but the wily Colombian maverick swerved the ball with the outside of his right boot into an empty net.

It was 3-2 - but there was still more than half an hour to play. I was only 12 years old at the time and was afforded the luxury of watching the match on Sky Sports at a neighbour's house. It seemed like an eternity.

Collymore equalised for Liverpool on 68 minutes after he stabbed home from Jason McAteer's dangerous cross just ahead of Pavel Srníček.

And, clearly, the action was not about to dissipate - both teams were still going hell for leather.

Newcastle created the next big chance as Albert, looking to atone for his backing off earlier, found Ferdinand in the left-hand channel.

The big-hearted Londoner battled past Steve Harkness and was clear in the box but he could only shoot straight at James who did not know a lot about his save.

It should have been Ferdinand's 24th league goal of the season and it should have been 4-3 to Newcastle.

But it was neither of those things. Instead, the script was set for a stoppage time winner and it was John Barnes for Liverpool who had the ball.

Barnes and substitute Ian Rush - both of whom would turn out in black-and-white just over a year later - slalomed through a tiring and retreating Newcastle rearguard. They were being roared forward by the home support, and the tension was unbearable.

The pair made it to the edge of the box then Barnes, after adjusting his feet around Rush, found Collymore in space on the left side of the box. The rest is history.

Keegan's reaction summed up the feelings of every Newcastle fan. This was a glorious match in which to be involved, but it was also a crushing defeat. For the first time in following Newcastle, I shed tears and felt scarred.

Author Martin Hardy, in his excellent recent book Touching Distance - about the Magpies' 1995/96 season - wrote: "Everywhere you looked people seemed exhausted, drained. I don't recall a game lasting so long.

"Keegan had slumped over the advertising hoardings in front of the visiting dugout when the fourth goal went in.

"Once more, his mood mirrored those following the club. Deflated. It was impossible not to be."

Incredibly, less than a week later at defending champions Blackburn Rovers, there was another huge blow to come - more tears were shed and more wounds inflicted on my psyche.

Given a late lead in another tense match live on Sky Sports through David Batty, Newcastle were set to close back to within three points of Manchester United with a game in hand.

But the Liverpool game loomed large in the haunted memories of the Magpies' defenders and, with four minutes left, Whitley Bay-born Newcastle fan Graham Fenton volleyed unmarked past Shaka Hislop to equalise.

Then, in the last minute, it got worse. On the break after a desperate Newcastle attack, Alan Shearer - in a two-versus-two - again found Fenton unmarked.

From the edge of the box, Fenton dinked the ball past the onrushing Hislop for a certain winner. It finished 2-1 at Ewood Park.

Strangely enough, after that game, Newcastle rallied somewhat - winning a trio of games 1-0 against Aston Villa, Southampton, and Leeds United.

Of course, the Leeds match infamously ended in Keegan's declaration that Newcastle were "still fighting for [the] title" and that he would "love it if we beat them [Manchester United]".

Mind games, it may have been from Alex Ferguson - but Keegan had been provoked into his rant by the Manchester United manager suggesting unfairly that Leeds and Nottingham Forest would not try as hard against the Magpies as his own side.

As it happened, Forest held Newcastle to a 1-1 draw at the City Ground in another evening game on the last Thursday of the season as Ian Woan cancelled out a Beardsley goal.

Nevertheless, Newcastle still went into the last day with a mathematical chance of the title. Keegan's men were two points behind Manchester United with an inferior goal difference so needed a win while the Red Devils lost.

Fate had already decided that it was not going to be Newcastle's year, however - and the Magpies could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Manchester United, meanwhile, cruised to a 3-0 win over Middlesbrough who - ironically, given Ferguson's comments - did not seem to put up much of a fight. Boro, of course, were managed by former Old Trafford skipper Bryan Robson.

At the final whistle of the match against Spurs, I left the social club where I had watched the game on television with my uncle - full of Coca-Cola, full of disappointment.

I got home to my room, alone, and broke down in tears again. Yet, even then - as a 12-year-old - there was a certain pride felt in how close Newcastle had gone.

There was a realisation that Tyneside had been blessed with a very special team and a very special manager. Ferdinand, Beardsley, Lee, Asprilla, Ginola, Gillespie, Srníček, Beresford, Barton.

Keegan.

It is certainly not like that now. This weekend, Newcastle suffered another agonising stoppage time defeat - but, rather than Liverpool at Anfield, it was against Norwich City at Carrow Road - and, rather than to win the title, it was to retain any realistic hope of staying in the Premier League.

Indeed, to actually name any of the individuals currently involved with Newcastle United in the same breath as that team from 1995/96 would be a waste of oxygen.

So I won't bother with that self-defeating exercise.

Instead, I will just indulge in some more memories of 20 years ago, smile, and perhaps not feel so sad this time.