Liverpool icon Craig Johnston was moved to tears in an emotional interview as he made his long-awaited return to Anfield for the Reds’ 2-2 draw with Fulham. The Australian, who made 271 appearances and scored 40 goals in his seven years at the club, was visibly excited upon his return.
Johnston, a five-time league winner with Liverpool, also scored in the Reds’ 3-1 FA Cup final victory over Everton in 1986, won the European Cup in 1984 and lifted two League Cups. However, his Anfield career came to an abrupt end in 1988 when he retired to care for his seriously ill sister Faye, who had suffered a brain injury following a fuel accident.
He briefly returned to Liverpool in 1989 following the Hillsborough Disaster, raising £40,000 for the victims’ families and flying halfway across the world to attend the memorial service at Anfield. Despite rarely visiting since, Johnston has now returned to Liverpool and was back at Anfield for the Reds’ 2-2 draw with Fulham.
The former player couldn’t contain his emotions during a heartfelt interview with LFC TV’s Peter McDowall before the match.
“Just hearing you communicate makes it emotional,” he admitted, his voice shaking with emotion. “I left in a bit of a hurry and there was obviously a lot of stuff underneath that I never talked about, never discussed and never came back from.
“So, unfortunately, it is emotional. People might think I’m a little soft, I’m not. I just appreciate living in this town for so long, nine years, and everything that is happened. happened whilst I here. It’s just magic.
“Sometimes I can’t find the words to describe it. But it’s emotional. But once I get over the emotion, I’m fine. But just hearing your voice and ‘Being here, it makes it very real, you know?'” Later, Johnston He would meet several former team-mates at Anfield, but humorously commented that their reunion would not stir his emotions and joked that they still owed him cash for their time together.
“I won’t be moved when I see them, I’ll even knock them out, some of them!”he joked. ” Some of them owe me money!” So another thing is the city, the culture, that time when we were, by far, the most productive team in the world.
“That’s what I’m attracted to, and the circle of relatives, you know?But seeing the guys, like I said, I’ll knock them out when I see them!”
In addition, Johnston lavished compliments on Arne Slot’s squad, forecasting that Liverpool could clinch the Premier League title under the Dutch manager this campaign.
“I dare to say it, I dare to say it,” he said enthusiastically. “It was 30 years before we won and Jurgen Klopp did a brilliant job as well.
“And now with Arne too, hallelujah! Let’s not say that we haven’t won anything for 30 years. It’s interesting. “
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Reflecting on managerial impacts, he noted, “I look at Alex Ferguson leaving Man United and how that decimated the club for years. We all had those suspicions but that hasn’t happened and hasn’t been realised at all.
“It’s the opposite. We’re leading the championship and it’s Christmas! So let’s get going!”
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