The idea that a young football fan could walk onto a sports ground and ask the goalkeeper of the English league champions for his autograph seems almost fanciful now such is the security surrounding the biggest clubs.
Yet that was the boy in these pictures was able to do on March 12, 1988 when he received a friendly tap on the head by Liverpool great Bruce Grobbelaar at the former Met Police sports club in Bushey.
A Watford Observer photographer captured Kenny Dalglish’s side training at the Aldenham Road facility two days before they travelled to Wembley to play in the FA Cup Final.
The Division One champions were huge favourites to complete the league and cup double but opponents Wimbledon had other ideas and caused one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s history after winning 1-0.
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