September 4 - Phil Babb Wipe Out

EVERY once in a while in football, something happens which transcends club allegiances, even if it is only for a moment.

Occasionally a sublime piece of skill, a spectacular goal, or just a magnificent performance can earn praise and applause from even the opposition fans.

It was on this day in 1998 that fans everywhere were all grimacing together, regardless of club when Liverpool defender Phil Babb clattered into the goal post with his legs either side of it.

Babb was desperately trying to prevent Chelsea’s Pierluigi Casiraghi from scoring, after he had gone around Liverpool ‘keeper David James.

Sliding across the turf Babb missed the ball which rolled into the net for a goal, while Babb came to an abrupt stop when he, ahem, “tackled’ the goal post.

Babb was a Coventry player in 1994, but an eye-catching performance for the Republic of Ireland at that year’s World Cup persuaded Liverpool boss Roy Evans to pay £3.6m to take him to Anfield.

Despite being a regular in the side, Babb’s shortcomings began to be exposed, particularly when playing as the left sided defender in a back three. For his country, Babb was mostly required to clear the ball any which way, but at Liverpool he was expected to actually play a bit as well and it became clear he was struggling.

Certainly Gérard Houllier didn’t rate him so after a loan spell at Tranmere, Babb ran down his contract and left on a free transfer in 2000 to try his luck in Portugal at Sporting Lisbon.

The move proved a success and Babb was voted best defender in Portugal in his second season there. This upturn in form prompted Peter Reid to make Babb one of his trademark panic buys in his last days at Sunderland, where, after two seasons, Babb hung up his boots.

Sadly for Phil though, he will always be remembered as for moment that made 40,000 people in Anfield simultaneously wince.

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