Oldham Athletic’s last visit to Anfield saw the emergence of future Liverpool FC legend Robbie Fowler

Jan 5 2012 by Philip Kirkbride, Liverpool Echo

THE last time Oldham Athletic visited Anfield, a legend was born. Robbie Fowler had already registerd in the cup but struck the first of his 128 league goals for Liverpool that October afternoon in 1993 - but did so to help salvage his club from further toil.

Though the current side would relish being able to select a player with Fowler’s predatory instincts to help cure their wasteful tendencies, thankfully their outlook is not as murky as it was just over 18 years ago.

Graeme Souness’ side had gone 588 minutes without a goal until Fowler equalised with three minutes to go against an Oldham team who came to Merseyside with just one win to their name. With centre half Neil Ruddock sent forward to add muscle to the Liverpool attack, they forced an own goal courtesy of Graham Barlow to seal a 2-1 triumph in injury-time.

However, it was a winner some Liverpool fans will not have seen with groups heading for the exit 10 minutes from time as a poor Reds side stared an embarrassing defeat in the face. Anfield, with an attendance of just 32,661 that day, was only three quarters full at kick-off.

Souness, without John Barnes until the end of November, blamed the midweek international fixture list as part of the reason for his side’s lethargic display, one so poor it was described as “thoroughly awful” by a national newspaper.

“I don’t know why we played so poorly,” Souness said after the game.

“Please, don’t ask me any more questions. Can I go and get drunk now?” he joked.

There was of course little funny about the FA Cup third round replay defeat to Bristol City which sparked his resignation in the following January.

But while he remained in the Anfield hotseat there was an Everton connection plotting the side’s downfall against Oldham that day.

Former Goodison Park favourite - and future cup winning manager - Joe Royle stood along from Souness on the touchline in front of the away dugout and there was goalkeeper Paul Gerrard - who was to serve the Blues - playing for the visitors.

“I’m utterly devastated,” Royle said after the match.

“I’d have been disappointed to get just a point but to get nothing is ridiculous. At least we showed we have the ability to compete at this level.”

Royle’s optimism would not be sufficient as the Boundary Park side were relegated in May and have never been seen in the Premier League since.

Athletic have played the Reds just once since, that being the return league fixture in January where the away side won 3-0.

Liverpool - who ended the campaign in eighth and with Roy Evans in charge - made an excellent start that season.

Three wins from the opening trio of games was however curtailed by a winless September.

October - including the unconvincing win over Oldham - and the beginning of November produced an unbeaten seven game streak yet the club ended the year seventh in the standings with the frustration of four consecutive draws hanging over them as 1994 approached.

But it was the season an 18-year-old Fowler began to blossom and following his goal against Oldham, the Toxteth-born player bagged a hat-trick against Southampton later in October before strikes against Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday and Tottenham Hotspur followed as the year came to a close.

Fowler would finish the season with 18 goals in all competitions before consecutive campaigns which yielded 31, 36 and 31 strikes. In total, Fowler plundered 183 goals in his two spells with Liverpool to ensure iconic status.