HE managed great players with mesmerising ability, but on one famous night at Anfield, former Wanderers boss Bruce Rioch says an accidental slip in the dressing room was just as vital to victory.

The now famous White Hot FA Cup replay win at Anfield 20 years ago this week still evokes wonderful memories for those Wanderers fans and players who were lucky to be part of it.

Rioch retains just as fond recollections of the way his third tier side pulled off a true ‘David versus Goliath’ triumph to beat Graeme Souness’s cup holders 2-0 in front of their own passionate fans.

But as well as the team performed, it was one bizarre pre-match incident that eased the nerves, and Rioch remembers it just as vividly as anything that happened on the pitch.

“The players came in from the warm-up and Alan Stubbs slipped as he came back into the dressing room,” Rioch told the Bolton News.

“He kicked a dustbin up six feet in the air and everyone, to a man, burst out laughing.

“It completely broke the tension, which you could feel, and the players went out relaxed.

“I’m sure that was a vital ingredient for our success that night.

“Don’t get me wrong, we had players with great ability and we played really well on the night and deserved the win.

“But confidence is a key thing and with those nerves gone after Stubbers’ slip, everyone went out with great belief we could get a result.

“We had tried to ease the nerves beforehand; we took all the backroom staff and we had youth team coach Jimmy Dewsnip going around telling stories to try to make it more laid back until 15 minutes before kick-off when we changed to focus on the game.

“I remember the actual match well because we had played well in the first game at Burnden.

“Liverpool is a great football club but was just going through a slightly difficult time and we knew we had the talent and ability to go there and win.

“We had high-calibre footballers who took on high-quality teams like Arsenal, Aston Villa and Everton as well; we could get good results.”

Preparation was also key for Rioch who revealed a specific approach to utilise the talents of recently acquired winger David Lee – but in a role reversal on the opposite flank.

Rioch continued: “During training in the week before the game, we switched David Lee from right to left to try to avoid the fact Rob Jones had cancelled him out in the first match.

“We worked and worked on it, and it paid off because he was up against Mickey Marsh on the night and both goals came from that side.

“We had a group of players like David, who could cover so much ground and were always responsive in training.

“We used to train in Bury at the Hall’s factory and many would get their trainers on and run back to Burnden Park afterwards rather than drive, such was their work ethic.

“Of all the teams I have managed at and been involved with, that group at Bolton was up there with the best in terms of workrate and team spirit, and that was evident in abundance that night at Anfield in an outstanding performance.

“They were great individuals who worked hard for the team.”

That night was just one highlight of a three-year spell at Wanderers for Rioch that also included promotion to the top flight and a League Cup final against Liverpool.

And he says the mood around the place between 1992 and 1995 while he was in charge was fantastic both on and off the field.

He added: “We had a fantastic chairman in Gordon Hargreaves as well as great staff and players who had the right attitude to complement their talent.

“I arrived to take over from Phil Neal after the club had experienced near misses with promotion.

“There wasn’t much money but I immediately brought in John McGinlay and Keith Branagan and worked hard to get players in who were not only talented but strong personalities.

“We had people like Richard Sneekes, Gudni Bergsson and Alan Thompson, and the likes of Jason McAteer coming through.

“Then, it was up to me as the manager to instil confidence in them.

“The team spirit was there throughout my three years; the players and board all knew what direction we wanted to go.

“Even in testimonial matches I would tell the players that people had paid to come and watch them play and not to let them down.

“That is why we had so much success, and when I look back it was a fantastic three years at Burnden for me.”

Rioch admits he still has great affinity for Wanderers and keeps a close eye on their progress from his family home in Cornwall.

The Scot has not been involved in management since leaving Aalborg in Denmark in 2008 after taking the minnows into a Champions’ League group phase where they faced Manchester United and Celtic.

He returned to move his family from Norwich to the South West and admits, at the age of 65, he enjoys his life in Cornwall.

But he has seen Wanderers first-hand this season at Middlesbrough and hopes fellow Scot, Dougie Freedman, can match him in winning promotion.

He said: “I was at Middlesbrough this season and had lunch with Phil Gartside and Dougie Freedman.

“I know it has been tough and they will find it hard to catch the leaders this season.

“But I really hope they can do, and get promotion like we did, and maybe then, like us after that Liverpool win, they can go on to better times.”