PHIL Brown – captain of the White Hot Wanderers – reckons Liverpool legend-turned pundit Alan Hansen inadvertantly played a part in inspiring their Anfield triumph.

Ten days earlier Bruce Rioch’s boys were eight minutes away from winning the original tie at a frosty Burnden Park when Ian Rush equalised to rescue a replay.

But there was no question of them conceding the tie – especially after Hansen showed his true colours.

“I remember him saying – I think on Match of the Day – that the game at Burnden Park should never have been played but that, after coming from 2-0 down, Liverpool would put it to bed in the replay.

“That just served to motivate everybody in our dressing room – and when we got to Anfield on a perfect surface, we beat them at their own game, fair and square.

“It was a great occasion and a magnificent performance – we certainly didn’t kick them off the park or anything like that.”

Brown, who was 32 at the time, went on to rack up a 16-year association with Wanderers and has the fondest of memories of the FA Cup runs of the Rioch era with the Anfield replay one of the stand-out games.

“I can’t believe it’s 20 years ago because I remember it vividly,” he said, surprised when told of the anniversary.

“I remember Scott Green working tirelessly in front of me and giving me a pretty comfortable night. I don’t recall having any real problems.

“And I remember Andy Walker peeling away after heading the second goal in front of a silent Kop and mouthing the words “What’s that all about?” Two-nil definitely was not in the script.

“But in fairness to the Liverpool crowd, they have always appreciated good football and I remember after the final whistle celebrating in front of the jubilant Bolton fans and turning round to see an almost full Kop still there applauding us.

“And they meant it.

“After the game I was on the tables in a Southport casino with Mark Seagraves and a load of Liverpool fans until three o’clock in the morning – and we didn’t pay for a thing, apart from our chips, of course.

“They wouldn’t let us buy a drink or a cigar all night.”

Like many in the game, Brown has always regarded Anfield as a special place to visit, whether as a player, coach or manager – particularly so after his White Hot experience.

“Strangely enough one of the main reasons why I came to Bolton, when I was being courted by three or four clubs, was because the manager was Phil Neal – one of the better exponents of my position, having won 50 caps for England and having had a glittering career at Liverpool,” he said.

“Add to that the fact that the atmosphere at Anfield has always been and still is something special, the stadium being surrounded by all those terraced houses and being, as you might say, built into the fabric of society.

“It’s a special place – and it certainly was that night.”