29 April 1901 - Liverpool Walks To The Top

On 29 April 1901, Liverpool beat hosts West Bromwich Albion 0-1 to secure their first League title. It was a remarkable acheivement for the club, who had been sitting in eighth place in the middle of February, seemingly out of the title race.

Their march to the title started on 23 February with a win at Sunderland, 0-1, that lifted Liverpool to seventh place. It was the start of a 12-match unbeaten run to end the season, including wins over Notts County, Nottingham Forest, and Newcastle, and a draw against Bury, all of whom, along with Sunderland, were challenging for title.

The match against West Brom was Liverpool's last of the season. The Reds were sitting in second place, even on points with first-place Sunderland, who had completed their season five days earlier, so even a draw would win the title for the Merseysiders. And West Brom were in last place, already assured of relegation, so few people expected them to put up much of a fight.

West Brom, however, came to play and were somewhat unlucky to go down 1-0 in the first half after their goalkeeper parried a shot into the path of Liverpool's John Walker, who slammed it home. Liverpool held the Baggies off in the second half to clinch the win and the title. It was the first of eighteen League titles for Liverpool, a record they share with Manchester United.