Match of the Day’s annual Goal of the Season award featured some classics in the 1980s, with notable winners including Kenny Dalglish, John Aldridge and Bryan Robson.

In the list below, we present you with the ten recipients of the Goal of the Season award during the 80s, plus clips of all the volleys, headers and screamers that you won’t be able to stop watching.

1. Justin Fashanu (Norwich vs. Liverpool), 1980

Justin Fashanu scored a brilliant strike during an encounter with league heavyweights Liverpool. With his back to the goal, Fashanu received a pass from John Ryan before quickly flicking the ball up with his right foot and volleying it past England goalkeeper Ray Clemence.

It was a brilliant goal that completely wrong-footed Liverpool’s Alan Kennedy before reaching the back of the net. After the strike in February 1980, Brian Clough claimed that Fashanu’s goal “conned me out of a million quid”.


2. Tony Morley (Everton vs. Aston Villa), 1981

Villa visited Goodison Park in February 1981 off the back of three wins in a row, a tally that would eventually reach seven consecutive victories and earn them the league title. Winger Tony Morley won goal of the season with this strike that gave Villa the lead in the first half. Morley’s form earned him a place in the England squad soon after this goal was scored.

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3. Cyrille Regis (West Brom vs. Norwich), 1982

West Brom met Norwich in the FA Cup fifth round in 1982, and Cyrille Regis was the man who made it a match to remember. After taking the ball neatly on his chest, Regis slipped past two defenders before unleashing a piledriver beyond goalkeeper Chris Woods. Regis made his England debut only 10 days later. Astonishingly, despite his talent, he only ever earned five caps for his country.

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4. Kenny Dalglish (Belgium vs. Scotland), 1983

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish produced a ‘brilliant piece of trickery’ for his first international goal in a Scottish jersey. Dalglish pulled off a majestic turn on the corner of the penalty area to leave one Belgian defender behind before slipping past another with an outstanding bit of footwork. He had been under heavy criticism for his inability to replicate his club form at international level, but that wonder strike (plus a second he scored later on in the match) silenced his critics in an instant.

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5. Danny Wallace (Southampton vs. Liverpool), 1984

Dalglish was later beaten to the 1983-84 goal of the season award by Southampton’s Danny Wallace. An acrobatic overhead kick by Wallace (reminiscent of one Cristiano Ronaldo) fired the ball into the back of the net, leaving thousands of young kids around the country to try and replicate the strike with mixed success!

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6. Graeme Sharp (Liverpool vs. Everton), 1985

Unfortunately for this Liverpool fan, the Reds were on the receiving end of another goal of the season winner in the following year. Graeme Sharp netted a wonder goal that gave Everton their first league win at Anfield since 1970, and reignited the players’ belief that they could be in with a chance of winning the league title.

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7. Bryan Robson (Israel vs. England), 1986

Goal of the Season was hampered this year by a dispute between club chairmen and TV companies over the rights, leading to a TV blackout during the first few months of the 1985-86 season. This meant that goal of the season contenders were limited to efforts from January 1986 onwards. Bryan Robson was the lucky winner with an excellent volley that brought England level with Israel. What better way to celebrate your 50th appearance at international level?

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8. Keith Houchen (Coventry vs. Tottenham), 1987

Keith Houchen scored a number of memorable goals in FA Cup tournaments, but it was this shot in May 1987 that earned him a goal of the season award. He managed to get a full-length diving header on the end of a brilliant cross by Dave Bennett, which brought Coventry level for the second time against Spurs. Eventually, Houchen’s goal allowed the game to go into extra-time and subsequently win their first major trophy in the club’s 104 year history.

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9. John Aldridge (Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest), 1988

Everybody remembers what a team Liverpool were to watch in the 1987-88 season. One memorable goal, which earned John Aldridge the Match of the Day award, came against Nottingham Forest. His volley from John Barnes’ cross was a brilliant shot and goes to show why LFC fans today still hold Aldo in high esteem.

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10. John Aldridge (Liverpool vs. Everton), 1989

Even as the tragic events at Hillsborough cast a shadow over the club, Aldridge managed to make amends for his missed penalty in the 1988 FA Cup final. Back at Wembley the following year, Aldo finished off a sweeping move (that also included Steve Nicol and Steve McMahon) to give Liverpool an early lead after only four minutes. Liverpool ended up winning the match 3-2 against their bitter rivals, to ensure that Aldridge left Wembley with some better memories than before.

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