To mark this week's 20th anniversary of Liverpool's League Cup final triumph against Birmingham City – the first trophy of what would become an historic 2000-01 treble under Gerard Houllier – Reds fan Joel Richards relives the elation and relief experienced in Cardiff.
Do you remember the first time?
Having longed for it to happen for what felt like an eternity, the desperation to experience what many others had long before grew each year, exacerbated by the second-hand tales of what it was like. Although intrigued, a sense of torture grabbed you with every story you heard; with every near-miss or opportunity blown, that first time seemed to drift further away from your grasp.