‘I had family members die due to drugs’ – Robbie Fowler lifts lid on infamous ‘coke’ celebration in Merseyside derby
ROBBIE FOWLER has lashed out at the “bitter Blues” who made his life a misery by spreading cruel rumours that he took drugs in his free-scoring Anfield pomp.
The Liverpool legend launched an emotional attack on Everton fans as he revealed the secret heartache behind one of the Premier League’s most infamous celebrations.
Goal machine Fowler opened up while recalling the pretend coke-snorting celebration in front of Toffees supporters after netting in a 1999 Mersey derby.
Police officers intervened to keep the peace among furious fans after Fowler knelt to the ground and pretended to hoover up the by-line in a bid to have the final word.
But he ended up copping a four-match ban and £32,000 fine from the FA — and had his wages docked by Liverpool.
And the former England striker admits he is still hurt by the scurrilous rumours.
With Arne Slot’s Prem pacesetters facing an Everton side revitalised by David Moyes at Anfield on Wednesday night, memories will come flooding back of Fowler’s antics.
But the background to the slur would make the rumour-mongers wince, as the ex-player explained at An Evening with Robbie Fowler in Congresbury, Somerset.
He said: “I was accused of being on drugs for a number of years, which was ridiculous because I’m genuinely anti-drugs.
“And even nowadays I still get a little bit of stick about being on drugs, being on cocaine or whatever.
“But I’m very anti-drugs and I’ve even had family members who have passed away through drugs so this was all very difficult to take.
“For me, it’s been completely wrong that I had to put up with these accusations because they were completely unfair.
“I was even having people writing on the wall outside our home that I was a smackhead or I was this or that. So, it got to a point where it was all really embarrassing.”
He is particularly upset that his late dad Robert Snr, who died in 2017, was forced to face malicious rumours.
Fowler, who turns 50 next Wednesday, added: “I’ll always remember my dad came up to me once and put me on the spot. He said, ‘Look son, I’m hearing all sorts of rumours that you’re on drugs, so tell me, are you or not?’
“I said, ‘Dad, I really can’t believe you’ve asked me that’ — and he apologised and said he’d never ask me that question again.
“This dragged on for a number of years until I finally thought, what can I do to combat it and stop the rumours?
Next thing I was on my hands and knees to ram the rumours down their necks.
Robbie Fowler
“I knew the rumours were coming from Everton fans, so I thought to myself, next time we play them, if I score I’ll rub salt into wounds with a bit of mimicking.
“And it all fell into place. I scored a penalty right in front of them and next thing I was on my hands and knees to ram the rumours down their necks.
“Unfortunately, the whole thing ended up costing me £64,000. That’s a lot of money these days — but back then in 1999 it was a f***ing hell of a lot of money.
“It was just me getting my own back after getting so much stick from Everton fans.
“I wanted to wind them up. Do I regret it? No, I don’t. But I do regret the reaction it stirred because some people thought I was endorsing it by treating it lightly.
“It wasn’t to do with endorsing drugs at all — it was just to get back at those Everton fans.
“Would I do it again? If someone else was to pay my fine — yes, of course.”
Fowler scored 183 goals in 369 Reds games and netted six times against their neighbours from across Stanley Park, including two in that 3-2 win that sparked uproar.
‘I GREW UP AN EVERTONIAN’
But it could have been an entirely different story had the Toxteth lad chosen Everton over Liverpool where he honed his craft under record marksman Ian Rush.
“In terms of childhood heroes, I loved strikers like Marco van Basten who was unbelievable but can’t look any further than Ian Rush,” continued Fowler, nicknamed ‘God’ on the Kop.
“I grew up an Evertonian and you were supposed to hate Rushy because of the amount of goals he scored against Everton.
“But I appreciated good football and appreciated Rushy because he was brilliant. He was always helpful to me as I came through the ranks.
“I know that they all are now, but I was never a bitter Blue. And I’m proud of my little place in derby and Anfield history.
“I got the last derby goal in front of the old Kop (in 1994) and it was the winner (in a 2-1 victory) which made it extra special.”