The legendary Liverpool striker with the blasphemous nickname (though not to his devoted followers) was denied an appropriate send-off by Gérard Houllier and Phil Thompson when sold to Leeds United in 2001 and, eager to make amends, the current manager Rafael Benitez provided the red carpet treatment, having told the 32-year-old on Wednesday that his contract would not be renewed.
Benitez made Fowler his captain for the day and, in the 89th minute, withdrew him so Anfield could stand in ovation to the source of 183 goals in 369 appearances for Liverpool. All well and good, but you cannot stage-manage football and 60 seconds later Liverpool were awarded a penalty in front of the Kop while their veteran and goalless penalty-taker was taking his place on the bench. Anfield begged for his reintroduction, but not even Fowler could conjure an opening from there.
"The timing wasn't the best," a sheepish Benitez admitted. "I could have waited a little bit more. The idea was to give him an ovation and it would have been perfect for him to have scored in front of the Kop. Today was for Robbie, but he had bad luck."
The farewell for Fowler, and he was granted a raucous reception when he re-appeared for the traditional lap of honour after the final whistle, was typical of an afternoon when Liverpool minds were focused anywhere but on the game. With the team keeping out of harm's way against relegated visitors in preparation for the European Cup final, the contest was never destined to be one for the annals, although it was unsettling for the Anfield hierarchy how events off the field dominated.
Resentment over the distribution of tickets for the European Cup final, caused primarily by Uefa's allocation of 17,000 to each of the finalists and exacerbated by Liverpool's obligation to corporate sponsors, had drawn an angry crowd and protests against the club's chief executive, Rick Parry, continued during the game.
The frustrations are understandable but Parry is in no-win territory on this issue, which is not the case with the baffling decision to replace a planned Kop tribute to Fowler with one for David Moores, the former Liverpool chairman who recently banked £80m for selling his shareholding to the new owners, George Gillet and Tom Hicks.
A mosaic offering "Thanks" at least gave Moores greater cause to remember the occasion than most Liverpudlians, who were subjected to a poor performance.
An afternoon of slips and gaffes began in the second minute when Javier Mascherano carelessly conceded possession to Darren Bent who, in a performance that served well as an audition for a move to Liverpool, instigated a rapid break that ended with Matt Holland scoring a deflected opener past the goalkeeper Daniele Padelli.
Darren Ambrose, Alex-andre Song and Zheng Zhi wasted glorious chances to extend Charlton's advantage and in the 62nd minute an equaliser came inspired by Harry Kewell, the Australian making his first home appearance in 13 months and somehow forcing his way into the reckoning for the impending date with Milan.
Kewell, who was also a surprise inclusion in Istanbul in 2005 until injury struck, was instrumental in Liverpool's late improvement and delivered the delicate cross that Dirk Kuyt headed into the path of Xabi Alonso for the substitute's mishit leveller. "Playing from the beginning against Milan would be difficult," insisted Benitez, "but the bench could be an option if he trains well."
Charlton regained the lead when Bent volleyed in from an acute angle following another slip by Padelli before handball from Madjid Bougherra presented Liverpool with the penalty that secured a third place finish. Up stepped Kewell, who had already struck the crossbar and forced a fine save from Darren Randolph, to convert into the bottom corner. The Kop's only reservation was that he stepped in someone else's hallowed footsteps.