Legendary Reds

Pretty much the idea Brian had earlier in the week about remembering our most famous sons of days gone by.

Names are obviously helpful, but a bit of further infomation wouldn't hurt the cause either. I'll start with me first ever Liverpool idol - Robbie Fowler - in the next post.

Current profiles done are:

Robbie Fowler (page 1)
Bill Jones (page 1 - thanks to Billy1)
Jack Balmer (page 1)
Larry Lloyd (page 1)
Alex Raisbeck (page 1)
Alan A'Court (page 1)
Tommy Lawrence (page 1)
Roy Saunders (page 1)
Alun Evans (page 1)
Gordon Hodgson (page 1)
Jan Molby (page 1)
Steve Nicol (page 1)
Chris Lawler (page 1)
Sami Hyypia (page 1)
Louis Bimpson (page 1)
Emlyn Hughes (page 1)
John Barnes (page 2 - thanks to Ross)
Jerzy Dudek (page 2 - thanks to Redsonfire)
Bert Slater (page 2)
Steve Heighway (page 2 - thanks to Redsonfire)
Craig Johnston (page 2 - thanks to bigvYNWA)
Alan Kennedy (page 2 - thanks to paulboo)
John Molyneux (page 2)
Willie Stevenson (page 2)
Jimmy Melia (page 2)
Dick Edmed (page 2)
Billy Liddell (page 2)
Mark Wright (page 2)
Steve McMahon (page 3 - thanks to Don77)
Geoff Strong (page 3)
Phil Boersma (page 3)

IF YOU WISH TO HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THIS THREAD THEN THANK YOU BUT PLEASE DO NOT COPY AND PASTE OFF ANY OTHER SITE

Robbie Fowler

D.o.B - 9/4/75
Position - forward
1st team games (goals) - 369 (183)

Toxteth born Robbie Fowler was nicknamed God by the Liverpool fans and his goalscoring record during his two spells at Anfield proved why.

After impressing in the youth and reserve sides in the early 90s, it was obvious Fowler would be making the first team quite quickly. In 1993 he made his mark on the first team with a goal against Fulham in the League Cup on his debut and Fulham and the League Cup became a good combination for Fowler who scored all five goals against the West London side in the return leg. His first full season saw him top Liverpool's goalscoring charts, finally ending with 18 goals including a hattrick against Southampton and a winner against his boyhood club Everton.

The following season saw Fowler develop even further. His hattrick against Arsenal in August of 94 still remains the fastest in Premiership history, taking him just 4 minutes 32 seconds to net all three against the Gunners. The season included many milestones including a Coca Cola Cup winners medal and the PFA Young Player of the Year award. An award very well deserved after Fowler netted 31 goals in just 57 games. After such an impressive season, England soon came calling as well. Although it wasn't until the the 95/96 season that Fowler actually wore the three lions.

Fowler netted over 30 goals again in 95/96 four of which came against Manchester United in the league and a further two against Everton. Although Fowler's goalscoring heroics against United didn't shine through in the FA Cup Final of 96. Despite the loss in the final, Fowler retained his Young Player of the Year award making him the only Liverpool player ever to do so. With international recognition now behind Fowler, the next milestone was 100 goals for Liverpool which he achieved in December '96 against Middlesborough. The same season saw him reach the 30 goal milestone for a third consecutive season. Despite the reputation Fowler earned himself off the field, he was still a true professional on it and after admitting that Arsenal keeper David Seaman hadn't touched him, "God" won the UEFA Fair Play award. He strengthened the love affair fans had with him after showing support for the Dockers who'd been sacked in the early months of 1997.

1997/98 saw Fowler struggle badly with injuries and was unable to really get the season going yet he still managed an impressive 13 goals. The following season he saw Roy Evans leave his post as Liverpool manager only to be replaced by Gerard Houllier. Now despite Fowler being in and out of the side with the new rotation methods, he still found himself as the club's vice captain, although he and Sami Hyypia shared the responsibility of captaining the side in Jamie Redknapp's absence. During his time as (vice)captain he lifted the Worthington Cup after seeing the Reds defeat Birmingham City on penalties. That season also saw Fowler lift the FA Cup for a first time and his first European trophy when Liverpool defeated Alaves 5-4 after extra time winning the UEFA Cup all in the famous treble winning year of 2001.

This however would signal the end of Fowler's stay at Anfield, for the time being, and he was eventually sold to Leeds for over 11 million. A fee that remains Liverpool's highest transfer fee received for any one player although there are question marks about how much Spurs actually paid to recapture Robbie Keane in 2009. Fowler did however return to Anfield as a Liverpool player back in 2006 after injury plagued spells with Leeds and Man City. Fowler never, understandably, reached the heights during the second spell as he did in his first, but 5 goals in just 16 games at the backend of the 05/06 season saw him earn another years contract with Rafa Benitez' Liverpool. A further 7 goals in the 06/07 season wasn't enough to secure him another contract and he finally left the club to join Championship side Cardiff. After struggling to make a real impact at Ninian Park and a brief spell at Blackburn under former team mate Paul Ince, Fowler has since moved to Austrialian side North Queensland Fury.

However every Liverpool fan will tell you that God's home will always be Anfield.

 I will throw a name into the ring that might surprise some posters-Bill Jones who played for the REDS from 1938 to 1954 less the war years of course.He was in the same era as Billy Liddell and Bob Paisley so has probably not got the acclaim he deserves.He played centre half (in old money) For England and was known as Mr versatile at Anfield as he played full back,half back and in the forward line.When the REDS won the league in 1946/7 he actually played in six different positions .He left the club to be player manager of Ellesmere Port in 1954 but came back to the club as a scout in the 1960s/70s-Another Shankly signing for his backroom staff.In effect except for his amateur club he only played professionally for L.F.C.

I will throw a name into the ring that might surprise some posters-Bill Jones who played for the REDS from 1938 to 1954 less the war years of course.He was in the same era as Billy Liddell and Bob Paisley so has probably not got the acclaim he deserves.He played centre half (in old money) For England and was known as Mr versatile at Anfield as he played full back,half back and in the forward line.When the REDS won the league in 1946/7 he actually played in six different positions .He left the club to be player manager of Ellesmere Port in 1954 but came back to the club as a scout in the 1960s/70s-Another Shankly signing for his backroom staff.In effect except for his amateur club he only played professionally for L.F.C.

Wasn't he Rob Jones' granddad as well?

Ron Yeats was the foundation Shankly used to build his teams of the 60's. As such I think he is the start of the modern era and some of Shanklys quotes about him are just unbelievable. He asked him if he wanted to play for the English first division champions when we were still in the old 2nd division.

Jack Balmer

D.o.B - 6/2/16
Position - forward
1st team games (goals) 313 (111)

The late Jack Balmer will always be classed as one of the club's earliest goalscoring legends.

The Liverpool born forward signed professionally for the Reds in 1935 after being on the books of city rivals Everton. But the outbreak of WWII saw Balmer's Liverpool career halt for the time being. As soon as the football league resumed though, so did Balmer's goalscoring antics. Forming a lethal partnership with Albert Stubbins saw both reach 28 goals (in all competitions) in the 1946/47 season which ended up in Liverpool lifting the league title for the first time since 1923. That season also saw Jackie Balmer score three consecutive hattricks in the league, a record that still stands today.

Goals, unlike trophies, continued to flow for Balmer who hit double figures in the two following seasons while wearing the captain's armband. Injuries hindered him in the 1949/50 season which saw Willie Fagan and Kevin Baron take their chances with both hands. The following season saw Balmer fully fit and he scored a further 11 goals only four less than Billy Liddell. In the 51/52 season he only made four appearances and Balmer finally retired at the end of the season with a record of a goal less than every three games.

Jack unfortunately passed away on Christmas Day of 1984 and will certainly be missed by Liverpool fans.

Larry Lloyd

D.o.B - 6/10/48
Position - defender
1st team games (goals) 218 (5)

Larry Lloyd was signed from Bristol Rovers in 1969 as a replacement for the the aging Ron Yeats.

In his first full season he made just 9 appearaces as Yeats and Emlyn Hughes remained the first choice pairing at the heart of Shankly's defence. However the 70s proved to be a good decade for Lloyd who'd play in 60 of Liverpools 62 games in the 70/71 season including a place in the losing FA Cup final side. Only Ray Clemence, Chris Lawler and Tommy Smith played more than Lloyd that season, all making 61 appearances. The 1971/72 season saw Lloyd establish himself further as first choice centre half and he even grabbed a goal during his 43 games that year.

Lloyd had well established himself by the time 72/73 came along and being one of only three ever presents that season proved it. He played in all 66 games which saw Liverpool win the league title for an eight time and their first European trophy - the 1973 UEFA Cup. Lloyd scored on very few occasions but he did score in the first leg of that UEFA Cup final against Borussia Moenchengladbach.

He was playing as well as ever in the 73/74 side but an injury midway through the season saw himself lose his place in the team and he never regained it back. He missed out on the FA Cup final in 1974, which Liverpool won 3-0 against Newcastle, and Lloyd would never wear the Liverpool shirt again. He was sold later that summer to Coventry by new manager Bob Paisley. After a two year spell with the Sky Blues he moved onto Nottingham Forest and under the management of Brian Clough won another league title and the European Cup twice as well as two league cup titles. He tried his hand at management with Wigan and Notts County but never excelled the way he did as a player.

Larry Lloyd was a fantastic defender and would possibly have achieved more at Anfield had it not been for that injury.

Wasn't he Rob Jones' granddad as well?

I cannot say for sure but I have a feeling he was.

Jack Balmer

D.o.B - 6/2/16
Position - forward
1st team games (goals) 313 (111)

The late Jack Balmer will always be classed as one of the club's earliest goalscoring legends.

The Liverpool born forward signed professionally for the Reds in 1935 after being on the books of city rivals Everton. But the outbreak of WWII saw Balmer's Liverpool career halt for the time being. As soon as the football league resumed though, so did Balmer's goalscoring antics. Forming a lethal partnership with Albert Stubbins saw both reach 28 goals (in all competitions) in the 1946/47 season which ended up in Liverpool lifting the league title for the first time since 1923. That season also saw Jackie Balmer score three consecutive hattricks in the league, a record that still stands today.

Goals, unlike trophies, continued to flow for Balmer who hit double figures in the two following seasons while wearing the captain's armband. Injuries hindered him in the 1949/50 season which saw Willie Fagan and Kevin Baron take their chances with both hands. The following season saw Balmer fully fit and he scored a further 11 goals only four less than Billy Liddell. In the 51/52 season he only made four appearances and Balmer finally retired at the end of the season with a record of a goal less than every three games.

Jack unfortunately passed away on Christmas Day of 1984 and will certainly be missed by Liverpool fans.

I remember Jack Balmer very well,he scored 99 goals for us but he had the knack of putting the ball over the bar on a regular basis and we used to joke that he should of been a rugby player.He had a joinery shop in West Derby Village and he was actually an amateur for Everton before signing professional for L.F.C..He retired in 1952 and died 1984

John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE (born 7 November 1963 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican-born former professional English football player whose most successful spells were for Watford and Liverpool during the 1980s and 1990s.

He won the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and played for England 79 times, then a record for a black player.

He finished his playing career at Charlton Athletic in 1999.

Barnes also rapped on two football-themed chart-topping singles. After leaving England he became player/head-coach of Celtic. He has been acting as a part-time scout in the Caribbean for Sunderland. He is also a broadcaster with television Channel Five in the UK. Barnes took over as manager of the Jamaican national team on 1 November 2008.
Digger Barnes is a legend for what he did for us.

Amen, brother. Love Digger, pace, skill, delivery and a hell of a shot. Best winger i've ever seen.

Alex Raisbeck

D.o.B - 26/12/1878
Position - Defender
1st team games (goals) 340 (21)

Alex Raisbeck was possibly the finest defender of his generation.

The Scottish centre half was signed from Stoke City back in 1898 and missed just two games in his debut season as Liverpool finished second behind Aston Villa. He missed only two more games the following season as well before being awarded the captain's armband ahead of the 1900/01 season. Maybe it was being led by the small, yet commanding, Raisbeck that inspired Liverpool to their first league title in the club's history in his first season as captain.

In the defence of the title, Raisbeck missed a few games through injury which saw Liverpool finish well short of retaining the title. Injuries continued in 1902/03 and then the following season disaster struck for Liverpool as they were relegated to the old second division. But the Reds, still led by Raisbeck, bounced back instantly with the Scottish international missing just one game. And in their first year back in the top flight, Liverpool lifted their second league title.

Liverpool again failed to show why they were champions the following season, but it was another injury plagued season for the Liverpool captain. Raisbeck began to become a bit part player and finally left the club as a player in 1909. After a small stint with Partick Thistle back his native Scotland he tried his hand at managing up and down the country before returning to Anfield as a scout.

Judging by what I've read and heard over the years, the best description of Raisbeck is he was a very early version of Fabio Cannervaro. Small in stature, but still won everything in the air and led by example.

Alex sadly passed away in March 1949.

Alan A'Court

D.o.B - 30/9/34
Position - Winger
1st team games (goals) - 382 (63)

Alan A'Court is the first player alphabetically in Liverpool's history.

He was a left winger who was signed from Prescot Cables under the management of Don Welsh in 1952, although didn't make his debut until February 53. In that debut season he managed 12 games and a further 16 the following season, which saw Liverpool relegated to the old Second Division.

A'Court started to establish himself for Liverpool in the second division, making 33 appearances in our first season back in England's second tier. He became even more important to the club the following season as Liverpool narrowly missed out on promotion back to the top flight. In this 55/56 season A'Court made more appearances than any other player besides Geoff Twentyman, the season also saw a new manager in charge towards the end. Phil Taylor, a former Liverpool captain, replaced Don Welsh in May 56.

In Taylor's first full season as manager, A'Court missed just a handful of games. He also scored 10 goals, the first time he'd scored double figures for the club. The same season he received a call up from England, which showed how good the left winger was. Receiving an international call up as a second division player is always a feat to be proud of. A'Court would go on to play five times for England, including a few games during the 58 world cup. Leading up to that World Cup in Sweden, A'Court made an impressive 44 games for Liverpool in 57/58 becoming the youngest player in the club's history to surpass 200 games. A record in itself.

A'Court made a further 40 appearances in the 58/59 season in which he saw his third different Liverpool manager arrive, this time it was, the to become legendary, Bill Shankly. In Shankly's first season A'Court was one of only two players to be ever present, the other being Ronnie Moran. A'Court continued to impress under Shankly the following season and then in 61/62 he was again ever present in the side. This time however, it led to Liverpool being crowned Second Division Champions and finally returning to where we belonged - England's top division.

Once in the top flight, A'Court's appearances became more limited, making only 23 appearances in our first year back. The following season, he failed to make one appearance as Liverpool went onto lift the league title for the first time under Shankly. Shankly did however give A'Court a starting place in the second leg of Liverpool's first ever European match against Reykjavik. It would though be A'Court's last appearance for Liverpool but he did help the Reds progress to second round 11-1 on aggregate.

After a brief spell at Tranmere and a player/coach role at Norwich, A'Court started coaching abroad in Africa among other places.

Alan A'Court was one of Liverpool's greatest players and was just unfortunate he never really got a chance to shine at the highest level.

Tommy Lawrence

D.o.B - 14/5/40
Position - Goalkeeper
1st team games - 390

Tommy Lawrence is one in a long list of successful keepers at Anfield, but he is much more than just another name on the list.

The "Flying Pig" as he was known was offered a professional contract in 1957 by manager Phil Taylor after impressing as a junior however he wouldn't make his senior debut until 1962 and under the management of fellow Scot, Bill Shankly. Once in the side though, Lawrence was almost impossible to move and not because of his weight which earned him his nickname.

Liverpool's number one keeper Jim Furnell got injured which handed Lawrence his debut in October 62 and despite no clean sheet in his opening four games, he managed to make 35 appearances that season. Lawrence's first full season ended in his first league title with him being one of six to make 45 appearances (or more) that season.

As his career and Liverpool as a whole began to prosper under Shankly, Lawrence made the most appearances of any player in the 64/65 season which ended up in Liverpool winning the FA Cup for the very first time. He played in 59 appearances that season including all games en route to that famous FA Cup victory against Leeds and all appearances in Liverpool's first season in Europe which ended in semi final defeat to questionable decisions against Inter Milan. Lawrence also played in the Charity Shield against West Ham which ended in a 2-2 draw, resulting the trophy to be shared.

1965/66 saw Lawrence play every game throughout the entire season. The season saw Lawrence pick up his third winners medal in as many years as Liverpool went on to to lift the league title again. It also saw Liverpool in Europe again and this time go one step further than the semis and reach the final of the old Cup Winners Cup but it ended in defeat to the German side Borussia Dortmund.

The three following seasons saw Lawrence just miss two games out of 162. During this amazing run he set a new English record for the least goals conceded in a season when he let in just a mere 24 goals in the 58/59 season but it still didn't see Liverpool win the league. Despite setting this record the year before, after a disappointing defeat in the FA Cup to Watford in 1970 Lawrence lost his place to the ever improving Ray Clemence who'd bided his time since being signed in 67.

Lawrence parted with Liverpool at the end of the 70/71 season after making just the one appearance and moved on to Tranmere where he stayed for a few seasons before finishing his career at Chorley in the non-league.

Tommy Lawrence - the flying pig.

Roy Saunders

D.o.B - 4/9/30
Position - defender
1st team games (goals) - 146 (1)

Roy Saunders, father of former Liverpool forward Dean.

Yorkshire born Saunders never really established himself at Anfield simply because Phil Taylor and Bob Paisley had the wing-half position sewn up, and when you see Taylor and Paisley both become managers of the club it shows how highly rated they were at Anfield.

Despite being signed as a 17 year old from his hometown club, Hull City, Saunders had to wait a long time before making his first team debut. Once in the side he took the opportunity with both hands and ended up finishing the season with 15 appearances to his name and helped the Reds avoid relegation. The following season (53-54) saw Saunders make five more appearances than the season before, but this time the Reds did find themselves rooted to the foot of the table and were relegated to Division 2.

Saunders managed 32 appearances in Divison 2, once Taylor and Paisley had finish their careers. Saunders' appearances per season continued to grow the following season with 42 in Don Welsh's final year in charge. The following season saw a new manager, but not a new face, to Anfield as Saunders' former team-mate Phil Taylor was handed the role. Saunders found himself making only 28 appearances this year, including his only goal in an away 2-0 win over Bury. He then only made five appearances the year after. In what would become Taylor's final full season in charge, Saunders managed just four more games before finally moving onto Swansea in March 1959.

Roy sadly passed away on the 29th of January 2009 and will always be rememered as a player who deserved more games than he ever got.

Alun Evans

D.o.B - 30/4/49
Position - Forward
1st team games (goals) 111 (33)

When signed from Wolves by Bill Shankly in 1968, Alun Evans became the first British teenager to cost £100,000.

When signed by Shankly, it was expected that Evans was to be the natural successor to Roger Hunt and when he scored three goals in his opening two games it looked like a master stroke by Shanks. After such a good start to his Liverpool career, the youngster kept his place in the team throughout the season and ended up adding four more goals to his name. He was given a chance to show if he could match Hunt's accomplishments, no easy task for anybody by the way, the following season after Sir Roger had been transferred to Bolton. But Evans couldn't cope with the added pressure and managed only three goals throughout the season, all away as well.

After a fantastic start to the 70-71 season with an impressive 7 goals in the opening 10 matches, including the only goal in a win over Chelsea at Anfield, Evans found things turning sour. He got scarred by a glass bottle after an incident in his native Wolverhampton and then found himself out of the side due to injury. He did win his place back in the side and ended the season almost as well as it'd started with a hattrick over Bayern Munich in the quarter finals of the fairs cup and a place in the 71 cup final team.

After the signing of Kevin Keegan in the summer of 1971, Evans' days were numbered and he finally left Anfield in January to move to Aston Villa. He later played for Walsall and ended his career in Australia playing for South Melbourne.

Alun Evans will often be remembered as the man who never fulfilled his potential at Anfield.

Gordon Hodgson

D.o.B - 16/4/04
Position - forward
1st team games (goals) - 377 (241)

Gordon Hodgson will always be one of the club's greatest ever goalscorers.

South African born Hodgson toured with a side from his homeland in 1924 and after impressing in the 5-2 win over Liverpool, the Reds bought him a year or so later. And he would certainly become one of the club's best foreign imports. After making his debut towards the end of the 25-26 season against Man City, Hodgson would show Liverpool fans what they could consider to become the norm. He ended up with four goals in twelve games that season including a brace against Manchester United in a three all draw.

The following season saw Hodgson finish with just short of one goal every other game with an extremely impressive record of 18 goals in 40 games. The Anfield crowd were treated to two hattricks by Hodgson that season as well, one against Sheff Utd and the other against Derby County. Hattricks and Gordon Hodgson would soon become very familiar with one another. Hodgson improved his goal tally during the 1927-28 season when he broke the twnety goal mark, finishing up as the top goalscorer with 23 goals in just 32 games. Anfield was treated to another Hodgson hattrick that season during the 8-2 win over Portsmouth, where William Devlin outshone Hodgson by scoring four on the day.

1928-29 season saw Hodgson break another record, this time the thirty goal mark for a single season. He managed 30 league goals for the club and 2 more in the FA Cup but that wasn't the only personal record he broke that season. He also managed his first away hattrick for Liverpool during the campaign against Arsenal in a 4-4 draw. The 1929-30 season saw a buck in the trend at Anfield though as not only did Hodgson not record a hattrick that season but he did not end up as the club's top goalscorer either, that accolade fell to Jim Smith who slotted home 23 times in the season in comparison to Hodgson's 14.

After recording his lowest goalscoring tally for a full season the season before, Hodgson was determined to show Liverpool he wasn't past it and what better way to do that than score 36 goals in just 41 games for the season. All 36 goals coming in the league and a record that wouldn't be broken until Roger Hunt scored 41 goals in the 61-62 season. Hodgson also got four hattricks during the season, three of which came in front of his adoring Anfield fans. The other was in the 5-3 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Unable to beat last year's record, Hodgson still managed to net 27 times in 43 games in 1931-32 and yet again got a hattrick at Anfield, this time against West Brom. 32-33 saw Hodgson again break the twenty goal mark this time ending on 24 for the season and another three hattricks to his name all at Anfield once again. He also opened and finished the scoring that season, opening the season with a goal against Wolves in a 5-1 win at Anfield and wrapping the season up with a goal against Sheff Wed during a 4-1 again at Anfield.

Hodgson continued to lead the line in the 1933-34 season and again went past twenty goals for a single season. He put another two Anfield hattricks away during the season which saw him break last year's tally by a single goal, this year ending up with 25. And for the fifth consecutive season Hodgson went past twenty goals, this time finishing on 29 in just 36 games and the Liverpool fans were treated to yet another wonderful season from their South African hero.

But on the 28th of December 1935, Gordon Hodgson finally bowed out from Anfield and left for Aston Villa the following month. In just 17 appearances that season for the Reds he still managed to score 9 times and could leave Anfield with his head held extremely high. With a tally of 233 league goals, all of which came in England's top flight.

After leaving Liverpool he had a brief spell at Villa Park before earning hero status at Leeds United as well. He finished his playing career with over 300 top flight goals to his name as well as a healthy number of appearances for Lancashire County Cricket Club. He also had a successful managing stint at Port Vale, which included promotion and moving them to their current ground Vale Park.

Unfortunately Gordon died suddenly at the age of just 47 in the summer of 1951.

He will always be remembered by those who saw him as the hattrick man, ending up with 17 in total for Liverpool. A record that still stands today. But for all his personal achievements, and there was a lot, he never won a major trophy at Anfield. While he succeeded to break record upon record, the team on a whole couldn't win the silverwear Hodgson's skill deserved.

Gordon Hodgson a legend in every single sense of the word.

Philip 'Phil' Bernard Thompson (Liverpool, 21 January 1954) was a defender in the dominant Liverpool team of the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, he also represented the England national football team on 37 occasions. After retiring as a player, he later served Liverpool as a coach, and during the 2001/02 season, acted as manager for 6 months while current manager Gerard Houllier was ill. He is currently one of the pundits on Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports.

Can I just ask people if you're going to post in this thread can you please post your own words and not something that's just been copied off wiki. It's just lazy in my opinion. The people your writing about deserve a bit more respect than just a quick copy and paste.

I take pride in writing about our greats of the past and enjoy reading up on them meself, so again could you please try and be a more creative in your posts. I'm not saying don't use the internet for information, but try your best not to copy and paste - please.

Jan Molby

D.o.B - 4/7/63
Position - midfielder
1st team games (goals) - 292 (61)

Jan Molby will always be remembered at Anfield as the Dane with a Scouse accent.

Danish central midfielder was signed by then manager Joe Fagan as a replacement for the departing Graeme Souness. He started the season well but ended up making just 24 appearances as he lost his place to Kevin McDonald. Molby was one of the unused subs for the European Cup final against Juventus at Heysel which has since been forgotten for the football and more the tragic scenes off the pitch.

The following season saw a change of manager as Kenny Dalglish took over as player/manager and Molby really established himself. He made over 50 appearances that year and got into double figures in terms of goals, most of which came from the penalty spot. He also dictated the play in the 1986 Cup final against Everton in which Liverpool won 3-1 to claim there first ever league and cup double.

The following season Molby again got double figures for goals including a hattrick of penalties against Coventry as Liverpool found themselves at Wembley once more, although they were beaten by Arsenal in the League Cup final. In the 87-88 season Molby made just one start and a further seven sub appearances mainly down to injury but his arrest for drink-driving certainly didn't help. The following season saw Molby adopt a more defensive role as a central defender but his progress was halted by his six week prison sentance. Then in 1989-90 he again failed to really make his mark with just 20 appearances in all competitions.

But during the 90-91 season Molby was back to his best and dictating much of Liverpool's play during his 34 appearances. This year also brought an end to King Kenny as manager and in came the man Molby was signed to replace, Graeme Souness. Souness had faith in Molby and the Dane made 40 appearances in Souness' first full season in charge which also included an FA Cup winners medal.

With the new found Premiership starting in 92-93, Molby was struggling to keep up with the pace and played just 13 times in the Premiership's debut season. He managed the same total of games the following season but it was clear his days at Anfield were up. His appearance tally went up in 94-95 making 16 appearances including a goal from a penalty on what would become his final game in a Liverpool shirt against Coventry. He was finally released from the club in 1996.

On his release he became the first foreigner to spend a decade at a British club, which is a proud record to have. He's had managerial positions at Swansea and Kidderminister but it's never really worked out for big Jan.

He will always be held in the highest regard at Anfield though for his great passing, accuracy and vision as well as his ability to score from the spot, 42 in total.

Steve Nicol

D.o.B - 11/12/61
Position - Defender
1st team games (goals) 466 (46)

Steve Nicol will always be remembered for his versitilty by Liverpool fans.

He was signed from the Scottish side Ayr United by Bob Paisley in 1981 although had to wait until the following season for him to make his debut. Despite being a natural defender he was played on the right hand side of midfield during his debut against Birmingham at St Andrews. He made just three more appearances that season as the ever reliable Phil Neal kept the right back position his own.

The following season saw a change of manager and a change in Steve Nicol's Liverpool career. Under new manager Joe Fagan, Nicol made 38 games and got himself on the score sheet 7 times. He also helped Liverpool win the league that season and their fourth European Cup, despite missing the opening penalty in the shoot out against Roma. Nicol scored another 7 goals the following season during 48 appearances, one of which was the infamous European Cup final against Juventus at Heysel which saw Joe Fagan leave his post as manager.

So in came Nicol's third Liverpool manager, this time fellow Scotsman Kenny Dalglish. With age catching up on Phil Neal, Nicol was finally given a run at right back although he would play many positions that year. He made an impressive 49 appearances and had his best goalscoring year to date with 8 goals as well as a league and FA Cup double. The following season was disappointing for Nicol as he found himself injured more often than not and only played in 19 games.

The following season however was a complete turn a round for Nicol. He led the appearance charts, being the only player to make 50 games and got himself on the scoresheet 7 times, including a hattrick against Newcastle. All seven goals did come in the opening seven games of the season however. Nicol led the appearance charts the following season as well with another 50 hugely impressive games, he was so impressive he was the football writers player of the year.

During the title winning 89-90 season, Nicol was again a vital part of the team and scored more goals than any other player other than the front three of Rush, Barnes and Beardsley. Two of Nicol's goals came in Liverpool's famous 9-0 victory over Crystal Palace. Nicol continued to rack up the appearanes in the 90-91 season, playing more games than anybody other than Rush and Barnes. The same season saw Nicol playing for his fourt manager, this time another Scotsman in Gareme Souness.

In Souness' first full season Nicol again surpassed the 50 game mark and got himself with his third FA Cup winners medal. The following season saw the start of the Premiership era and another 39 appearances for Steve Nicol. Nicol found himself under his fifth Liverpool manager, Roy Evans, during the 93-94 season. But he was still considered a vital part of the team and his 35 appearances proved this.

With the ermerging full backs of Rob Jones, Stig Inge Bjornebye and Steve Harkness, Steve Nicol lost his place and was sold halfway through the 94-95 season to Notts County. After leaving Meadow Lane he had short spells in Yorkshire with Sheff Wed and Doncaster Rovers before moving to America to become a coach.

Steve Nicol - Mr Versitility.

Chris Lawler

D.o.B - 20/10/43
Position - Defender
1st team games (goals) - 549 (61)

Chris Lawler mastered the art of scoring from full back.

Local lad Chris Lawler signed professionally for Liverpool in 1960 on his 17th birthday although he'd have to wait until 1963 before making his first team debut. He finally got his chance to shine during a 2-2 draw with West Brom at Anfield. He ended his debut season by playing five of the last seven league games. The following season saw Lawler make another six appearances in the first team.

In the 64-65 season Lawler finally made the right back position his own with age finally catching up on Ronnie Moran. Lawler ended up with 48 appearances, including a place in the first Liverpool side to lift the FA Cup. He also ended up getting his first goals for the senior side that year with when he scored the fifth goal in a resounding victory at Turf Moor against Bunrley and his first Anfield goal was the winner against Wolves.

He made 50 more appearances the following year but the most impressive fact that season was Lawler's 9 goals. The third highest for the club in their title winning year, the two who scored more were Ian St John and Roger Hunt who of course were the forward line for Liverpool for Liverpool's title winning side. Lawler was also part of the team that lost the Cup Winners Cup final against Borussia Dortmund. En route to the final, Lawler bagged himself four goals more than any other Liverpool player.

During the 66-67 season Lawler was one three men to be an ever present for the Reds, the others being Peter Thompson and Tommy Smith. Lawler bagged himself six goals that year with the most famous probably being in Holland against Ajax. Although the Reds took a hammering 5-1, at that time Ajax were considered the best team in Europe so it was an accomplishment to get a goal against them. The following season saw Lawler once again be an ever present, this time as the only out field player to be so, the other was goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence. Lawler managed another four goals that year including back to back goals against Burnley and Sheff Wed.

For the third season in a row Lawler was an ever present, this time making 51 appearances for Shankly's men. He was joined by fellow locals Ian Callaghan and Tommy Smith as well as Peter Thompson as an ever present. Lawler netted another 7 goals that year including goals in all three rounds of the League Cup run. Lawler kept his amazing run of consecutive games going throughout the following season as well by playing in all 54 games that year as well as making double figures in terms of goals for the first time. His first of his 11 goals that season opened Liverpool's campaign against Chelsea and he also ended the season in fine form scoring in three consecutive games agaisnt Wolves, Crystal Palace and Sunderland.

Lawler's run of 241 consecutive games came to an on the 26th of April 1971 when he wasn't selected for the trip to Maine Road agaisnt Man City. He was back in the side that went to Wembley for the FA Cup final, although he only ended up with a runners-up medal after Arsenal beat us 2-1. Back to normal the following season though as Lawler was again ever present with 53 appearances along with Emlyn Hughes and Ray Clemence. Lawler adeared himself to Liverpool fans even more that season after scoring against both Everton and Man United.

The following season was a massive success for Liverpool as they won their first ever European trophy by beating Borussia Monchengladbach in the UEFA Cup final as well winning the league for the eight time. It was also a fantastic season for Lawler who played in all 66 games that season a record that only Larry Lloyd and Ian Callaghan equalled although Lawler's only goal that year came against Carlisle in the League Cup 2nd round replay.

Age started to catch up with Lawler and managed just 25 games during the 73-74 season and wasn't in the side that won the FA Cup against Newcastle. With Bill Shankly resigning and the arrival of Phil Neal, Lawler found himself playing even fewer games in 74-75. Lawler was finally let go by Liverpool in October 1975 after making just one appearance that season, that being the first leg of the UEFA Cup tie against Hibs.

He moved to Portsmouth who were managed by his former Liverpool teammate, Ian St John before a short spell at Stockport and then moving to America. He later returned to Anfield as the reserve coach.

Lawler earned himself the nickname "Silent Knight" because of his ability to go unoticed and pop up with a goal or two or sixty two to be exact. More than any other Liverpool full back to have played after him, including Phil Neal who was Liverpool's regular penalty taker during his time at Anfield.

Chris Lawler - the Silent Knight.

Sami Hyypia

D.o.B - 7/10/73
Position - Defender
1st team games (goals) - 464 (35)

Sami Hyypia, the best bargain in Premiership history.

In the summer of 1999, then manager, Gerard Houllier signed a relatively unknown Finnish central defender who would go on to become one of Liverpool's finest ever players. He made his Liverpool debut on the opening day of the 1999-00 season along with fellow new signings Sander Westerveld, Didi Hamman, Titi Camara, Vladimir Smicer and Erik Meijer in a 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday. This was the first game of 42 that season which saw the Finnish international top Liverpool's appearance charts in his debut season. He also got on the scoresheet twice that year including the return match at Anfield against Sheff Wed when he cancelled out Nicholas Alexandersson's opener and set Liverpool on their way to a 4-1 win. His other goal, and first for the club, came against north-west rivals Manchester United in a 3-2 defeat at Anfield in September.

The following season saw Hyypia often wear the captain's armband and under his leadership Liverpool went on to record one of the most memorable years in our history. He played a major part in Liverpool's treble winning year and racked up a further 58 appearances in the season, only Markus Babbel and Westerveld played more than the Finn. He also proved what a danger he was in the opposition box with another four goals including the opening goal in the unforgettable 4-3 defeat to Leeds at Anfield. His ever improving partnership with Swiss defender Stephane Henchoz was giving Liverpool a solid foundation to build on.

He continued to impress the following season as Liverpool finished runners up to Arsenal, giving them their joint highest finish since the start of the Premiership. Sami made 57 appearances that year and his improved his goalscoring record with another five for us including a goal in Liverpool's most resounding victory of the season - 6-0 against Ipswich at Portman Road. During these 57 games he started an incredible run of appearing in every minute of every European game between November 2001 and February 2006. The run started in the Nou Camp against Barcelona and didn't come to an end until Benfica in 2006. The run did include a fantastic 2004/05 European campaign which resulted in a Champions League winners medal, but I'll come back to that later.

2002-03 saw Hyypia once again top the appearance but this time as the permanent captain as Jamie Redknapp was sold to Tottenham in the summer. A further 56 games were topped off with a Worthington Cup winners medal and what better way than to beat United in the final. His reputation of being a goalscoring defender was enhanced even further with another five goals, probably the most important was the Champions League deciding match with Chelsea on the final day of the season but even Sami's goal wasn't enough to win us the match.

In, what would become, Houllier's final year Hyypia once again topped the charts for appearances. He racked up another 50 plus games for the fourth consecutive year and again got himself on the scoresheet five times. Although even with his best signing playing fantastically well, it wasn't enough for Houllier to keep his job as Liverpool manager. The same season also same Sami hand over the armband to Steven Gerrard, an event that Sami did, as he always did, with minimal fuss

The new season saw, Spaniard, Rafa Benitez arrive on Merseyside to take the hot seat at Anfield and he instantly made an impact in the transfer market. But it was clear that our number 4 was going to play a big part in Rafa's side. However, as big a part as he played, he didn't manage to make 50 games for a long time. He had to make do with a mere 49 games. It was a very poor league campaign from Liverpool on the whole while in Europe we were once again a force and thanks to nobody more than Sami Hyypia. His consistently high leveled defensive performances along side his new defensive partner Jamie Carragher were the foundation on which our fifth European Cup was won. His finest hours came in the quarter finals against Juventus. He scored a fantastic goal in the first leg at Anfield to give us a 2-0 lead and then in the return leg with the score nicely balanced at 2-1 the big Finn put in a man of the match performance and kept the Italians quiet throughout.

In Benitez' second year Hyypia was back to topping the charts for appearances as he made 59 almost faultless performances which saw Liverpool lift the FA Cup for the 7th time as well as finish with our highest points total in the Premiership. He continued his record of scoring in every Premiership season he'd played in as well with another goal, this time against Wigan. The same season saw a new central defender in Daniel Agger sign for the club.

It was this Danish centre half, as well as his old age catching up on him, who displaced Sami in the side the following season. However Sami still managed 29 appearances with another 3 goals and his record of scoring in the Premiership continued. It was expected that this would be Hyypia's last year but he was, however, given another year's extension which he happily signed. And just as well he did as Agger found himself injured for almost all of the season which gave Hyypia another great year to his CV. He played in 44 games that year and would have played in more had it not been for the impressive displays from January signing Martin Skrtel. But he still managed to do enough to earn him another year contract, giving him ten years at Anfield.

During his tenth year he made 19 appearances including a very tearful and heartfelt game at Anfield on the final day against Spurs which saw Sami finally bow out as a Liverpool player. It also included a very late inclusion to the stating line up at Old Trafford in which he rolled back the years and gave a fantastic performance as Liverpool ran out clear 4-1 winners.

He has been the model professional for this club and one every single Liverpool fan will always hold highly. He'll go down in the history books for this club and rightly so. He'll be mentioned in the same breath as the rest of our legendary players, and again, rightly so. His playing career with Liverpool may be over, but hopefully his coaching career with this great club can start very soon and be just as successful as his playing days.

One thing that will never be over though is our love affair with the legend that is Sami Hyypia.

The summer of 1999 was one of Houllier's better summers.Smicer,Hamann and Hyypia -all three of them turned out to be pretty good players for the club,especially Sami!!