Phil BoersmaD.o.B - 24/9/49
Position - Midfielder/Forward
1st team games (goals) - 120 (30)
Kirkby born Phil Boersma is one of many of the talented Scousers to be promoted through the ranks and eventually play for the first team at Liverpool Football Club.
After signing professional forms in September 68, Boersma had to wait a further twelve months before making his debut for his hometown club. His curtain raiser was as a substitute when he replaced Alun Evans shortly after the hour mark in a League Cup tie against Man City. We lost that game 3-2, and only won of the games Boersma featured in during his debut season. A 4-0 win over Dundalk in the Fairs Cup was that said victory. Three draws, two defeats and one victory for the debut season for Phil Boersma.
The following year (70-71) saw Boersma get more time on the pitch though he had to be patient for his first game of the season. It finally came, as a substitute for Alun Evans again, in a European tie against Dinamo Bucharest. He'd score again in the Fairs Cup that year, the second in a 2-0 win over Hibs. That was one was also his first at Anfield. His first domestic goal came in between the two European goals when he netted the winner at Upton Park in a 2-1 victory.
Though making 21 appearances that year, Boersma hadn't done enough for Bill Shankly to include him in the 71 Cup final against Arsenal. Boersma wasn't the only Liverpool player to miss out on a winners medal that day.
The following year saw Phil a long way from the first team and made just five appearances for the side. After a promising 70-71 campaign this was a bit of a kick in the teeth for Boersma but it may have spurred him on as well as the next year would see him have his best in a Liverpool shirt.
He made over 30 appearances in all competitions and scored an impressive 13 goals. He netted two braces that year as well with his first, again being as a substitute this time replacing John Toshack in a League Cup against Carlisle. Goals continue to flow at a consistent level for Phil in 72-73, especially in the UEFA Cup.
Goals in both legs against AEK Athens and then in the home legs against Dynamo Berlin and Dynamo Dresden saw us progress through the rounds with little problems. Despite his goals in the earlier rounds and his impressive displays throughout the season, Phil found himself on the bench for both legs of the final and managed to come on for the last 13 minutes of the second leg. A game that was made very nervy by Bourssia Monchengladbach. Even though we'd won the first leg at Anfield 3-0, the Germans fought back to get it 2-0 in their home leg. Phil was brought on for Steve Heighway just to try and shut up shop. We did.
With the League title already won, the UEFA Cup final was our last game of the season to clinch a double. And we did, in doing so we won our first European trophy as well.
The following year was one of huge confrontation for Phil Boersma. He played in fewer games than he did in 72-73 but it was perhaps a game he didn't play in that he'll most remembered for. After being told he wasn't playing in the 74 Cup final, Boersma stormed out of the Wembley dressing room and threatened never to play for the club again.
Of course in most incidents Shanks was proven right as we went on to hammer Newcastle 3-0 and lift our second FA Cup.
But it did look as if Boersma's Liverpool carer was over. However with Shankly's retirement, new manager Bob Paisley was able to convince Boersma to stay on and Phil repaid the faith shown in him instantly.
His first game under Bob was, ironically, at Wembley in the Charity Shield against League champions Leeds. Phil got himself on the score sheet at the national stadium as the Shield was shared between the two clubs. That goal was the first of ten for Boersma in our opening eleven games of the season including a hat trick against Spurs at Anfield. The goal against Stoke on the 21st September was his tenth in the run, but also his 30th final goal for the club.
After a promising start under Paisley where Phil played in 26 of the opening 27 games, he soon found himself out of the side and only played a part in a further three games of the 74-75 season. And then the following year, made just a further five appearances, four of which came from the bench. His last appearance was a sub against Derby where he replaced Emlyn Hughes just after half time.
He was moved onto Middlesbrough in December 75. However Phil did return to Anfield later on his career when he became Graeme Souness' assistant manager during the early 90s.
Phil Boersma - a man remembered mostly for a game he didn't play in.
