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      RIP Gerry Byrne

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      Diego LFC
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      RIP Gerry Byrne
      Nov 28, 2015 12:11:28 pm
      Liverpool FC FA Cup final hero Gerry Byrne passes away aged 77
      Former team-mate Ian Callaghan, pays tribute to Byrne, who won the 1965 FA Cup with Liverpool despite breaking his collarbone after only seven minutes

      Gerry Byrne, the hero of Liverpool's historic 1965 FA Cup final victory, has passed away at the age of 77.

      Byrne, who had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease, died in a nursing home in Wrexham in the early hours of Saturday morning.

      A one-club man having been spotted by Liverpool as a 15-year-old, Byrne played 333 times and scored four goals before his career was ended prematurely by injury.

      He helped the Reds earn promotion to the top flight in 1962 and won the first division title in both 1964 and 1966.

      Byrne, primarily a left-back who could also play on the right side of defence, was also a member of England's 1966 World Cup squad alongside Liverpool team-mates Roger Hunt and Ian Callaghan, and belatedly receiving a winners' medal in 2009.

      But it was for the 1965 FA Cup final that Byrne will forever be remembered.

      Only seven minutes in the Wembley showpiece against Leeds United, Byrne broke his collarbone in a challenge with Bobby Collins.

      In the days before substitutes, Byrne had no option but to soldier on through the remainder of the match including a 30-minute extra time period.

      Yet despite the pain, it was Byrne whose cross provided Roger Hunt with the opening goal as the Reds went on to win 2-1 and claim their first-ever FA Cup triumph.

      And Callaghan, a former team-mate of Byrne and friend, recalls how the show of grit left Liverpool boss Bill Shankly in awe.

      “People even today love to talk about hard men and the toughest opponent they have played against,” said Callaghan, Liverpool's record appearance holder.

      “But what Gerry did in 1965 was incredible. He broke his collar bone early in the match and then played right through the game, through extra time and even crossed for Roger to score the first goal.

      “To play almost two hours with a broken collar bone was unbelievable.

      “I was listening to a tape recently about the 1965 Cup final and on it Bill Shankly said Gerry Byrne should have got all 11 medals for what he did in that cup final.

      “Bill was saying Gerry was one of the best players he had. And he was.”

      Byrne didn't have the best of starts to his Anfield career – scoring an own goal on his debut in a 5-1 defeat to Charlton Athletic in 1957 – but would go on to become an integral part of the Shankly era until hanging up his boots in 1969.

      “He was a tremendous player, one of the best two-footed players around at that time without a doubt,” said Callaghan.

      “He could play left-back and right-back without any problem.

      “As a person, he was a gentle, quiet guy. He was my first room-mate at Liverpool and I stayed fairly close to him ever since and last saw him only a couple of months ago.

      “He was the most gentle man off the field, but when he was on it he became a real hard guy.”

      Callaghan added: “Gerry was a Liverpool lad and was at the club a long time.

      “He was there in the 1950s when we weren't doing so well, and he became a big part of the success we had in the 1960s under Bill Shankly.

      “Gerry was not only a fantastic player, but also a fantastic man.”

      http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-fa-cup-final-10517672



      YNWA Gerry Byrne
      reddebs
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #1: Nov 28, 2015 12:21:23 pm
      Another sad day when one more of our past legends passes away.

      RIP Gerry YNWA.
      Frankly, Mr Shankly
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #2: Nov 28, 2015 12:39:08 pm
      For anyone to have seen players like Byrne played, it must have been a real honour. Men made of steel, honour and pride. I'm sure Gerry was no different.

      RIP Gerry

      YNWA
      gopher
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #3: Nov 28, 2015 12:42:11 pm
      RIP Gerry, I stood and watched you many times on the Kop as a teenager my favourite era, come rain or shine I would be there. Thank you for the wonderful memories and pleasure you and the team gave me, rest in peace.
      MIRO
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #4: Nov 28, 2015 12:56:08 pm
      RIP   Gerry.

      Thoughts go to the family.



      You are in the Sturridge thread as a man who we all looked up to , when you played through the 65 Cup Final with a broken collar bone.

      You and the likes of Trautmann put into perspective the players of today .
      skolRED
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #5: Nov 28, 2015 12:59:58 pm
      RIP. The true hero. YNWA.
      Fourbrick
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #6: Nov 28, 2015 01:01:05 pm
      RIP Gerry, I stood and watched you many times on the Kop as a teenager my favourite era, come rain or shine I would be there. Thank you for the wonderful memories and pleasure you and the team gave me, rest in peace.

      Totally agree with your comments, Gopher. Watched him play many times and was there when he walked around Anfield carrying the FA cup. R.I.P. Gerry, you were a true Red.
      KopiteLuke
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #7: Nov 28, 2015 01:08:29 pm
      R.I.P. Gerry.

      Thoughts with the family and friends of a man that gave many some incredible memories,

      YNWA.
      Beerbelly
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #8: Nov 28, 2015 01:58:04 pm
      RIP YNWA
      waltonl4
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #9: Nov 28, 2015 02:01:43 pm
      The 65 cup final is one of my earliest memories and one of the clubs greatest achievements as it was our first FA Cup. what Gerry did was above and beyond yet he did what he did for the team. Oh how we could do with a few Gerry Byrne's now.
      RIP Gerry you are a true Legend.
      HUYTON RED
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #10: Nov 28, 2015 04:24:43 pm
      Seen something earlier about Gerry Byrne, didn't know he had passed away - RIP to a true legend and proper football player.

      Broken collarbone and still carried on playing - a true Shankly soldier!

      Definitely puts into perspective the crying over Sturridge's injury.

      RIP Gerry.
      s@int
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #11: Nov 28, 2015 04:56:31 pm
      Remember Gerry well from the '65 cup final and saw him play once at Anfield in the late 60's which may have been his last appearance. Great player and a true warrior in the finest meaning of the word.

      R.I.P. Gerry
      waltonl4
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #12: Nov 28, 2015 07:37:50 pm
      Seen something earlier about Gerry Byrne, didn't know he had passed away - RIP to a true legend and proper football player.

      Broken collarbone and still carried on playing - a true Shankly soldier!

      Definitely puts into perspective the crying over Sturridge's injury.

      RIP Gerry.

      and all for 50p per week mate. I think its called character
      frizzby5
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #13: Nov 28, 2015 07:43:46 pm
      The 65 cup final is one of my earliest memories and one of the clubs greatest achievements as it was our first FA Cup. what Gerry did was above and beyond yet he did what he did for the team. Oh how we could do with a few Gerry Byrne's now.
      RIP Gerry you are a true Legend.

      I would have typed exactly everything you did Walton it's also one on my earliest memories of LFC.
      Gerry Byrne
      R.I.P.
      Y.N.W.A.
      waltonl4
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #14: Nov 28, 2015 07:50:26 pm
      I would have typed exactly everything you did Walton it's also one on my earliest memories of LFC.
      Gerry Byrne
      R.I.P.
      Y.N.W.A.

      aren't we the lucky one mate we even remember Leicester being our bogy team. Gerry is not a name most people will remember but he should be because he embodied what a Liverpool player should be. Can you imagine someone calling in injured after that not a chance
      frizzby5
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #15: Nov 28, 2015 09:33:13 pm
      aren't we the lucky one mate we even remember Leicester being our bogy team. Gerry is not a name most people will remember but he should be because he embodied what a Liverpool player should be. Can you imagine someone calling in injured after that not a chance

      Gerry was a warrior as were a lot of people back then, now they get paid enough to not worry about having to Actually play for there places but this is not the place to discuss it
      Gone but not forgotten R.I.P.
      6stringer
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #16: Nov 28, 2015 09:54:05 pm
      Never had the honour of watching him play but the old man said he was like a brick wall..
      He said one of the loudest atmosphere's he's ever encountered at Anfield was when the Inter Milan players we're inspecting the pitch before the semi final first leg and Shanks sent out Milne and Bryne (Shoulder in a sling) with the FA Cup to show it off to the fans and the Milan players sh*t themselves and legged it back to the changing rooms thinking WTF is this place all about..  :laugh:

      He was an integral part of Shankly's foundation and he followed Bills letter to the law..
      true servant to the club and to think he played virtually the whole of that cup final with a broken collarbone is truly unbelievable...

      RIP Gerry  :(
      MsGerrard
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #17: Nov 28, 2015 10:11:10 pm
      A lovely story when I met Gerry a few years ago at the Adelphi hotel in Liverpool, I was there with my Mum for a Ron Yeats tribute night and the majority of the 65 cup winning team were present, had a chat and a few drinks with the team and Gerry Byrne said to me, feel this, pointing to his collar bone, you could still feel the break, it never healed properly, such a fine man and a true gentleman.

      RIP Gerry, a true player who wore the red shirt with pure pride.
      zz19a
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #18: Nov 28, 2015 10:32:40 pm
      RIP Gerry, YNWA
      Billy1
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #19: Nov 29, 2015 01:00:19 am
      It is so sad to hear about the passing of Gerry Byrne, I mentioned Gerry the other day in the Jürgen Klopp thread. I was lucky enough to watch Gerry play for the whole of his Liverpool career and he was greatly admired as a man and a footballer. R.I.P. Gerry this old RED appreciates everything you did for our club and I will never forget Wembley 1965 and the Wednesday after when you carried the F.A.Cup around Anfield with Gordon Milne before the Inter Milan match. Thanks for the many memories Gerry.
      AussieRed
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #20: Nov 29, 2015 05:36:16 am
      RIP Gerry, a True Red.

      YNWA
      billythered
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #21: Nov 29, 2015 08:50:42 am
      So sad to hear the passing of yet another Anfield legend, 

      Gerry Byrne a true Liverpool hero, warrior and very humble gentleman,

      RIP Gerry, You'll Never Walk Alone




      YNWA
      Billy1
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      Re: RIP Gerry Byrne
      Reply #22: Nov 30, 2015 08:05:31 am
      I feel sad at the passing of Gerry Byrne and I feel a lot sadder such a great servant of this club should only get so few posts. Come on you REDS show some appreciation to GERRY for what he achieved with this club.

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