The LFC Reds Greatest Ever Team: Right Back

After what I thought would be a straightforward enough debate oj the goal keeper we'll move on to the next position to find the LFC Reds Greatest ever side.

We have had many fantastic right backs over the years at this club and I'm sure this could be a more interesting debate as from probably every era someone will have an argument for their guy to get the nod.

From the older guys on here like Billy, Skip and Saint to name a few right up to the newer supporters everyone could rightly make a case for a RB.

So lets have a debate and like the keeper a poll will go up towards next weekend so you can make you choice.

Don't forget to vote for your goalie if you haven't already done so.

Salif diao by a country mile . (Phil neal really)

Rob Jones!

Chris Lawler.

The quiet gentleman aka The Ghost

Quoted from This Is Anfield.
http://www.thisisanfield.com/2007/04/forgotten-heroes-chris-lawler/



If my primary school headmaster had seen Chris Lawler’s performances for Liverpool in the sixties and early seventies, he would have died of apoplexy at the sight of a defender running forward during a match and having the audacity to score goals.

I can just see my old headmaster now, with his insistence that the only proper formation was 2-3-5, and that the two full-backs should never cross the half-way line. What he would never have understood was that Chris Lawler ‘“ as one of four defenders ‘“ was a pioneer of the overlapping system of play, that allowed full-backs to push forward ahead of midfield players, effectively defending by attacking.

It was a remarkably successful tactic for both Lawler and for Liverpool, as he racked up an amazing goal-scoring record of 61 goals in 546 games. That’s a respectable scoring rate of one goal for every eight or nine games, which is still a record for any Liverpool defender, and is especially remarkable when we realise that none of those goals came from penalties.

In the 1969-70 season, he was the club’s second highest scorer with ten, and in all European competitions during his Liverpool career he scored eleven times.

Chris was a local lad who came through the ranks of Liverpool’s youth teams. He signed professional forms on his 17th birthday (October 20th) in 1960, but had to wait until March of 1963 before he made his debut against West Bromwich Albion at Anfield. In that entire season, he made only six appearances, initially pairing up in the middle with Captain Ron Yeats. He then made another six appearances the following season, including a three game spell late in the season in place of Yeats, during Liverpool’s run-in to the 1964 championship.

At the start of the 1964-65 season, Ronnie Moran retired and Gerry Byrne switched from right-back to left-back, leaving the right-back’s position vacant; until Lawler took the spot for himself. By the end of that season, he had played in 32 consecutive First Division games, and then played in the FA Cup Final win against Leeds United.
At the end of the following season, he had gained a League Champions medal, and a runners-up medal in the Cup Winners Cup which was Liverpool’s first ever European final.

His style of play was plain and simple.

There were no tricks or flamboyant moves that would attract attention, just a calm methodical approach to the game that made it look so simple.
He was once described as ‘sauntering through games with all the apparent urgency of a man out walking his dog.’

But, if anyone thought that he was not completely focused on the job at hand, they soon found out just how dangerous he could be. He had an uncanny knack of calmly taking the ball from a defensive position, playing it forward to start an attack, and then somehow disappearing from view only to reappear in the oppositions’ penalty area and then knocking the ball into the net.

That ability of making blind-side runs forward earned him one of his nicknames as The Ghost.’ If his style of play on the pitch was quiet and unassuming, it was a fair reflection of his quiet and modest personality off the pitch, which led to him also becoming known by the nickname The Silent Knight’.

Many of the goals that Chris Lawler scored were memorable for their importance as they were often the key to Liverpool’s success.
The first European Cup Winners Cup match against Juventus was a 1-0 loss in Turin, but was overturned by goals from Lawler and Strong in the second leg at Anfield.
That was followed by a pair of goals against Standard Liege. Then, at the quarter final stage against Honved with a 0-0 draw from the first leg in Hungary, Lawler scored one of the two goals at Anfield in the second leg that put Liverpool through to the semi-final against Celtic. Liverpool were back in the European Cup as League Champions from the 1965-66 season, when they were comprehensively beaten by Ajax after a 5-1 loss in the first leg in Amsterdam.

It was Lawler who scored the consolation goal in the very last minute of the match, but the deficit was too much to overcome in the second leg and Liverpool were subsequently knocked out.

There were many domestic games where Lawler’s goals were crucial, including one that Everton supporters would rather forget.

That was in the derby match at Anfield in November of 1970. Shankly’s new squad looked decidedly shaky with new signing John Toshack looking unconvincing as a striker. As the second half began with the score 0-0, Everton suddenly stormed into a 2-0 lead. That would normally be enough but on this day it wasn’t. Heighway pulled one back in the sixty ninth minute, and Toshack showed his value as he equalised in the seventy sixth minute. Then, as if a script had been written for this game, Lawler pushed forward as the match was nearing its end and knocked in the winner with six minutes left. He broke Evertonian hearts once again two years later when Liverpool thumped them with one from Lawler and one from Emlyn Hughes, after two earlier own-goals, to make it a 4-0 rout.

If anything is more amazing than his scoring prowess it’s his fitness and durability, with him missing only three of 336 League matches over seven seasons.

He was always a first choice on Bill Shankly’s team sheet, even when Shankly decided to break up his squad for the 1970-71 season and bring in some new younger players like Heighway, Hall, Lloyd, Clemence, and Evans. Lawler was one of only four senior players from the side to survive the cull and continue with the new squad (the other three were Callaghan, Smith, and Hughes). With this new squad, Lawler picked up a runners-up medal for the 1971 FA Cup Final loss to Arsenal, and then went on to collect more winners medals for League Champions and UEFA Cup winners in 1973, and an FA Cup winners medal in 1974. During that 1972-73 League and UEFA Cup winning season, Chris played in all 66 competitive games that the club were involved in on four fronts.

Not surprisingly he represented England at schoolboy, youth, under 23, and senior levels. What is surprising is that he only received four caps at full international level, including his dream debut in 1971 where he scored a spectacular goal against Malta at Wembley in a 5-0 win.

When Bill Shankly retired in the summer of 1974 it was effectively the end of Chris Lawler’s Liverpool career. Bob Paisley brought in Phil Neal as his replacement, and only selected Lawler for a few games. His final appearance for Liverpool came in September of 1975 against Hibernian in the UEFA cup, after which he moved to Portsmouth the following month (who were under the management of fellow Liverpool retiree Ian St. John). After a couple of seasons on the south coast he moved on to Stockport County, Miami Toros in America, and Bangor City of the Irish League.

One of the most famous stories about Chris Lawler and his quiet nature comes from an incident where Shankly was playing in a five-a-side match and a goal by Shanks was being disputed. Chris was asked to settle the dispute and in his typical short and to-the-point manner simply said, No goal, boss.’ Shankly was livid and started yelling, saying to him,

"Bloody hell Chris!
"Ye don’t open yer mouth for ten years and now when yer do it’s a bloody lie!"
 
That and many other stories were told as Chris Lawler became high in demand as an after-dinner speaker. His association with Liverpool continued through the eighties when he was scouting for players and coached the reserve team. In more recent years he has been in semi-retirement coaching young players in the Skelmersdale area.

There’s always going to be debate as to who was Liverpool’s best ever right back.
For me, as well as for many Reds, it’s an easy choice.

Other players may have earned more medals and gone on to greater glory, but Chris Lawler will always have a special place in our memories as a player who pushed forward so effectively to score more goals than any other defender in the club’s history.
In last year’s survey of over 100,000 Liverpool supporters, Chris was chosen as number 51 in the "100 Players Who Shook the Kop.’

A fitting tribute to a great man and a legendary player.

Tough one this, or at least tougher than the keeper one but I think it's got to be Phil Neal for me.

I think Phil Neal could win this by a landslide because I honestly think this is the position we've lacked the most quality in my football watching lifetime.

I saw a small amount of Phil Neal growing up but not much so it would be unfair of me to choose him based on videos and reputation so I'll go for Rob Jones. A player I thought could have been absolutely tremendous had it not been for such terrible luck with injuries. To be fair his main competition was Steve Finnan and after that a there's a huge gulf to Arbeloa (who I never rated nearly as much as others seemed to).

Again I have to go by who I've seen.

I think based on how good they were on their best, Marcus Babbel gets the nod over Steve Finnan.

Stevie Nicol.

Finnan for me, Mr Consistent.

Stevie Nicol.

Was waiting for someone to post this.

My choice as well.

Was waiting for someone to post this.

My choice as well.

Scored a few as well. Not all from RB like, had played everywhere by the time he left us.

Another tough choice,Phil Neal for me,dependable & reliable as was stevie Nicol incredible players & incredible number of appearances between the both of them.

I am also going for Chris Lawler, banged in a few goals too. Ten in one season if I remember correctly. No doubt Eurored can correct me if I am wrong. Think us more mature supporters have a slight advantage, in remembering these great players from the past. Still it is all good fun.

Can only go on players I saw so it's a straight fight between Markus Babbel and Steve Finnan for me.

I think at their best they were both so reliable, but Babbel at his best I think had more and there's also the 'what if' factor if he hadn't been struck down by illness. Babbel for me!

Can only go on players I saw so it's a straight fight between Markus Babbel and Steve Finnan for me.

I think at their best they were both so reliable, but Babbel at his best I think had more and there's also the 'what if' factor if he hadn't been struck down by illness. Babbel for me!

I was going to mention Marcus Babbel fantastic player. Phil Neal was practically made of kryptonite he was never injured he played 417 games in a row missed three games through injury then played another 127 games.  Chris Lawler was one of those players who set the standards for others to follow an immaculate footballer  and a true legend

Would have loved to have seen Chris Lawler and Phil Neal play.

Fantastic servants both and great footballers.

But for me, as I said above, the best Right Back in my memory has been Steve Nicol.

Another fantastic footballer and could play a few other positions equally as well.

In the side in the late 80's he was unreal at times.

Would have loved to have seen Chris Lawler and Phil Neal play.

Fantastic servants both and great footballers.

But for me, as I said above, the best Right Back in my memory has been Steve Nicol.

Another fantastic footballer and could play a few other positions equally as well.

In the side in the late 80's he was unreal at times.

they all had something in common ..they could defend

Obviously a defender's main job is to be a good defender. Anything else must be considered as an extra dimension to his defending skills. If that makes sense.

We've had quite a few quality players at right back down the years and I've been lucky enough to have seen them play. Rob Jones (for me) could have been a true great but for injuries so...

It's down to Nichol, Neal and (the first LFC right back I ever saw live) Lawler. A toughy but Phil just about shades it in a three way photo finish.

The top list for me includes Chris Lawler,Phil Neal,Steve Nicol and Rob Jones.Rob could of been one of our greatest if it was not for injuries.Rob was the grandson of Bill Jones(probably the most versatile player to have played for L.F.C.) he played full back as well.For me the best has to be Chris Lawler who with the wisdom of Bill Shankly was light years ahead as a wing back.It was unheard of in the 1960s for a full back to score so many goals and he did not take penalties.Chris Lawler gets my vote.

I'm not as old as that old duffer Eurored so I can't remember Chris Lawler playing  but I can see why Skip regards him in such high esteem, Phil Neale Mr reliable himself was outstanding and again a wee bit too early for me as a Red, so it has to be my fellow Scot Stevie Nicol, he was as versatile as they come, and since 'Sir Bob' brought him down from lowly Ayr Utd it proves what a brilliant judge he was,

I think he had to wait a while before he made his debut , might have been a whole season, not sure tho, anyhoo, he was well worth the wait wasn't he, solid, reliable and not to be fu**ed with, and he scored goals , scored a hat-trick against Newcastle in '87/88' season, not many defenders have done that,

Superb player, proper defender too.


YNWA

Steve Nicol.

Philipp Degen!