Who is the best ever Liverpool FC captain?

Emlyn for me, great personality, good leader, I can still see his rampaging runs , sady missed but for m a legend

I see 2 people have voted for Sami. Clearly they're picking him for his playing performances as his run as captain was short and uneventful.

I have been on the ale for the past three nights (including tonight till about half an hour ago) so me eyes might be deceiving me a little but does that list Glenn Hysen as an option for our best ever captain?

Have to go for Stevie based solely on what I've seen.

How a supporter answers this one is going to depend, in most cases, on their age. As I was born in 1991, I would find it almost hypocritical for me to say some of the earlier options, such as Crazy Horse. However, I still massively admire what they achieved for our club.

For me it is a toss up between Sami and Stevie, with Gerrard shading it due to his exploits when times have got hard, e.g. Gerrard FA Cup final. In some ways, Sami is a victim of his position, not being in a position to go on attacks etc etc. However, overall it is Gerrard for me. That said, from what I've watched and read, I really admire Emlyn Hughes, Ron Yeats and Phil Thompson, in particular the die hard spirit of Tommy Smith.

How a supporter answers this one is going to depend, in most cases, on their age. As I was born in 1991, I would find it almost hypocritical for me to say some of the earlier options, such as Crazy Horse. However, I still massively admire what they achieved for our club.



Thats true.  I was born in 71 and boyhood memories mixed with a bit of nostalgia take hold.  That being said we were consistently the best team in Europe during Emlyns later career as captain.  Because Im picking him doesnt mean I dont respect Stevie G who is the best player Ive ever seen play at Anfield.  But most people will probably go with childhood heroes cos thats when we got hooked into loving lfc.   Theres probably some really old blokes on here who are friggin furious that Jack Balmer hasnt had a mention yet!

  Theres probably some really old blokes on here who are friggin furious that Jack Balmer hasnt had a mention yet!

The reason Jack Balmer has not been mentioned is because he was never captain,he was noted for scoring a hat-trick in 3 consecutive games for the REDS.I well remember Jack Balmer and I am not furious that he has never been mentioned as captain.

Really tough one for me and for this reason I've avoided the thread - my most visceral memories are of Phil Thompson and Graeme Souness, especially Souness (and not on any nationalistic grounds!). That said I look at some of the other posters like Billy1 and Stuey (and many others) and I feel pretty humbled as an out of towner.

So my heart and memory is going to go for Souness laying waste to the best of Europe in a way that Roy Keane could barely dream of...but my brain is saying Stevie for what he has led us through!

The reason Jack Balmer has not been mentioned is because he was never captain,he was noted for scoring a hat-trick in 3 consecutive games for the REDS.I well remember Jack Balmer and I am not furious that he has never been mentioned as captain.


He was captain......for two years. 

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/history/past-players/jack-balmer

http://www.lfchistory.net/players/player/profile/526

The reason Jack Balmer has not been mentioned is because he was never captain,he was noted for scoring a hat-trick in 3 consecutive games for the REDS.I well remember Jack Balmer and I am not furious that he has never been mentioned as captain.


He was captain......for two years. 

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/history/past-players/jack-balmer

http://www.lfchistory.net/players/player/profile/526

I stand corrected but in all honesty I do not recall Jack Balmer as a Liverpool captain.I do remember he had a shop in West Derby village and I do recall his tendency to hit the ball over the bar.People used to joke he should of been a rugby player.

The Mighty Emlyn not because I don't think stevie isn't great but the sight of Emlyn scoring a winner against Everton is still such a fantastic memory for me as a kid. He embodied just what this club is about and what it needs now,

I stand corrected but in all honesty I do not recall Jack Balmer as a Liverpool captain.I do remember he had a shop in West Derby village and I do recall his tendency to hit the ball over the bar.People used to joke he should of been a rugby player.

What was fascinating reading about him was although he was a local lad he got terrible stick from the crowd for not putting his foot in.  A sort of modern day Stewart Downing! Maybe he wasnt appreciated by all,  but as you mentioned three consecutive hat tricks is a fantastic achievement.

What was fascinating reading about him was although he was a local lad he got terrible stick from the crowd for not putting his foot in.  A sort of modern day Stewart Downing! Maybe he wasnt appreciated by all,  but as you mentioned three consecutive hat tricks is a fantastic achievement.

What people do not realise is the likes of Sidlow,Lambert,Jones,Taylor,Paisley Stubbins,Fagan,Liddell(my Hero), Done,Harley apowderhall sprint winner under an assumed name and Laurie Hughes all lost a big part of their football careers due tu the seciond world war.All of them with the exception of Done were internationals.

Tricky one. Loved Hansen as skipper when we won the double in Kenny's first season in charge.

Remember Thompson lifting big ears up as well, but Souness was as others have said an absolute beast of a midfielder and general - he would be worth an extortionate amount of money in these days on the transfer market - a ferocious tackler, hard man, leader, helluva shot on him and one of the dodgiest 'tache's in the 70's & 80's as well (coupled with the perm)

Tricky one. Loved Hansen as skipper when we won the double in Kenny's first season in charge.

Remember Thompson lifting big ears up as well, but Souness was as others have said an absolute beast of a midfielder and general - he would be worth an extortionate amount of money in these days on the transfer market - a ferocious tackler, hard man, leader, helluva shot on him and one of the dodgiest 'tache's in the 70's & 80's as well (coupled with the perm)

Ha, proper porn star was our Souey 

He bags a league title this year then it is beyond doubt Stevie. He is for me regardless anyway.

For me the most contested argument is who is the greatest player to play for Liverpool Football club.? Steven Gerrard or Kenny Dalglish?

I loved Kenny but I was young and my love for him as a player is more nostalgic so to speak. Gerrard is my era and Number 1 in my opinion.

He has done it in good teams, excellent teams and some sh*te teams. My ultimate leader and legend.

Souness for me was everything you need in a Captain. Drove the team, led by example, feared no one and was a great player too.

Smith, Gerrard, Hughes, Yeats and Thompson probably in that order next, although in truth Gerrard gets so high more on his ability as an inspirational player than as a genuine leader. 
 

Souness for me was everything you need in a Captain. Drove the team, led by example, feared no one and was a great player too.

Didn't beat up a Mancunian DJ though did he ay?

Serious note - whilst we've had some truly excellent Captains over the years Stevie has worn the armband for over ten years now and has led the team impeccably and got us results that would haven't been possible without him on the pitch.

I grew up in Souness era so i was expecting it to be a no brainer for me,Souness was an amazing player,captain,motivator,i will never forget the look on Steve perrymans face when he was hit by a full on Souness tackle in the early 80's it was like where the F**k did that come from,if it was a poll as to who was the hardest tackler,then Souness would win it hands down,but as to who was the best captain,i will have to say Steven Gerrard deserves that honour,his performance in the 2nd half against milan in the champions league final was stuff of legends,i know there will be some who dis-agree but we would still be on 4 european cups had it not been for Gerrard,so for me he is the best captain i have seen play.

Great thread mate.

I've gone Stevie because frankly he deserves it but on one level it does feel like betraying my childhood and Billy1 and a few others will doubtless have more context to add.

Souness as a captain though was something else - a different game in those days but he could do it all and then some. A wonderful player and hard man who just got it wrong as a manager. I don't think I'd have wanted to have a beer with him back in the day - and he screwed up hugely as we all know. He was a proper old school captain though.

But with Stevie, well I'm gonna re-post what I said on the day of his testimonial: -

"Enjoy your day skipper - been a privilege to watch you in red grow from boy to man.

In those early days there was something a little coltish bout you - but you were full of enthusiasm, athleticism and impeccable technique.

From that you developed into the finest (and in my opinion arguably the one true "world class") English player of your generation. Dominant and powerful and with a range of passing unrivalled in the Premiership.

But it was more than the sum of your parts that made you stand out - it was your courage under fire, will to win, hunger to gamble on the unlikely - the unfathomable -and then your self-confidence to back yourself and get the job done.

So many times that's pulled us out of the mire and/or over the line.

More than that - we just know you're hurting when we're hurting and proud when we are.

The second best player I've seen in red in my lifetime - but unquestionably the single most important as your name has been writ large across anything we've achieved in recent times.

Have a great one Skipper - here's to a few more and maybe, just maybe one last shot at the big one...?"

Didn't beat up a Mancunian DJ though did he ay?

Serious note - whilst we've had some truly excellent Captains over the years Stevie has worn the armband for over ten years now and has led the team impeccably and got us results that would haven't been possible without him on the pitch.

I wouldn't really argue too hard against anyone's choices mate .... they were all great Captains. The fact is Souness was only Captain for 3 years, which when compared to Stevie or Ronnie is a very short time, but Souness did win the league every year he was Captain, won the League cup every year as Captain and won the European cup, so his record stands with the best.

Personal choice really. I certainly think Gerrard has overtaken Souness in the best player stakes (something I never expected to see) and is now neck and neck with Kenny imo.

Scotia, nice one for the karma for starting this thread mate.........took a lot of thinking......

In their time all great leaders and there lies the difficulty in saying who is the best because you could argue when we were at our peak was it easier for Souness, Hansen et al to lead those teams than Gerrard?
For some posters they probably have only heard of people like Crazy Horse never mind seen them play and lead the team.
So in conclusion best ever captain is extremely subjective and probably depends more on what your definition of what a great leader looks like - vocal and brash like Hughes or leads by example - Gerrard.

I voted Souness and probably always will. Like I put on Newkit when they asked, he is Gerrard with a gob !

Souness was brilliant, everything Gerrard is today, Souness was back then. I feel its a shame many people missed out on Souness because they are missing out on how similar Gerrard is to him in his day.