Mohamed Salah

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2017/06/22/TELEMMGLPICT000132723650-medium_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqLG6OevQygL89_Lxt8TXM5NDiXaIxT-znZi7YvhqB45o.jpeg

Full name: Mohamed Salah Ghaly

Squad Number: 11

Position: right wing

Foot: left

Height: 1.75 m

Date of Birth: 15 June 1992

Country of Birth: Egypt

Town of Birth: Basyoun

Liverpool Football Club have completed the signing of Mohamed Salah from AS Roma

'Айде и аз да създам тема за наш нов футболист, пък може да се превърне в легенда. :sarcastic:/>

Birthdate: 17 June 1990
Birthplace: Sunderland, England
Other clubs: Sunderland (2006-11), Coventry City (loan 2009)
Bought from: Sunderland
Signed for LFC: £16m, 09.06.2011
International debut: 17.11.2010 vs. France
International caps: 73/3 (72/3 at LFC) - 12.11.2021
Liverpool debut: 13.08.2011
Last appearance: 28.05.2023
Debut goal: 27.08.2011
Last goal: 01.12.2021
Contract expiry: 30.06.2025 (signed 31.08.2021)
Win ratio: 59.55% W:293 D:103 L:96
Games/assists ratio: 8.48
Honours: League Cup 2012, 2022; Champions League 2019, European Super Cup 2019, FIFA Club World Cup 2019, 2020 Football Writers' Footballer of the Year, Premier League 2019/20, FA Cup 2022
Total games/goals opposite LFC: 4 / 0
League games / goals / assists: 360 / 29 / 45
Total games / goals / assists: 492 / 33 / 58

https://lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/1233
https://int.soccerway.com/players/jordan-henderson/48010/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Henderson

Player Profile

Jordan Henderson's breakthrough into the first team at Sunderland came as an 18-year-old in the 2008/09 season but he had actually been linked with his local Premier League club since he was only seven-years-old. As he progressed through different age-groups he played as a striker and a right-winger before moving back into the midfield role which he played in when he helped Sunderland’s Under-18 team win successive titles. Henderson was loaned to Coventry City in the Championship for the second half of the 2008/09 season but a metatarsal injury restricted him to only ten appearances. When fully recovered he became a fixture at Sunderland after returning to the Stadium of Light. His consistent performances brought him successive awards as Sunderland’s "Young Player of the Year" in the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons in which he was absent from only six Premier League matches. Henderson was called into the senior squad by Fabio Capello and making his full international debut on the same occasion as Andy Carroll, against France at Wembley in November 2010. He was linked with a move away from Wearside throughout that season but there were still eyebrows raised at the size of the fee when he arrived at Anfield for £16 million.
Henderson played in more first-team matches in 2011/12, 48 out of 51, than any other player at Liverpool. At times he seemed a little lost and not really sure what his role in the team was. He did score two goals during his debut season at Anfield, against Bolton in the second home match and Chelsea in the last were finishes of supreme accuracy and confidence. At the end of May Henderson was called up into England's Euro 2012 squad following an injury to Chelsea's Frank Lampard that had ruled him out of the tournament, adding vital experience to his career by coming on as twice as a substitute.
After that difficult first season, Henderson seemed rejuvenated after Brendan Rodgers took over at Liverpool and his game flourished, finally showing what he is capable of. He appeared in forty-four of the club's fifty-four competitive matches and got on the scoresheet more. He scored a crucial goal away to Udinese that ensured qualification to the knock-out stage of the Europa League; and he followed that up by netting five times in Premier League matches in the second half of the season, including a brace at Newcastle. At international level, he was named the England Under-21 Player of the Year.
The midfielder again made great progress in 2013/14. He would have almost certainly appeared in every one of the club's forty-three competitive matches during the season had he not received a red card in the closing minutes of the crucial Anfield meeting with Manchester City in the middle of April. His energy was certainly missed during the following three matches, from which only four points were taken out of nine. Having only scored four Premier League goals during his Sunderland days, he matched that in a single season by scoring home and away against Tottenham and twice when Swansea City came to Anfield towards the end of February.
Having not played for the senior international team since England's last match of Euro 2012, Henderson made substitute appearances for his country against Chile and Germany towards the end of 2013. It was no surprise that he was named in Roy Hodgson's squad for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil. Henderson started England's first group match against Italy but was replaced by Jack Wilshere with about twenty minutes to go. He started again against Uruguay four days later but was again substituted, this time by Rickie Lambert, shortly after Luis Suarez had scored what turned out to be the winning goal of the match. Henderson was an unused substitute in the final group match against Costa Rica.
The then club's vice-captain missed only one Premier League match in 2014/15 and also appeared in seventeen cup-ties to take his total of first-team appearances for Liverpool close to the two hundred mark. He also scored more club goals than in any previous season, his seven including eye-catching strikes in successive home matches early in March against Manchester City and Burnley. In Steven Gerrard's absence, he coolly converted a penalty-kick at Arsenal in April. Still only twenty-four years old when the season ended the club wisely extended Henderson's contract to take him close to his thirtieth birthday in 2020. On 10 July 2015, Liverpool confirmed Jordan Henderson as the club's new captain after Steven Gerrard's departure, but his first season with the armband was a disappointing one. A metatarsal fracture kept him out for three months and after returning to action at the end of November, there was an upturn in team results. However in early April, he tore knee ligaments and although he returned to fitness in time for the Europa League final, he had to settle for a place on the bench.
Henderson retained the captaincy for 2016/17 and with the exception of being rested for a game at Sunderland during the busy Christmas period, was an ever-present in the side until he picked up a foot injury in February which ended up keeping him out for the rest of the season. The highlight of his playing time during the season was a spectacular strike from 25 yards at Chelsea in a 2-1 win. He enjoyed another productive season in 2017/18, appearing 41 times in all competitions and captaining Liverpool to the Champions League final. He was also a key player in the England side that reached the World Cup semi-final, although that meant he would return to training only six days before the new domestic campaign began.
During 2018/19 Henderson was not an automatic starter and Fabinho's growth in the holding midfielder role put some scrutiny on him, but Klopp has always had a lot of time for him as his previous managers at Liverpool, in fact. Fabinho's strength allowed Henderson to be utilised as a more attacking midfielder, his preferred role. Klopp's faith in Henderson was shown when he offered his captain a new five-year deal in September. Henderson who had always lived in Gerrard's shadow as club captain followed in the footsteps of his predecessor and only a chosen few at Liverpool, by lifting the European Cup in Madrid on 1 June 2019. Henderson went of course one better than Gerrard when he lifted the Premier League title at the end of the extraordinary 2019/20 season. His influence on this majestic side was fully recognised when he was voted Football Writers' Footballer of the Year.
Gerrard was amongst the first to hail his successor: "It's no surprise to me how he’s handling himself on and off the pitch,” he told BT Sport. "Obviously, I played with him for numerous years with Liverpool and England. A very fit, athletic boy who’s selfless in his approach on the pitch, puts everyone else above himself. When you play alongside him you appreciate the job he does for the team and I think over the years he’s been developing parts of his game. His passing range now is fantastic. He’s always there for the team. I’ve watched him grow as a human being with interest – he’s always been a great lad and a great team-mate. It's no surprise now that people are starting to recognise what a man he is, both on and off the pitch. Every bit of praise he gets he deserves it because it'd true, and I can guarantee that because I've been alongside him.”
Henderson now adorns murals around the city and is an integral part of the club's folklore. Klopp hailed his contribution throughout the season, claiming: "If anybody who is with us still doesn’t see the quality of Jordan Henderson, then I cannot help them. Is Hendo the perfect football player? No. Do I know anybody who is? No. But is he unbelievably important to us? Yes." Klopp in a taped message at the end of the season made Henderson very emotional when he congratulated him on his achievement to be voted Footballer of the Year. Such was the impact of Klopp's testimony that is deserves to be quoted in its entirety. "Hi my friend. One of the big questions in football is ‘what makes a proper player? And what is more important – is it talent, or is it attitude?’ I think the easy answer is ‘without talent you are nothing, and without attitude you will stay a talent forever’. So you are the perfect example that a mix makes the difference. Who would have thought that a young fella from Sunderland to Liverpool with big dream would be one day the best player of the Premier League? Maybe you dreamt of it, I’m not sure you thought it would happen. I know you are confident enough to have big dreams. But now is the moment where everybody saw it. Everybody saw what a great player you are. Everybody saw what a great personality you are and what a great character you are. I know the human being behind the player, you deserve an award for that as well. Many congratulations, well deserved. Outstanding achievement. What a year you had, what a career so far you’ve had and the best news is there’s still a lot to come. I wish you a wonderful day, enjoy the moment because you can enjoy it because you don’t have to play at Newcastle! Enjoy the moment and, again, best player of the Premier League – wow!
2020/21 was a difficult season all around with the Covid 19 pandemic meaning games being played behind closed doors. Henderson's versatility was displayed from the beginning of January when he dropped back to central defence following an injury to Joel Matip. However on 28th February 2021 he limped out of the Merseyside derby at Anfield and went on to have groin surgery which ruled him out for the rest of the season. He did make England's European Championship squad and came on as a substitute in England's last five games. In the final however, after joining the action with fifteen minutes of normal time remaining, he was inexplicably substituted in the last minute of extra time when his experience would have been invaluable in a penalty shoot out.
Henderson added the League Cup and FA Cup to the trophies he had lifted as Liverpool's captain in 2021/22. He made 57 appearances in all competitions as the Reds came close to an unprecedented quadruple. In 2022/23, Henderson's twelfth season at the club, he was used more sparingly. He made 23 Premier League starts and a further twelve from the bench and as Klopp sought to overhaul his midfield during the summer there was some speculation surrounding his future at the club.

Name: Jürgen Norbert Klopp
Birthdate: 16 June 1967
Birthplace: Stuttgart, West Germany 
Playing career: SV Glatten, TuS Ergenzingen, 1. FC Pforzheim, Eintracht Frankfurt, Viktoria Sindlingen, Rot-Weiss Frankfurt, 1. FSV Mainz 05
Other clubs as manager: Mainz 05 (2001 - 2008) , Borussia Dortmund (2008 - 2015)
Honours: Champions League 2019, 2019 The Best FIFA Football Awards Coach of the Year, European Super Cup 2019, FIFA Club World Cup 2019, 2020 League Managers Association's Manager of the Year, Premier League Manager of the season 2019/20, Premier League 2019/20, 2020 The Best FIFA Football Awards Coach of the Year
Arrived from: Free agent
Signed for LFC: 8 Ocotber 2015
First game in charge: 17.10.2015

Biography

Jürgen Norbert Klopp is a German football manager and former player.

Klopp spent his entire 12-year playing career at Mainz 05, before going on to become their longest-serving manager from 2001 to 2008, during which time they achieved promotion to the Bundesliga. In 2008, Klopp joined Borussia Dortmund, leading them to back-to-back Bundesliga wins in 2011 and 2012, as well as the DFB-Pokal in 2012, the DFL-Supercup in 2008, 2013 and 2014, and their second appearance in a Champions League final in 2013. Klopp won the German Football Manager of the Year in 2011 and 2012, before leaving Dortmund in 2015 having also become their longest-serving manager.

Management Career

Mainz 05

Upon his retirement playing for 1. FSV Mainz 05, Klopp was appointed as the club's manager. He remained as manager for seven years, during which time he led the team to its first appearance in the Bundesliga, and qualification for the 2005–06 UEFA Cup. At the end of the 2006–07 season, Mainz 05 were relegated, but Klopp chose to remain with the club. However, due to the fact that they were not able to achieve promotion, he resigned at the end of the 2007–08 season. He finished with a record of 109 wins, 78 draws, and 83 losses.

Borussia Dortmund

In May 2008, Klopp was approached to become the new manager of Borussia Dortmund, eventually signing a two-year contract at the club, which had finished in a disappointing 13th place under previous manager Thomas Doll. In his first season in charge, Klopp guided Borussia Dortmund to win the T-Home Supercup, defeating German champions Bayern Munich.^[3] Klopp took the club to a sixth-place finish in his first season in charge, and a fifth-place finish in the season after that, before leading the club to successive Bundesliga titles in the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons.^[4][5]

During the 2011–12 Bundesliga season, the 81 points accrued by Borussia Dortmund was the greatest points tally ever amassed in Bundesliga history and the 47 points earned in the second half of the season also set a new record. Borussia Dortmund's 25 league wins equalled Bayern Munich's 1972–73 milestone, while their 28-league match unbeaten sequence was the best ever recorded in a single German top-flight season.^[6] The record number of points (for the whole season and the second half of the season) and the record number of league wins set or equalled by Borussia Dortmund in the 2011–2012 season were broken by FC Bayern Munich in the 2012–2013 season. On 12 May 2012, Klopp made Borussia Dortmund history by sealing the club's first ever domestic double, by defeating Bayern Munich 5–2 to win the DFB-Pokal. Klopp described the double as being "better than (he) could have imagined"

Borussia Dortmund's league form during the 2012–13 season was not as impressive as in the previous campaign, with Klopp insisting that his team would focus on the Champions League to make up for their disappointing run in that competition in the previous season. Klopp's team were drawn against Manchester City, Real Madrid and Ajax in the competition's group of death. However, they did not lose a game, topping the group with some impressive performances, especially against José Mourinho's Madrid side. Borussia Dortmund progressed all the way to the final, meeting Real Madrid again in the semi final stages of the competition. After an excellent result against them at home in the first leg, a 4–1 victory, a 2–0 loss meant Dortmund only narrowly progressed to the final.^[10] Dortmund lost the final 1–2 to Bayern Munich, with an 89th-minute goal from Arjen Robben.^[11]

In the beginning of the 2013–14 season, Klopp extended his contract until June 2018.^[12] Klopp received a fine of €10,000 on 17 March 2014 after getting ejected from a Bundesliga match against Borussia Mönchengladbach.^[13] The ejection was a result of "verbal attack" on the referee.^[14] Deniz Aytekin, who was the referee, stated that Klopp's "behavior was rude on more than one occasion."^[14] Borussia Dortmund vorstand chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke stated that "I have to support Jürgen Klopp 100 percent in this case" because he saw no reason for a fine and denied that Klopp insulted the fourth official.^[14]

In April 2015, Klopp announced that he would leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the 2014–15 season to take a sabbatical.^[15][16][17] His final match in charge of the team was the 2015 DFB-Pokal Final, which Borussia Dortmund lost 3–1 against VfL Wolfsburg.^[18] He finished with a record of 179 wins, 69 draws, and 70 losses.

Media career

From 2005, Klopp appeared as a regular expert commentator on the German television network ZDF, giving his views on games of the German national football team. On 20 October 2006, he received the Deutscher Fernsehpreis in the category of best sports show. His term ended after UEFA Euro 2008. He was succeeded by Oliver Kahn. During the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, he worked with RTL alongside Günther Jauch.

Record at Borussia Dortmund

2008-09

Bundesliga - Sixth
DFB-Pokal - Third round
Europe - UEFA Cup first round

2009-10

Bundesliga - Fifth
DFB-Pokal - Third round
Europe - Did not qualify

2010-11

Bundesliga - First
DFB-Pokal - Second round
Europe - Europa League group stages

2011-12

Bundesliga - First
DFB-Pokal - Won
Europe - Champions League group stages

2012-13

Bundesliga - Second
DFB-Pokal - Quarter-finals
Europe - Champions League final

2013-14

Bundesliga - Second
DFB-Pokal - Final
Europe - Champions League quarter-final

2014-15

Bundesliga - 10th (with six games left to play)
DFB-Pokal - Semi-finals (to come)
Europe - Champions League last 16.

Success rate as coach:

49,5 % Wins
23,4 % Draw
27,1 % Losses

Points per match as manager: 1,72

Jurgen Klopp stats, style & future

Full name: Andrew Robertspn

Squad Number: 26

Position: Left-Back

Foot: left

Height: 1.78 m

Date of Birth: 11 March 1994

Country of Birth: Scotland

Town of Birth: Glasgow

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Quote

 

Club career

 

Queen's Park

Focusing on his studies, Robertson was on the brink of starting university at undergraduate degree level before he was called up to the Queen's Park first team at the beginning of the 2012–13 season. He made his debut for the club in the Scottish Challenge Cup, in a penalty shoot out win against Berwick Rangers. He went on to make a total of forty appearances during the season,helping the club to a third-place finish in the Scottish Third Division. His first goal for the club came in a 2–1 defeat to East Stirlingshire on 13 November 2012.

 

Dundee United

Robertson signed for Scottish Premiership side Dundee United, along with Queen's Park teammate Aidan Connolly, on 3 June 2013. He immediately became part of manager Jackie McNamara's first team plans, making his debut for the club on the opening day of the season in a 0–0 draw with Partick Thistle. On 22 September 2013, Robertson scored his first goal for Dundee United, in a 2–2 draw against Motherwell.He ran from his own half before sending a low left-foot drive in to the goal from 22 yards. Soon afterwards Robertson agreed a new contract with United, until May 2016. He was voted SPFL young player of the month for September 2013 and player of the month for November 2013.[9]On 12 April 2014, Robertson played in the Scottish Cup Semi-final against Rangers at Ibrox, which United won 3–1. In April 2014, Robertson won the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award[11][12] and was also named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year for the 2013–14 Scottish Premiership

 

Hull City

In July 2014, Dundee United accepted an offer of £2.85 million for Robertson from English Premier League club Hull City. The transfer was completed on 29 July, as Robertson signed a three-year contract with Hull.He made his competitive debut on the opening day of the season in a 1–0 victory away to QPR. Robertson quickly settled at Hull and established himself in the side, winning the club's Player of the Month award for August 2014. His first goal for City came on 3 November 2015 away to Brentford where he opened the scoring in a 2–0 win to put Hull top of the table on goal difference.

 

Liverpool

On 21 July 2017, Robertson signed a long-term deal with Liverpool.

Liverpool FC complete Andy Robertson signing

ANDREW ROBERTSON - Welcome to Liverpool

Sadio Mané

http://media05.ligtv.com.tr/img/news/2016/6/28/sadio-mane-liverpoolda/748_416/5_1.jpg

First Name - Sadio
Surname - Mané
Squad Number - 19
Position - Winger
Height - 1.75 m
Weight - 69 Kg.
Town of Birth - Sédhiou, Senegal
Date of Birth - 10 April 1992
Country of Birth - Senegal http://akacdn.transfermarkt.de/images/flagge/tiny/149.png?lm=1396275486

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Sadio Mane: Liverpool complete £34m signing of Southampton forward - BBC Sport
Sadio Mane seals Liverpool transfer from Southampton for £34m | Football News | Sky Sports
Sadio Mané signs for Liverpool from Southampton in deal worth £30m | Football | The Guardian
Sadio Mane: Liverpool announce five-year deal for £30m striker
Liverpool could end up paying Southampton £38.5m for Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane: Southampton striker set for Liverpool medical after £34m fee agreed - BBC Sport

Sadio Mane hattrick vs Manchester City [01-05-2016] - https://www.youtube....h?v=-QuorAlUlOA
Sadio Mane vs Liverpool [20-03-2016] - https://www.youtube....h?v=G3LhAtjhzTw

Birthdate: 30 May 1980

Birthplace: Whiston, Liverpool, England

Other clubs: Los Angeles Galaxy (2015-16)

Bought from: Local

Signed for LFC: Joined 1988

International debut: 31.05.2000 vs. Ukraine

International caps: 114/21 (24.06.2014)

Liverpool debut: 29.11.1998

Last appearance: 24.05.2015

Debut goal: 05.12.1999

Last goal: 24.05.2015

Contract expiry: 01.07.2015

Win ratio: 52.39% W: 372 167 L: 171

Games/goals ratio: 3.82

Honours: FA Cup 2001, 2006; League Cup 2001, 2003, 2012; Champions League 2005; UEFA Cup 2001; PFA Young Player of the Year 2001, PFA Player of the Year 2006, FWA Footballer of the Year 2009, PFA Fans' Player of the Year 2001, 2009

LFC league games/goals: 504 / 120

Total LFC games/goals: 710 / 186

http://www.lfchistor...yer/Profile/305

http://int.soccerway...en-gerrard/186/

https://en.wikipedia.../Steven_Gerrard

Player profile

Steven Gerrard is a great leader, strong in tackle, can hit the ball at ferocious speed, has good vision, scores great goals, makes brilliant passes and has it all, simply. There is no doubt that Stevie G ranks among the elite of Liverpool FC, right at the top with the likes of Billy Liddell and Kenny Dalglish. Gerrard started out with his local team, Whiston Juniors, until he was noticed by Liverpool's scouts at eight years of age. He wasn't selected to attend Lilleshall, the National football and sports centre, mainly due to his lack of height. When he was 15, he was the same height as Michael Owen, but his sudden growth caused problems in his back restricted him to only playing 20 games from 14 years of age to 16. Gerrard got his breakthrough into the Liverpool team in 1998 when Jamie Redknapp got injured. New manager Gérard Houllier had inherited the key player to his Anfield revolution. Gerrard played 13 games, but his physical condition was still restricting his progress. The first instance that convinced Liverpool fans worldwide that the boy was something special was a heroic display in his first Merseyside derby in only his ninth appearance for the club. He featured as a right-back and made two goal-line clearances as Liverpool successfully protected their lead. Finally the England set-up took notice. He was nominated captain of the u-18 side and made his debut for the u-21s in September 1999. Houllier trusted the 19-year-old to begin the 1999/00 season in the starting line-up alongside Redknapp and promised him at least 20 games. Didi Hamann took his place eight games into the campaign in the Merseyside derby and disappointed Gerrard came on as a substitute. He lost his composure at the end of the match and was sent off for an ugly foul and was banned for three games. Gerrard returned stronger than before, determined to prove himself and his first goal for the club, against Sheffield Wednesday on 5 December 1999 proved to be spectacular. “A wonderful talent, a young man with the steel of a Stiles and the style of a Souness” – as Ric George described him in the Liverpool Echo – “side-stepped, danced and dribbled past three defenders before finishing decisively." He also proved his versatility as in one year he had played as a left-back, right-back, defensive and offensive midfielder and right-winger.

On 31 May 2000 Gerrard made his international debut, aged 20 years and one day, in a 2-0 win against Ukraine at Wembley. A relative newcomer to the England squad Gerrard only made one substitute appearance in Euro 2000 when he came on for Michael Owen in a win over Germany. Kevin Keegan's England team only recorded this one win and failed to qualify from their group. The boy had sure come far in a short period of time and his career rose rapidly in the 2000/01 season. He made 50 appearances for Liverpool, won the League Cup and FA Cup and scored a goal, which he ranks as one of his most memorable, in the brilliant 5-4 win over Alaves in the UEFA Cup final. Gerrard was named the Professional Footballers Association's Young Player of the Year. Liverpool, under the guidance of Houllier, continued its progress in the League and finished second in the 2001/02 season, seven points behind Arsenal. Gerrard was ruled out of England's World Cup squad in the summer through injury. Liverpool's form dropped considerably the next two years. Despite these setbacks Gerrard's influence had grown and on 15 October 2003 he was made captain of Liverpool Football Club, a dream come true for the boyhood Red: "I was captain of my school side and I used to go along to Anfield to watch the team. I used to watch Barnes with the captain's armband and dream that one day it would be me captaining the team I love."

Rafa Benítez took over in 2004 and in a season of reconstruction Gerrard elevated his status in the minds of Liverpool supporters when his tremendous goal against Olympiacos guaranteed his team's process from the group stages of the Champions League in front of a packed Kop. Gerrard's header nine minutes into the second half in Istanbul inspired an unlikely comeback that can be arguably called the greatest ever. What immediately followed no-one could have imagined. Liverpool's Chief Executive, Rick Parry, had told Gerrard that the club were going to renew his contract in the summer. Liverpool remained unresponsive and Chelsea with all its riches tempted Gerrard to leave for London. He later said in his autobiography it was the lowest point in his career. "I renew my deal with Liverpool in four or five years and when I do I would like Stevie to be my next coach, assistant manager and maybe even the next manager after me. He can even have the chief scout position if he wants it." - Rafa in July 2005.

Gerrard scored 20+ goals for Liverpool for the first time in the 2005/06 season and it was real "Roy of the Rovers" stuff for him when Liverpool faced West Ham in the 2006 FA Cup final. Gerrard scored with a stunning volley in the fifty-fourth minute to make it 2-2 and when West Ham seemed certain to lift the cup, being 3-2 up with time running out, he scored from a long way out because as he said his feet could not carry him any further; an incredibly audacious effort by the captain. Liverpool won the FA Cup after a penalty shoot-out. Gerrard was recognised by his professionals as the best player in the Premier League that season. Gerrard featured for Sven-Göran Eriksson's England in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, playing five games and scoring in two consecutive games against Trinidad and Tobago and Sweden. He missed a penalty as England was eliminated by Portugal in a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-finals. Liverpool's talisman had another stunning season in 2006/07, playing in 52 out of a maximum 59 competitive matches. His goal-tally reached double figures for the fifth successive season. As autumn turned into winter, Gerrard scored in six successive home matches in League and cup and during the same period he also scored a stunning free-kick up at Newcastle. But his most productive day goal-wise was when Luton Town came up to Anfield for an FA Cup third round replay. Gerrard had not even made the squad for the original tie in Bedfordshire but in the replay he scored a hat-trick in 17 second-half minutes to ensure that there would be no big cup upset. Like the rest of his club colleagues, Gerrard put the disappointment of losing the Champions League final in Athens behind him as Liverpool prepared for another season. Newspaper speculation again linked Liverpool's skipper with a big-money move to Chelsea in the summer of 2007. However, as he and Jamie Carragher signed new deals on 4 June 2007 to keep both players at Anfield for four more years, this matter was finally put to rest.

Gerrard continued to be a hugely influential player for Liverpool in both 2007/08 and 2008/09, two years in which he added another 96 first-team appearances to an already impressive total. He also added another 45 goals. He scored twice as Real Madrid were humbled at Anfield in the last 16 in the Champions League, but he was unable to prevent Liverpool losing to Chelsea in the next round, the second leg of which he missed because of injury. Costly draws proved Liverpool's downfall in wrestling the championship from Manchester United in 2009. It was, however, the first time that Gerrard had been involved in a really serious Liverpool challenge for the much-coveted title and his talent was evident enough for Football Writers to vote him the best player of the season. There was something vital missing in Gerrard's game in the 2009/10 season. He knew that the team was expected to 'kick on' from the second place it had achieved in 2009 and win the ultimate prize. His extraordinary ability to get the team out of a hole, something he had done countless times in the previous ten years, was suddenly waning. He only missed seven matches so he was as much a regular in the first team as he had usually been. His contribution in terms of goals, just 12, was exactly half that of the previous season and his lowest for three years.

Liverpool's finest was named captain of the England team when injury ruled Rio Ferdinand out of the World Cup in 2010. He responded by netting England's first goal against the United States; but it was a lead he and his colleagues were unable to hold on to. He played in all four of England's matches including the one in the last 16 when Germany humbled them. In 2010/11 Gerrard played in the fewest number of competitive matches, just 24 out of 54, since his first full season of 1999/00. This was partly because of an injury he received against Manchester United at Anfield in March. United were prominent in Gerrard's season. The skipper scored twice at Old Trafford in September and his brace looked like rescuing a point until Berbatov's late winner. Back at Old Trafford in January in the FA Cup as Dalglish returned to the dugout, Gerrard was sent off by Howard Webb. Gerrard said after his successful groin operation that he hadn't felt as good for a decade as 2011/12 started. However, injuries restricted Gerrard to only 28 appearances. Gerrard still showed glimpses of world class talent, especially when scoring an Anfield hat-trick against Everton in March. He was also fit enough to lead the team out in both the domestic cup finals at Wembley. His joy in lifting Liverpool's first cup for six years was for all to see. In the middle of May Roy Hodgson named Gerrard as outright captain of the 23-man squad for the European Championships in which he was his country's key player. As the 32-year-old embarked on a new season under Brendan Rodgers he claimed he was not yet prepared to play in a deeper role in Liverpool's midfield, aiming to prove he is as dynamic as ever. Lucas' injury at the start of 2012/13 forced Gerrard to defend more than attack, being unable to showcase his talents in the final third of the field where he is the most effective. On 14 November 2012 Gerrard became the sixth Englishman to reach a century of caps for his country joining the illustrious group of Billy Wright, Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore, Peter Shilton and David Beckham. As Liverpool has progressed under Rodgers Gerrard has been gaining strength and provided quite a few assists for his teammates.

A shoulder injury and the subsequent surgery on it prevented Gerrard from playing in every Premier League match in 2012/13. Despite missing the last two League matches against Fulham and Queens Park Rangers, he still made more first-team appearances than any other player. Ten goals was a respectable total for the season, the first time he had achieved double figures since 2009/10; and he will start the 2013/14 season needing only two more goals to complete a century in the Premier League.

Although ultimately disappointed in his quest to finally get a Premier League winners' medal, 2013/14 was still a significant season for Liverpool's captain. As well as becoming the longest-serving skipper in the club's history Gerrard moved past Ray Clemence and Emlyn Hughes into third place in the club’s all-time competitive appearance list with only Jamie Carragher (737) and Ian Callaghan (857) now ahead of him; he also went past Kenny Dalglish’s total of 172 Liverpool goals to move just ten behind Robbie Fowler’s 183; and the penalty-kick against West Ham United in April that took him past Kenny Dalglish's total moved him level with Jan Mølby on 42 successful spot-kicks But possibly more important than any statistic was his manager's decision to try him out in a new 'holding' midfield role just in front of the back four. Gerrard adapted well to an unfamiliar position and his success played a big part in Liverpool almost achieving the impossible and winning the Premier League. Gerrard was one of five Liverpool players named in England's squad for the World Cup finals in Brazil. He played from the start and captained his country in the opening two group matches against Italy and Uruguay. With England eliminated after two defeats he was on the bench for the final match against Costa Rica but came on for Arsenal's Jack Wilshere with 17 minutes remaining in the second half. Eight days after the World Cup Final in Rio it was announced that Gerrard had retired from international football after a 14-year spell that brought him one hundred and fourteen full international caps.

On 2 January 2015 Liverpool FC released this statement on its official website: "Liverpool Football Club can confirm Steven Gerrard is to leave the club at the end of the 2014-15 season. The Reds captain will bring the curtain down on a glittering Anfield career that has spanned nearly 17 years and included 10 trophies, as well as 695 appearances and 180 goals to date since joining the club's youth system aged eight. Gerrard will not retire from professional football at the conclusion of the 2014-15 season. No decision on his new club has been made yet, but he will continue his career outside the United Kingdom and at a side that will not bring him into direct competition with Liverpool. The 34-year-old admits it is with a heavy heart he will depart Liverpool, describing the decision as the 'toughest of his life', but has chosen to make it now to avoid speculation about his future. Until then, the No.8 insists he will continue to concentrate all his efforts on helping Brendan Rodgers' side achieve both domestic and European success.

Explaining his decision, Gerrard said: "This has been the toughest decision of my life and one which both me and my family have agonised over for a good deal of time. I am making the announcement now so that the manager and the team are not distracted by stories or speculation about my future. Liverpool Football Club has been such a huge part of all our lives for so long and saying goodbye is going to be difficult, but I feel it's something that's in the best interests of all involved, including my family and the club itself.

I'm going to carry on playing and although I can't confirm at this stage where that will be, I can say it will be somewhere that means I won't be playing for a competing club and will not therefore be lining up against Liverpool - that is something I could never contemplate. My decision is completely based on my wish to experience something different in my career and life and I also want to make sure that I have no regrets when my playing career is eventually over. I can't thank Brendan, the owners and everyone at the club enough for how they've handled this and I am leaving on great terms. Also, I would like to thank my teammates and all the staff for their help and continued support. It is a very special place to be part of. It is my sincere hope and wish that one day I can return to serve Liverpool again, in whatever capacity best helps the club. One point that is important to make is that from now until the last kick of the last game of the season, I will be as fully committed to the team as I ever have been and giving everything I have to help Liverpool win games. My final message is for the people who make Liverpool Football Club the greatest in the world - the supporters. It has been a privilege to represent you, as a player and as captain. I have cherished every second of it and it is my sincere wish to finish this season and my Liverpool career on a high."

Sadly, the 2014/15 season did not end on the high that the club's inspirational skipper for more than a decade had hoped for. Liverpool were beaten at the semi-final stage of both domestic cup competitions with the semi-final defeat in the FA Cup denying Gerrard the opportunity of playing in yet another final on his 35th birthday. He did, however, pass forty first-team appearances for the 12th time in his Liverpool career and in so doing reached five hundred Premier League appearances and seven hundred in all competitions. Thirteen goals took him to one hundred and eighty-six as he moved past Robbie Fowler into fifth place in the club's all-time list.

Steven Gerrard joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS as his contract expired in the summer of 2015. In his first MLS game he was on target and also created a goal for fellow ex Red Robbie Keane in a 5-2 win over San Jose Earthquakes. He finished the season with two goals from thirteen games, then announced early in the 2016 season that he would not be extending his contract any further, citing distances for away games as a problem. When the season ended he was linked with a move it Melbourne Victory but instead called time on his playing career, announcing his decision on 24th November.

Steven Gerrard

http://assets2.lfcimages.com/uploads/steven_gerrard_501fc3cf1a78a763080645.jpg

First Name - Steven

Surname - Gerrard

Squad Number - 8

Position - Midfield

Height - 1.83m

Weight - 83 kg

D.O.B. - 30 May 1980

Town of Birth - Whiston

Country of Birth - England

Full name: Diogo José Teixeira da Silva

Date of birth: 4 December 1996 (age 23)

Place of birth: Porto, Portugal

Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)

Playing position(s): Winger

https://www.liverpoo...-long-term-deal

https://www.liverpoo...t-for-liverpool

Birthdate: 2 October 1991
Birthplace: Maceió, Brazil
Other clubs: Figueirense (2009-10), Hoffenheim (2011-2015)
Bought from: Hoffenheim
Signed for LFC: £29m, 06.07.2015
International debut: 12.11.2014 vs Turkey
International caps: 55/17 (50/15 at LFC) - 11.07.2021
Liverpool debut: 09.08.2015
Last appearance: 28.05.2023
Debut goal: 21.11.2015
Last goal: 28.05.2023
Contract expiry: 30.06.2023
Win ratio: 59.67% W:216 D:79 L:67
Games/goals ratio: 3.26
Games/assists ratio: 5.03
Honours: Champions League 2019, European Super Cup 2019, FIFA Club World Cup 2019, Premier League 2019/20, League Cup 2022, FA Cup 2022
League games / goals / assists: 256 / 82 / 50
Total games / goals / assists: 362 / 111 / 72

https://lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/1288
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Firmino
https://int.soccerway.com/players/roberto-firmino-barbosa-de-oliveira/103265/

Player Profile

Liverpool scored 49 fewer league goals in 2014/15 than in the previous season so the emphasis in the summer of 2015 was to fix this problem. A creator and scorer supreme was needed. Only 74 goals were scored in all competitions in 2014/15 after goal machine Luis Suarez had left before the season. Top scorer, Steven Gerrard had gone overseas and the second-highest scorer, Raheem Sterling, seemed to be on the brink of leaving the club. Liverpool’s solution was to send CEO Ian Ayre across the Atlantic Ocean to secure the signature of Brazilian attacking midfielder Roberto Firmino before any other club appeared on the scene to hijack the deal. That only one player had cost a higher fee in the club’s history showed how serious it was about getting its man, backed by its.transfer committee.

Jürgen Klopp who had left Dortmund and was recharging his batteries at the time was surprised by Liverpool's purchase at the time: "He was a player I thought was one of the best in the Bundesliga so, when I saw that Liverpool had signed him, I thought: ‘How could Liverpool do this?' Klopp recalled in 2016. "They were not in their 100 per cent best moment and other clubs would have spent more on him so I thought immediately: ‘What a good transfer for them.’ I thought they had made a good signing because I felt pretty sure clubs would have paid a lot more for him. I can see, in the Premier League, you cannot have the perfect overview of the Bundesliga and, in the Bundesliga, you cannot have the perfect overview of the Premier League. So you can know the Champions League and the players who are top-class but there are so many good players you cannot know, only if you watch each game at the weekend. That is normal and a lot of people thought: ‘Hoffenheim, where is this? That is a lot of money.’ [Even] in Germany some people don’t know where it is but, if you play your football there, then you feel it is a tough place and so you know what a decent job the scout did, whoever brought him in for that price. When I knew I was coming here I knew I had a good player."

Firmino was born in the capital city of Brazil’s second smallest state, Alagoas, that also has the lowest Human Development Index score that measures standards in education, health and income, of the country's 27 states. Firmino played junior football for a club in Maceió, Clube de Regatas Brasil, before moving south in his late-teens to represent Figueirense Futebol Clube. Despite its remote location and the difficulty that comes with it of attracting new players, this club has achieved decent enough finishes in its recent history in the country’s top division despite never seriously threatening the regular success of the big city clubs. Firmino made his debut for Figueirense towards the end of 2009 as the club tried to make an immediate return to Serie A following relegation in 2008. A year later Roberto’s eight goals from thirty-six appearances helped to secure promotion and he actually played in over fifty first-team matches during that calendar year.

Shortly after his 19th birthday Firmino took the route to Europe that so many of his countrymen had made before him by signing for German club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. His original contract ran until the end of June 2015 but this was later extended by a further two years and this extension was crucial in determining the massive fee that Liverpool would have to pay to secure his services. He arrived in Germany at the mid-point of a domestic season and therefore did not make his Bundesliga debut until a home fixture against Mainz towards the end of February 2011. By the end of the season he had scored three times in eleven league matches as Hoffenheim finished in eleventh place, a finishing position they repeated in 2012 before narrowing escaping relegation in 2013. Firmino scored twice and made the other goal in his team’s crucial 3-1 home leg victory over Kaiserslautern in the relegation play-offs.

2013/14 was a huge season for both the player and his club. The club improved its finishing position by seven places and the player, by now a regular starter in the team, only missed one league match and scored sixteen goals with a further six coming from four matches in the German Cup, including a hat-trick in the first round against Aumund-Vegesack. This was the form which inevitably brought him to the attention of his country’s selectors and iconic former player Dunga, a World Cup winner in 1994, called him up for friendly matches against Turkey and Austria late in 2014; and he scored the winning goal in Brazil’s 2-1 victory over Austria in Vienna. He also scored the winning goal when Brazil faced Chile at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium at the end of March 2015 and was unsurprisingly a member of Brazil’s 2015 Copa América squad, where his goal against Venezuela in Santiago ensured that his country topped its group and progressed safely to the quarter-finals.

Nearly fifty goals and almost as many assists in the tough, competitive world of German football made the anticipation of Roberto Firmino doing well at his second European club very exciting indeed. Legendary player Ronaldinho, with nearly a century of senior appearances for Brazil behind him, predicted a fruitful career for his countryman who had just joined the Reds: "For Liverpool to have Coutinho and Firmino is a big achievement for them. It is going to give them one of the most exciting midfielders in Europe. The creativity, intelligence and goals they have between them can change Liverpool as a team. It is a big sign of intent. It is a dream for the Liverpool strikers to have that sort of service. They will create so many chances."

Firmino started slowly at Liverpool, struggling to live up to the price tag but after Jürgen Klopp arrived as manager his performances improved and according to various stats sources he was the most effective Premiership player in the second half of the season in respect of goal involvement (scored and assists combined). He scored a respectable ten goals in 31 league appearances but perhaps his most important goal was the second at home to Manchester United in the Europa League. At the end of the season, it was a surprise that he was not called up to the Brazil squad for Copa America. Firmino continued to impress in 2016/17 when he became an integral part of the side, scoring eleven goals in 35 games playing across the front line, enjoying an almost telepathic understanding with Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mané. Klopp was delighted with his maestro: "He is happy so he doesn’t care about getting more credit or recognition. Of course, he is very important because he can play all three positions in our system and, in our system, I’m sure he could play as the No.8 too, like Gini [Wijnaldum], like Phil [Coutinho], like Emre [Can]. He is different but he can play there. He is a very important player, a connecting player, a finisher, a fighter, a defender, the first defender – that is important. A lot of things he is good at are very important for us. He’s still a good listener and a good trainer. He likes to train, he likes to learn, so that is excellent, a nice package.”

2017/18 was even better for Firmino, who took the number 9 as his squad number with Mo Salah coming in at 11. Playing as a centre forward Firmino scored 26 goals in all competitions, eleven of them in the Champions League. He played in all bar one of the Premier League games and was named in Brazil's World Cup squad where he only appeared as a substitute in four out of five matches. Firmino committed himself to 2023 at the end of April 2018 by signing a five-year contract that is said to earn him £180,000 a week. “It was an easy decision,” said the Brazilian. “The club has taken me in in an incredible way and I’ve grown a lot here with my work with the support of the whole team. I am very happy here. Everything fits in the best possible way. My teammates are fantastic and I am grateful to be able to play with them at this club. I love to play for Liverpool FC. The fans are excellent and fantastic in how they support us all the way.”

Although not as prolific in goalscoring terms, 2018/19 was another hugely successful campaign for Firmino. He remained first-choice centre forward and came off the bench twice as Liverpool trailed in domestic cup ties. His late strike to secure Paris St Germain at Anfield in the opening group stage game of the Champions League proved to be crucial as the Reds only progressed on goal difference before going on to lift the trophy. Firmino scored 16 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions and was called up to Brazil's squad for the Copa America which was taking place on home soil and he proved successful there as well, scoring twice in six matches.

Roberto Firmino doesn't seem as concerned with his goal tally as his fellow forwards, Mané and Salah, and enjoys assisting goals just as much as scoring them. His overall contribution to the team, constantly on the move, filling spaces and tracking opponents, hasn't gone unnoticed as evident in his teammates' praise of the Brazilian and by various pundits. Virgil Van Dijk described him as the greatest-ever player he'd played with when asked in August 2019. “I’m running out of words to describe him,” said Trent Alexander-Arnold in September 2019 after Liverpool's 3-1 victory against Newcastle. “He’s an unbelievable player. I’ve said it before – he’s priceless to us. For us, he’s the best player we could have. He’s the one that makes everything tick, he’s the glue that holds everything together. He is a world-class player.” Thierry Henry was impressed with Roberto Firmino's performances in the 2019/20 season: "His movement, his work-rate, the way he makes the two central defenders move to allow space. Firmino is the most complete striker in the league. I'm not talking about the best finisher or the best work-rate, I'm talking about all round. The most complete in the league." Sky Sports' expert, Gary Neville said: "Any manager in the world would love to have Firmino as their centre forward. I think he’s absolutely incredible. He’s selfless, brilliant, scores goals, sets things up, they can link off him, makes all the right runs, an outstanding player." Former Arsenal great, Arséne Wenger concurs and he has proved to have a wonderful insight into the game: "The guy who sacrifices himself is Firmino, he works for the team and gets them to shine.”

Jose Mourinho, then a Sky Sports pundit, confessed in September 2019 to being a fan of Firmino and analysed his importance to the team quite astutely: "Firmino is very important to Salah and to Mane because he drops back in between the lines to allow Salah and Mane to score as many goals. If they play wide and he is a target man, then from wide positions you don’t score as many goals. They do it because they’re inside, between the centre-back and the full-back. Firmino drops back and if he attracts a centre-back, it gives more space to the others. If he doesn’t, he’s free in between the lines to get the ball into play. He's fantastic... I didn’t know the words... I love it now you call it a workhorse, I understand the meaning of it. He works so hard for the team. Salah and Mane, they don’t chase the full-backs all the way, they stay in positions where they can be killing people on the counter-attacks and Firmino compacts with the midfield. Origi, he can replace him and he can still score goals like he did last year in important games, but the style of play, the model of play, without Firmino they are in trouble.” 

But the one whose opinion matters the most is certainly Jürgen Klopp and he sung Bobby's praises following Liverpool’s 4-0 win at Leicester on 26 December 2019. “Bobby has four goals in three games and before that he didn’t score that often,” Klopp said. “When people tell me previously Bobby didn’t score for a while I didn’t realise. When I think about Bobby I don’t think about scoring. I think about how important he is. We had a bit of a talk because for the first time since I knew him he looked a little bit concerned about that fact. I told him I am not interested in that number because he is the connector for our team. He is so important for us. He is not the only one who can play that position but he can play that position in a very special way.” Firmino continued to be an important part of Liverpool's triumvirate up front in the 2019/20 season and delivered 12 goals and 13 assists. It holds true that when Firmino plays well, the whole team plays well and in the end Liverpool lifted the Premier League trophy which is testament to his abilities.

During 2020/21 Firmino missed just two games in the Premier League, when he was ruled out with a knee injury in March. He scored nine goals, two of them in a crucial 4-2 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on 13th May. Three days later he captained the Reds for the first time away to West Bromwich Albion. In the summer he was a member of Brazil's Copa America squad, coming on as a second half substitute in the final against Argentina which was lost 1-0. A succession of sort term injuries, combined with the form of other strikers, limited Firmino to ten starts in 2021/22.  He started 2022/23 strongly, hitting a hat trick against Bournemouth on 27th August.

Liverpool complete Firmino signing

Quote

Liverpool Football Club are delighted to announce the signing of Roberto Firmino from Hoffenheim, subject to a medical which will take place immediately following the player's participation in Copa America 2015 for Brazil.

The 23-year-old has agreed a long-term contract with the club.

Firmino will arrive at Anfield following four-and-a-half seasons in the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim.

The forward made 151 appearances in league and cup for the German club, netting 47 goals, after joining them from Figueirense in December 2010.

To date, Firmino has nine caps and four goals for Brazil - including what proved to be the winner in his country's 2-1 victory over Venezuela in the Copa America on Sunday.

Player Profile

It is one of football’s myths that top European players are only prepared to switch clubs if the new employer can offer Champions League football. Sometimes that new club’s history and traditions are really important too and that was proved when experienced England international James Milner agreed to join Liverpool in the summer of 2015 as soon as his Manchester City contract had expired at the end of June. Liverpool knew that they would be gaining the services of a ’model professional’ who has never made the headlines for the wrong reasons during a somewhat nomadic career so far.

James Philip Milner was born in a suburb of the Yorkshire city of Leeds so it wasn’t a surprise that his early promise as a footballer was recognised by his local club, Leeds United because he joined their Academy when he was only ten years old. As well as making excellent progress with his club Milner was also called up to represent his country at two different age groups before he had signed his first professional contract. He was still a few weeks short of his 17th birthday when Terry Venables gave him his senior debut in an away match at West Ham United which the visitors won 4-3 with Milner coming on for Jason Wilcox a few minutes from time. Seventeen more Premier League appearances (and two goals) followed by the end of the season but only one of these was from the start.

Leeds, beset by off-the-field problems which caused financial meltdown, were relegated from the top division a year later, a season in which young Milner had a useful loan-spell with Swindon Town (6 appearances, 2 goals) as well as adding thirty Premier League matches to an already-impressive total for a teenager. Despite having signed a five-year contract with Leeds early in 2003 the midfielder agreed a deal of similar length with Newcastle United less than 18 months later. Although used mainly on the left by Leeds he found himself playing mostly on the right under the man who signed him for Newcastle, Bobby Robson, but Robson was succeeded by John Carver (caretaker-manager) and Graeme Souness before Milner had really got settled in the north-east. It was Souness who arranged for Milner to go on loan to Aston Villa in 2005, where he was reunited with a man he had worked under at Leeds, David O’Leary. Villa finished 5th from bottom in 2005/06 and Newcastle only finished marginally higher than that in the next two seasons on his return to St James' Park as Milner made 91 more Premier League appearances in those three seasons.

After playing the full 90 minutes in Newcastle’s opening two league fixtures of 2008/09 Milner returned to Villa Park, this time on a permanent deal with a four-year contract. Oddly, something similar happened just two years later because after playing in Villa’s opening fixture of 2010/11 he was on the move again, this time to Manchester City, and his City debut came in a comfortable 3-0 home win over Liverpool. Milner missed very few first-team matches for Manchester City in almost five seasons and for most of that time, he was a regular in the senior England squad as well. Throughout his career, he has received acclaim not only for his prowess as a footballer but also for the way he conducts himself as a human being. He was immediately appointed vice-captain and took on the mantle of Liverpool's penalty taker in 2015/16. a consistent performer, he was mainly used on the right of midfield and ended the season with 7 goals from 42 appearances. He was called up to England's Euro 2016 squad by Roy Hodgson but after playing just three minutes in the tournament retired from international football to concentrate on his club career.

For much of 2016/17 Milner was used as a left-back and prior to the start of the following season, there was some scoffing when Jürgen Klopp announced that he was a new midfield signing. He defied critics though and made a record-breaking number of assists as Liverpool reached the Champions League final. 2018/19 was more of the same as Milner started 31 games in all competitions and came off the bench fourteen times, playing across the midfield and at full-back. He was the preferred penalty taker when on the pitch, holding his nerve to score kicks at crucial stages of away games at Fulham and Cardiff as the season drew to a close. He also came off the bench after an hour of the Champions League final. During the 2019/20 title winning season Milner remained in top form, scoring some crucial spot kicks and earning a new two year deal. During 2020/21 Milner was used less frequently, with fifteen of his 26 league games coming as a substitute. It was also the first goalless season of his career. On the final day of the season against Crystal Palace, he came off the bench with twelve minutes remaining for his 250th Red appearance. There were 10,000 fans allowed into this game, the highest allowed at Anfield all season due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

On the opening day of 2021/22 Milner captained the side at Norwich on the first day of the season. There was a full house at Carrow Road as Liverpool won 3-0, and Milner was delighted, telling Liverpoolfc.com "It’s incredible. I remember the first few times I stepped out when there was nobody there and coming out of the tunnel it was the first time it really hit you because normally when you step out of the tunnel you either get the roar or booed or something, anything would have done, but it was just quiet and that’s what really hit you. But having our fans here today singing all the way through and seeing them at the end, amazing to have them back and obviously it will be special next week at Anfield as well. We’ve missed them and hopefully we can keep putting in performances and getting results like today for them.”

Milner remained as fit as ever and stayed at Liverpool for 2022/23. 24 of his 31 Premier League appearances were as a substitute but despite being 37 years old it was reported that manager Jurgen Klopp was keen for him to stay on longer. No new deal was forthcoming from the club however and he left at the end of the season. 

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Quote

Liverpool agree deal to sign Milner

Liverpool Football Club are delighted to announce they have agreed a deal to sign Manchester City’s James Milner, subject to a medical.

The Reds have agreed personal terms with the England international, who will join the club on a free transfer on July 1 after his contract at the Etihad Stadium has expired.

Milner will arrive at Anfield having lifted two Barclays Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup during his five-year spell with City.

The 29-year-old is also firmly established as a regular for England and has notched 53 caps to date.

Having also represented Leeds United, Newcastle United and Aston Villa, Milner has lined up against Liverpool 24 times in total during the course of his career.

Birthdate: 7 November 1963

Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica

Nationality: England

Other clubs: Sudbury Court, Watford (1981-87), Newcastle United (1997-99), Charlton Athletic (1999)

Bought from: Watford

Signed for LFC: £900,000, 09.06.1987

International debut: 28.05.1983 vs. Northern Ireland

International caps: 79/11 (48/8 at LFC) - 06.09.1995

Liverpool debut: 15.08.1987

Last appearance: 11.05.1997

Debut goal: 12.09.1987

Last goal: 19.04.1997

Contract expiry: 11.08.1997

Win ratio: 54.79% W: 223 D: 104 L: 80

Games/goals ratio: 3.77

Total games/goals opposite LFC: 16 / 3

LFC league games/goals: 314 / 84

Total LFC games/goals: 407 / 108

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Player profile

http://www.lfchistory.net/images/barnes.john/a4/stowe.jpg

Tropical Jamaica seemed another planet away when the family arrived in England on 26 January 1976 after his father had been hired as Jamaica’s military attaché in London. "I had never seen snow before," as John revealed in his autobiography. Within a week he had found a football club, Stowe Boys Club. At home in Kingston Barnes was used to play in the middle or up front, but everybody in the Stowe team wanted to attack and couldn't care less about defensive duties. Barnes spent the next three and a half years with Stowe at centre-half as well as captaining the side. He got an early opportunity to impress Hornets' manager, Graham Taylor, in a youth team game. "Graham saw me control the ball and then send a left-footed volley flying past Orient's goalkeeper. 'That's all I need to see', Graham said to those around him and left." The Vicarage Road club were promoted to the top division at the end of the 1981/82 season. The team had progressed from the fourth division to the first in four years. The 1982/83 season, which was Watford's first in the top-flight, was incredible. On the last day Watford beat Liverpool and Manchester United lost which meant the Hornets captured second place with Barnes as the key player. Striker Maurice Johnston was bought from Partick Thistle and Barnes returned to the left wing the following season. First division sides had caught on to Watford's tactics but they went all the way to Wembley where Everton beat them 2-0 in the FA Cup final. As Watford established themselves in the First Division, Barnes was regularly linked with a move to a higher-profile club. Watford finished 1986/87 in ninth place and at the end of the season Graham Taylor left for Aston Villa. Barnes was also on his way out after featuring in 233 League games, scoring 65 goals.

http://www.lfchistory.net/images/barnes.john/a4/Barnescloseup.jpg

In the summer of 1987. Kenny Dalglish agreed a fee of £900,000 to bring Barnes to Anfield, where he would join forces with the also recently-signed Peter Beardsley and John Aldridge to form one of the club's most attacking and exciting forward lines ever. "Kenny recalled one game when I beat Alan Hansen to score. After that match, Kenny said to Alan: ‘We’ll sign that John Barnes.’ I was completely convinced Kenny bought me to partner John Aldridge upfront. ‘Kenny’, I asked shortly after signing, ‘where will I be playing?’ Without a second’s pause, Kenny replied, ‘Left-wing’. Kenny knew that Peter Beardsley, a clever skilful support striker, would soon be joining. I had thought my left-wing days were over."

It only took Barnes nine minutes to create a goal for Aldridge on his Liverpool debut at Arsenal on Highbury on 15 August 1987. Barnes' first real test was his Anfield debut on 12 September against Oxford. Liverpool boss Dalglish was delighted by his performance: "Barnes did what we expected him to do. He made a goal, scored one, and entertained. You remember that." The season was like a fairytale for Liverpool with Barnes as their talisman: "Everything I tried worked: every trick or dribble, feint or pass produced something." Barnes' greatest performance came on 17 October 1987 against League-leaders Queens Park Rangers. He scored what he considers the best goal of his career. Kevin Brock tried to dribble past Barnes in the centre circle when he nicked the ball. Terry Fenwick rushed at him but Barnes pushed the ball to the left of him. "Whenever would-be tacklers came sliding in, I tried to toe the ball past them, ride the challenge and regain balance and the ball on the other side. After I pushed the ball past Fenwick, I landed and brought the ball back with my left foot in one movement. It was difficult to see why I didn’t fall over," Barnes said in his autobiography.

Liverpool won the League Championship this season with 90 points, nine more than second-placed Manchester United. Liverpool scored 87 goals of which Barnes scored 15. He got the recognition he deserved for his part in Liverpool's dominance and was voted PFA's and Football Writer's Player of the Year. The double was on the horizon where minnows Wimbledon faced the mighty Liverpool. Wimbledon's 1-0 win was Liverpool's major disappointment in the club's historic season. Liverpool struggled to recapture their form from the unique 1987/88 season but clicked into gear in the second part of the 1988/89 season and put together 15 wins and three draws in 18 League games and reaching the FA Cup final. All this didn't matter however as the Hillsborough disaster claimed 96 lives on 15 April.

http://www.lfchistory.net/Images/barnes.john/1987-1990/titlelost89.jpg

Despite Hillsborough Liverpool had to finish the season and two exciting finals were on the horizon. The Reds had a three-point lead on Arsenal before the teams met in the last League match of the season on 26 May 1989 at Anfield. Liverpool had a goal difference of 65-26 (+39) against Arsenal's 71-36 (+35). Alan Smith scored in the fifty-second minute and one more goal would mean Arsenal would be champions. Barnes received the ball in the final moments of the game on the right flank and instead of bringing the ball into the corner he tried to go past Kevin Richardson, who took the ball off him. With 91 minutes and 22 seconds of the game played Michael Thomas scored in the most dramatic fashion possible. Some 40 seconds later the game was finished. "In the dressing room, Ronnie Moran said to me, ‘What were you doing? You should have taken the ball down to the corner flag.’ But no one else criticised me. Everyone was too shell-shocked."

Liverpool didn't finish this tragic season empty handed. The big two Liverpool teams played each other in the FA Cup final. Barnes finally won his elusive cup winners' medal after final defeats with both Watford and the Reds in 1988. Barnes joined Ian Rush in the forward line in the 1989/90 season as Aldridge had been dropped to the bench and was soon on his way out. Barnes also took over from Aldo as the club's penalty taker. Liverpool were inconsistent throughout the first part of the season but Barnes was very consistent in his goalscoring and had scored 12 goals in just 20 matches. In the second half of the season he scored 16 goals in 25 matches to take his tally to 28. He was top-scorer at Liverpool, two ahead of the prolific Ian Rush. He was second-highest goalscorer in the League two goals behind Gary Lineker. Barnes was voted Player of the Year by the Football Writers Association and joined legends such as Danny Blanchflower, Kenny Dalglish, Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney who also won this award twice in their careers. Liverpool won the Championship in a comprehensive fashion, nine points in front of Aston Villa and 17 points in front of champions Arsenal. The Reds finished the season in style, beating Coventry 6-1 at Highfield Road, Barnes scoring a hat-trick.

Liverpool won the first 14 games of the 1990/91 season and in February 1991 Liverpool was in the familiar top position. Liverpool and Everton drew 4-4 in an exciting FA Cup fifth round replay. One day before a League game against Luton, Barnes was on his way to training when he received the astounding news that Dalglish had resigned. Liverpool's title charge petered out and Arsenal won the championship. Barnes still had a good season and scored 18 goals in 45 matches. Graeme Souness was at the helm when the 1991/92 season started. Barnes got injured in the second League match and didn't feature again until January. He played a big part in the team‘s march to the FA Cup final by scoring a hat-trick against Crewe in the third round and in the sixth round his great pass enabled Michael Thomas to score the winning goal against Aston Villa. Barnes also scored one of Liverpool‘s penalties when they beat Portsmouth in a penalty shoot-out in the semi-final replay. Wembley beckoned for Barnes but a few days before the big game he strained his calf while playing volleyball with his teammates in a hotel pool and could only watch from the sidelines as Liverpool conquered Sunderland in the final.

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In 1992 the 28-year-old was at crossroads in his Liverpool career. The manager who had bought him to the club had left and Barnes realised this could be his last chance to sample the life on the continent. He still harboured dreams about playing for Juventus, Barcelona or Real Madrid. These dreams perished in a warm-up game for the European championship against Finland in Helsinki on 3 June 1992. He effectively tore his right-leg hamstring to shreds and was out until November. This had a detrimental effect on his ability to take players on as he always used his right leg when taking off on a solo run using his left to take the ball past players. A similar injury finished Mark Lawrenson's career and Barnes was forced to change his style of play eventually moving into central midfield. When Barnes was offered a new contract in February 1993 he decided to stay put as he could see it would be a while until he was back to his best. Barnes had been robbed off his electrifying pace and in the 1992/93 and 1993/94 seasons, he was far from the player he used to be. Souness kept faith in Barnes despite criticising him in front of the other players pleading with him to play to the best of his ability.

Souness resigned at the end of January 1994 replaced by Roy Evans who created a new role in the team for Barnes. It was plain to see that Barnes' pace had vanished and Evans wanted him to dictate play from midfield and be his coach on the field. Barnes was inspired by this new role as he understood the game better than most. He was left to hold the fort while other players attacked the opposition. Steve McManaman had taken over his role on the wing and flourished with Barnes‘ assistance. Evans handed Barnes the captain‘s armband in 1996 encouraged by his excellent improvement in form. Liverpool had the makings of a title-winning side but the captain felt their discipline let them down when it mattered. Barnes played in his first final in seven years when he faced Bolton in the League Cup in 1995. He created McManaman's first goal in a 2-1 victory. Barnes envisaged lifting the famous FA Cup, but the Reds lost 1-0 to Manchester United in the 1996 final. Barnes had an impressive start to the 1996/97 season and scored one goal in a 3-3 draw. He clearly meant business and was in a much more attacking mood than in previous seasons. His form wasn't enough for the whole team to last the season and capture the title. On 24 April Liverpool played their second semi-final in the European Cup Winners' Cup against Paris St Germain at Anfield. The first leg was lost 3-0. In the previous game Liverpool lost 3-1 at home against Manchester United which ended their challenge for the title. Barnes scored Liverpool's goal with a header which proved to be his last for the club. A few changes were made before the second leg against PSG and Barnes was dropped for the first time in his ten-year career at Liverpool. The Reds did their best with the fans' great support, but just fell short of the final, winning 2-0. Barnes was on the bench for the last three remaining games, only coming as a substitute in the last game of the season against Sheffield Wednesday. Liverpool fell from second to fourth. Paul Ince was bought from Inter Milan in the summer and took over from Barnes as Liverpool's captain.

A decade after Barnes arrived at Anfield from Watford in 1987, he was given a free transfer and was signed for a second time by Kenny Dalglish, now manager of Newcastle United. He stayed on Tyneside for two seasons and when he appeared for the Magpies in the 1998 FA Cup final against Arsenal, it was the fifth time he had graced Wembley's showpiece end-of-season finale. Unfortunately, as with Watford in 1984 and Liverpool in 1988 and 1996, he took a runners-up medal home with him. Following Dalglish's departure and Ruud Gullit's arrival Barnes had to seek pastures new at Charlton, who had just been promoted to the top division, to get regular football. He only appeared in 12 League matches and was unable to prevent the south-east London club from being relegated. As Charlton prepared for life back in the First Division, Barnes announced his retirement as a player at the age of 35 nearly twenty years after he had made his debut for Watford.

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The eloquent and erudite Barnes was always likely to stay in the game in some capacity. However, it was still a bit of a surprise when he was appointed manager of Celtic in 1999 under Dalglish who was Director of Football at Parkhead. It was not a happy time for either man. Although still registered as a player, Barnes never took the field for Celtic in a competitive match. Celtic suffered a humiliating home cup defeat to the minnows of Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Barnes was sacked soon after. Barnes became the latest in a long line of ex-Liverpool players to work in the media covering football, in his case with Channel Five. He returned to his native Caribbean to set up some coaching clinics and was also working in the area as a part-time scout for Sunderland. In September 2008 he was appointed as the manager of the Jamaican national team. Although winners and hosts of the 2008 Caribbean cup, Jamaica failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa. A couple of weeks before his contract with the Jamaican Football Federation was due to expire on 30 June 2009 Barnes confirmed that he would be returning to club management as successor to Ronnie Moore at League One club Tranmere Rovers. After a dreadful start to the 2009/10 season, just two victories from the opening eleven matches, it came as little surprise that he was dismissed by Tranmere only a few days after a 5-0 thrashing at Millwall. Jason McAteer, who had been appointed as Barnes' assistant at Prenton Park, left the club at the same time.

Barnes was an experienced international when he joined Liverpool with 29 caps to his name. He played the year before in the 1986 World Cup where he was only in a supporting role, but his performance against Argentina in the quarter-finals could have destroyed Diego Maradona's World Cup dream. Six minutes into the second half Maradona scored the infamous "Hand of God" goal past Peter Shilton. Four minutes later Maradona scored a brilliant individual goal. Barnes could only watch in awe from the bench. England was losing 2-0 when Barnes came on as substitute with 16 minutes to go. He didn't take long to make his presence felt and his superb pass from the left flank provided Gary Lineker with a goal. Three minutes from time Barnes made his way down the flank again and passed the ball only for an Argentinian defender somehow to get the ball away from the goal-line. Argentina went on to win the World Cup.

Barnes made his international debut against Northern Ireland on 28 May 1983. He had played nine internationals when England faced Brazil at the Maracana stadium on 10 June 1984. Barnes took centre stage a minute before half-time. "For all the superlatives heaped upon that run, I can honestly say that if I had seen someone to pass to I would have done. A pattern developed – look around, no support, keep going, beat another Brazilian, look around, no support, keep going, beat another Brazilian. I didn’t appreciate what an impact my slalom dribble was having. Apparently, one Rio paper described it as ‘the greatest goal ever seen at the Maracana’." This goal proved to be a burden to England prospects as he was expected to repeat this individual brilliance on a regular basis. Barnes had been in sensational form for Liverpool leading to the European Championship in Germany in 1988. However, contrary to his club where he was allowed to roam free he was told to stay out on the wing by England coach Bobby Robson where he was starved of the ball. England finished bottom of their group and Barnes was given unbelievable stick in the final match against USSR.

Barnes played a big part for England in the 1990 World Cup but an incident in the last sixteen against Belgium was typical for his international career. He scored a legitimate goal which was his first in a World Cup game but the linesman claimed he was offside. He injured his groin in the second half and was on the bench when David Platt's heroics saved England in the 120th minute. Barnes started against Cameroon in the quarter-finals but had to be substituted as he couldn't shake off his groin injury. He didn't feature at all when England lost to West Germany in the semi-finals. One more international tournament finished in disappointing fashion. When Graham Taylor resigned as England's coach it was expected that his international career was over, but in September 1994 Terry Venables put his faith in Barnes. The media wondered if European Championship in 1996 was a realistic option for the experienced campaigner but that didn‘t come to fruition. His seventy-ninth international against Colombia on 6 September 1995 proved to be his last.

"Players like John Barnes come along just once in a lifetime." - Sir Tom Finney

]When you think of English football in the Europe-less era that was the back half of the 1980s, few names spring to mind quicker than that of John Barnes. An undisputed superstar amid some of the country's darker days, on and off the pitch, he was not only among the most frightening attackers in the game, but also a flagbearer for racial equality.

 

Born in Jamaica, Barnes moved to England as a child and honed his skills with non-league Sudbury Court in London's north west. In 1981, he was signed by up-and-coming Watford, after impressing in a trial game with the reserves team. The transfer fee paid was a batch of football shirts, shorts and socks - something of a steal, as it would turn out.

 

Seventeen when he arrived at Vicarage Road, Barnes was a revelation as the Elton John-owned club secured promotion to the First Division, finishing his debut season with 13 goals from 36 games. His rapid rise continued over the next few campaigns as he helped the Hornets finish second (behind Liverpool) in the 1982-83 championship and reach the FA Cup final in 1984.

 

It was during this period that he was called up to the England squad, making his debut under Bobby Robson as a substitute against Northern Ireland in 1983. The following summer, he announced himself to the world with what many consider to be the greatest goal in the Three Lions' history.

 

The scene was Rio de Janeiro's legendary Maracana stadium; the opponents, a ludicrously talented Brazil outfit. Barnes made them look like chumps. Chesting down a ball about 40 yards out on the left flank, he proceeded to dribble through six gold shirts before edging round the goalkeeper and slotting home from the tip of the six-yard box to inspire his side to a 2-0 friendly win. He would go on to feature in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups and the 1988 European Championship, but it was this moment of genius that proved to be the making and, in some ways, the breaking of his international career.

 

While Watford's form plateaued in the following years, Barnes' did not, and by the time he signed for Liverpool in 1987 he was regarded as one of the most exciting prospects in the land. After the 1988-89 season, defenders across the country would quake with fear at the very mention of his name.

 

With his electrifying pace, sumptuous dribbling ability, ox-like strength and eye for a goal, the winger slotted in seamlessly at Anfield. Combining with fellow new-boy Peter Beardsley and Scouse-Irish striker John Aldrige, Barnes completed what remains one of the most lethal attacks ever assembled in modern day English club football. With 15 goals that term, he picked up both the PFA Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year awards, as the Reds claimed another league crown.

 

An FA Cup triumph arrived the following year, and the 1989-90 season saw Barnes rip entire defences to shreds as he scored 22 times - a rare tally indeed for a winger in those pre-Cristiano Ronaldo days - and steered Liverpool to their 18th (and, as of today, last) league title. But whilst he continued to dazzle domestically, his international outings were perhaps less impressive.

 

For some reason, Barnes copped much of the flak for England's collective and constant underperformance throughout the late '80s and early '90s. The public demanded that he reproduce his Maracana marvel every time he sported the Three Lions crest, and such unrealistic expectations have inevitably led to him being viewed as a flop on the international stage - despite his 79 caps and 11 goals in 12 years of service.

 

Of course, Barnes endured much more than criticism for his supposedly sub-par England displays throughout his career. As one of the first black players to forge his way into the national squad, he was often a target for racial hate - the National Front, the far-right political party, even denounced his wonder-goal in Brazil as illegitimate.

 

Things were just as bad at club level at the height of the hooligan epidemic, but 'Digger' (as he was affectionately known at Anfield) rose above the abuse and the monkey chants when there was work to be done - as encapsulated by the iconic image of him backheeling a banana, thrown by an Evertonian, over the touchline during a Merseyside derby.

 

As his career wound down and his once-frightening footspeed deserted him, Barnes gave his station on Liverpool's left-wing to a young Steve McManaman and reinvented himself as a holding midfielder of some repute (his passing stats during his last years at the club were among the best in the country). He departed the north west giants in 1997 and had stints at Newcastle United and Charlton Athletic before calling it a day in 1999, following his disastrous player-manager experiment at Celtic.

 

It is one of the game's great shames that, in the wake of 1985's Heysel disaster, Barnes was never able to strut his stuff in the European Cup while at the peak of his powers. Nevertheless, he remains one of Anfield's favourite sons, one of England's greatest ever talents and, alongside the likes of Viv Anderson, a pioneer for black British footballers on the global stage.[/b]

 

HONOURS

 

English League Championship (1987-88, 1989-90)

FA Cup (1988-89, 1991-92)

Football League Cup (1994-95)

Charity Shield (1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91)

 

PFA Players' Player of the Year (1987-88)

FWA Footballer of the Year (1987-88, 1989-90)

English Football Hall of Fame (2005)

 

DID YOU KNOW … that John Barnes rapped on New Order's iconic football anthem and UK #1 hit, 'World In Motion'?

Birthdate: 6 October 1957

Birthplace: Durban, South Africa

Nationality: Zimbabwe

Other clubs: Durban City, Vancouver Whitecaps (1978-81), Crewe Alexandra (loan 1979-80), Stoke City (loan 1993), Southampton (1994-96), Plymouth Argyle (1996-97), Oxford United (1997), Sheffield Wednesday (1997), Oldham Athletic (1997-98), Chesham United (1998), Bury (1998), Lincoln City (1998), Northwich Victoria (1999), Hellenic (2001), Glasshoughton Welfare (2007)

Bought from: Vancouver Whitecaps

Signed for LFC: £250,000, 17.03.1981

International debut: 12.10.1980 vs. Cameroon

International caps: Zimbabwe 32/0 - 27.09.1998 + 1 cap for Rhodesia

Liverpool debut: 29.08.1981

Last appearance: 19.02.1994

Contract expiry: 11.08.1994

Win ratio: 57.96% W: 364 D: 156 L: 108

Honours: League Championship 1981/82, 1982/83, 1983/84, 1985/86, 1987/88, 1989/90; FA Cup 1986, 1989, 1992; League Cup 1982, 1983, 1984; European Cup 1984

Total games/goals opposite LFC: 2 / 0

LFC league games/goals: 440 / 0

Total LFC games/goals: 628 / 0

http://www.lfchistor...yer/Profile/308

http://en.wikipedia....ruce_Grobbelaar

Player profile

An athletic goalkeeper who kept virtually unstoppable shots at bay and is remembered as one of the greatest number ones in Liverpool's history. After earning plaudits in South Africa the 20-year-old was given a trial in the summer of 1978 at Ron Atkinson's WBA. He couldn't get a work permit and was due to return back home five months later when he heard that Tony Waiters, Vancouver Whitecaps' manager, was holding trials in Derby. Grobbelaar impressed and in November 1978 having travelled through three continents in four days and played in two trial games in as many days signed a one-year contract with the Canadian side, initially as a reserve 'keeper to former West Ham star, Phil Parkes. Unable to oust him from his starting place Grobbelaar was loaned to the bottom club of the Fourth Division, Crewe Alexandra, making his English League debut at Christmas 1979 and featuring regularly for the Railwaymen until the spring, saying his goodbyes by scoring from the penalty spot in his last-ever game! With Parkes gone Grobbelaar was finally a regular for the Whitecaps in the 1980/81 season attracting a host of admirers from England, most notably Bob Paisley, Liverpool's manager.

"I will never forget going to see Bruce Grobbelaar play for the first time," Bob Paisley said. "I had an idea that he would become the next Liverpool goalkeeper even before the match had kicked off. He was playing in the Fourth Division for Crewe Alexandra at Doncaster in April 1980. Before the game, he had three of his team mates lined up on the edge of the penalty area firing in shots at him. Bruce was dancing about like a cartoon character stopping every attempt. I turned to Tom Saunders, who was sitting next to me and said, 'We can go, 'I've seen enough'. Tom Saunders and I had to travel to Canada to make a final check on him. He was playing for Vancouver Whitecaps in the North American league, but the saves he was making belonged in the First Division. And yet when we signed him in March 1981, we already had the best goalkeeper in Europe. Ray Clemence had 470 first division appearances and 56 England Caps to his name. His reputation and standing amongst the world's keepers was virtually unrivalled. Bruce walked into Anfield and told the world he was after Ray's jersey. And he said it so Ray could hear!"

Clemence left Liverpool for Tottenham five months after Grobbelaar's arrival two weeks before the start of the 1981/82 season. The Zimbabwean was thrown in at the deep end having only featured in three reserve games for Liverpool. Grobbelaar made some errors along the way, but grew slowly into his role as Liverpool's custodian. Grobbelaar remembers it as a baptism of fire. "One old man wrote to me regularly. He said that he had been watching top-class football for 32 years and if Tommy Smith had still been captain he would have already broken my legs three times. That was one of the more pleasant letters. I also began to hear the obscenities yelled from certain sections of the crowd and I took them to heart. It hurt that they were from from our own supporters." It speaks volumes for Grobbelaar's talent that he kept his place in goal from his Liverpool debut on 29 August 1981 to 16 August 1986, playing 310 consecutive games in the most successful team in England. With half of Grobbelaar's debut season gone Paisley took the newcomer aside for a serious talk. "We ended up at Boxing Day thirteenth in the League, 13 points behind the leaders," Grobbelaar said. "That Boxing Day we lost 3-1 to Manchester City and Bob Paisley pulled me into the bath area in the dressing room and he just said to me: 'How do you think your first six months have gone?' I said: 'It could have been better.' And he said: 'Yes, you're right. If you don't stop all these antics you'll find yourself playing for Crewe again.' And he walked out. It dawned on me I couldn't do all these things I used to do; sit on the crossbar and walking around the pitch on my hands and mess about. He made me realise my mistakes and made sure I put them right."

Liverpool fans can no doubt easily recollect their favourite Grobbelaar moment whether it was a moment of madness, showboating or a save that displayed his breathtaking ability. Grobbelaar was a man for the big occasion as proved in the 1986 FA Cup final when Alan Hansen's clearance was headed straight at goal with Grobbelaar hopelessly out of position. "I got back as quick as I could and made a real kangaroo leap to reach the ball. It's something Craig Johnston taught me. If I'd tried to catch the ball I would have gone into the net with it," Grobbelaar said. Johnston certainly appreciated that moment, "Brucie was a great goalkeeper and that save was out of this world," the South African said." Grobbelaar's most memorable moment came in the European Cup final of 1984 when his antics on the goalline in the penalty shoot-out put off the most experienced players. "Joe Fagan had his arm around me when I was going to the goal and said: 'Listen, myself and the coaches, the chairman and the directors, your fellow colleagues and the fans are not going to blame you if you can't stop a ball from 12 yards," Grobbelaar revealed. "That gave me the great lift, there was great weight off my shoulders. As I walked away he said: 'Try to put them off.' So that's what I did. There were two players that I tried to put off and they were both Italian internationals, Bruno Conti and Graziani."

Unless he was out injured or suffering from meningitis, as in the 1988/89 season, Grobbelaar was a regular fixture in Liverpool's goal until England's u-21 goalkeeper David James took his place in 1992/93. Grobbelaar went out on loan to Stoke in the last couple of months of the season but reclaimed his place at the start of the following campaign. James made the number one jersey his own from February 1994 onwards and Grobbelaar left for Southampton before the start of the 1994/95 season. He moved to Plymouth Argyle in League Two where Neil Warnock was in charge and later joined Warnock at Oldham and Bury and continued to play League football into his 40's. After being released by the Saints at the end of the 1995/96 season his life was overshadowed by allegations of match fixing. Grobbelaar was said to have been paid £40,000 pounds by a Far East betting syndicate for throwing a match against Newcastle in November 1993 which Liverpool lost to an Andy Cole hat-trick and also accused of trying to influence games after he moved to Southampton in 1994. Arsenal great and television soccer expert, Bob Wilson, was brought in to review tapes of the Newcastle game as well as Liverpool and Manchester United in January 1994, Norwich and Liverpool in February 1994, Coventry - Southampton in September 1994 and Manchester City - Southampton in November 1994. Wilson told the jury he had seen no evidence of match fixing as in the Newcastle game Grobbelaar had virtually no chance with the three goals and he had made three excellent saves. In the Manchester United game, which resulted in a 3-3 draw, Grobbelaar had made two saves that were of the highest order at any level in the world, which had kept his side in the game. He could not have saved the two goals scored against him by Norwich and made a "truly outstanding'' save. Grobbelaar was found not guilty on all accounts.

Grobbelaar's clownish antics made him lovable but some felt that he was too lighthearted on the field that led to him occasionally making incredible mistakes. In fact, Grobbelaar took his craft close to heart and was furious with himself if he made an error. He had acquired a different perspective on life when he was fighting in the jungles of Africa. "I never did get used to killing other men even if they were hell bent on on doing me as much harm as possible," Grobbelaar revealed about his two years in the National service in his autobiography "More Than Somewhat". "I still dream about another encounter which happened shortly before the end of my first year while we were supporting a Dad's Army unit (made of 35-55 year-old reservists) when we were fed the information that a dozen terrorists were close at hand. We selected the killing ground and laid our claymore mines in the rocks and then set our two sticks of four in ambush positions. The mines killed the first three and the rest we caught in lethal crossfire. There was just enough moon for me to see the white teeth bared in horrific screams that still ring in my ears when I have those awful dreams. Nightmares really are made of that sort of stuff as my wife and a few footballer roommates will testify having seen me wander around in the middle of the night before a big game. If war teaches you anything it is an appreciation of being alive and I will never apologise for laughing at life and enjoying my football."

Bob Paisley was in no doubt that Liverpool found a worthy successor to Ray Clemence: "Bruce is a natural between the posts. When you consider his reflexes, his agility and his co-ordination, you wouldn't swap him for any keeper you care to name past or present. The one aspect of his make-up that everybody questions is his personality. He is a man who insists on living life to the full. If he wasn't enjoying what he was doing, I think he would stop. So he plays his football with sense of fun and bravado. When the Kopites sing ‘Brucie, Brucie, give us a wave’ he waves back. He doesn't wish to disappoint them. He wants them to enjoy their afternoon at Anfield as much as he's doing. Everybody has an opinion about Bruce Grobbelaar, but it's the opinion of the men who play in front of him that matters most. If they lost confidence in him, he wouldn't last five minutes. But Liverpool defenders have always had a greater appreciation of him than anybody else. Brucie's record with Liverpool speaks for itself, and his handling skills, his athleticism, his alert distribution and quickness off his line have all become shining examples that future Anfield goalkeepers will be hearing plenty about."

Birthdate: 20 October 1961

Birthplace: St Asaph, Wales

Other clubs: Chester (1977-80), Juventus (1986-88), Leeds United (1996-97), Newcastle United (1997-98), Sheffield United (loan 1998), Wrexham (1998-99), Sydney Olympic (1999)

Bought from: Chester, Juventus

Signed for LFC: 300000 / £2700000, 01.05.1980 / 01.07.1986 (loan) / 18.08.1988

International debut: 21.05.1980 vs. Scotland

International caps: 73/28 (67/26 at LFC) - 24.1.1996

Liverpool debut: 13.12.1980

Last appearance: 11.05.1996

Debut goal: 30.09.1981

Last goal: 05.05.1996

Contract expiry: 01.07.1986 / 01.07.1987 (end of loan) / 20.05.1996

Win ratio: 54.7% W: 361 D: 165 L: 134

Games/goals ratio: 1.91

Total games/goals opposite LFC: 3 / 0

LFC league games/goals: 469 / 229

Total LFC games/goals: 660 / 346

http://www.lfchistor...yer/Profile/404

http://int.soccerway...es-rush/223689/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Rush

Player profile

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Simply the greatest goalscorer in Liverpool's history. Rushie was born and raised with four sisters and five brothers in a village called St Asaph in North-Wales. When he was 13 playing for Deeside Primary schools his scoring prowess alerted scouts at Liverpool and Manchester United. He eventually went on trials to Burnley, Wrexham and Chester. Cliff Sear, the youth team manager at Chester, put him at ease and Rush felt at home at Chester. Liverpool scout Geoff Twentyman was a regular visitor at Chester's games and come 1980 Bob Paisley was convinced enough about his talent to convince the club to splash out £300,000 on the 19-year-old which was the highest fee ever paid for a youngster at the time in the world. What clinched the deal for Rush was that Chester manager, Allan Oakes, told him: 'If you don't make it, you can always go back to Chester." Rush left Chester after scoring 17 goals in 39 matches. Rush made his debut for Liverpool in a 1-1 draw against Ipswich on 13 December 1980 replacing Kenny Dalglish in the side, who was out with an injured ankle. Wearing the famous number seven at Liverpool was quite a responsibility for the youngster, who was raised as an Everton supporter. Rush's second game was a League Cup final replay no less. He had an impressive game at Villa Park and rattled the crossbar. Liverpool celebrated a 2-1 win courtesy of Dalglish’s and Hansen’s goals. Rush finished the season with nine games for Liverpool but still no goals. He had though so far netted twelve goals in 30 reserve appearances.

Rush didn’t get a chance in the first team at the beginning of his first full season. He also had trouble adapting socially to his new surroundings. He was shy and didn’t like how Dalglish and the senior players used to wind him and the other new recruits up. Rush knocked on Paisley’s door and declared he wanted a chance with the first team or else he would leave. Paisley said he would make him available for transfer and Rush left his office determined to show him he could score an abundance of goals with the reserves that would alert other clubs. Rush scored five goals in his first four reserve games of the season. Paisley’s trick had worked as he never intended to sell him.

Rush broke his duck on 30 September 1981 at Anfield against Oulu Palloseura from Finland in the European Cup. He came on as a substitute and scored one of Liverpool's seven on the night. David Johnson got injured and Rush had a golden opportunity to establish himself in the side. Rush scored a brace against Exeter in the League Cup and netted another two goals in the League against Leeds and didn’t stop until he had scored 30 goals that season. The pinnacle was his first goal at Wembley in the League Cup final. Ronnie Whelan scored Liverpool's two goals in their 3-1 win over Tottenham. Whelan and Rush entered the side at a similar time and became firm friends. Their time had certainly come. Few believed Rush could sustain his current rate of scoring goals the next season, but he proved them all wrong and was voted the League’s most promising player in the 1982/83 season. Rush and Dalglish had formed a lethal partnership and their understanding of each other’s strengths was incredible. Rush was a quick runner and a quick thinker as well. He had made his move long before the opponent had realised. Sure enough Kenny rewarded his run with a brilliant pass and soon the ball was in the net. Rush soon earned the nickname "The Ghost" for the way he snuck up behind defenders. Rushie’s most memorable scoring feat that season was without a doubt his four goals in the derby match against Everton at Goodison Park. His destruction of the Blues was immortalised in song as an extra verse in "Poor Scouser Tommy" by Liverpool fans all over the world. Liverpool won the same double as the season before, the Championship and the League Cup.

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The 1983/84 season was perhaps Rush's best for Liverpool. He scored a breathtaking hat-trick at Aston Villa, four against Coventry and five against Luton. Just before he went out on the field to score a quintette against Luton he soaked his rock hard boots in the bath. Every game since then he religiously wet his boots prior to kick-off. Liverpool fans would hardly believe if 90 minutes could pass without Rush scoring. He finished off Dinamo Bucharest in the semi-finals of the European Cup by a couple of goals. The final was a memorable one and Rush was one of four Liverpool players who scored in the penalty shoot-out in Rome. He had scored no less than 47 goals that season and was awarded the Golden Boot for being Europe’s top scorer. It was hardly surprising that his fellow professionals in England and the local media would choose him as the best player of the season. He had also destroyed Roger Hunt’s Liverpool record who had scored 41 goals in one season twenty years earlier. Rush was tempted to leave his beloved club for Napoli in 1984 as Rush revealed to LFChistory.net. "Napoli offered me £1 million and I wanted to speak to them just before the deadline. John Smith, the Liverpool Chairman, refused to do that." Napoli went on to sign Diego Maradona instead.

Rush suffered his first setback when he was sidelined for the first 14 games in the following season. His first game was against Everton but he drew a blank. Only a few days later he was back with a vengeance when he scored a hat-trick against Benfica in the second round of the European Cup. Rush repeated his feat from a year earlier when he scored two goals in the semi-final against Panathinaikos at Anfield, but the European Cup final at Heysel was a tragedy.

Liverpool captured the double in the 1985/86 season with Rush once again playing a key part, scoring twice in a 3-1 victory over Everton in the first-ever Merseyside final, which he rates as his most memorable game. Heartbreak for Liverpool fans worldwide was ahead. The Heysel tragedy resulted in a European ban for Liverpool and the club suffered financially for its exclusion from Europe. Liverpool were forced to part with their greatest asset for which they were going to receive a record fee for a British footballer, £3.2million.

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Rush was supposed to join Juventus in the summer of 1986, but Juventus president, Giampiero Boniperti, said to his great surprise during contract negotiations that he was going to be loaned out to Lazio in Serie B for the 1986/87 season as Platini had decided to play one more season. The French maestro and Michael Laudrup would occupy the two places allowed for foreigners at the Italian club. Rush suggested a loan to Liverpool to Boniperti. Those who feared Rush wouldn’t give 100% for the club in his final season soon calmed down. He scored 21 goals in his first 21 games. Incredibly Liverpool had never lost a game in which Rushie scored. The tally had reached 145 games when Liverpool faced Arsenal in the League Cup final. Rush gave Liverpool the lead but Charlie Nicholas replied with two and Arsenal ran out winners. Everton recaptured the Championship from their neighbours but not before Rush made them suffer at Anfield when he scored his eighteenth and nineteenth goal in twenty derby matches, equalling Dixie Dean’s record. Dixie achieved that feat in 17 matches, but Rushie went on to score a total of 25 goals against the Blues. Rush said goodbye to Liverpool by registering six goals in his final eight games.

The Welshman scored 14 goals for Juventus in the 1987/88 season of which eight were in Serie A. Diego Maradona was number one in the scoring charts with 14 league goals and Rush scored as many goals as Marco Van Basten and more than Rudi Voeller. He showed Juve fans what he was capable of when he scored four goals against Pescara in the cup. Injuries, illness, the defensive nature of the Italians and Michel Platini’s decision to quit Juventus all played a part in Rush's failure to deliver the goods on a regular basis. Peter Robinson was relaxing in the Spanish sun in 1988 when he spotted a magazine article that said talented striker, Alexander Zavarov, was on his way to Juventus and that meant there would be one foreign player too many at the Torino club. Robinson suspected who would be left out and immediately phoned Dalglish. Rushie’s return to Liverpool after only one season abroad came as a surprise to everyone and no one realised until he sat down with the manager in front of the stunned press that he had signed for his old club. Majority of the press believed that Liverpool were buying Gary Pallister from Middlesbrough to replace the injured Alan Hansen. The prize was £2.7million so Liverpool had bought him for £500,000 less. Liverpool had ran away with the League in the previous campaign and defences all around England were already quivering in their boots to meet up with Rush again, not least his neighbours across Stanley Park.

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Once Rush returned he was clearly far away from his best condition. In January fans started to see glimpses of the old Rush. He scored in three games in a row but then he got injured and a knee operation meant two months on the sidelines. He proved a valuable substitute in the FA Cup final against his old foes Everton. John Aldridge made way for Rush in the second half having scored the only goal of the game until then. Stuart McCall equalized in the last seconds of full time. Rush scored Liverpool’s second with a brilliant shot in the fifth minute of extra-time but that was cancelled out by another McCall equalizer in the 102nd minute. Two minutes later Rushie proved to be the hero of the day when he scored with a dead accurate header and Liverpool won the Cup. Rush was preferred to John Aldridge in the starting line-up the following season and critics got on his back right away. The pressure was greater because Aldridge had been the team’s top scorer last season. He was not happy with the situation and signed for Real Sociedad in Spain where he continued to score on a regular basis. Rush didn’t let Kenny down and finished the season as top scorer with 26 goals. Like clockwork he scored the same amount of goals next season but Dalglish’s resignation spoilt Liverpool’s chances of holding on to their League title. Rush sustained an injury along with other key players in Souness’s first whole season in 1991/92. He managed to get himself fit for the FA Cup final against Sunderland and struck gold as usual at Wembley. He sealed Liverpool’s 2-0 win and his fifth goal in a FA Cup final was an unprecedented achievement.

Rush struggled along with others in the Liverpool side in the next two seasons but still delivered 41 goals. On 18 October 1992 Rush made another record his very own. He scored his 287th goal for Liverpool in a 2-2 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Roger Hunt had to step down from his pedestal as Liverpool’s greatest goalscorer. Rush was in awe of Sir Roger. "Obviously I am proud and privileged to have beaten the record of a great player like Roger Hunt. He was my father's hero." Souness gave Rushie the captain’s armband he fully deserved in the autumn of 1993. He also received a new and promising strike-partner by the name of Robbie Fowler. They connected well and the Welshman took the young striker under his wing. Souness resigned in January 1994 and Roy Evans took over. Rush played his 600th game for Liverpool against Blackburn in the fifth round of the League Cup and celebrated by scoring his thirteenth hat-trick! Rush went on to score sixteen in total, one less than the club's hat-trick king, Gordon Hodgson. Steve McManaman proved instrumental in the final against Bolton and no one was more proud than Rushie to lift the cup as captain. In the summer of 1995 Liverpool bought the striking sensation that was Stan Collymore for a record fee. Rush was approaching his thirty-fourth birthday and the prediction was this was going to be his final season. Rush continued as captain and figured at the start of the season, but got sidelined through injury. Fowler and Collymore established a good rapport and the writing was firmly on the wall for the legend. Rushie’s achievements in the game were acknowledged by the queen at the turn of the year. He was awarded the MBE at Buckingham Palace. One more record gave way before Rushie left Anfield. On 6 January 1996 he scored against Rochdale in the third round of the FA Cup at Anfield. It was his forty-second goal in the competition and put him one above Denis Law with whom he had shared the record as the competition’s greatest goal-scorer in the twentieth century. Rochdale manager, Mick Docherty, was honoured to witness this monumental feat: "It couldn't happen to a better pro. He is a shining light in the profession because of his work rate, dedication and his great scoring record."

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On 27 April 1996 Ian Rush played his farewell game at Anfield. He came on as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough but couldn’t get on the scoresheet. Rush was applauded by both sets of fans. He took his shirt off and threw it into the Kop. "It was an emotional day but also a fantastic day for me," Rushie said after the final whistle. "The reception I got will live with me forever. I'm sorry I didn't score. The fans were willing me to score and I wanted to score as much as they wanted me to. I wanted to stay on the pitch forever." He played his final League game against Manchester City and scored in a 2-2 draw. He looked forward to his final appearance that was appropriately enough at Wembley in the FA Cup final. Rush came on in the second half but a dull game ended 1-0 in Manchester United’s favour. A few days later he joined Leeds United. He was continually played out of position on the wing at Leeds and only recorded three goals for the Yorkshire club. In the summer of 1997 his old mate Dalglish lured him to Newcastle as well John Barnes. Rush scored two goals for Newcastle and both were historic. He scored his forty-eighth goal in the League Cup which equalled Geoff Hurst’s record and his second and last goal of his top-flight career came against Everton. Once more his old favourites were his victims. He was loaned out to Sheffield United in the spring and was hired as player-coach of Wrexham in the 1998/99 season. The legendary striker made couple of appearances with Sidney Olympic in Australia before retiring in 1999.

Ian Rush was also a star for his country. He played 73 internationals for Wales and scored 28 goals which is of course also a goalscoring record. His biggest disappointment was that he never got the opportunity to represent his country in the European Championships or the World Cup. Wales’ Ryan Giggs is amongst his biggest admirers: "As a schoolboy the three strikers I admired most were Ian Rush, Mark Hughes and Gary Lineker. But Rushie stood out because he was such an inspiring example to youngsters with so many other assets to his game." Rush has passed his FA coaching badges and travelled around the world to Australia and Iceland amongst other countries where he has taught kids to become accomplished goalscorers trying to pass on the knowledge he has gained. Houllier also recognised his coaching ability and added him temporarily to his Liverpool staff to help his strikers score goals.

Rush argued he was a better all-round player once he returned from Italy. He had certainly always impressed with his goalscoring talents but what made him stand apart was his defensive work. He was Liverpool's first defender when the opposition had the ball. Joe Fagan was always impressed by Rush's attention to teamwork. "He set an example to all his colleagues, not only in his scoring, but also in his willingness to tackle back. He wins the ball so often it provides a psychological boost for defenders." Rush scored 207 goals in 331 appearances in his first spell at Liverpool and added 139 in 329 games in his second phase at the club following his return from Juventus. Ian Rush is a unique striker at a club that prides itself on great forwards.

Иън Ръш (Ian Rush) е уелски футболист, нападател и треньор.

Завършен голмайстор, който стреля еднакво добре с двата крака и с глава- истинско страшилище за вратарите. Най-добър реализатор на "Ливърпул" за всички времена. Ръш е ненадминат голмайстор и на британския футбол, но остава велик играч дори и да не беше вкарал нито един гол. Неговият спринт и отличните му подавания са допълнение към неговата проницателност пред вратата. Ръш е само на 18 години, когато Ливърпул го купуват за 300 000 лири стерлинги. За два кратки престоя на Анфийлд с едно недотам щастливо италианско приключение помежду им, Ръш подобрява рекорди по отбелязани попадения на клубно и национално равнище, както и за Купата на Футболната Асоциация (пет гола в три спечелени финала). Печели още пет шампионски титли и четири купи на лигата.

Кариера

Играе в "Честър Сити" от 1977 до 1980 г., "ФК Ливърпул" от 1980 до 1987 и от 1988 до 1996 г., "Ювентус" през 1987-1988 г., "Лийдс Юнайтед" през 1996-1997 г., "Нюкасъл Юнайтед" през 1997-1998 г.

Успехи

Шампион през 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986 и 1990 г., носител на купата през 1986, 1989 и 1992 г.

Носител на КЕШ през 1981 и 1984 г., финалист за КЕШ през 1985 г.

Футболист №1 на Англия през 1984 г. Носител на "Златната обувка" през 1984 г. с 32 гола. Има 73 мача в националния отбор на Уелс, където дебютира на 21 май 1980 г. срещу Шотландия 0:1 в Глазгоу.

Birthdate: 28 January 1978

Birthplace: Bootle, Liverpool, England

Other clubs: None

Bought from: Local

Signed for LFC: Joined 1987 - Professional 09.10.1996

International debut: 28.04.1999 vs. Hungary

International caps: 38/0 - 18.06.2010

Liverpool debut: 08.01.1997

Last appearance: 19.05.2013

Debut goal: 18.01.1997

Last goal: 23.08.2008

Contract expiry: 01.06.2013

Win ratio: 54% W: 398 D: 167 L: 172

Honours: FA Cup 2001, 2006; League Cup 2001, 2003, 2012; Champions League 2005; UEFA Cup 2001

LFC league games/goals: 508 / 4

Total LFC games/goals: 737 / 5

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http://en.wikipedia....Jamie_Carragher

Player profile

"There may be more skilful players in the squad, but no one can ever say I don't give 100%." A scouser whose fighting capabilities and sense of humour has endeared him to supporters and teammates alike. Carragher became the scouse rock at the heart of the Liverpool defence. He has excelled both on domestic and European level, leading the charge to Jerzy Dudek's goal following his penalty save from Shevchenko in Istanbul even though Carragher had suffered from agonising leg cramp in extra-time. Carra wears his Liverpool heart on his sleeve and his frustration can boil over when things are not going according to plan. "Jamie Carragher is the true boss in the dressing room. He is very bad-tempered, he orders everybody around and yells a lot," said Álvaro Arbeloa, who was on the receiving end of Carra's very public outburst at the Hawthorns in May 2009. Carragher has, though, the best interests of Liverpool at heart and he transmits more positive vibes than negative to his colleagues as Chris Kirkland noted: "He's the joker of the squad alright. Carra is always the life and soul of the party. If we win a game and go out to celebrate, he's the first one of the microphone. Every club needs someone like Carra. You can't buy team spirit and with him around the atmosphere in the dressing room is always brilliant."

It was Roy Evans, in his penultimate full season as sole manager, who gave the soon-to-be 19-year-old his first-team debut in January 1997, as a substitute for Rob Jones in a League Cup tie at Middlesbrough. It was a debut that had been expected for a while because Carragher’s presence had been carefully monitored through his days at the Football Association’s School of Excellence at Lilleshall and as a member of Liverpool’s successful Youth Cup-winning team of 1996. His first start was marked in fine style by heading in a left-wing corner in front of the Kop to set his team on the way to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield. Goals for Liverpool have come rarely for Carragher and this was one of the highlights of his career: "I knew the night before, I was down to play at centre-half but Bjørn Kvarme's clearance came through before 5 pm that night but I didn't realise. I wouldn't have been playing only that Patrik Berger was sick that night, so there was a place and I was moved into midfield. I was a bit nervous, but it was more excitement really. I got booked after 20 seconds, that calmed me down."

Carragher became a more regular member of the team with 20 first-team appearances from the start and three more as substitute in the disappointing 1997/98 season. Once Gerard Houllier had taken over following the departure of Roy Evans towards the end of 1998, he put his complete faith in the Bootle boy who became a key player for the Frenchman for the rest of his reign at Anfield that reached its zenith in the historic ‘Treble’ season of 2000/01. Carragher wasn't though to everyone's taste as he himself recognised. "I don't go on the websites or anything but I believe there's murder there after a game if we have got beaten. But I'm not kidding people, if the team were to get beaten then I know I'd be one of the first to get criticised!" His number of appearances only dipped once below 50-a-season for Houllier but his absence was excusable as he broke his leg at Blackburn's Ewood Park on 13 September 2003 which kept him out for four months. Carragher's versatility as a defender proved to be absolutely vital for him as he held his ground despite many attempts by newcomers to push him out of the first eleven. He could adapt to any given situation which has proved ultimately the foundation for his long and successful career. He established himself as the team’s regular right-back before moving to the left when Markus Babbel arrived at the club. Houllier's successor, Rafa Benítez, saw Carragher as an ideal centre-half and in the Spaniard’s first two seasons in charge that ended with victories in the Champions League and the FA Cup, he made 56 and 57 first-team appearances respectively. His performances defied belief as Alan Hansen noted following Liverpool's monumental win over Chelsea in the semi-finals at Anfield in May 2005: "The way he held Chelsea at bay was unbelievable. I'm sitting there in awe of how many times he intercepted, blocked and covered."

Carragher scored an own goal in the 2006 FA Cup final and they have come more readily for him than actually scoring for his own team as Steven Gerrard pointed out lightheartedly: "Carra is the best defender I've played with at Liverpool and the worst finisher I've ever played with!" Carragher has managed to put the ball eight times into his own net, including twice in the same game against Manchester United in September 1999. It’s probably an inevitable part of a defender’s life that he will sometimes unwittingly make the crucial contact or deflection that can prove costly. The number of goals Carragher has prevented by his last-ditch tackling and self-sacrifice for the team far outweighs any "damage" he may have done. Rafa Benítez emphasized Carragher's importance to the team in March 2007: "For me Jamie is one of the best defenders in Europe. He is always focused on the game, always trying to learn. That is the key for me because each season he improves a little bit. He reminds me of a hunting dog, when I want something specific done in defence he is very willing to learn. He is always shouting and talking to the others. He is good for the young players, showing them what to do and how to play."

A couple of nasty injuries restricted Carragher to playing in only 38 of the team's 54 first-team matches during the 2010/11 season. He enjoyed a well-deserved testimonial at Anfield in September 2010 when a mixture of Liverpool players past and present played an Everton team with all proceeds from the game going to local charities through the Carragher 23 Foundation. Carragher appeared in 60% of the club's first-team matches in 2011/12 but only 21 Premier League appearances was his lowest total since the 2003/04 season. He became 34-years-old during the campaign and it became clear that he was no longer an automatic choice. Since Brendan Rodgers arrived at the club he has emphasised Carra's importance to the squad. "Jamie has been an absolute model professional. I feel we are a quiet team, and maybe we've needed players who can organise and manage inside the game. You need a voice in your team, and you don't get a louder voice that Carra's!"

Carragher has quite literally had a historic career at Liverpool. He made his 137th European appearance for Liverpool in March 2011, a British record at the time although he was subsequently overtaken by Ryan Giggs. On 9 May 2011 he overtook Emlyn Hughes and Ray Clemence in making his 666th competitive appearance for the club, leaving just Ian Callaghan ahead of him in the club's all-time appearance list. A remarkable feat!

At the end of the first week of February Carragher announced that he would be retiiring as a player at the end of the 2012/13 season. He only missed one match from the date of that announcement until the end of the season and made an emotional farewell as captain in Steven Gerrard's absence when Liverpool played at home to Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the season. That was his 737th first-team appearance for Liverpool and against Zenit in February he made his 150th European apperarance for his only professional club. Although there were many calls for him to reconsider his decision to finish, he said that he felt that this was the right time to go, even though his performances in his final season were as immaculate as ever, apart from a horrible error in the Europa League which everyone knew was out of character, the player included. He will be badly missed, especially because at the time of his retirement there was no obvious long-term successor to his position from others still at the club.

Having scored on his home debut against Aston Villa back in January 1997, Carragher nearly bowed out in similar style when a second-half drive crashed against the Queens Park Rangers post on his final appearance in May 2013. But as he only averaged one goal every one hundred and forty-seven Liverpool matches, it is more the goals he prevented that will be remembered at the end of a truly outstanding playing career.

Ron Yeats was the first Liverpool captain to lift the FA Cup – but his place in Anfield history goes way beyond that.

The Scot was the rock around which the legendary Bill Shankly built his first great side.

A colossus – that's how Shanks described his latest signing in the summer of 1961 before inviting journalists to take a walk around him.

Yeats was installed as captain within six months of his arrival from Dundee United, and it proved to be an inspired choice.

His debut season saw Liverpool win the Second Division Championship after eight years in the wilderness and, over the next decade, Yeats would help turn the Reds into one of the most feared sides in Europe.

A rugged and commanding presence, the original Big Ron once prompted Shanks to remark: "With him in defence we could play Arthur Askey in goal!"

Rowdy, as he was known on the Kop, captained Liverpool to their first league title in 17 years in 1963-64 – but that was just a taste of things to come for Yeats and co.

The following season was to prove one of the most momentous in Anfield history, and not just because it brought a first FA Cup.

In August 1964, Yeats – who worked in a slaughter house before turning pro - led his teammates on a journey into the unknown as the club played its first ever European match in Reykjavik.

From there, it was the skipper who famously guessed right as Liverpool eliminated Cologne on the toss of a coin in a replayed quarter-final.

The 1964-65 campaign also saw the club ditch its white shorts, and it was Yeats who Shanks chose to model his new all red kit. It was a move the great man thought would intimidate opponents – and if the sight of his centre-half was anything to go by, he was right.

The season culminated in that never-to-be-forgotten afternoon on 1 May, 1965, when the 6ft 2in defender proudly led his Liverpool teammates up the 39 steps at Wembley to collect the FA Cup.

Another title triumph was celebrated in 1966 but, as the decade drew to a close, the ageing Yeats had to admit his best days were behind him.

He eventually lost his place to Larry Lloyd, though continued to be a positive influence at the club. After a spell as an emergency left-back which took him up to 454 appearances, the now legendary Scotsman accepted an offer to become player/manager of Tranmere Rovers.

It seemed only natural that a living legend like Yeats would one day return to Anfield in some capacity, and he did just that in 1986 when appointed chief scout, a role he fulfilled with great success until well into the new millennium.

A footballing giant in size and stature, Ron Yeats can now enjoy his well deserved retirement and bask in the knowledge that, without him, Liverpool Football Club would not be the club we know today.

Birthdate: 13 June 1955

Birthplace: Sauchie, Scotland

Other clubs: Partick Thistle

Bought from: Partick Thistle

Signed for LFC: £100,000, 05.05.1977

International debut: 19.05.1979 vs. Wales

International caps: 26/0 - 18.02.1987

Liverpool debut: 24.09.1977

Last appearance: 28.04.1990

Debut goal: 19.10.1977

Last goal: 15.09.1987

Contract expiry: 01.03.1991

Win ratio: 58.87% W: 365 D: 149 L: 106

Honours: League Championship 1978/79, 1979/80, 1981/82, 1982/83, 1983/84, 1985/86, 1987/88, 1989/90; FA Cup 1986, 1989; League Cup 1981, 1983, 1984; European Cup 1978, 1981, 1984

LFC league games/goals: 434 / 8

Total LFC games/goals: 620 / 14

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http://en.wikipedia....iki/Alan_Hansen

Player profile

"Alan Hansen is the defender with the pedigree of an international striker. He is quite simply the most skilful centre-half I have ever seen in the British game. He is a joy to watch. Alan has always been an excellent footballer, a beautifully balanced player who carries the ball with control and grace. He has a very measured, long stride and is much faster than he looks. I can't think more than a couple of players who could beat him over 100 metres. He has both the ability and the patience to launch attacks from deep positions." Bob Paisley's opinion speaks volumes of this terrific defender who still keeps Geoff Twentyman's letter that says he didn't meet Liverpool's requirements when he went there on trial in 1971. His lack of physical prowess contributed to him not being seen as a future star at Liverpool. Six years later he was back, an astute £100,000 signing by Paisley in May 1977. He was still only eleven and a half stone (73 kg) when he joined so the club put him on a body-building regime based on Guinness and a "seefood diet" - whenever he saw food he had to eat it.

Alan Hansen was not just an accomplished footballer. He was good enough to represent his country at junior level in golf, volleyball and squash. Two years after watching a Partick Thistle team that included his brother John beat firm favourites Glasgow Celtic in a Scottish League Cup final at Hampden Park, Alan was playing for Partick himself and would make over a century of League appearances for The Jags, including helping them win promotion to the Scottish Premier League in 1976.

Hansen was one of the triumvirate of Scottish players, the other two being Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness, signed by Bob Paisley within a 12-month period that would help to ensure that Liverpool's domination of the domestic and European scene in the mid-1970's would continue. An article in Shoot! shortly after his arrival said: "Hansen faces a tough battle for a first team spot with the established Anfield back-four men. But whoever he replaces, Liverpool fans can look forward with confidence to seeing one of the soccer's most talented young men in action. The big occasion brings out the best in Hansen and he says: "I'm really looking forward to life as a Liverpool player and I'm determined not to let them down.' It's unlikely he will do so..."

Hansen made his first-team debut for Liverpool against Derby County at Anfield towards the end of September 1977 prompting journalist Don Evans to note: "The man of the match, the lad who made his debut for Liverpool and came off a new Spion Kop hero, was the young Scot, Alan Hansen," giving him a nine out of ten. With the central-defensive pairing of Phil Thompson and Emlyn Hughes already established, Hansen's opportunities were limited during his first full season on Merseyside. But he still appeared in nearly half the League matches, 18, as well as a number of cup-ties. If disappointed to miss out on the League Cup final team narrowly defeated by Nottingham Forest after a replay, his consolation came in being picked in the starting line-up that would successfully defend the European Cup at Wembley against Bruges in the last match of the 1977/78 campaign. Hansen played left-back in that final but replaced Hughes in the centre of defence early in the 1978/79 season and after Emlyn left for Wolves in 1979 he started to make the position his own on a permanent basis. 1979 also saw the first of Hansen's eight Football League championship medals.

The Scotsman's teammates often remarked how calm he seemed before games that reflected in his cool and calculated play on the field. Hansen admits he suffered terribly from pre-match nerves but once he got on the field he was in his element. Hansen became known for dribbling the ball out of defence with style rather than hoof it upfield prompting Paisley to remark: 'He has given me more heart attacks than any player I have ever known.' Problems with his knees curtailed that aspect of his game from the 1985/86 season onwards being forced to subject himself to cortisone injections to be able to play. Hansen scored 13 goals for Liverpool but he only got once on the scoresheet in his last six years at the club as he was less inclined to attack. Hansen was hardly a battering ram of a central defender his vision allowing him to stay on his feet instead of crashing into attackers as he himself noted: "There are no prizes for guessing I was never sent off and hardly ever booked - most managers would say that this is a ridiculous record for a central defender."

Much cup success would come his way too as Liverpool again twice won the European Cup in 1981 and 1984 and domestically lifted the Football League cup four years in a row 1981-1984, although Hansen missed the second of those successes in 1982 through injury after scoring the winner in the previous season's final against West Ham. Hansen had to wait longer to be part of a successful team in the FA Cup. In 1986, he lifted the cup as player-manager Kenny Dalglish's new club captain. By then he had a new partner in central defence, Mark Lawrenson, who had replaced Phil Thompson in the 1982/83 season. Lawrenson and Hansen complimented each other perfectly but Hansen says of the three central defenders he played with at Liverpool, the third being Gary Gillespie, he and Thompson had the best understanding. Pundits might joke they were hardly a conventional central pair as it was perceived that neither of them could tackle but their superior ability in reading the game made their communication almost telepathic. Hansen feels Lawrenson lacked positional sense whereas that was Thompson's greatest strength as well as being a great header of the ball.

Hansen played in the infamous 1985 European Cup Final against Juventus in Brussels and was also involved in the greatest tragedy of all at Hillsborough. Out with a knee injury for most of the 1988/89 season and having watched Ronnie Whelan take over the captaincy of the team in his absence, Hansen was dramatically recalled for the semi-final in Sheffield that ended in such tragic circumstances that it defies belief. He played in the re-arranged match against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford three weeks later; and also in the emotional Wembley final against Merseyside rivals Everton, although it was Whelan who was given the honour of collecting the trophy after Liverpool's 3-2 extra-time success.

Hansen was 34-years-old by the time a new season started and remained relatively injury-free to captain the club to yet another League championship title in 1990. The wear and tear of his knees didn't allow him to make a single first-team appearance in 1990/91. He played five reserve games from October to December 1990 but if he wanted to be able to walk properly in the future he was advised to pack it in. Hansen was offered a coaching position at Liverpool which he tried out for a couple of months but he didn't feel comfortable as a coach and told Liverpool he wanted a clean break from the game. He announced his retirement as a player shortly after Dalglish stood down as manager in March 1991. Hansen was tipped by many to take over the manager's job at Anfield but despite his enormous affection for Liverpool Football Club, he has no interest in returning to the sport. "Dalglish and Souness live and breathe football in a way that I never have, there again, in my last season as captain, I wasn't getting any sleep at night, worrying about three points here and three points there," he says. "And at 2.15 on a Saturday I used to go back and forth to the toilet 45 times. So I knew management wasn't for me." What he has done though is to emerge as a knowledgeable football analyst, principally for the BBC as part of their regular "Match Of The Day" team.

Hansen ought to have received far more than the 26 senior caps he was given by Scotland. He went to the 1982 World Cup in Spain but despite being at or close to his peak as a player was left out of the Scottish squad that went to Mexico four years later. It is doubtful if he has too many regrets at his lack of international opportunities. As a club player, he was one of the most accomplished and decorated footballers of his generation. You don't play over six hundred competitive matches for one club without being good at your job! Alan Hansen was one of the best defenders to ever play in the English League and his impact and influence on the club's phenomenal success during the thirteen seasons he represented Liverpool can never be understated.

http://www.liverweb.org.uk/hansen.jpg

Full name : Alan David Hansen

Date of birth : 13 June 1955 (age 56)

Place of birth : Sauchie, Scotland

Height : 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)

Playing position : Centre back

Wikipedia : Alan Hansen

Biography

Match of the Day pundit Alan Hansen was born on 13th June, 1955, in Alloa, Scotland.

Alan Hansen was one of the best centre backs of his generation and is now a respected BBC sport pundit.

Hansen was a clever child but refused to go to university in 1973 so he could join Partick Thistle, where he played over 100 games in 4 years.

In 1977, Alan Hansen moved to Liverpool and in his first season the Merseysiders won the league and European cup, although he was very rarely in the first team.

In 1979, he became the first choice centre back after Emlyn Hughes left and got his first international cap for Scotland. Over the next 3 years Hansen won 2 League titles, 2 European cups, and 1 League cup.

In 1982, Alan Hansen was selected for Scotland's World Cup squad but they failed to progress to the second round. Hansen, along with his teammate Willie Miller was guilty of a terrible mix up which allowed USSR forward, Ramoz Shenglia through the defence, to score.

In 1984, the European Cup returned to Anfield, when Liverpool won the final against Roma on penalties. They also completed the treble by winning the League and League Cup.

However, 1985 was a completely different story as Liverpool finished the season with an empty trophy cabinet. And in Alan Hansen's last European match against Juventus, in Heysel, there was serious rioting and 39 Juventus fans died. The season after, Hansen was made captain.

Hansen always struggled to get into the Scottish national squad and ended his career with only 26 international caps.

Alan Hansen eventually hung up his boots in 1991 after struggling with a knee injury.

After his retirement, there were rumours that he would go into coaching or management, but he denied all these claims saying he was not interested. Instead he became a respected commentator and for more than 10 years he has been one of the main soccer pundits for the BBC.

In 1995 he famously commented on the Man United team which contained many young players that "You won't win anything with kids". That season United won the League and the FA cup double, coming back from 12 points behind to beat Newcastle to first place by 4 points. Alan Hansen was suitably contrite.

Alan Hansen's other credits include being a columnist for the Daily Telegraph and he is the main expert for the BBC for all international football matches.

Birthdate: 23 October 1993
Birthplace: Campinas, Brazil
Other clubs: Rio Ave (2012-15), Real Madrid (loan 2012-13), Monaco (loan 2013-15, transfer 2015-18)
Bought from: Monaco
Signed for LFC: £43.7m, 01.07.2018
International debut: 07.06.2015 vs. Mexico
International caps: 29/0 (25 at LFC) - 02.12.2022
Liverpool debut: 18.09.2018
Last appearance: 28.05.2023
Debut goal: 26.12.2018
Last goal: 03.05.2022
Contract expiry: 30.06.2026 (signed 03.08.2021)
Win ratio: 63.47% W:139 D:40 L:40
Honours: Champions League 2019, European Super Cup 2019, Premier League 2019/20, League Cup 2022, FA Cup 2022
League games / goals / assists: 151 / 8 / 8
Total games / goals / assists: 219 / 11 / 9

https://lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/1325
https://int.soccerway.com/players/fabio-de-jesus/9141/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabinho_(footballer,_born_1993)

Player Profile

The Brazilian known simply as Fabinho agreed a deal to join Liverpool within days of the Champions League final defeat in Kiev in May 2018, providing a boost to disappointed fans. Fabinho was born in Sao Paulo in 1993, but his first professional club was Rio side Fluminese. He left there for Rio Ave Portugal in June 2012 without making a first-team appearance. However, after just a month in northern Portugal, he was loaned to Real Madrid's reserve side Castilla for 2012/13 and made and towards the end of the season even made an appearance for the Spanish giants in La Liga. 
A loan deal was then agreed for Fabinho to join Monaco for the 2013-14 season and this was then extended for him to say here in 2014-15. This moved was then made permanent in 2015 and he signed a four-year deal. That same summer he was selected for the Brazilian national side for the first time and named in their Copa America squad. A defensive midfielder who can play in either full-back position, Fabinho's versatility was a factor in Jürgen Klopp's decision to sign him with Emre Can's contract expiring in June 2018. Despite not being an attacking player, he scored an impressive 23 goals in 167 Ligue 1 appearances for Monaco over five years. He agreed terms on 28 May 2018 and became a Liverpool player on 1 July. Coming to terms with Klopp's intense fitness and training methods, Fabinho had to be patient and didn't feature at all until coming on as an injury-time substitute against Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League on 18 September. The following week he made his first start in a League Cup tie against Chelsea. Although he had to wait for his chance, by the end of the season Fabinho had arguably established himself as the first midfield name on Klopp's teamsheet. 
After making his first league start at Huddersfield on 19 October Fabinho featured in all except two of the remaining 29 games, scoring his first goal for the club in a 4-0 win over Newcastle on Boxing Day. Able to dominate the midfield, his ability to intercept and make a simple pass to a teammate that could drive the team forward was a key factor in Liverpool's near-miss in the title race and European triumph. His versatility was also such that when Virgil Van Dijk was suspended against Bayern Munich in the Champions League knockout stage, Fabinho was selected to fill in at centre-back. When the season ended, eyebrows were raised that he wasn't part of Brazil's Copa America squad alongside compatriots Alisson and Robert Firmino.
Fabinho continued to impress in Liverpool's engine room in the 2019/20 campaign and also absolutely belted in two long-range shots; in the crucial clash with Manchester City at Anfield where he bossed the midfield and in the 4-0 win over Crystal Palace, the day before Chelsea's guaranteed the title for the Reds by beating City 2-1. Klopp was pleased with his progress: "He plays like he played at Monaco, but he needed time to adapt. A really smart footballer and full of quality. These things are difficult to learn. It's about all his game intelligence. It helps all of us." During 2020/21 Fabinho had to play a number of games at centre back due to injuries in that department. He was sidelined with a muscle injury in February but it is telling that his return to his favoured defensive midfield position towards the end of the season coincided with Liverpool finishing strongly to qualify for the Champions League. He signed a new contract in the summer keeping him at the club until 2026.
2021/22 was a solid season for Fabinho, in which he found the net eight times including on three successive weekends in January. He missed the FA Cup final trough injury but did feature in the Champions League final, in which the Reds lost 1-0 to Real Madrid in Paris. During 2022/23 Fabinho featured 36 times in the Premier League, his highest total yet in a season that the Reds didn't hit the heights of the last few years. He was criticised on occasions but as the team's form improved towards the end of the season he was back to his usual solidity in midfield as they were unbeaten in their final nine games. He also featured for Brazil in the World Cup in Qatar. 
 

Quote

Reds agree deal to sign Fabinho

Liverpool Football Club can confirm a deal has been agreed for the transfer of Fabinho from AS Monaco.

The Brazil midfielder will formally seal a switch to the Reds on July 1 after successfully completing a medical and finalising terms on a long-term contract at Melwood.

Fabinho told Liverpoolfc.com: “I am really excited about this move.

“This is something that I always wanted – this is a giant of a team. The infrastructures of the club look exceptional.

“A football club of this size coming after my services, I didn’t have to think that much about coming over.

“I will try to create my own history at this football club. Hopefully, on a personal level, I’m able to win titles with this club.

“I will try to grow and learn and improve myself, and to be part of the club’s history.”

Fabinho, who has four caps for his country, becomes the club’s first signing of the summer transfer window.

The 24-year-old will arrive from Monaco, where he made 225 appearances and scored 29 goals in five seasons with the French club.

Birthdate: 14 December 1979

Birthplace: Chester, England

Other clubs: Real Madrid (2004-05), Newcastle United (2005-09), Manchester United (2009-12), Stoke City (2012-13)

Bought from: Local

Signed for LFC: Joined 1990 - Professional 18.12.1996

International debut: 11.02.1998 vs.Chile

International caps: 89/40 (60/26 at LFC) - 26.03.2008

Liverpool debut: 06.05.1997

Last appearance: 15.05.2004

Debut goal: 06.05.1997

Last goal: 15.05.2004

Contract expiry: 14.08.2004

Win ratio: 48.82% W: 145 D: 81 L: 71

Games/goals ratio: 1.88

Total games/goals opposite LFC: 6 / 0

LFC league games/goals: 216 / 118

Total LFC games/goals: 297 / 158

http://www.lfchistor...yer/Profile/391

http://int.soccerway...chael-owen/192/

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Michael_Owen

Player profile

Terry Owen knew that his son had a gift for goals: "When he was five or six we used to take him along to the mini club, a kind of kid fun session at the Deeside Leisure Centre. There were all sorts of activities going on, trampolining, table-tennis, but all he was interested in was the football games. And his co-ordination and eye for a ball was quite exceptional for a five-year-old. Most lads of that age just toe punting the ball but Michael was a natural - he was tucking shots into the corner of the net with the side of his foot. You would have thought he was three or four years older than he was. It was remarkable." Michael supported his dad's favourites, Everton, as a lad. Terry, who played a couple of games for Everton, left it to Michael to decide: "The first club to spot him playing for Deeside was Liverpool. Then Brian Kidd came down from Manchester United and there were plenty of others. But Steve Heighway, the Liverpool youth development officer, wrote us a smashing letter and it was love at first sight for Michael, he was impressed from day one."At eight, Owen was selected for the Deeside Area Primary School's Under-11 team. At nine he was captain and and at ten he smashed Ian Rush's twenty-year record for the same team by scoring a staggering 97 goals in a single season, improving Rushie's record by 25 goals. His mother remembers: "He scored 97 in his last season and he broke Gary Speed's appearance record because he'd played in all three seasons for the 11-year-olds since he was eight." The prodigy attended the FA's School of Excellence at Lilleshall and he was soon playing for England teams from Under 15 upwards, of course breaking more scoring records with 28 goals in 20 games for the England u-15s and u-16s.

In the 1995/96 season Owen played for Liverpool's youth team even though he was still at Lilleshall. Most of the players were 18, but Owen was only 16. He scored a hat-trick against cup holders Man Utd in the quarter-finals, netting the winner in added time. Owen scored another hat-trick in a 4-2 win in the first leg of the semi against Crystal Palace. Liverpool were 3-0 down after only 50 minutes in the second leg, but Jamie Cassidy reduced the deficit. The scores were level 5-5 after 90 minutes with Owen taking control in extra-time and scoring two goals. Liverpool faced West Ham in the final, played over two legs as well. West Ham hadn't lost in 24 consecutive games, boasting future stars like Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard. Owen was missing from the first leg at Upton Park as he was busy scoring both goals for the English u-16 team against Turkey in the European youth finals in Austria. Jon Newby shone in his absence as Liverpool won 2-0. Owen was back for the second leg alongside teammates such as Jamie Carragher and David Thompson. Liverpool fell behind early but Owen equalized with his eleventh in five cup matches and Stuart Quinn scored the winner. Liverpool had won the FA Youth Cup for the first time in the club’s history.

Owen celebrated his seventeenth birthday by signing a professional contract and being handed a place in Roy Evans' senior squad. Steve Heighway had no doubt that a glittering career was ahead: "He is ready for whatever you throw at him; nothing fazes Michael Owen. He's ready. If the manager wants a recommendation from me, Michael gets it." Owen declared his intentions: "I've scored between 40 and 45 goals this season in 30 to 35 games and now my aim is a first-team place in the next year or so." Karl-Heinz Riedle, who prior to joining Liverpool in the summer of 1997 had never heard of Owen, joined his ever-growing fan club. "It's unbelievable when you see him play to realise that he's only 17," he said. "He's such a good player, so very quick and for his age he has excellent vision and awareness. He's a great player already and in one or two years he will become a very great player." Owen had got his first taste of first-team football in the last couple of games in 1996/97, scoring on his debut against Wimbledon. Evans’ plan was to ease the young striker into the first team but Fowler’s injury meant he was in the starting line-up in the first game of the 1997/98 season: "We said before the season started that we would take care of him, nurse him along, but he has changed all that. He wants to play all the time." Owen scored from the penalty spot in the first game of the season against the Dons again. Regular penalty taker Robbie Fowler was absent and Evans handed the responsibility to his young prodigy: "I asked him before the game if he wanted to take the penalties, and he said he did. I asked: 'Is that me pushing or you wanting?' - and he insisted he wanted to do it. But he still had to fight with Danny (Murphy) to get the ball - that's not bad confidence from a couple of kids." On 16 September Owen made his European debut against Celtic at Parkhead. Did that faze him? No, it took him only six minutes to get on the scoresheet. On 1 October 1997 Owen signed a five-year contract with Liverpool worth a basic £2.5million. His £10,000-a-week deal made him the highest paid teenager in British football. He became the youngest-ever player in the twentieth century to make his debut for England, aged 18 years and 59 days, on 11 February 1998. He was top-scorer in his first Premier League season with 18 goals, along with Dion Dublin and Chris Sutton, and voted PFA Young Player of the Year and third in the PFA Player of the Year award. Owen's incredible goal against Argentina in the World Cup in 1998 made him an international star.

"Form is temporary, class is permanent.", is a phrase that has often been repeated in Owen's career. He always delivered a fair amount of goals every season when fit. Forty-six goals in 84 matches in Owen's first two full campaigns was way above of what could be expected as the team was going through a big transition; Roy Evans stepping aside for Gerard Houllier. Owen's hamstring first gave way on 12 April 1999 against Leeds at Elland Road putting him out of action for almost five months. Owen returned to score again 20+ goals in the 2000/01 season when he was crowned the "Prince of Wales" when his two late goals against Arsenal won the FA Cup in 2001. His ongoing hamstring trouble caused concern as he was so dependent on his burst of pace. Owen crowned a memorable 12 months when he became the only Liverpool player to be voted European Footballer of the Year, in 2001, becoming the first Briton to win Ballon d'Or since Kevin Keegan in 1979. Owen received 176 points, 34 more than the formidable Raul, the Real Madrid and Spain forward. Owen was at his most prolific in the 2001/02 season with a goal in every 1.5 games and made a career-high 54 appearances in the 2002/03 when he was for the second consecutive season only two goals away from the 30 goals mark. Houllier made way for Rafa Benítez in the summer of 2004 and it also signalled the end for Owen at Liverpool. He wanted to test pastures new.

Real Madrid president, Florentine Perez, started as early as in March 2002 to woo Owen. "Owen can be one of the world's great players and the best players must play for Real Madrid." Houllier laughed off any apparent interest: "They might be able to afford Ronaldo but they cannot afford Michael Owen. For that kind of money they could only buy his left foot but he is not going anywhere. Don't ever dream that Michael is going anywhere else, even if I am reading about other clubs. Michael is Liverpool through and through and he is staying with me." In the end £8 million prized him away from Anfield to Real. "Since I was 10 I didn't just want to be a footballer, I wanted to be the best footballer in the world," Owen explained. "There are still lots of people ahead of me but if you want to get into that bracket, you have to break out of comfort zones. That is a nutshell is why I made the life changing decision to leave Liverpool for Real Madrid. I have always had a burning desire to push myself and that is why I was disappointed with some of the defeatist reaction to my transfer. I don't know if it is an English trait to settle for what you've got but I was taken aback when the first thing some people said was 'how's he going to get into the first team'. They didn't say 'fantastic, he's moving to the biggest club in the world." Thirteen goals in 20 starts was by no means a bad record in Owen's sole season at the Bernabeu but he was still a fringe player with Raul and Ronaldo firmly first choice. Owen held discussions with Liverpool but once Newcastle offered a staggering £17 million a return to the Reds was out of the question. Liverpool's Chief Executive Rick Parry could hardly believe what he was witnessing. "Michael eventually emerges three coaches later as fifth choice, on a big wage and not happy and then somebody knocks on the door and offers to double their money," Parry said. "I'm sure the first reaction was to rub their eyes in surprise. From our point of view, Michael on the right terms - certainly, but not on the wrong terms."

Newcastle in total conceded 14 goals to Michael Owen in 11 games when he was a Red so maybe it was no surprise they wanted to have him on their side! However, this risky move only delivered 26 goals in 81 League matches in four seasons. Owen scored an impressive seven goals in 11 matches in 2005/06, and had recovered in time to be selected for England duty in the 2006 World Cup. However, a serious knee-injury in the first minute of the group match against Sweden kept him out of action for almost whole of the following campaign. Owen's Newcastle contract ended on the last day of June 2009 with him leaving the relegated club to look for a new employer as a free agent. Defending Premier League champions Manchester United dramatically became Owen's third English League club to the dismay of Liverpool supporters. Few can have been surprised that Owen's high-profile and controversial move to Manchester was wrecked by injury. Owen's highlights at United were a very late winner in the Manchester derby, a Champions League hat-trick at Wolfsburg and a Premier League medal in 2011. As a free agent following his release by United in the summer of 2012, Owen did not have to conform to the normal transfer-window regulations. On 4 September 2012 the 32-year-old signed for Stoke City on a 12-month pay-as-you-play contract. In December 2012 Owen reflected on his personal website on his struggle with injuries, having seen former teammates enjoy a lengthy career into their late 30's. Owen played 316 games for club and country ahead of his twenty-fourth birthday compared with 112 by Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes (123) and David Beckham (184). "Had I been managed differently I would have been at my best for longer. As a youngster, I was considered exceptional and in many ways, that was to my detriment. While I was playing every game available to me, there was another young kid in the Liverpool Academy called Steven Gerrard who was also showing huge potential. Unlike me, who was playing 80-odd games a year, Stevie just couldn’t stay fit. I am convinced that this played to his advantage in the long run. I would play a full season with Liverpool and then I was jetting off to play for England, sometimes playing three years above my age group at the highest level.” Owen was convinced that his hamstring injury in April 1999 proved a key moment. “My body made me pay for pushing it to the limit too often. My hamstring snapped in two and it was at that point that my ability to perform unimpeded was finished. My rehabilitation was compromised due to our physio leaving the club that summer and not being replaced until the following season. With no regular medical care, a routine injury was destined to restrict me for the rest of my career. People laugh when I say that I am not naturally injury prone. It is my genuine opinion that I have become so due to overplaying at a young age, suffering an injury and then having a dreadful rehabilitation at such a critical time. I cringe when I look back on a quote I came out with after Gérard Houllier rested me for a game. 'I will rest when I'm 40', I muttered in an interview."

Owen's playing-career drew quietly to a close in May 2013. Stoke City used him only rarely in his final season, so rarely that he did not make a single start for them. All his eight appearances came from the substitutes' bench. The last of his one hundred and fifty Premier League goals came at Swansea in January. It was his only goal of the season.

Liverpool as a club and Liverpool supporters as a group saw the best years of Michael Owen's life as a professional footballer. Yes, he was sometimes beset by injuries in his Anfield days but nowhere near as much as he has suffered since he left Anfield for Madrid in 2004. Despite his great personal achievements at Liverpool Owen was never quite beloved on the Kop as might be expected. From the player's point of view, he might always regret stating that he left Liverpool 'to win the big trophies', only to watch from a distance as his new club won nothing and his old club won the biggest trophy of all just a year later.

http://images.teamtalk.com/08/09/800x600/Michael-Owen-Liverpool-Manchester-United-Leag_1191281.jpg

Майкъл Оуен Джеймс (роден на 14 декември 1979) е английски футболен стачник, който в момента играе за и началниците английски Премиер Лига клуб Нюкасъл. He the fourth-highest scorer for the England national team with forty goals. Той четвърта-високата играч който отбелязва гол за националния отбор Англия с четиресет цели. The son of former footballer Terry Owen , he progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997. Син на бившия футболист Тери Оуен, той прогресира чрез Ливърпул младежки отбор и вкара в дебюта си през май 1997 година. In his first full season in the Premier League he finished as joint top scorer. В първия си пълен сезон в Премиер Лига завършва като съвместни нагоре играч който отбелязва гол. He repeated the feat the following year and was Liverpool's top goal scorer from 1997–2004, in spite of a recurring hamstring injury. Той повтори подвиг на следващата година и беше Ливърпул топ играч който отбелязва гол гол от 1997-2004, независимо от повтарящите осакатявам вреда. His first major club honours came in 2001 when Liverpool won a cup treble of the UEFA Cup , FA Cup and Football League Cup , and Owen was the recipient of the Ballon d'Or that year. Първия си голям клуб почести дойде през 2001 г., когато Ливърпул спечели Купата сопранов на Купата на УЕФА, ФА купата и Футболна Лига Купа и Оуен е получателят на Ballon d'Or тази година.

Owen moved to Real Madrid for £8 million in mid-2004 but was frequently used as a substitute . Оуен преместен на Реал Мадрид за £ 8 милиона през средата на 2004 г., но бе често се използва като заместител. In spite of this, he scored 13 goals in La Liga and had the season's highest ratio of goals scored to number of minutes played. Въпреки това, той вкара 13 гола в Ла Лига и е сезонът на най-висок коефициент на гола вкара за броя на минутите играе. He returned to England the following season, joining Newcastle United for £16 million. Той се върна в Англия следните сезон, се присъедини към Нюкасъл Съединените за £ 16 милиона. He had a promising start to the 2005–06 season but injuries largely ruled him out over the next 18 months. Той бе обещаващ началото на сезон 2005-06, но в голяма степен наранявания постановил него през следващите 18 месеца. After his return he became team captain and was the team's top scorer for the 2007–08 season. След завръщането си той се превърна отбор и беше капитан на отбора на върха играч който отбелязва гол за сезона 2007-08.

Internationally, Owen first played for the senior England team in 1998, becoming England's youngest player and youngest goalscorer at the time. В международен Оуен първият играч за старши Англия отбор през 1998 г., като става Англия на младия играч и младият голмайстор в момента. His performance at the 1998 World Cup brought him to national and international prominence and he went on to appear, and score, in Euro 2000 , the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 . Неговата работа в Световната купа 1998 Доведох го на национални и международни бележитост и той беше там, за да се появи и резултат в Евро 2000, за 2002 г. Световната купа и 2004 евро. He is the only player to ever have scored in four major tournaments for England. Той е единственият играч, който да вкара в четири големи турнири за Англия. He played at the 2006 World Cup but suffered an injury which took him a year to recover from. Той играе на Световната купа 2006, но претърпяла нараняване, което го взе в годината, за да се възстанови от. Occasionally playing as captain, he is England's seventh most-capped player and has scored a national record of 26 competitive goals. ^{[ 2 ]} Понякога играя като капитан, той е Англия на седмия най-таван плеър и има отбелязани национален рекорд от 26 конкурентни цели. ^[2]

Клубове

Ливърпул 1996 - 2004

Реал Мадрид 2004 - 2005

Нюкасъл 2005 - 2009

Манчестър Юнайтед 2009 - 2012

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John Aldridge may have been at Anfield for only a short time, but it is a testament to his ability that he is considered one of the best goalscorers to wear a red jersey.

Aldridge, or 'Aldo' as he is affectionately known, was signed by Liverpool in January 1987 for £750 000 in order to fill the boots of the soon to be departed Ian Rush.

He grew up supporting the Reds and certainly became a crowd favourite during the two and a half years he spent at the club.

The born and bred Scouser began his career at amateur side South Liverpool before signing for Newport County, where his impressive goalscoring record attracted the attention of Oxford United, for whom he signed in March 1984.

The arrival of Aldridge coincided with a period of success for United as they enjoyed promotion from the Third Division to the First in the space of three years - and their top scorer certainly caught the eye of Kenny Dalglish.

The new boy got his Liverpool career off to a dream start by scoring the only goal of the game on his full debut against Southampton in February 1987.

It was the following season that the Republic of Ireland international truly left his mark as he scored nine goals in the first nine games of the season.

He was an integral part of Liverpool's 1987-88 Championship winning side - scoring 26 league goals as the team went 29 games without defeat.

The season ended on a sour note for the striker, though, as Liverpool lost out on claiming a league and Cup double. Aldo became the first player to miss a penalty in a FA Cup final at Wembley as the Reds were beaten by giant-killing Wimbledon.

Thankfully, Aldridge returned to Wembley for the Merseyside FA Cup final the following season and extinguished any bad memories by opening the scoring in a 3-2 win.

At the beginning of the 1989-90 season Real Sociedad made a £1.1 million offer for Liverpool's No.8 and he departed for Spain in September 1989 - but not before scoring a penalty against Crystal Palace in his last game for the club.

His goalscoring exploits continued in Spain and he became a fans' favourite at the Basque side.

After two years Aldridge returned to Merseyside when he signed for Tranmere Rovers and equalled the club's goalscoring record in his first season - netting 40 goals in total.

He became player-manager at Prenton Park and hung up his boots in 1998 with 474 goals in 882 games, overtaking Jimmy Greaves as British football's record goalscorer. He was honoured with a benefit match against the Liverpool side of 1987-88.

His Tranmere side got to the Worthington Cup final in 2000 but lost out narrowly to Leicester City.

The following season, with Tranmere struggling in the bottom half of Division One, Aldridge resigned as manager.

Birthdate: 9 April 1975

Birthplace: Toxteth, Liverpool, England

Other clubs: Leeds United (2001-03), Manchester City (2003-06), Cardiff City (2007-08), Blackburn Rovers (2008), North Queensland Fury (2009-10), Perth Glory (2010-11), Muang Thong United (2011)

Bought from: Local / Manchester City

Signed for LFC: Joined 1991 - Professional 09.04.1992 / 27.01.2006

International debut: 27.03.1996 vs. Bulgaria

International caps: 26/7 (22/5 at LFC) - 15.06.2002

Liverpool debut: 22.09.1993

Last appearance: 13.05.2007

Debut goal: 22.09.1993

Last goal: 24.02.2007

Contract expiry: 29.11.2001 / 01.07.2007

Win ratio: 52.3% W: 193 D: 87 L: 89

Games/goals ratio: 2.02

Total games/goals opposite LFC: 7 / 1

LFC league games/goals: 266 / 128

Total LFC games/goals: 369 / 183

http://www.lfchistor...yer/Profile/301

http://int.soccerway...ie-fowler/2981/

http://en.wikipedia....i/Robbie_Fowler

Player profile

Robert Bernard Fowler is born and raised in Toxteth in Liverpool, an area where unemployment was rife. Fowler was an Everton supporter in his childhood and loathed Ian Rush's achievements with Liverpool especially since Rushie was very prolific against Everton. Fowler was chosen to play for the u-14 team in his school where he was spotted by Jim Aspinall, Liverpool scout. "He knew when and where to put the ball away, and run into space," Aspinall said. "He had such a lovely touch on the ball." Everton also had their eye on him at the time and Fowler featured in a few games for them when he was 14-years-old in their u-17 team. Fowler settled in at Liverpool and signed his professional contract on his seventeenth birthday. Fowler got his first taste of the first team at the end of the 1992/93 season when he was twice on the bench; against Bolton in the FA Cup and in the final League match when Liverpool beat Tottenham 6-2. He scored in his first match for Liverpool against Fulham in a 3-1 victory in the League Cup on 22 September 1993 and in the second leg against the Cottagers he scored all five in a 5-0 win! Fowler was only the fifth player in Liverpool's history to achieve that feat. In between the Fulham games he had started two League games without scoring but got on the scoresheet in a 2-1 win over Oldham following his five-goal extravaganza. Fowler scored his first hat-trick against Southampton in only his fifth League match and no less than 13 goals in his first 15 games for Liverpool. It was pretty obvious that he was a goalscoring phenomenon! He also made progress in the international set-up scoring on his u-21 England debut against San Marino in November.

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A broken ankle in the FA Cup against Bristol City on 19 January sidelined Fowler until the beginning of March and he only scored three goals in his remaining 11 games, but nevertheless boasted a great record in his first season. Fowler scored one less goal than Ian Rush, 18 in total, but Fowler had started 33 games compared to Rush's 48. Fowler started the 1994/95 season by scoring five goals in the first three games including an incredible Anfield hat-trick against Arsenal in only four minutes and 35 seconds which is still a Premier League record! Fowler was rewarded with a new four-year contract. With half of the season gone he had already scored 20 League goals. Roy Evans, who by now had succeeded Souness as boss, was ecstatic with his young genius: "Robbie has immense talent. He can be frightening,"

Fowler played an important role in beating Crystal Palace in the semi-finals of the League Cup by scoring the winner in both legs. He was looking forward to playing on Wembley for the first time in his career: "I've never been nervous before a game but Sunday might be different. When I was there before the atmosphere was first class but I'm sure that when I walk out of that tunnel and hear the roar of the crowd the hairs on the back of my neck will stand up." Fowler and Rush started up front as Liverpool beat Bolton 2-1 in the final. Fowler's best friend, Steve McManaman, was outstanding on the day and scored both goals for the club. Fowler got a nice birthday present when he was chosen the Young Player of the Year in the Premier League. He was also the only player who had featured in all of Liverpool's games that season and the team's top-scorer with 25 League goals in 42 matches, all in all 31 goals. Fowler had dyed his hair peroxide blond at the start of the 1995/96 season. He had also a new partner up front, Stan Collymore. But in the first two League games Evans used Rush and Collymore and the top-scorer from last season had to settle for being a substitute. Collymore got injured and Fowler was back in again. Fowler was slow out of the blocks but came into his own with a quadruple against Bolton on 23 September 1995.

Fowler got into trouble when he was involved in an unsavoury airport brawl with Razor Ruddock in mid-September after returning from European action against Spartak Vladikavkaz. Fowler the culprit for many pranks was innocent this time. Ruddock picks up the story: "We were in high spirits after victory and enjoying a celebration drink on the plane home when Steve Harkness thought it would be a good idea to relieve himself in Robbie’s shoes as our young striker slept amidst the mayhem. When Robbie woke up, by which time I was fast asleep, he put his feet back in his shoes and quickly realised what had happened. Understandably, he wasn’t too pleased and when he demanded to know who’d done it, the lads pointed to me. As a result, he went into my bag and pulled out my new pair of £300 Gucci boots and proceeded to cut them up. It wasn’t until we were going through the airport I confronted Robbie, told him that I’d had nothing to do with the original stunt and demanded that he bought me new pair of boots to replace the ones he’d ruined. There was a big argument, a bit of pushing and shoving and having had enough of his bravado; I decided to teach him a lesson by punching him on the nose. Some of the other lads stepped in and although it was all over in a flash, the reporters who’d travelled with us were on the case and the story made the papers the next day. We’ve been the best of mates ever since."

Fowler was surely one of the most in-form strikers in Europe and scored two memorable goals at Old Trafford on 1 October 1995. The spotlight was on the infamous Eric Cantona who was returning from an eight-month absence after his misadventures at Selhurst Park. Fowler's equaliser was struck with such incredible venom from the edge of the box that Schmeichel never saw the ball. Fowler scored his second when he bumped Gary Neville out of the way and cheekily chipped the Dane. Cantona equalised from the penalty spot in a pulsating 2-2 draw that further established the boy wonder's reputation. Fowler scored a hat-trick for the second season in a row against Arsenal on 23 December and in the beginning of March scored two of Liverpool's three goals in the opening eight minutes against Aston Villa and at the end of the month Villa faced his wrath again when Liverpool beat them 3-0 in the FA Cup semi-finals. A tremendous occasion to showcase his talents awaited at Wembley in an FA Cup final against Manchester United. Fowler didn't seem to worry too much: "I never get nervous before a game and this one is no exception. We will enjoy it and hopefully make it a day for Liverpool fans to remember." To put it short, the game was terribly disappointing, ending in an 1-0 defeat, only memorable because it was Ian Rush's last game for the Reds. Yet another great season for Fowler was at an end. He was again chosen the Young Player of the Year, becoming the second player in history to achieve that honor. He had improved his scoring record from the previous season and scored 36 goals in all competitions as well as forming a promising partnership with Collymore. Fowler played his first senior international when he came on against Bulgaria on 27 March 1996 and was included in Terry Venables' England team in Euro '96 on home soil that summer. Venables preferred Shearer and Sheringham up front so Fowler was third-choice striker. He finally made an appearance in England's third game of the tournament and one of the best England internationals ever when Holland were beaten 4-1. Sheringham, who had scored two goals, was substituted for Fowler 15 minutes from time. Fowler also made a substitute appearance against Spain in the quarter-finals in the 110th minute. England survived the penalty shoot-out but unfortunately for England, Germany beat them on penalties in the semi-finals.

Rush was now gone and Fowler wore the number 9 shirt for the first time instead of number 23 at the start of the 1996/97 season. Fowler had a back injury and only scored two goals in his first eight matches. Collymore wasn't scoring much either, but there was a new kid on the block who kept the worries away for Evans. Patrik Berger scored two goals against Leicester and another double in a 5-1 victory over Chelsea. Fowler was out injured for three matches but following his return he scored 17 goals in his next 15 matches including four goals against Middlesbrough on 17 December 1996. His second goal in that match was his hundredth for Liverpool in 165 games, achieved in one game less than by Ian Rush. It is said that lightning never strikes twice, but it did happen in the match against Newcastle at Anfield on 10 March. Another 4-3 victory was a fact and this time it was Fowler who scored the winning goal in the last seconds. He owned all the headlines in March. He got rave reviews from UEFA's chairman Sepp Blatter for trying to prevent a penalty against Arsenal which the referee gave Liverpool after Seaman had been judged to take Fowler down. Fowler dived and admitted it as soon as he got up. He took the penalty himself and missed but McAteer followed up to score. But his love affair with the UEFA didn't last long. Two days later Fowler was fined for his support for the dockers at Albert Docks who had lost their jobs, by wearing a t-shirt telling people to support the 500 sacked dockers, in a match against Brann in Bergen. The UEFA rules state that you can't show any political support in European matches and Fowler got a small fine. If Fowler wasn't a working class hero before he certainly was now. He scored his first goal for the national team on 29 March against Mexico and was back in the headlines in April when his season was suddenly cut short. In a moment of madness he was sent off in the Merseyside derby when he clashed with David Unsworth. Fowler scored his last goal of the season in the 2-0 victory against Paris St Germain when the Reds crashed out of Europe and was suspended for the last three games of the season. Liverpool's campaign ended on a disappointing note once again. Fowler scored "only" 18 League goals compared to 28 the previous season but his overall for the season was 31.

Ligament damage in Fowler's right knee received against a Norwegian XI in Oslo on 31 July 1997 kept him out for the first six matches of the 1997/98 season. Michael Owen was now the focus of attention, after getting his chance at the end of the previous season due to Fowler's ban. They finally played together for the first time against Aston Villa on 22 September at Anfield after Fowler had replaced Owen after an hour's play in the previous game. Fowler opened the scoring with a well-struck penalty and in the following League game against West Ham Fowler scored one of his best goals of his career. Bjørnebye's cross was headed out towards Fowler who wasted no time and lashed it in when the ball was still in the air. Fowler's temperament was back in question against Bolton on 1 November. He scored after only 48 seconds but in the seventy-fifth minute he elbowed Per Frandsen and was sent off. Fowler admitted he was in the wrong: "I know I raised my arm and if you do that you deserve to be sent off. Maybe it was frustration, I don't know. I had received a few nasty challenges, had just missed a one-on-one with their goalkeeper and then Frandsen had a kick at me. I caught him with my arm but it was not that bad and he made a meal of it. I'm still learning all the time and I've got to get stupid things like that out of my game."

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On Boxing day Fowler scored two goals in as many minutes against Leeds in a 3-1 victory and netted two in seven matches in January, both in the League Cup. The first against Newcastle in the quarter-finals and the second one against Boro in the semi-finals. Fowler had set himself a high standard and not scoring a goal every two games was unacceptable. Fowler was relieved after his Middlesbrough goal: "They chanted my name throughout the game. My head has dropped a couple of times because forwards rely on confidence. This has probably been the worst run I've had since I started playing, not as regards scoring, but in terms of my form. I know I'm not a bad player and that you don't become one overnight. I'm still top scorer after all." Thirteen goals in 23 games was Fowler's record when he scored his last goal of the season on 27 January. He had gone four games without a goal when on 23 February a catastrophic collision with Everton's goalkeeper Thomas Myhre five minutes from time resulted in torn cruciate knee ligaments which kept him out of action for the next seven months.

Fowler had learned a lot from this season both on and off the field: "Our fame away from football is frightening and, if I'm honest, I hate it," Fowler confessed. Things had certainly changed over the summer at Anfield. Fowler started finally seven games into the season eager to impress new joint-boss, Gérard Houllier, who had arrived to dictate things alongside Evans. Fowler scored two goals in a 3-3 draw with Charlton. Liverpool's physio Mark Leather was happy with Fowler's attitude and progress who had been expected to be out for ten months rather than seven: "If everything is okay with the knee, then being out seriously injured can have been a very, very positive thing in his life," Leather said. "I know that is how he tried to look at it, that good could come out of the bad. The up-slope for young players is so fast today and everything happens so quickly that something like this really can be a blessing in disguise. They step out of the limelight and think about things, how desperately they want what is there for them and how it could be taken away from them."

Ten days later another two followed against Kosice in the UEFA Cup. Fowler didn't score in next three matches and was put on the bench as he needed the rest. Evans resigned in November and Houllier was sole manager with Phil Thompson as his assistant. First game under their management was against Leeds at Anfield. Fowler scored the only goal for Liverpool from a penalty but Leeds ran out 3-1 winners. But Fowler shone bright in the following match when he ran Villa ragged, not for the first time in his career. A brilliant hat-trick signalled his intentions. Houllier was happy: "It's difficult to say if Robbie is back to his best but that was certainly an important reference game for him. He went through a mental barrier and he now knows he can do it again. For the first time, he was dropping off, taking part in the build-up, he was strong and shielding the ball well and also good in the air. What we have had to do is to give him confidence by encouraging him, by trusting him and being patient with him." Fowler was still struggling for consistency not surprising given his lengthy injury and change of management. Fowler had to wait seven matches for his next goal. Two matches later on 16 January, Fowler scored his second hat-trick for Houllier in a 7-1 victory against Southampton. Further good news from the Fowler camp followed in January when he signed a new five year-contract with Liverpool. If January was all about the positives, the contrary was looming on the horizon. Two controversial incidents against Chelsea and Everton got Fowler in trouble. On 27 February Fowler decided to follow up rumours about Chelsea's Graeme Le Saux' sexual orientation by turning his backside towards him and shake it about. Le Saux' retribution came swiftly. He poleaxed Fowler from behind. Incredibly enough Fowler got a two-match ban while Le Saux was banned for just one match. On 3 April Fowler "snorted" the line after scoring the first of his two goals in the 3-2 victory over Everton. Fowler said his actions were in response to the "smackhead" taunts he'd endured at Goodison Park last October and on the streets of Liverpool. Fowler received a two-match ban for the Chelsea incident and four for the snorting. Following the Everton game he featured in three matches without scoring and was then forced to sit out the remaining six matches of the campaign.

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Fowler's controversial behavior on the field inspired rumours Liverpool's manager was unhappy with him and he was on his way. Houllier's response was swift and to the point: "Robbie knows that he has been part of my plans and he knows all that I have done for him this season. If he wants to leave, all he has to do is come and see me and I won't stand in his way." Fowler scored in the first game of the 1999/00 season against Sheffield Wednesday as well as one of the goals of the season on 28 August, a piledriver from 30 yards in off the bar at Highbury. Fowler had felt pain in his ankle before the match against Everton on 27 September but decided to play. Fowler only lasted an hour before being replaced. He underwent an operation and was expected to be out for three months. Fowler made three substitute appearances in December and scored his third goal of the season against Wimbledon on 28 December. He had now scored 150 goals in total for Liverpool: 95 goals were scored with his left, 30 with the right and 25 headers. 127 goals were inside the box including 11 from the penalty spot and 23 outside. His ankle was sore after the Wimbledon game but he wasn't prepared for the earth shattering news that he had to be operated on again. He didn't play for four months until he came on against Everton on 21 April. He made couple of more substitute appearances before being given a chance in the starting line-up in the penultimate game of the season against Southampton. He didn't get on the scoresheet and his brief campaign was effectively finished. Fowler wasn't even on the bench in the final match and rumours of a rift between Fowler and Houllier after the Southampton game were flying about. Kevin Keegan chose Fowler for his Euro 2000 squad but he didn't make an appearance in the finals. England exited quickly.

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Fowler was carried off in a 2000/01 pre-season match against Glentoran following a freakish collision with the goalkeeper and was out for six weeks. Fowler scored in his tenth game of the season against Chelsea in the fourth round of the League Cup, a dramatic winner in extra-time. He ran straight to Houllier as to show him his gratitude. However, Houllier admitted he may be willing to offload Fowler. "All players have their price. Robbie is not on the transfer list, but we look at all our players and assess things when it suits us." These words didn't seem to convey anything at the time but the truth was that Liverpool had accepted a £12million bid from Chelsea in December 2001 but Fowler wanted to stay put. Fowler was in the headlines for all the right reasons when he scored a hat-trick against Stoke in the League Cup, which was his favourite competition, having scored 25 goals in 29 matches. Fowler was the star of the show when he scored a sensational goal against Birmingham in the League Cup final on 25 February which resulted in a penalty shoot-out victory for the Reds. A lob far outside the box ended in the net: "It was one of those shots which can either end up in the crowd or in the back of the net," Fowler said. "Fortunately for me it finished in the back of the net. It is up there with the best goals I have scored, especially when you consider it was in a major final."

Fowler had been in and out of the starting line-up in Liverpool's successful treble season but proved a valuable player in the final run-in. He scored a great free-kick against Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup semi-final. He was a substitute in the UEFA Cup final against Alaves but scored Liverpool's fourth goal that almost proved the winner. He only played for the last 13 minutes against Arsenal in the FA Cup final win but Michael Owen scored two goals following Fowler's introduction into the game. Speculation was rife that Fowler was unhappy and didn't get along with Owen. Houllier was fed up: "We have unity in this squad and what has been written about Robbie Fowler is rubbish. The first person to congratulate Michael Owen on Saturday was Robbie. Some of the things I read amaze me. It seems to me people are always trying to stir things every time we have a big game. Everyone can see Robbie was as ecstatic as anyone on Saturday."

One crucial match was left of the season against Charlton at The Valley. Fowler was sensational and scored two goals which clinched second place, Liverpool's best-ever Premiership finish and a place in the Champions League. Fowler was happy with the season: "It means a lot to me as a Liverpool lad to be here and I want to remain a part of it. I have never rolled over and died when I have faced a challenge and I’m not going to start now. Some people have said certain things about Liverpool this season. I hope they are eating their words now. Apart from the three cups and third place, we have beaten our two biggest rivals, Manchester United and Everton, twice in the same season, which I am told had never been done before." Fowler got into trouble with Phil Thompson on Melwood in August 2002 when Thompson was in the goal picking up a ball and Fowler hit him with a well-placed shot. Seen as a threat to Thompson's authority Fowler was dropped from the squad facing Arsenal in the Charity Shield. After issuing an apology to Thompson he was back in the first-team fold and scored his first goal of the season against Haka in the second leg of the Champions League qualifier. Fowler started in the defeats against Bolton and Aston Villa, but he was back on the bench for three matches.

Fowler talked about his problems in October: "If I pick up a paper seven days a week, I can guarantee I’ll probably be in at least five times. Playing at a big club everyone is always looking for stories so I know it comes with the job. I’m not saying it’s an excuse for how I’m playing but when you go out and feel you have to try and prove people wrong all the time you can end up trying too hard. Maybe I’m trying too many fancy things, passes and stuff which won’t come off. I try not to let all the stick affect me but there’s only so much a person can take. I’m not a loud or obnoxious person who always wants to be in the paper. Maybe there are people who think they see a different side to me if they only see me out with a gang of lads or whatever. Maybe I come out of my shell more then and people get the wrong perception of me. But I never try to upset anyone." A true Fowler highlight was a hat-trick against Leicester on 20 October 2001. Fowler had clearly not though been in ideal form. He had only scored four goals in ten starts and seven substitute appearances that season when it was announced on 27 November that Liverpool had agreed to sell Fowler to Leeds. Fowler completed the £11.75million transfer two days later. Roy Evans once famously said he would rather jump in the Mersey than sell Fowler. Houllier was asked why Fowler was sold: "It wasn’t our decision to let him go. Robbie wants to go and to see a local boy moving on is a sad thing for the club. More than most he felt it difficult to fit in with the rotation system. I can understand that he found it hard. Robbie felt that a move at this moment in time would help his career and you have to respect that. He feels the time is right to move on and it was his decision."

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Robbie's farewell words were to the point: "I have had nearly 15 years with Liverpool and eight wonderful years in the Liverpool team, but I think it must be obvious to everyone that the time has come to move on. There’s no doubt that the thing I will miss most about Anfield will be the fans. They were always top quality and gave me tremendous support through the good and bad times. Thanks to you all for your support." Again the unthinkable happened in 2006 when Robbie Fowler the prodigal son returned to Liverpool in a sensational move over four years after he had left Merseyside for Leeds. He scored 14 goals in 33 matches over a 14-month period at Leeds before moving to Manchester City where he stayed three years, scoring 27 goals in 92 matches. Five days after re-signing for the Reds, he came on as a substitute for Peter Crouch in a home game with Birmingham City. Liverpool had just taken the lead when he entered the pitch but he was unable to add to the score, although he did have an acrobatic injury-time overhead-kick disallowed for offside. The goals started to come again, five in the League before the end of the season being enough to ensure him an additional year's contract at Rafa's Reds. Fowler scored seven goals during what would turn out to be his final season at Anfield, three penalties against Sheffield United, two against Galatasaray in the Champions League and strikes against Reading and Arsenal in the League Cup. That took his final total for Liverpool up to 183 goals from 369 games. Denied the chance to say a proper farewell to the Anfield public by the sudden move to Leeds in 2001, Robbie and his young family proudly walked around the pitch at the end of the final League game of 2006/07 to say goodbye.

http://www.lfchistory.net/Images/fowler.robbie/secondcoming/fowler.jpg

On 21 July 2007 Fowler signed for Championship club Cardiff City. His two League Cup goals at West Bromwich Albion in the third round of the competition amazingly led to Cardiff being paired with Liverpool in the next round. He played the whole 90 minutes for Cardiff at Anfield and received a rapturous reception from the home supporters but was unable to prevent his new club going down to a 2-1 defeat. Unfortunately, Fowler's injury jinx was soon to strike again. The recurrence of a hip injury plus damaged ankle ligaments sustained in a training-ground incident with his captain, Darren Purse, meant that his first-team opportunities were limited for the rest of the season and it wasn't a major surprise that he was not fit enough to be considered for a place in Cardiff's FA Cup final squad for the big match against Portsmouth at the new Wembley.

Fowler signed a three-month deal with Paul Ince's Blackburn before the 2008/09 season, but only made three starts and three substitute appearances without scoring a goal. He signed a two-year contract with Australian side North Queensland Fury in February 2009. Fowler was said to have dubious motives for his move to Australia but answered his critics by releasing a short statement to the local newspaper in Townsville: "I'm not here for a holiday. I have come here and I want to enjoy my football and I want to play as much as anyone but certain things dictate that sometimes you can't play. I'm prepared to work hard and get on that pitch. I'm not just here to enjoy the sun, it's pride in myself." After just one season with North Queensland Fury, at a time when that club had severe financial problems, Fowler was released from his contract to effectively become a free agent again. Towards the end of April 2010 it was Western Australia club Perth Glory who were able to announce that the 35-year-old Fowler had agreed to become their 'foreign marquee player', which meant that his wages would be excluded from the club's salary cap. The move appeared to suit both the player and his new club well, the Perth Glory Chairman commenting: "It's exciting for football fans in Western Australia that a legend has decided to play for us." At the end of the first week of April 2011 Fowler was commended by Pep Segura for showing a 'great attitude' as he trained with Liverpool's reserve-team squad. Segura, who had taken over from John McMahon on a temporary basis until the end of the 2010/11 season. explained that Fowler wanted to maintain his fitness-levels but added that "his presence can have a significant impact" upon his young side. During April 2011 Robbie also spent a week as part of Bury's backroom staff, about which he said of his managerial ambitions "I know you can't play forever and being a coach or manager is obviously the next step you take after playing. I want to stay involved in football so this is the next route."

In July 2011 Fowler made an unexpected move from Australia to Thailand's Muang Thong United. At the start of October 2011 he was made caretaker coach of the Thai club. Early 2012 Fowler quit Thailand and moved back to Liverpool as his wife wanted to go back home but prior to the launch of a new Indian League Fowler was one of a few big-name stars sold at an auction. Fowler went for £338,000 to Kolkata but said himself he wasn't sure if he would play there. In the end nothing came of it. Fowler trained with Blackpool for a while towards the end of the 2011/12 season. Blackpool manager Ian Holloway seemed keen to add him to his squad as the Seasiders attempted to make an immediate return to the Premier League. Fowler was unable to agree personal terms with the club and retired from playing. Fowler re-ignited his association with Liverpool by being part of the club's entourage of their 2012/13 pre-season tour in America. Fowler's genius for goals will never diminish and he can be rightly called the most natural goalscorer who has ever featured for Liverpool.

Роби Фаулър ще рита в Австралия

http://img.deltanews.bg/09253b005ba06a94fadd4f9bf3f2b921.jpg

Бившият нападател на Ливърпул и английския национален отбор Роби Фаулър ще продължи кариерата си в австралийския Норт Куинслънд Фери.

33-годишният футболист, който бе собственост на Блекбърн, не успя да поднови договора си с „розите" и напуска Острова.

В крайна сметка една от легендите на „мърсисайдци" се ориентира към Зеления континент.

Норт Кунслънд Фери е отбор с ограничен бюджет, но въпреки това, ръководството на клуба се е наело с тежката задача, да плаща заплата на Фаулър.

Не само че го няма в "Легенди", но го няма и в "Значими" дори и в "Бивши". 

Е, забравен е от по-младите, но аз го помня доста добре от онова време,

гледал съм го по ТВ в мачове от турнири на УЕФА и национални, като

https://www.fccska.com/среща/m:ливърпул-цска-септемврийско-знаме-софия-5-1/d:1981-03-04-21-30

https://www.fccska.com/среща/m:ливърпул-цска-септемврийско-знаме-софия-1-0/d:1982-03-03-20-30

както и на живо в този легендарен мач

https://www.fccska.com/среща/m:цска-септемврийско-знаме-софия-ливърпул-2-0/d:1982-03-17-18-30

Сега "въвеждам справедливост", защото какъв, ако не ЛЕГЕНДА, е играч спечелил с

Liverpool

• Football League First Division: 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82
• Football League Cup: 1980–81, 1981–82
• FA Charity Shield: 1976, 1977 (shared), 1979, 1980
• European Cup: 1976–77, 1977–78, 1980–81
• UEFA Cup: 1975–76
• UEFA Super Cup: 1977

Individual

• First Division Goal of the Season: 1976–77
• PFA First Division Team of the Year: 1979–80
• PFA Players' Player of the Year: 1979–80
• FWA Footballer of the Year: 1979–80
• European Cup Top Scorer: 1980–81

Birthdate: 10 January 1922
Birthplace: Townhill, Scotland
Date of death: 3 July 2001
Other clubs: Lochgelly Violet (1937-38); Chelsea, Linfield, Cambridge Town, Toronto Scottish, Dunfermline (wartime guest)
Bought from: Lochgelly Violet
Signed for LFC: £200, Joined July 1938 - Professional 17.04.1939
International debut: 15.05.1946 vs. Switzerland
International caps: 29/8 - 08.10.1955
Liverpool debut: 05.01.1946
Last appearance: 31.08.1960
Debut goal: 05.01.1946
Last goal: 05.03.1960
Contract expiry: 1961
Win ratio: 41.57% W: 222 134 L: 178
Games/goals ratio: 2.34
Honours: League Championship 1946/47
Wartime games/goals: 152 / 82
LFC league games/goals: 492 / 215
Total LFC games/goals: 534 / 228

http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/359
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Liddell

Player profile

William Beveridge Liddell started his career with local teams Kingseat Juvenlies and Lochgelly Violet. Billy came first to Liverpool in July 1938 and nine months later signed a professional contract. Had it not been for a certain Sir Matt Busby, Liverpool's former captain and later Manchester United's manager, Billy might never have been a Liverpool player. Busby found out that representatives of Manchester City had been to see Billy's parents with a view to getting their son to join the club. After learning that Billy had turned down the invitation to go to City, Busby rang Liverpool manager George Kay and suggested that "this Liddell lad might be worth an enquiry"; and indeed he was ... and how! Before Liddell went to Liverpool, he was hired as an accountant at Simon Jude & West in Liverpool. His parents had it put into the contract that Billy would be allowed to continue his studies because they wanted him to have something to fall back on if things didn't work out. Liddell trained full-time in pre-season, but trained only twice-a-week as the season started, the only Liverpool player who held two jobs. But, he had hardly settled when World War II broke out, so Liddell had to wait six years to make his formal debut. Billy enlisted in the RAF and was sent to a training camp in Cambridge and later on to Manitoba in Canada.

Billy finally played his first game for Liverpool and scored his first goal on New Years' Day 1940, beating Crewe 7-3. He was said to have given a "most promising display, his ball control and sense of positioning being features." Liddell made his amateur international debut against England at Wembley on 18 April 1942, four years before making his official debut for Liverpool! His teammates were among others Bill Shankly and Matt Busby, but it was the young Billy that captured everyone's imagination. "Maestro Liddell. Ten minutes was sufficient for this boy to play himself into these criticial, hard-beating Hampden hearts," said a press reporter. "He took the equalizer with a lovely timed header. But it was the way he had in the second goal which put him in the Maestro class. Liddell did the spadework and Dodds did the finishing for what must be one of the greatest goals Hampden has ever seen. The outstripping of the defence, the quick pass with the "wrong" foot, and then Dodds' glorious first-timer. What a goal!" Scotland ran out 5-4 winners. Liddell made 152 appearances in wartime football for Liverpool and scored 82 goals. As early as 1940 a press headline read: "Liddell is war's best find."

Liverpool's future talisman played his first official game for the club in the FA Cup against Chester at Anfield on 5 January 1946. Liddell scored one goal in a 2-0 win. The League competition started in the autumn, but he missed pre-season, because he was still in the air-force. Liverpool had already played two games when Liddell made his League debut in a 7-4 win over Chelsea. He scored two goals, the first of which came straight from a corner kick in front of the Kop in the third minute. Despite the 24-year-old left-winger had never turned out in the League previously for Liverpool, he was already viewed as a key player for the side evident by "Bee" Edwards' report for the Liverpool Daily Post. "Liddell like Fagan is still not his fittest, and I believe this condition led Chelsea to their great chance in the later stages. Liddell means so much to his side." In the first post-war season Billy scored seven goals in 35 games and Liverpool celebrated their fifth League title. But Liverpool couldn't match their triumph despite Liddell's brilliance. Billy twice represented Great Britain against Europe, in 1947 and then in 1955 when Liverpool was playing in the Second Division, which goes to show how highly-rated he was. Only Billy and Sir Stanley Matthews managed to be chosen to play both these games. Billy was disappointed to miss out on the FA Cup after being kicked from pillar to post in the 1950 final defeat against Arsenal. Liddell was especially painfully fouled by the Arsenal right-half, a fellow Scotsman, Alex Forbes. "I couldn't put my jacket on the next day," Liddell recalled. Nobody could have blamed him for abandoning ship when after promising seasons that always ended up in mid-table Liverpool were relegated in 1954. Liddell had established himself as Liverpool's greatest star, the club's top-scorer four seasons out of eight in the top-flight, but there was only so much one man could do.

Liddell had number of admirers but felt at home at Liverpool. He was moved up front and made captain in the 1955/56 season. Goals came easy to him and he scored 115 in five seasons in the Second Division. All careers must to come to an end, even Billy Liddell's!He retired 39 years of age when the Shankly revolution was about to start. Shankly did enjoy the powers of his compatriot on occasion and certainly wished that Liddell had been twenty years younger. "Liddell was some player... He had everything," Shankly enthused. "He was fast, powerful, shot with either foot and his headers were like blasts from a gun. On top of all that he was as hard as granite. What a player! He was so strong – and he took a nineteen-inch collar shirt!" It was no coincidence that Liverpool became to be known as "Liddellpool". Ian Callaghan considers Billy, Kenny Dalglish and Steven Gerrard as Liverpool Football Club's finest and there's no reason to argue with Cally. "Billy was my idol when I was at school and it was fantastic to take over from him," Callaghan said. "I had so much respect for him. Great man - He was a god in Liverpool. I took over from him on the wing and he finished playing not long after that. When I went to my first professional football match it was Liverpool. When Billy got the ball the anticipation from the crowd was just huge. What is he going to do with it? Is he going to shoot from 30 yards or take it past people? He was wonderful. Billy played with a heavy ball on the heavy pitches. The way he used to kick the ball, wow! He was so strong."

On 31 August 1960 Liddell made his last-ever appearance for Liverpool in a 1-0 defeat to Southampton in the Second Division. No other player had made more appearances for the club than King Billy, a total of 534 eclipsing Elisha Scott's total of 468. Three weeks later Liddell's testimonial took place against an International XI which included several greats such as Bert Trautmann (Manchester City), Sir Stanley Matthews (Blackpool), Nat Lofthouse (Bolton) and Sir Thomas Finney (Preston North End's legend). Liverpool won 4-2 with Liddell scoring for the opposition and netting £6,000 for which he bought a house. On the eve of his testimonial Billy revealed once more his affection for his club and the city it was based in. "It has often been said that there is no sentiment in football, but I believe that my career, at least, has proved that wrong. Every Scot is proud of his heritage, but I am equally proud to know that in the city of my adoption I am accepted as a fellow-Liverpudlian. It hardly seems 22 years since I was being warned about the "terrible" city which has meant so much to me. I cannot recall who said that a city is not just bricks and mortar and fine buildings, it is the people in it, but it expresses what I think. I would like to take the opportunity of thanking the much-maligned Liverpool supporters for the encouragement they have given to me. I have always been happy at Anfield for I know we have the staunchest bunch of supporters in the land."

"What can you say about him? Liverpool have had some good club players, but I think he is the finest in their history. Look at him today. I used to do a bit of running around, but he does a lot more than I ever did," said Donald Mackinlay, Liverpool's captain from the 1920's, in 1955. He added poignantly: "Matthews is a great entertainer, but for me that Liddell man is “It”. He is one of the greatest club men ever to have played football.”


 

Докато се ровех в www.bobpaisley.com попаднах на препратка за Billy Liddell и намерих някои много готини факти. Ето и някои по-интересни :

Stories in my possession about Liddell that I could not find evidence of include ;

# A shot from the half way line, that hit the back of the net down the kop end, which had the fans ducking.

# A shot that hit the bar from 30yds out that rebounded as far as the half way line.

# A headed goal from 45yds.

# Breaking a keeper's arm from a penalty.

# Knocking a centre half unconscious with a free kick.

# Being kicked by everyone in the opposition's side and still playing the whole 90 minutes.

He was never knighted, but he was "Footballer of the Year" in 1959 while playing second division football, not a thing that had ever happened before or likely to again.

Е то рицарството е запазено за едни други хора.