Liverpool F.C.’s Top 10 Heroes

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I have compiled a list of who in my opinion are Liverpool F.C.’s top 10 heroes, the list varies and it includes managers, players, scouts and also a chief executive. It is very difficult choosing the top 10 especially when I had to leave the likes of Roger Hunt, Robbie Fowler, Ian St. John, Phil Neal, Ray Clemence, Elisha Scott, Steven Gerrard & Joe Fagan out.

1) John Houlding  (Founder of Liverpool F.C.):
LIVERhoulding
John was a self made businessman who rented the land on which Anfield sits today he was also Everton’s first Chairman.
The Toffees used to play at Anfield and after a falling out with Houlding they purchased Goodison Park. John was left with an empty stadium so he decided to start his own team, he called it Liverpool F.C.


2) Bill Shankly (Manager):

Bill Shankly Shankly rebuilt the club that became the most successful in England and one of the biggest in the world. Bill came from a working class Scottish family  and will always be remembered for his inspiring quotes and love for the club and the city of Liverpool. Shanks took the club from the 2nd division to winning the 1st division title and also the FA Cup for the first time. Unfortunately Liverpool did not win the European Cup under Shankly however he laid the groundwork for his assistant Bob Paisley to reach European glory. Bill passed away in 1981.

3) Bob Paisley (Player/Physiotherpist/Coach/Manager):
Bob PaisleyLiverpool’s most successful manager continued building what Shankly had started and took club to the top of the footballing world. Paisley was a jack of all trades and a master of all however his success as the gaffer is what stands out.
In his 9 year rein at Liverpool he was manager of the year for 6 years and brought a total of 19 trophies to Anfield out of which 3 were European Champions Cups. Bob passed away in 1996.

4) Kenny Dalglish (Player/Manager/Youth Development & Ambassador):
Kenny Dalglish
There are many reasons we call him King Kenny.
Most of the Liverpool supporters would agree that Kenny was the best player to ever wear the red shirt. As a player he played a total of 515 games, scoring 172 goals and won 20 trophies.
Kenny did not stop there, he later became the L.F.C. manager and added another 8 trophies to his tally. Dalglish returned to Liverpool last summer and is currently responsible for Youth Development & is also the club’s ambassador.
5) Ian Rush (Player/Coach):

Ian RushLiverpool’s most prolific goal scorer ever;
The Welshman netted a total of 346 goals in his Liverpool career, an incredible feat that will forever stand unless Fernando Torres stays at Merseyside into his 30s. His partnership with Dalglish was legendary, the opposition would submit and surrender when Ian was on one of his routing moods. He later returned to L.F.C. and served as a striker coach for a short while under Gerard Houllier.

6) Ian Callaghan :
Ian Callaghan
No other player ever wore the red shirt more than Ian Callaghan with a total 857 appearances for Liverpool between 1960 and 1978.
He played under both Shankly & Paisley and his appearance record will probably never be broken.
I had the privelage of meeting him, he is a true gentleman, down to earth, great sense of humour.
A great Scouser, a great Red and a Living Legend.

7) Billy Liddell (Player):
Billy Liddell
Legendary player who spent his entire professional career playing at L.F.C., unfortunately his early career was cut short because of WW2 however he still managed to score 229 goals in 537 games for the Reds. His aura at Liverpool was so huge the club was nicknamed “Liddllepool”

Billy passed away in 2001 after losing his battle with Alzheimer’s.

8) Geoff Twentyman (Player/Chief Scout) :
120x80twentymanWhat would Liverpool have been without Geoff Twentyman criss-crossing  the country looking for new talent in the lower leagues?
The best scout the game has ever seen; Phil Neal, Steve Heighway, Joey Jones, Ray Clemence, Ian Rush, Bruce Grobbelaar, Steve Nicol, Alan Hansen, Graeme Souness, John Toshack, Kevin Keegan all joined L.F.C. after Twentyman scouted them. Others such as Andy Gray, Trevor Francis, Tim Flowers, Peter Reid, Alan Birchenall, Kevin Beattie and Kevin Sheedy were also scouted by Twentyman and later became legends for other clubs.
Geoff passed away in 2004 after also losing his battle with Alzheimer’s.

9)  Steve Heighway (Player/Academy Director):
steve_heighway
“Stevie Heighway on the Wing, we had dreams and songs to sing”, are part of the lyrics of the Kop favourite “Fields of Anfield Road”.

As a player he was a legend netting 76 goals out of 473 appearances while also assisting Keegan & Toshack who scored hundreds more.

Steve was Academy Director from 1989 until 2007 during which period graduates have included Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Dominic Matteo, David Thompson and Michael Owen.

10) Emlyn Hughes (Player) :
Emlyn Hughes
Known as “Crazy Horse”, Emlyn captained Liverpool to two consecutive European Cups in 1977 & 1978.
Bill Shankly had picked Hughes to lead Liverpool and had even predicted that Emlyn would become captain of England.
Hughes passed away in 2004

Close behind Steven Gerrard, not in the top 10 yet but I am sure in a few years he will be.

More Stories Bill Shankly Billy Liddell Bob Paisley Emlyn Hughes Geoff Twentyman Ian Calaghan Ian Rush John Houlding Kenny Dalglish Steve Heighway

6 Comments

  1. Where’s Frode Kippe and Stan Collymore?

    Obviously I’m joking, a great list Antoine. I’d agree that Gerrard isn’t there yet, he doesn’t match up to those stated.

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