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.):
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):
3) Bob Paisley (Player/Physiotherpist/Coach/Manager):
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):
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):
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 :
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 passed away in 2001 after losing his battle with Alzheimer’s.
8) Geoff Twentyman (Player/Chief Scout) :
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):
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) :
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.