Rumour has it that James Milner is going to be the next player to wear Liverpool’s famous number seven shirt. While we wouldn’t normally trust the Daily Star, the England international wore the number at Manchester City and has also done so on international duty – it seems a logical choice.
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Of course, he’s got some pretty incredible standards to live up to. In the list below, we count down the last fourteen players to be handed the responsibility of the number seven, including our newest acquisition.
We’ve given each player a ‘Number Seven Rating’ and subsequently picked out our best and worst from Liverpool history. Take the trip down memory lane and let us know if you agree…
Kevin Keegan
The iconic forward scored 68 goals in 230 league games for Liverpool and won nine major honours during his time at the club, including the European Cup in 1977. He eventually joined Hamburg and it was there he became a two-time Ballon d’Or winner. Despite his success on the continent, he’s still fondly remembered on Merseyside.
Number Seven Rating: 9/10
Kenny Dalglish
Arguably the greatest man to ever be associated with Liverpool, having been a player, player-manager and a manager, when he returned for a second spell with us in 2011. In total, he won 22 honours as a player – including three European Cups – and a further six as boss. He scored 118 goals in 355 league matches for the club.
Number Seven Rating: 10/10
Nigel Spackman
The midfielder was signed from Chelsea in 1987. He only managed 51 appearances before joining Queens Park Rangers two years later. He always worked hard and despite being outshone by his teammates was still part of some extremely successful sides.
Number Seven Rating: 6/10
John Aldridge
Another Anfield favourite. He was signed to replace Ian Rush and did a very decent job of it as well – although thankfully Rush returned to the club following a year with Juventus. Aldridge scored 50 goals in 83 league games for the Reds, winning the first division and the FA Cup.
Number Seven Rating: 8/10
Peter Beardsley
A genius of a player in a similar mould to Dalglish. He linked up perfectly with Aldridge and John Barnes during his time at the club, as part of what was our last truly world class team. He scored 46 goals in 131 league games before eventually joining Merseyside rivals Everton in 1991.
Number Seven Rating: 8/10
David Speedie
Worked hard but lacked the quality to be a big hit at Anfield. He still managed six goals in just 12 top flight appearances and netted against both Everton and Manchester United, but Graeme Souness soon took over as manager and sold him to Blackburn Rovers.
Number Seven Rating: 6/10
Dean Saunders
Never lived up to the standards he had set at Derby and Oxford. He made 42 appearances and scored 11 goals during his single season at the club and was sold to Aston Villa in 1992. The striker continued to enjoy a decent career before eventually retiring at Bradford in 2001.
Number Seven Rating: 5/10
Nigel Clough
Enjoyed a couple of memorable moments, including a brace against Manchester United, but struggled to match his success at Nottingham Forest. He scored seven goals in 39 games before joining Manchester City in 1996.
Number Seven Rating: 4/10
Steve McManaman
One of our best players during the 1990s – scoring 46 goals in 272 games from midfield. He won both the FA Cup and the League Cup but it was during his time at Real Madrid where he enjoyed his biggest successes – two La Liga titles and two Champions League wins.
Number Seven Rating: 7/10
Vladimir Smicer
Signed from Lens in 1999 and played almost 200 times for Liverpool, scoring 19 goals in the process. His most memorable moment came on his final appearance for the club when he scored in the Champions League final against AC Milan. He also netted in the penalty shoot-out as the Reds won the trophy for the fifth time.
Number Seven Rating: 6/10
Harry Kewell
The Australian endured an injury-hit spell at Anfield. He did manage 93 appearances in the Premier League, scoring 12 times, and also started both the Champions League and FA Cup final wins – although he was substituted early in the match on both occasions.
Number Seven Rating: 4/10
Robbie Keane
Keane lasted just six months at Anfield, after signing from Tottenham. He struggled to make an impact, scoring just five Premier League goals in 19 appearances, and was sold back to Spurs in the January transfer window.
Number Seven Rating: 2/10
Luis Suarez
One of Liverpool’s most prolific goalscorers of all time. The Uruguayan netted a hugely impressive 82 goals in just 133 appearances for the club, firing us to within touching distance of our maiden Premier League title. Unfortunately, a League Cup winners medal was his only reward for three-and-a-half years on Merseyside.
Number Seven Rating: 9/10
James Milner
The ideal replacement for Steven Gerrard? The deal to bring Milner to Anfield has certainly been welcomed by the vast majority of supporters, who know that the experience and versatility of the reliable 29-year-old, who has previously played for Aston Villa and Leeds United, as well as Manchester City, will prove vital.
Number Seven Rating: ?
