Jack Balmer was a key part of the Liverpool team ever since he left Everton’s reserves in 1935 and went on to captain the club.
A key member of the 1946/47 title winning squad, the West Derby-born (like Trent Alexander-Arnold) Evertonian looked to replicate two of his uncles to represent the blue side of the city but he chose red after being let go.
Three consecutive hat-tricks in 1946 put him on the footballing map and he was a prolific goal scorer, recording 110 (15th all-time top scorer) in his 309 (59th all-time top appearances) games for the Reds.
His final appearance came against Burnley in 1952, which did unfortunately end in a 2-0 away defeat in an FA Cup tie.
Despite the fact that ‘Balmer did occasionally show flashes of his old form‘, it was to be the final time the 36-year-old was given a first-team game.
He went on to become a coach at the club until 1955 but that was when his ties ended and it was a long, successful Anfield career for a local lad who became one of the first to change his allegiances.
You can read more about Jack Balmer’s career and his final game against Burnley, via LFC History.