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{{Fs player|no=26|nat=England|name=[[Paul Anderson (footballer)|Paul Anderson]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=26|nat=England|name=[[Paul Anderson (footballer)|Paul Anderson]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=29|nat=Argentina|name=[[Gabriel Paletta]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=29|nat=Argentina|name=[[Gabriel Paletta]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=30|nat=Italy|name=[[Daniele Padelli]]|pos=GK|other=on loan from [[Sampdoria]]}}
{{Fs player|no=32|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Boudewijn Zenden]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=32|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Boudewijn Zenden]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=34|nat=Spain|name=[[Miki Roque]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=34|nat=Spain|name=[[Miki Roque]]|pos=DF}}

Revision as of 12:52, 8 June 2007

For the Uruguayan club, see Liverpool FC (Montevideo).
Liverpool FC
Liverpool emblem
Full nameLiverpool Football Club
Nickname(s)The Reds
FoundedMarch 15 1892
GroundAnfield
Liverpool, England
Capacity45,362
ChairmanUnited States Tom Hicks (co-chairman)
United States George Gillett (co-chairman)
ManagerSpain Rafael Benítez
LeaguePremier League
2006–07Premier League, 3rd

Liverpool Football Club are an English professional football club based in Liverpool. They play in the Premier League and are historically the most successful club in English football, having won more trophies than any other English club.[1]They lead the way in terms of English League titles with eighteen, the most recent of which was in 1990. They are third in terms of European Cup[2] wins with five, an English record. They have also had success in the other cup competitions (see honours, below). Liverpool are a founding member of the G-14 group of leading European football clubs.[3]

Liverpool were founded in 1892, playing at Anfield, where they remain to this day. [4] However, plans have been formed to start work on a new 60,000 all-seater stadium in the summer of 2007 near Stanley Park,[5] funded by the club's new American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. The club's fans have been involved in two major tragedies. At The Heysel Stadium thirty-nine Juventus F.C. fans died when a wall collapsed after crowd trouble in the 1985 European Cup Final,[6] and at Hillsborough in 1989 where ninety-six Liverpool fans lost their lives[7] due to overcrowding.[8] In June 2007, the club's fans were designated "the worst fans in Europe" by a UEFA spokesman in the wake of trouble in the 2007 Champions League final[9] - an accusation that was quickly rescinded by UEFA President Michel Platini on June 6 2007.[10]

History

Main article: History of Liverpool F.C.

Liverpool F.C. were founded by John Houlding in 1892 to play in his vacant Anfield stadium. For the previous seven years the stadium had been used by Everton F.C. However, in 1891 Houlding, the leaseholder of Anfield, purchased the ground outright and proposed increasing the rent from £100 to £250 per year.[11] The Everton members objected, left Anfield and moved to Goodison Park.


With an empty ground and just three players remaining, Houlding decided to form his own football club and on 15 March 1892, Liverpool Football Club was formed. The original name was to be Everton F.C. and Athletic Grounds, Ltd., or Everton Athletic for short, but was changed to Liverpool F.C. when The Football Association refused to recognise the team as Everton. John McKenna was appointed director and signed thirteen Scottish professionals for the new club.

Liverpool won the Lancashire League in their inaugural season and were elected to the Football League Second Division for the 1893–94 season. They ended the season unbeaten as Second Division Champions,[12] and were promoted to the First Division, the highest level of English football.

In 1901, Liverpool won their first Football League championship; a feat that was repeated in 1906. They played their first FA Cup final in 1914, but lost 1-0 to Burnley.[13]

File:Kop ynwa banner.jpg
Fans on the Kop hold aloft the team badge

In 1922 and 1923 Liverpool won their first back-to-back League titles, captained by England full-back Ephraim Longworth.[14] This was followed by the longest spell without winning a trophy in the club's history, with the club failing to finish in the top four in the sixteen years leading up to World War II. The first post-war league season saw the club win their fifth league title, but this proved to be a false dawn, and was followed by a succession of mid-table finishes, and then relegation in 1954. Between 1954 and 1962 the team struggled to achieve promotion from the Second Division, finishing in the top four on seven consecutive occasions, but continually missing out on the two promotion places. The period also saw the club's record defeat, 9-1 against Birmingham City in December 1954.

In December 1959, Bill Shankly was appointed manager. Over the next fifteen years he transformed Liverpool into one of the top club sides in Europe.[15] In his first year, he released twenty-four players and rebuilt the team. In 1962, his third season as manager, Liverpool won the Second Division Championship by eight points and were promoted to the top division, where they have remained ever since.

Having started the 1960s in the Second division, Liverpool ended the decade as a major domestic power. In 1964, Liverpool lifted the League Championship for the first time in seventeen years. They were League Champions again in 1966, having won their first ever FA Cup in the previous season, beating Leeds United 2-1 in the final. Liverpool won their eighth league title and defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach to win their first European trophy, the UEFA Cup, in 1973. However, a year later, after another FA Cup victory, Shankly retired. His assistant, Bob Paisley, was offered the chance to manage the team.[16]

In the nine seasons Paisley managed the club, Liverpool won a total of twenty-one trophies, including three European Cups, a UEFA Cup, six league titles and three consecutive League Cups.

In 1976, Liverpool became champions, doing just enough to finish ahead of Queen's Park Rangers, and also won the UEFA Cup. The following year, Liverpool retained their League Championship, lost the F.A. Cup Final, but won their first European Cup. The final was played in Rome, and Liverpool defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-1. In 1978 Liverpool retained the trophy, beating Club Brugge 1-0 in the European Cup final at Wembley, and in 1979 the club broke another domestic record winning the league title with sixty-eight points[17] and only sixteen goals conceded in forty-two matches.[18]

In 1980, Liverpool won the league title for the fourth time in five seasons, and were heading for the "double" until losing to Arsenal in a third replay of their semi-final, 1-0. Paisley's third European Cup victory came in 1981 with a 1-0 victory in the final over Real Madrid in Paris. In the following two seasons, Liverpool won the League Championship and League Cup "double". When Bob Paisley retired in 1983, only one domestic trophy had eluded him - the FA Cup.

The succession of managers appointed from within the club's staff is worthy of note. These managers are often referred to as "the boot room boys" after a part of Anfield where the Liverpool staff discussed strategy and allegedly stored gin.[19] Just as Shankly had been succeeded by Paisley, so too Paisley handed the reins to his assistant, veteran coach Joe Fagan. He was aged 63 when he became manager in 1983. In his first season in charge, Liverpool become the first English club to win three major trophies in a single season — the League title, the League Cup and the European Cup.[20] However Fagan's reign ended with tragedy the following season.

In 1985 Liverpool again reached the European Cup final. The match was against Juventus at Heysel Stadium but before kick-off, disaster struck. Liverpool fans breached a fence separating the two groups of supporters and charged the Juventus fans. The resulting weight of people caused a retaining wall to collapse, killing thirty-nine fans, mostly Italians.[6] The match was played regardless and Liverpool lost 1-0 to Juventus. English clubs were consequently banned from participating in European competition for five years with Liverpool receiving a ban for ten years (later reduced to six), and fourteen of their fans received convictions for involuntary manslaughter. The event is known as the Heysel Stadium disaster.

In 1985 Kenny Dalglish, already regarded as one of Liverpool's greatest players, became Liverpool's first player-manager.[21] His reign saw the club win another three League Championships and two FA Cups including a league and cup double in 1985–86. However, Liverpool's successes were overshadowed by the Hillsborough disaster. On 15 April 1989, when Liverpool were playing Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi-final, hundreds of Liverpool fans were crushed against perimeter fencing.[8] Ninety-four fans died that day and a ninety-fifth fan died in hospital from his injuries four days later. A ninety-sixth fan died nearly four years later never having regained consciousness.

After the Hillsborough tragedy there was a governmental review of stadium safety. Known as the Taylor Report, it paved the way for legislation requiring all-seater stadiums in the top-flight. The report ruled that the main reasons for the disaster were overcrowding due to a failure of police control.[22][23]

1991 saw Graeme Souness installed as manager. However, apart from an FA Cup win in his first season, his reign was not successful. After a shock exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Bristol City at Anfield, "Boot room" veteran Roy Evans took over. While his tenure saw some improvement in league form, in his five seasons the club never finished higher than third. Evans' only trophy win was the 1995 League Cup. Gérard Houllier, the former French national coach, was drafted into the Liverpool management team for the 1998-99 season to work alongside Roy Evans, but the partnership did not work out and Evans resigned in November 1998.[24]

File:Liverpool Champions League.jpg
Steven Gerrard holding aloft the European Cup in Istanbul in May 2005

2000–01 was Liverpool's best season for many years as the team completed a unique treble of the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup.[25] They finished second in 2002, a year in which Houllier suffered heart problems throughout the season and this resulted in him having to miss a match with Leeds and having to undergo major heart surgery.[26] Liverpool looked like becoming a force in English Football once again, but Houllier would only win one more trophy in his time in charge, another League Cup in 2003. Against a background of growing disquiet amongst Liverpool supporters, Houllier and Liverpool parted by mutual consent at the end of the 2003–04 season.[27]

Spaniard Rafael Benítez took over and in his first season Liverpool finished a disappointing fifth in the Premier League. The season had a surprising ending, however, as Liverpool won their fifth European Cup final in Istanbul. The Reds met the heavily favoured Italian club A.C. Milan in an astonishing final. Liverpool trailed 3-0 at half time (after two goals by on-loan Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo and a first minute Paolo Maldini goal), and looked much the inexperienced side over the first 45 minutes, but they made a dramatic comeback by scoring three goals in a period of only six minutes in the second half, forcing extra time. Liverpool went on to win the penalty shoot-out thanks to goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek.[28]

In 2005–06 Liverpool won the UEFA Super Cup in a 3-1 win over CSKA Moscow, and gathered 82 points in the Premiership, their highest points total in the top-flight since 1988. After beating Manchester United 1-0 and Chelsea 2-1, they won the FA Cup in yet another dramatic final, this time against West Ham in which Liverpool trailed 3-2 until Captain Steven Gerrard fired home a goal from 35-yards out past helpless goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, as the PA system was announcing injury time. They went on to win in a penalty shootout, this time thanks to new goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

Liverpool's 2006–07 season began with a 2-1 victory over defending Premiership champions Chelsea to win the Community Shield. On February 6, 2007, the club's lengthy search for investment came to an end when American businessmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks became the owners of Liverpool F.C. in a deal worth £470 million.[29]

However, Liverpool were knocked from both the FA Cup and League Cup in a single week in early January by Arsenal FC, losing 1-3 and 3-6.[30] An inadequate start to the domestic season eventually picked up some speed, and Liverpool finished in third place in the Premiership for the second consecutive season. Benitez did guide Liverpool to the 2006-07 UEFA Champions League final on May 23rd, after Pepe Reina made two saves in the penalty kick shooutout in the semi-final against Chelsea FC.[31] Facing AC Milan in a rematch of the 2005 final, Liverpool lost 2-1.

With Liverpool's 2006–07 season finished Rafa Benitez has pledged to mount a more consistent title challenge next year, and has already begun overhauling his squad.[32]

Notable players

Main article: List of Liverpool F.C. players

In the period before the Second World War several players played for Liverpool for lengthy periods of time, earning themselves great admiration. Among these were Ephraim Longworth, a solid full-back who became Liverpool's first England captain in 1921,[14] and Elisha Scott, who played in goal for Liverpool for 22 years, making him the longest serving Liverpool player ever.[33] In front of goal, of particular note is Gordon Hodgson, who scored a record 17 hat tricks playing for the club in the 20s and 30s.[33]

In the 1960s, as Bill Shankly transformed the club into a European power, among the players who established themselves as key elements of Liverpool's success were Ron Yeats, who Shankly famously described as his "colossus",[34] and Roger Hunt, who scored 245 league goals (still a club record) as well as being part of England's World Cup winning team in 1966.[35]

Paisley's additions to the squad were an important factor in Liverpool's success during the 70s and 80s. Two Scottish signings of 1977 had a particular impact: Alan Hansen, who was a part of 3 European Cup winning teams[36], and Kenny Dalglish, known to fans as 'King Kenny',[21] would excel as a Liverpool player before becoming Liverpool's first Double-winning manager. In 1980 Paisley signed 19 year old Ian Rush, who progressed to become the club's leading goalscorer.[33]

More recently famous players have emerged from Liverpool's youth set up. In the early 1990s Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler emerged to play as winger and striker for the club, while later in the decade Michael Owen, current captain Steven Gerrard and vice-captain Jamie Carragher came through the highly commended Liverpool Academy.[37]

Colours and badge

Liverpool's original home colours (1892–1894)

Liverpool's traditional colours are red and white, with the home kit having been all red since the mid 1960s. However, it was not always this way. In the early days, when the club took over Anfield from Everton, they used the Toffees' colours of blue and white, wearing a kit almost identical to that worn by the Everton team of the time. By 1894 Liverpool had adopted the colour of red, and in 1901 the city's liver bird was adopted as the club badge.[38] For the next sixty years Liverpool's kit was red shirts with white shorts (socks alternated over the years from red, to black, to white, and back to red again).

In 1964, then Liverpool manager Bill Shankly decided to send the team out in all red for the first time against Anderlecht, as Ian St. John recalled in his autobiography:

He thought the colour scheme would carry psychological impact — red for danger, red for power. He came into the dressing room one day and threw a pair of red shorts to Ronnie Yeats. “Get into those shorts and let’s see how you look,” he said. “Christ, Ronnie, you look awesome, terrifying. You look 7ft tall.” “Why not go the whole hog, boss?” I suggested. “Why not wear red socks? Let’s go out all in red.” Shankly approved and an iconic kit was born.[39]

Liverpool's away colours are traditionally either white shirts and black shorts or all yellow. However, in 1987 an all grey kit was introduced. The away kit was then grey until the centenary season of 1991–92, when it was replaced by a combination of green shirts and white shorts. After various colour combinations in the 1990s, including gold and navy, bright yellow, black and grey, and ecru, the club have settled down in the 2000s into a pattern that alternates yellow with white each year (with the previous season's away kit usually used as a third change kit).[40] The current away kit is all yellow with red trim, while a third kit of white and green, designed primarily for Champions League away games, is also used for any domestic games where both red and yellow would clash. The most notable case of this in the 2006/07 season was the away game against Watford FC. [41] The current kits are designed by Adidas.[42]

The current Liverpool badge is based around the traditional liver bird, which is placed inside a shield. Above the shield is a representation of Anfield's Shankly Gates bearing the title of club's famous anthem, "You'll Never Walk Alone". The twin flames at either side are symbolic of the Hillsborough memorial — an eternal flame burns outside Anfield in memory of those who died in the disaster.

Stadium

Main article: Anfield
Anfield, home of Liverpool F.C.

The Anfield stadium was built in 1884 on land adjacent to Stanley Park, and was originally inhabited by Everton F.C..[43] They left the ground in 1892 over a rent dispute. Anfield's owner, John Houlding, decided to form a new club to play at the ground, which became Liverpool FC.

In 1906, the banked stand at one end of the ground was formally renamed the Spion Kop[44], after a hill in Natal that was the site of a battle in the Second Boer War, where over 300 men of the Lancashire Regiment died, many of whom were from Liverpool. Fans that regularly use the Kop are known as Kopites. At its largest, the stand could hold 28,000 spectators, and was one of the largest single tier stands in the world. Local folklore claimed that the fans in the Kop could "suck the ball into the goal" if Liverpool were playing towards that end - and in most games, Liverpool play the second half towards the Kop. The stand was considerably reduced in capacity due to safety measures brought in following the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, and it was completely rebuilt as an all seater stand in 1994, although it is still a single tier. The current capacity is 12,390.[45]

The Anfield Road Stand is positioned at the opposite end to the Kop and houses the away-fans section. It is the newest stand at Anfield having been rebuilt in 1998 with a capacity of 9,074. The two side stands are the Main Stand, capacity 12,227, and the Centenary Stand, capacity 11,762. The Main Stand is the oldest part of Anfield, having remained largely untouched since it's redevelopment in 1973. It houses the players' changing rooms and the director's box, and the dug-outs are in front of the stand.

The Centenary Stand was previously known as the Kemlyn Road Stand until it was rebuilt for the club's centenary in 1992. This redevelopment saw the houses in Kemlyn Road demolished and the address become non-existent.

The current overall capacity of the stadium is 45,362[46] and it is rated as a 4 Star Stadium in the UEFA Stadia List.[47]

On July 30 2004, Liverpool City Council granted the club planning permission to build a new 61,000 seat stadium just 300 yards away from Anfield at Stanley Park[48] and on September 8,2006 Liverpool City Council agreed to grant Liverpool F.C. a 999 year lease of land on the proposed site.[49] Following the takeover of the club in February 2007 by George Gillet Jr and Tom Hicks, the new owners announced their financial backing for the plans, indicating that construction work would begin some time in May 2007.[50] The new stadium is expected to be ready in time for the start of the 2009-10 season. However most recent comments by the club's American owners (Gillet and Hicks) reflect their dissatisfaction with the new ground's proposed 61,000 capacity, expressing a clear determination to expand its total capacity to "...something in excess of 70,000" and to incorporate a massive, acoustically magnifying, "Kop" end.[51]

Club culture

Shankly Gates

The song "You'll Never Walk Alone", originally from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel and famously recorded by Liverpool musicians Gerry & The Pacemakers, is the anthem of Liverpool FC and has been sung by the Anfield crowd since the early 1960s.The song has since gained popularity among the fans of other clubs around the world. Claims that "You'll Never Walk Alone" was first sung by fans at other clubs have been dismissed as very unlikely.[52] The song's title adorns the top of the Shankly Gates which were unveiled 26 August 1982 in memory of former manager, Bill Shankly. The "You'll Never Walk Alone" banner portion of the Shankly Gates is also reproduced in the Liverpool FC crest. The Boot Room was also an important part of Liverpool's history and club culture.

Liverpool fans, singing "You'll Never Walk Alone", were featured in the Pink Floyd song, "Fearless". Other popular chants include "Fields of Anfield Road" (to the tune of "The Fields of Athenry"), "Poor Scouser Tommy" (first section to the tune of "Red River Valley; second section to the tune of The Sash"), "Liverbird Upon My Chest" (to the tune of "Ballad of the Green Berets"), "We've Won It Five Times" (to the tune of "Sloop John B"), and "Ring of Fire".

Through The Wind And Rain is the longest running Liverpool fanzine. The name is taken from "You'll Never Walk Alone".

Under Rafael Benítez, today's Liverpool FC has gained a Spanish influence. As well as having a Spanish manager, the assistant manager, Pako Ayesteran, and the goalkeeping coach, Jose Ochotorena, are also Spanish, as is physiotherapist, Víctor Salinas. However, there are only five Spaniards in the current squad, although twelve players in total have been brought to Liverpool directly from La Liga.

Liverpool's longest standing rivalry is with fellow Merseyside team Everton, against whom they contest the Merseyside derby. This stems from Liverpool's formation after a dispute with Everton officials and the owners of Anfield (the ground Everton were using at the time). Religious differences have been cited as a division, though both teams stem from a Methodist origin, undermining the notion of a Catholic–Protestant split.[53] The Merseyside derby is usually a sell out fixture and tends to be a scrappy affair; it has had more red cards than any other fixture in Premiership history.[54]

Liverpool also have a significant rivalry with north-west neighbours Manchester United. This is mostly due to the success enjoyed by the two clubs and the geographical closeness of the two cities. Liverpool and Manchester United are the two most successful teams in England, both with large international support. Liverpool dominated the 1970s and 1980s while Manchester United dominated the 1990s and the early 2000s. Usually the matches between the two are played at midday both due to media (TV) interest and to discourage fans from drinking before the game. The Ronny Yu movie The 51st State (known as Formula 51 in the US) features a scene where Felix DeSouza walks into a bar in Manchester filled with Manchester United supporters, wearing a Liverpool jersey. Also, the conclusion to the movie is centered around a Liverpool-Manchester United match at Anfield

Criticism of fans by UEFA

Following the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985, Liverpool Football Club were banned for an additional three years from competing in UEFA competitions (on top of the already unlimited ban imposed on all English teams) and their fans were blamed wholly for the disaster and 36 deaths. This ban was later reduced to one additional year, meaning Liverpool could not enter the 1990/91 European Cup competition.

On 4 June 2007, UEFA spokesman William Gaillard was quoted in media reports citing a UEFA report claiming that Liverpool fans were 'the worst fans in Europe'. [55]

The most publicised claims from the report were that 'fans stole tickets from children' and that 'fans without tickets charged entry gates'. Furthermore, Gaillard claimed that up to '25 incidents involving Liverpool fans' had occured since 2003, and were outlined in the report compiled by an unamed police force in Europe. [56]

Liverpool F.C. Chief Executive Rick Parry responded to the criticism which mainly focused on the 2007 Champions League final in Athens. He said that "To have a stadium with no counting system and no turnstiles is unforgivable for any standard of the game, let alone a major final.".[57]

Co-Chairman Tom Hicks went further, labelling Gaillard 'a clown', and continuing "It's a classic case of a bureaucrat trying to take the pressure off himself. They didn't handle it right, they didn't have proper ticketing procedures and unfortunately there were counterfeit tickets".[58]

However, by 6 June 2007, UEFA president Michel Platini had retracted the accusation. Platini said that "No they are not the worst behaved in Europe...It's official, they are not the worst behaved."[59]

On 7 June 2007 it was reported that the report handed to British Minister for Sport and Tourism Richard Caborn did not contain any of the purported '25 incidents involving Liverpool fans', and that he - along with Platini - considered the matter closed.[60] It was also stated that UEFA spokesman Gaillard would possibly face disciplinary action over his original comments, which he now suggested had been misquoted.[61]

Current squad

As of April 30, 2007.[62] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Poland POL Jerzy Dudek
2 DF Spain ESP Álvaro Arbeloa
3 DF Ireland EIR Steve Finnan
4 DF Finland FIN Sami Hyypiä
5 DF Denmark DEN Daniel Agger
6 DF Norway NOR John Arne Riise
7 MF Australia AUS Harry Kewell
8 MF England ENG Steven Gerrard (captain)
9 FW England ENG Robbie Fowler
10 MF Spain ESP Luis García
11 MF Chile CHI Mark González
12 DF Brazil BRA Fábio Aurélio
14 MF Spain ESP Xabi Alonso
15 FW England ENG Peter Crouch
16 MF England ENG Jermaine Pennant
17 FW Wales WAL Craig Bellamy
18 FW Netherlands NED Dirk Kuyt
20 MF Argentina ARG Javier Mascherano
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 MF Mali MLI Mohamed Sissoko
23 DF England ENG Jamie Carragher (vice-captain)
25 GK Spain ESP Pepe Reina
26 MF England ENG Paul Anderson
29 DF Argentina ARG Gabriel Paletta
32 MF Netherlands NED Boudewijn Zenden
34 DF Spain ESP Miki Roque
35 MF England ENG Danny Guthrie
36 MF England ENG Adam Hammill
37 DF England ENG Lee Peltier
38 FW England ENG Craig Lindfield
39 DF England ENG Stephen Darby
40 GK England ENG David Martin
42 FW Morocco MAR Nabil El Zhar
45 DF England ENG James Smith
46 DF England ENG Jack Hobbs
48 DF Argentina ARG Emiliano Insua (on loan from Boca Juniors)

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Australia AUS Dean Bouzanis (Sydney FC - to February 2008 due to minimum age restrictions)[63]
— GK England ENG Scott Carson (Charlton - to June 2007)[64]
No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW France FRA Djibril Cissé (Olympique de Marseille - to June 2007)[65]
— MF France FRA Anthony Le Tallec (Sochaux - to June 2007)[66]

Future arrivals

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW Ukraine UKR Andriy Voronin (free - from Bayer Leverkusen - July 2007)[67]
— MF Argentina ARG Sebastián Leto (£2.5million - from Club Atlético Lanús - July 2007)[68]
— MF Scotland SCO Gary Mackay Steven (undisclosed - from Ross County - July 2007)[69]
— MF Sweden SWE Alexander Kacaniklic (£75,000(compensation) from Helsingborgs IF - July 2007)[70]
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Brazil BRA Lucas (£6.5million from Gremio - July 2007)[71]
— FW Hungary HUN Krisztián Németh (undisclosed from MTK Hungária FC - July 2007)[72]
— FW Hungary HUN András Simon (undisclosed from MTK Hungária FC - July 2007)[72]

For recent transfers, see List of English football transfers 2007-08.

Technical staff

Name Role
SpainRafael Benítez Manager
SpainPako Ayestaran Assistant Manager
ScotlandAlex Miller First Team Coach
SpainJosé Ochotorena Goalkeeping Coach
SpainAntonio Gomez Fitness Coach
EnglandGary Ablett Reserve Team Manager
Republic of IrelandSteve Heighway Academy Director
EnglandFrank McParland Joint Chief Scout
SpainEduardo Macia Joint Chief Scout
EnglandMark Waller Doctor
EnglandRob Price Senior Physiotherapist

Managers

As of April 15, 2007. Only competitive matches are counted.[73]

Name Nat From To P W D L Win % Lge Titles FAC FLC EC UEFAC Other[74]
W. E. Barclay and John McKenna[75] England / Republic of Ireland 1892 August 1892 1896 July 1896 101 58 17 26 57.43% 0 0 0 0 0 3
Tom Watson England 1896 August 1896 1915 May 1915 740 327 141 272 44.19% 2 0 0 0 0 1
David Ashworth England 1920 December 1920 1923 February 1923 58 25 24 9 43.1% 1 0 0 0 0 0
Matt McQueen Scotland 1923 February 1923 1928 February 1928 229 94 61 74 41.05% 1 0 0 0 0 0
George Patterson England 1928 February 1928 1936 May 1936 370 139 86 145 37.57% 0 0 0 0 0 0
George Kay England 1936 May 1936 1951 February 1951 359 143 93 123 39.83% 1 0 0 0 0 0
Don Welsh England 1951 March 1951 1956 May 1956 234 82 60 92 35.04% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Phil Taylor England 1956 May 1956 1959 November 1959 153 77 32 44 50.33% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bill Shankly Scotland 1959 December 1959 1974 July 1974 753 393 185 175 52.19% 3 2 0 0 1 4
Bob Paisley England 1974 July 1974 1983 May 1983 490 275 124 91 56.12% 6 0 3 3 1 6
Joe Fagan England 1983 May 1983 1985 May 1985 122 65 34 23 53.28% 1 0 1 1 0 0
Kenny Dalglish Scotland 1985 May 1985 1991-02 February 1991 297 180 76 41 60.61% 3 2 0 0 0 4
Ronnie Moran[76] England 1991-02 February 1991 1991-04 April 1991 10 4 1 5 40% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Graeme Souness Scotland 1991-04 April 1991 1994 January 1994 157 65 47 45 41.4% 0 1 0 0 0 0
Roy Evans England 1994 January 1994 1998-07 July 1998 226 116 57 53 51.33% 0 0 1 0 0 0
Roy Evans and Gérard Houllier[77] England / France 1998-07 July 1998 1998-11 November 1998 18 7 6 5 38.89% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Gérard Houllier[78] France 1998-11 November 1998 2004 May 2004 306 157 75 74 51.31% 0 1 2 0 1 2
Rafael Benítez Spain 2004 June 2004 9999 Present 172 98 32 42 56.98% 0 1 0 1 0 2

Honours

Domestic

League

  • League[79] titles: 18
    • 1900-01, 1905-06, 1921-22, 1922-23, 1946-47, 1963-64, 1965-66, 1972-73, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1985-86, 1987-88, 1989-90
  • Lancashire League
    • 1892-93
  • Division Two (Level 2)
    • 1893-94, 1895-96, 1904-05, 1961-62

Cups

  • FA Cups: 7
    • 1965, 1974, 1986, 1989, 1992, 2001, 2006
  • Community Shields[80]: 15 (10 outright, 5 shared)
    • 1964 (shared), 1965 (shared), 1966, 1974, 1976, 1977 (shared), 1979, 1980, 1982, 1986 (shared), 1988, 1989, 1990 (shared), 2001, 2006

Europe


Liverpool's tally of eighteen Football League championships is a record for English clubs, their nearest challenger being Manchester United with sixteen. Liverpool achieved the League and FA Cup "Double" in 1986 and have won two "Trebles". The first treble of League, League Cup and European Cup was achieved in 1984 and a cup treble (or plastic treble as it became known as) was achieved in 2001 comprising the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup.

Liverpool's total of five European Cups[2] is an English record and the third highest total overall, after Real Madrid and AC Milan. The fifth victory in 2005 entitled Liverpool to receive the UEFA badge of honour, thus allowing them to keep the trophy permanently.[82] However, Liverpool have never won the Intercontinental Cup (football) nor the FIFA Club World Cup as of yet despite all the European Cups with many instances involving refusal to take part.

Liverpool's total of three UEFA Cups is an English record, and equal to the overall record, shared with four other clubs. The tallies of seven League Cups and three European Super Cups are also English records.

Club records and statistics

Main article: Liverpool F.C. statistics

Liverpool's first ever competitive game was in the Lancashire League against Higher Walton. They won 8-0 with a mostly Scottish team.[83]

Ian Callaghan holds Liverpool's appearance record, having made 848 over the course of 19 seasons from 1958–78.[84] He also holds the record for League appearances with 640.[46] Of the current squad Jamie Carragher has the most appearances with 455 (as of 2 March, 2007).

Liverpool's all time leading scorer is Ian Rush, who scored 346 goals in two spells at the club from 1980–1987 and 1988-1996.[84] Rush holds the record for the most goals in a season with 47 in 1983–84. However, during his career, Rush could not surpass the league goal-scoring record of Roger Hunt, which has stood at 245 since 1970.[46] In the 1961–62 season, Hunt scored 41 goals, setting the club record for league goals in a single season.[46] Gordon Hodgson is the club's third highest scorer wirh 240 goals,[84] and holds the club record of 17 hat tricks.[85] The most goals scored by a player in a single match is 5, which has been achieved by John Miller, Andy McGuigan, John Evans, Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler.[86] Fowler also holds the club and Premiership record for the fastest hat trick from when he scored three past Arsenal in 4 minutes, 32 seconds in the second game of the 1994–95 season.[87] Steven Gerrard (current Liverpool FC Captain) is Liverpool's all-time leading goalscorer in the European Cup with 19 goals.[88]

Liverpool's biggest ever victory was 11-0 against Strømsgodset I.F. in 1974, in which nine of the ten outfield players scored — a Liverpool record.[46] Rotherham Town were the victims of Liverpool's biggest league win, losing 10-1 in 1896.[46] This margin of victory was matched in the modern era, as Crystal Palace were defeated 9-0 at Anfield in 1989.[89] Liverpool's heaviest defeats were against Huddersfield in 1935 (0-8) and Birmingham City F.C. in 1954 (1-9).[46]

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ Liverpool have won more Football League titles, European Cups, UEFA Cups, League Cups and European Super Cups than any other English team. Arch-rivals Manchester United hold the records for most FA Cup, Intercontinental Cup and Community Shield trophies, and have also lifted the European Cup Winners' Cup which Liverpool have not.
  2. ^ a b c Up until 1992, the premier European competition was named the European Cup; since then, it has been the UEFA Champions League.
  3. ^ "G-14's members". g14.com. Retrieved 12 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "Anfield". stadiumguide.com. Retrieved 9 April. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Reds to begin stadium work in May". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 April. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b "On This Day - 29th May 1985: Fans die in Heysel rioting". BBC News. Retrieved 12 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "Hillsborough Memorial". Liverpoolfc.tv. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
  8. ^ a b "On This Day - 15th April 1989: Soccer fans crushed at Hillsborough". BBC News. Retrieved 12 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "News Report". Guardian unlimited. Retrieved 3 June. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=JPYUYYPJEJ0K1QFIQMFSFFWAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/sport/2007/06/06/sfnliv06.xml
  11. ^ "LFC Story". Liverpool F.C. official site (liverpoolfc.tv). Retrieved 17 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "2nd Division League table for the 1893-1894 season". lfchistory.net. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  13. ^ "Liverpool in the FA Cup - Season by Season". lfchistory.net. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  14. ^ a b "Profile of Ephraim Longworth". Liverpool F.C. official site (liverpoolfc.tv). Retrieved 17 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ Darby, Stephen F. (1998). Talking Shankly: the man, the genius, the legend. Edinburgh: Mainstream. ISBN 1-84018-493-0.
  16. ^ Kelly, Stephen F. (1999). The Boot Room Boys: Inside the Anfield Boot Room. London: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-00-218907-0. p86
  17. ^ In 1978-79 the Football League awarded two points for a win, as opposed to the current three. Under current rules, Liverpool would have obtained 98 points in 77-79.
  18. ^ "Football: Season Details: 1979". krysstal.com. Retrieved 17 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ "The legacy of the boot room". BBC News. Retrieved 12 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ "Football: The European Cup". krysstal.com. Retrieved 24 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ a b "Profile of Kenny Dalglish". Liverpool F.C. official site (liverpoolfc.tv). Retrieved 21 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ "Taylor's interim report on the Hillsborough stadium disaster, August 1989 (zipped pdf)".
  23. ^ "A hard lesson to learn". BBC News. Retrieved 12 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ Kelly, Stephen F. (1999). The Boot Room Boys: Inside the Anfield Boot Room. London: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-00-218907-0. p227
  25. ^ "Houllier acclaims Euro triumph". BBC News. Retrieved 24 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ "Houllier 'satisfactory' after surgery". BBC News. Retrieved 13 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ McNulty, Phil (05-24-2004). "Houllier to leave Liverpool". BBC. Retrieved 2007-04-13. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ "AC Milan 3-3 Liverpool (aet)". BBC. 05-25-2005. Retrieved 2007-04-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ "US pair agree Liverpool takeover". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ Lyon, Sam (2005-01-09). "Liverpool 3-6 Arsenal". BBC. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ Winter, Henry (2005-05-23). "Reina heroics put Chelsea on the spot". The Daily Telegraph. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ "We must spend big, says Benitez". BBC Sport.
  33. ^ a b c "LFC Records". Liverpool F.C. official site (liverpoolfc.tv). Retrieved 9 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  34. ^ "Ron Yeats: The Colossus". lfchistory.net. Retrieved 12 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  35. ^ "Profile of Roger Hunt". Liverpool F.C. official site (liverpoolfc.tv). Retrieved 9 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  36. ^ "Profile of Alan Hansen". Liverpool F.C. official site (liverpoolfc.tv). Retrieved 12 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  37. ^ "The Liverpool F.C. Academy in Kirkby". liverweb.org.uk. Retrieved 9 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  38. ^ "LFC Story". Liverpool F.C. official site (liverpoolfc.tv). Retrieved 17 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  39. ^ "Shankly: the hero who let me down". Ian St. John's autobiography serialised in The Times. Retrieved 12 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  40. ^ "Club Colours - Away kit pictures". liverweb.org.uk. Retrieved 17 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  41. ^ "Official LFC Shirts 2006". Liverpool F.C. official site (liverpoolfc.tv). Retrieved 17 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  42. ^ "Back on home turf, as adidas returns to Liverpool". adidas.com. Retrieved 17 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  43. ^ "Where should Everton move? That's easy - to Anfield". guardian. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  44. ^ Celebrating 100 Years of the Kop, Liverpool FC website, 2006-08-06, retrieved 2007-05-21.
  45. ^ "capacity of the kop". footballderbies.com. Retrieved 2007-04-10.
  46. ^ a b c d e f g Rollin, Jack and Glenda (2006–2007). Sky Sports Football Yearbook. Headline. pp. p232-233. ISBN 0-7553-1526-X. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: date format (link)
  47. ^ Fussballtempel.net. "UEFA 4 and 5 Star Stadia". Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  48. ^ "Reds stadium gets go-ahead". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 12 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  49. ^ "Liverpool get go-ahead on stadium". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  50. ^ "WORK ON STADIUM TO START NEXT MONTH". Liverpoolfc.tv. Retrieved 2 April. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  51. ^ "Home is where the heart is..." Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 8 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  52. ^ "Liverpool or Celtic: who Walked Alone first?". Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 12 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  53. ^ "Why the Everton/Liverpool rivalry isn't religious". Toffeeweb. Retrieved August 21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  54. ^ "Two more red cards in the derby". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved August 21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  55. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/6717793.stm
  56. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/6721545.stm
  57. ^ "News Report". Guardian unlimited. Retrieved 4 June. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  58. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/6721545.stm
  59. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/6721545.stm
  60. ^ http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liverpoolfc/0100news/tm_headline=future-of-uefa-offical-in-fans-row-hangs-in-balance%26method=full%26objectid=19257629%26siteid=50061-name_page.html
  61. ^ http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liverpoolfc/0100news/tm_headline=gaillard-under-pressure-for--worst-fans--outburst%26method=full%26objectid=19260532%26siteid=50061-name_page.html
  62. ^ "Liverpool FC Squad". Liverpoolfc.tv. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  63. ^ "Dean Bouzanis Player Profile". Sydney FC. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  64. ^ "Carson Joins Addicks on Loan". Liverpoolfc.tv. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  65. ^ ""Benitez: Loan Move good For Cisse"". Liverpoolfc.tv. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  66. ^ "Le Tallec Completes Loan Switch". Liverpoolfc.tv. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  67. ^ "Voronin set for Anfield move". Liverpoolfc.tv. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
  68. ^ "Leto relishing Reds chance". Sky Sports. 10 January, 2007. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  69. ^ "Liverpool sign up Ross County kid". BBC. 2007-03-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  70. ^ "Reds recruit teen midfielder". Retrieved 2007-05-30.
  71. ^ "Reds to sign Brazillian midfielder". Retrieved 2007-05-11.
  72. ^ a b "Reds agree double Hungarian swoop". Liverpool FC. 2007-05-28. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  73. ^ "Manager History for Liverpool". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  74. ^ Includes the Charity Shield, European Super Cup, Division 2 and the Lancashire League
  75. ^ The official Liverpool website lists Barclay and McKenna as joint managers. Barclay held the post of "secretary-manager" and McKenna held the post of "coach-manager". (Reference: "William E. Barclay: 'Joint Manager' (1892-96)". Liverpool official website. Retrieved 12 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help))
  76. ^ Ronnie Moran served as caretaker manager.
  77. ^ Houllier was brought into Liverpool in the summer of 1998 to share the burden with Evans as joint-managers.
  78. ^ Houllier was absent from October 2001 to February 2002, due to illness. During this time, Phil Thompson stepped in as temporary manager (P33 W16 D12 L5). These matches are included in Houllier's record.
  79. ^ Up until 1992, the top division of English football was the Football League First Division; since then, it has been the Premier League.
  80. ^ The trophy was known as the Charity Shield until 2002, and as the Community Shield since then.
  81. ^ Intruduced after English team got banned Heysel Stadium disaster
  82. ^ UEFA (2006). "Regulations of the UEFA Champions League" (PDF). pp. 10 and 26. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  83. ^ LFCHistory.net. "Liverpool v. Higher Walton, 1892, Match Details". Retrieved 2007-03-07. {{cite web}}: External link in |author= (help)
  84. ^ a b c Matthews, Tony (2006). Who's Who of Liverpool. Mainstream. ISBN 1-84596-140-4.
  85. ^ LFCHistory.net. "Total Hat-tricks by Player". Retrieved 2007-03-07. {{cite web}}: External link in |author= (help)
  86. ^ LFCHistory.net. "All Hat-tricks in Official Matches". Retrieved 2007-03-07. {{cite web}}: External link in |author= (help)
  87. ^ "The hat-trick Hall of Fame". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  88. ^ http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/match/next/
  89. ^ "Liverpool 9 - 0 Crystal Palace". LFCHistory.net. Retrieved 8 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
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