Who is the greatest Liverpool payer? The club has been around since 1892 and it is difficult to say who their greatest player is. For one, we do not have sufficient documentary, especially visual verification on the greatness of players from the pre-TV era. So, in making my list of the greatest reds, I shall limit the selection form the mid 60s onwards.
Kenny Dalglish (1977-91)
King Kenny was bought to replace the Hamburg bound King Kev in 1977. Bob Paisley paid GBP440k for the 26 year old striker, a princely sum back then but the new No. 7 repaid the manager’s faith by helping to win the European Cup in his first season. He went on to play 515 games for Liverpool, scoring 172 goals over a 14 year career which included six as a manager. He won 8 league titles, 3 European cups, 2 FA cups, 4 League cups, 7 Charity Shields, twice Football Writers' Footballer of the Year, PFA Player of the Year once and 3 Manager of the Year awards.
Ian Rush (1980-87, 1988-96)
Rush spent a total of 15 seasons and 660 games in two spells with Liverpool. He is the highest Liverpool scorer of all time, scoring 346 goals, 229 of them in the league including 47 in 1983-84. His record of 39 FA cup and 48 League cup goals for Liverpool is yet to be broken. Rush’s 16 hattricks puts him second behind Gordon Hodgson’s 17.
Steven Gerrard (1998- )
Stevie G was spotted by scouts at 9 and became a product of Liverpool’s youth system. He made his debut in place of the injured Jamie Redknapp in 1998 and was made captain five years later, at the young age of 23. Gerrard has won everything with Liverpool except for the League. The 2005 Champion’s league victory over AC Milan was sparked by the captain marvel and his equaliser in the FA cup final the following year ensured Liverpool won their 7th FA cup.
- Kevin Keegan (1971-77) He was permanently in the first team, Keegan never played in a single reserve fixture during the whole of his seven seasons at Anfield
- Greame Souness (1978-84) A true midfield maestro who is certain to finish on everyone's greatest Liverpool XI list.
- John Barnes (1987-97) Fans often targeted Barnes for racist abuse, but he silenced them with the sheer quality of his passing, dribbling and finishing.
- Ray Clemence (1967-1981) Arguably the best goalkeeper in Liverpool's history, keeping 335 clean sheets in 665 appearances.
- Robbie Fowler (1993-2001, 2006-07) He scored 5 goals in his 4th game for Liverpool's first team and a hat-trick in his 5th league match. He’s a Liverpool star who could have smashed Ian Rush's scoring record had he not left for Leeds in 2001.
- Michael Owen (1997-2004) The only Liverpool player who has been voted the best player in Europe
- Bruce Grobbelaar (1981-94) An athletic goalkeeper who kept virtually unstoppable shots at bay
- Roger Hunt (1959-70) Liverpool's top goalscorer 8 years in a row from 1962-69
- Phil Neal (1974-85) played 417 consecutive games for Liverpool, a record, from 23 October 1976 to 24 September 1983.
Did you know that the great Manchester United manager, Sir Matt Busby was Liverpool’s captain in 1939-40?
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