Liverpool F.C.: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
Line 88: | Line 88: | ||
<!-- Please cite a verifiable source to dispute any claim hereinafter. An unverifiable assertion may be reverted by other editors owing to Wikipedia's policy. Comments are welcome on the discussion page. Thank you. --> |
<!-- Please cite a verifiable source to dispute any claim hereinafter. An unverifiable assertion may be reverted by other editors owing to Wikipedia's policy. Comments are welcome on the discussion page. Thank you. --> |
||
[[Image:Shankly Gates.jpg|thumb|right|Shankly Gates]] |
[[Image:Shankly Gates.jpg|thumb|right|Shankly Gates]] |
||
Liverpool has a large and |
Liverpool has a large and loyal fan-base, and nearly all home matches sell out. During the current [[Liverpool F.C. season 2008–09|season]], Liverpool has the fifth-highest average League attendance for an English club: 43,398, which is 95.6% of available capacity.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://itv.stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/PR/attend.html|title=Barclays Premier League Attendance Table| publisher=[[ITV Sport]] | accessdate=23 December 2008 }}</ref> Liverpool fans often refer to themselves as "[[Kopites]]", which is a reference to the fans who once stood, and now sit, on the Kop at Anfield.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/news/newsid=797469.html |title=Anfield giants never walk alone |publisher=[[FIFA]] |date=11 June 2008 |accessdate=14 November 2008 }}</ref> |
||
The song "[[You'll Never Walk Alone (song)|You'll Never Walk Alone]]", originally from the [[Rodgers and Hammerstein]] musical ''[[Carousel (musical)|Carousel]]'' and later recorded by Liverpool musicians [[Gerry & The Pacemakers]], is the club's anthem, and has been sung by the Anfield crowd since the early 1960s. It has since gained popularity among fans of other clubs around the world.<ref>Cavanagh, John. ''Songlines'', BBC Radio Scotland. December 2006.</ref> The song's title adorns the top of the [[Anfield|Shankly Gates]], which were unveiled on 2 August 1982 in memory of the former manager [[Bill Shankly]]. The "You'll Never Walk Alone" portion of the Shankly Gates is also reproduced on the club's crest. |
The song "[[You'll Never Walk Alone (song)|You'll Never Walk Alone]]", originally from the [[Rodgers and Hammerstein]] musical ''[[Carousel (musical)|Carousel]]'' and later recorded by Liverpool musicians [[Gerry & The Pacemakers]], is the club's anthem, and has been sung by the Anfield crowd since the early 1960s. It has since gained popularity among fans of other clubs around the world.<ref>Cavanagh, John. ''Songlines'', BBC Radio Scotland. December 2006.</ref> The song's title adorns the top of the [[Anfield|Shankly Gates]], which were unveiled on 2 August 1982 in memory of the former manager [[Bill Shankly]]. The "You'll Never Walk Alone" portion of the Shankly Gates is also reproduced on the club's crest. |
||
Line 102: | Line 102: | ||
==Liverpool in popular culture== |
==Liverpool in popular culture== |
||
As |
As the most successful team in the history of English Football, Liverpool is often featured when football is depicted in [[British culture]] and has appeared in a number of media "firsts". The club appeared in the first edition of the [[BBC]]'s [[Match of the Day]], which screened highlights of their match against Arsenal at [[Anfield]] on 22 August 1964. The club was also the subject of television's first colour football transmission, which showed their match against [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] live.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kelly|title=You'll Never Walk Alone|page=188}}</ref> Liverpool fans feature in the [[Pink Floyd]] song "[[Fearless (song)|Fearless]]", in which they sang excerpts from "You'll Never Walk Alone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A330652 |title=The Hillsborough Tragedy |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=16 June 2000 |accessdate=23 December 2008 }}</ref> Liverpool released a song known as the "Anfield Rap" in 1988. It was the club's FA Cup anthem for the [[1988 FA Cup Final|final]] against [[Wimbledon F.C.|Wimbledon]], and featured [[John Barnes (footballer)|John Barnes]] performing a rap with other members of the squad participating.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4770012.stm |title=Footballer Barnes for rap return |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=3 March 2006 |accessdate=2 December 2008 }}</ref> |
||
A documentary drama on the [[Hillsborough Disaster]] written by [[Jimmy McGovern]] was screened in 1996. It features [[Christopher Eccleston]] as Trevor Hicks, whose story formed the focus of the script. Hicks, who lost two teenage daughters in the disaster, went on to campaign for safer stadia and helped to form the Hillsborough Families Support Group.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/04/99/hillsborough/313635.stm |title=Hillsborough's Sad Legacy |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=14 April 1999 |accessdate=23 December 2008 }}</ref> Liverpool feature in the film ''[[The 51st State]]'' (also known as ''Formula 51''). Ex-hitman Felix DeSouza ([[Robert Carlyle]]) is an avid fan of the team and the last scene of the film takes place at a match between Liverpool and Manchester United.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0227984/ |title=The 51st State (2001) |publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]] |accessdate=2 December 2008 }}</ref> The club was featured in a children's television show called ''[[Scully (TV series)|Scully]]''; the plot revolved around a young boy, Francis Scully, who tried to win a trial with Liverpool. The show featured prominent Liverpool players of the time such as [[Kenny Dalglish]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085089/ |title=Scully |publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]] |accessdate=3 December 2008 }}</ref> |
A documentary drama on the [[Hillsborough Disaster]] written by [[Jimmy McGovern]] was screened in 1996. It features [[Christopher Eccleston]] as Trevor Hicks, whose story formed the focus of the script. Hicks, who lost two teenage daughters in the disaster, went on to campaign for safer stadia and helped to form the Hillsborough Families Support Group.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/04/99/hillsborough/313635.stm |title=Hillsborough's Sad Legacy |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=14 April 1999 |accessdate=23 December 2008 }}</ref> Liverpool feature in the film ''[[The 51st State]]'' (also known as ''Formula 51''). Ex-hitman Felix DeSouza ([[Robert Carlyle]]) is an avid fan of the team and the last scene of the film takes place at a match between Liverpool and Manchester United.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0227984/ |title=The 51st State (2001) |publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]] |accessdate=2 December 2008 }}</ref> The club was featured in a children's television show called ''[[Scully (TV series)|Scully]]''; the plot revolved around a young boy, Francis Scully, who tried to win a trial with Liverpool. The show featured prominent Liverpool players of the time such as [[Kenny Dalglish]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085089/ |title=Scully |publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]] |accessdate=3 December 2008 }}</ref> |
Revision as of 20:04, 1 March 2009
Liverpool emblem | ||||
Full name | Liverpool Football Club | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Nickname(s) | The Reds | |||
Founded | 1892 (by John Houlding) | |||
Ground | Anfield Liverpool, England | |||
Capacity | 45,362 | |||
Chairman | Tom Hicks (co-chairman) George Gillett (co-chairman) | |||
Manager | Rafael Benítez | |||
League | Premier League | |||
2007–08 | Premier League, 4th | |||
| ||||
Liverpool Football Club is a professional association football club based in Liverpool, England. The club plays in the Premier League, and it is the most successful club in the history of English football; the club has won more trophies than any other English club. Liverpool Football Club has won a record eighteen First Division titles, and seven League Cups. The club has won five European Cups, which is an English record and the FA Cup seven times.
The club was founded in 1892, and quickly became a strong force in English football, winning five league championships between 1900 and 1947. However, Liverpool spent several years in the Second Division (level 2) during the late 1950s, and did not win promotion again until the appointment of Bill Shankly as manager in 1959.
Under Shankly's management, Liverpool won three League Championship titles, two FA Cups and a UEFA Cup; the club's first European trophy. In the past 30 years, they have been one of the most successful clubs in English and European football; they won four European Cups between 1977 and 1984. The club experienced a lean period during the 1990s, but saw a revival when they won the treble in 2001 and the club's fifth European Cup in 2005.
The club traditionally played in red and white, but this was changed to all red in the 1960s. The club's crest has changed during its history, with flames added to the crest in honour of the 96 Liverpool fans who lost their lives in the Hillsborough Disaster. At the Heysel Stadium Disaster, 39 Juventus fans died when a wall collapsed before the start of the 1985 European Cup Final.
Liverpool F.C. has played at Anfield since its formation, but plans to move to a new stadium in Stanley Park, which was due to be completed by 2011 but has been put on hold until economic conditions improve. Liverpool has a large and diverse fan base, which holds long-standing rivalries with several clubs. The most notable of these is their rivalry with Manchester United, and Everton, with whom they regularly contest the Merseyside derby.
History
Liverpool F.C. was founded after a dispute between Everton and John Houlding, the leaseholder of Anfield, over rent. Houlding purchased Anfield outright in 1891, proposing an increase in the rent from £100 to £250 per year. Everton who had been playing at Anfield for seven years refused to meet his demands and moved to a new stadium in Goodison Park.[1] Liverpool F.C. was founded by Houlding on 15 March 1892 to play at the vacated Anfield. The original name was to be Everton F.C. and Athletic Grounds, Ltd., or Everton Athletic for short, but it was changed to Liverpool F.C. when The Football Association refused to recognise the team as Everton.[2]
The club won the Lancashire League in their first season, and successfully applied to join the Second Division for the following season. They won the league and were promoted to the First Division. They won their first title in 1900–01, and were champions again in 1905–06. They reached their first FA Cup final in 1914 but lost 1–0 to Burnley.[3] The club won back-to-back championships in 1921–22 and 1922–23, but after this the club did not win another trophy until 1946–47 when they won the League for a fifth time. The club reached the FA Cup final in 1950, but lost to Arsenal. Liverpool struggled afterwards, and the club was relegated to the Second Division in the 1953–54 season.[4]
Liverpool floundered until the appointment of Bill Shankly as manager in 1959. On his appointment he released 24 players and began to reshape the team.[5] Promotion to the First Division was achieved in 1961–62, and the club won the League for the first time in 17 years in 1963–64. Another League title followed in 1965–66, after the club had won their first FA Cup the previous season. The club won the League and UEFA Cup in 1972–73 and the FA Cup again a year later; after this, Shankly retired and was replaced by his assistant Bob Paisley.[6] Paisley was even more successful than Shankly and the club won the League and UEFA Cup in 1975–76, his second season as manager. The following season they retained the League title, won the European Cup for the first time, but lost in the FA Cup final, narrowly missing out on a treble. Liverpool retained the European Cup the next season, and the season after won the League again with 68 points—a domestic record, conceding only 16 goals in 42 league matches.[7] During the nine seasons Paisley managed the club, Liverpool won 21 trophies, including three European Cups, a UEFA Cup, six league titles and three consecutive League Cups. The only domestic trophy to elude him was the FA Cup.[8]
Paisley retired in 1983 and (as Shankly had done) handed the reins to his assistant, veteran coach Joe Fagan. The succession of coaches came from the Anfield Boot Room where the Liverpool staff discussed strategy and allegedly stored gin.[9] Liverpool won three trophies in Fagan's first season in charge: the League, League Cup and European Cup, becoming the first English side to win three trophies in a season.[10] Liverpool reached the European Cup final again in 1985. The match was against Juventus at the Heysel Stadium. Before kick-off, disaster struck: Liverpool fans breached a fence which separated the two groups of supporters and charged the Juventus fans. The resulting weight of people caused a retaining wall to collapse, killing 39 fans, mostly Italians. 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; Liverpool received a ten-year ban, which was later reduced to six years. Fourteen of their fans received convictions for involuntary manslaughter.[11]
Fagan resigned after the disaster and Kenny Dalglish was appointed as player-manager.[12][13] During his reign, the club won another three League Championships and two FA Cups, including a League and Cup "Double" in 1985–86. Liverpool's success was overshadowed by the Hillsborough Disaster: in an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on 15 April 1989, hundreds of Liverpool fans were crushed.[14] 94 fans died that day; the 95th victim died in hospital from his injuries four days later, and the 96th died nearly four years later without regaining consciousness. After the Hillsborough tragedy there was a governmental review of stadium safety. Known as the Taylor Report, it paved the way for legislation which required top-division teams to have all-seater stadiums. The report ruled that the main reason for the disaster was overcrowding due to a failure of police control.[15][16] Dalglish cited the Hillsborough Disaster and it's repercussions as the reason for his resignation in 1991. He was replaced by former player Graeme Souness. Apart from winning the FA Cup in 1992, Souness achieved little success and was replaced by a former member of the "Boot Room", Roy Evans. Evans fared little better: a League Cup victory in 1995 was his only trophy. Gérard Houllier was appointed as co-manager in 1998–99, but was left in sole charge after Evans resigned in November 1998.[17]
In his second season in charge Liverpool won a unique treble of the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup.[18] In the 2001-02 season, during which Houllier underwent major heart surgery, Liverpool finished second behind Arsenal.[19] The following season failed to live up to expectations and Houllier was replaced by Rafael Benítez. The club finished fifth in his first season in charge but won the UEFA Champions League by beating Milan 3–2 in a penalty shootout after the match finished 3–3.[20] The following season Liverpool finished third with 82 points—their highest total since 1988. They won the FA Cup as they had the Champions League victory the previous season, by beating West Ham United in penalty shootout after the match finished at 3–3. In 2006–07, the club's search for investment came to an end when American businessmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks became the owners of Liverpool in a deal which valued the club and its outstanding debts at £218.9 million.[21] That season, the club reached another Champions League final, but this time lost 2–1 to Milan.[22]
Colours and crest
Liverpool traditionally played in red and white, but this was changed to an all red kit in the mid 1960s. Red has not always been used, in the early days, when the club took over Anfield from Everton; they used the Toffees' colours of blue and white. Their kit was almost identical to that worn by the Everton team of the time. By 1894 Liverpool had chosen red, and in 1901 the city's liver bird was adopted as the club's badge.[23] For the next 60 years Liverpool's kit was red shirts with white shorts. The socks were changed 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.[24]
Liverpool's away colours are traditionally either white shirts and black shorts or all yellow. However, in 1987 an all grey kit was introduced, which was used 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 alternated between yellow and white away kits until the 2008–09 season, when they re-introduced the grey kit.[25] The current kits are designed by Adidas,[26] who made the club's kits between 1985 and 1996. The only other branded shirts worn by the club were made by Umbro until 1985 and Reebok for ten seasons starting in 1996.[27] A third kit, consisting of a turquoise top and black shorts, has been designed primarily for Champions League away games, but is used for any domestic games where both red and grey would clash.[28]
Liverpool was the first British professional club to have a sponsor's logo on their shirts,[29] after they agreed to a deal with Hitachi in 1979. Since then they have been sponsored by Crown Paints, Candy and Carlsberg. The contract with Carlsberg, which was signed in 1992, is the longest-standing current agreement in English top-flight football.[30] The current Liverpool badge is based around the city's liver bird, which is placed inside a shield. Above the shield is a representation of the Shankly Gates with the title of club's famous anthem, "You'll Never Walk Alone". The twin flames at either side are symbolic of the Hillsborough memorial outside Anfield, where an eternal flame burns in memory of those who died in the disaster.[31]
Stadia
Liverpool has played at Anfield since they were founded in 1892. Anfield was built in 1884 on land adjacent to Stanley Park, and was originally used by Everton.[32] They left the ground in 1892 over a dispute about rent with the owner of Anfield, John Houlding, who decided to form a new club to play at the ground. The capacity of the stadium was 20,000, although only 100 spectators attended Liverpool's first match at Anfield.[33]
In 1906, the banked stand at one end of the ground was formally renamed the Spion Kop[34] after a hill in Natal. The hill was the site of the Battle of Spion Kop in the Second Boer War, where over 300 men of the Lancashire Regiment died, many of whom were from Liverpool.[35] At its largest, the stand could hold 28,000 spectators, and was one of the largest single tier stands in the world. Many stadia in England had stands named after the Spion Kop, but Anfield's was the largest Kop in the country at the time; it was able to hold more supporters than some entire football grounds.[35] The stand was considerably reduced in capacity due to safety measures brought in following the Hillsborough Disaster. It was completely rebuilt as an all-seater stand in 1994, and remains a single tier stand with a reduced capacity of 12,390.[33]
The Anfield Road stand is positioned at the opposite end to the Kop, and houses the away team's fans. Rebuilt in 1998 with a capacity of 9,074, it is the newest stand at Anfield. The two stands adjacent to these are the Main Stand, with a capacity of 12,227, and the Centenary Stand, which has a capacity of 11,762. The Main Stand is the oldest part of Anfield, and has remained largely untouched since its 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. The redevelopment saw the houses in Kemlyn Road demolished and the address become non-existent. The capacity of the stadium is 45,362. It is rated as a four-star stadium in the UEFA Stadia List.[36]
On 30 July 2004, the Liverpool City Council granted the club planning permission to build a new 60,000-seat stadium just 300 yards (270 m) away from Anfield at Stanley Park,[37] and on 8 September 2006 the Council agreed to grant Liverpool F.C. a 999-year lease on the land on the proposed site.[38] Following the takeover of the club in February 2007 by George Gillett and Tom Hicks, the proposed stadium was redesigned. In November 2007, the new design was approved by the Council, and construction started in June 2008.[39][40] HKS, Inc. are building the new stadium which is expected to be completed in 2011.[41] Melwood, in West Derby, Liverpool, has been the home of Liverpool's training ground since the 1950s. It is not attached to The Academy, which is in Kirkby. The ground previously belonged to St Francis Xavier, a local school.[42]
Supporters
Liverpool has a large and loyal fan-base, and nearly all home matches sell out. During the current season, Liverpool has the fifth-highest average League attendance for an English club: 43,398, which is 95.6% of available capacity.[43] Liverpool fans often refer to themselves as "Kopites", which is a reference to the fans who once stood, and now sit, on the Kop at Anfield.[44]
The song "You'll Never Walk Alone", originally from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel and later recorded by Liverpool musicians Gerry & The Pacemakers, is the club's anthem, and has been sung by the Anfield crowd since the early 1960s. It has since gained popularity among fans of other clubs around the world.[45] The song's title adorns the top of the Shankly Gates, which were unveiled on 2 August 1982 in memory of the former manager Bill Shankly. The "You'll Never Walk Alone" portion of the Shankly Gates is also reproduced on the club's crest.
Liverpool's longest-established rivalry is with fellow Merseyside team Everton, against whom they contest the Merseyside derby. This stems from Liverpool's formation and the dispute with Everton officials and the then owners of Anfield. Religious differences have been cited as a cause of division, although both teams stem from a Methodist origin, which undermines the notion of a Catholic–Protestant split.[46] The Merseyside derby is usually a sell-out fixture. More players have been sent off in it than in any other fixture in Premier League history.[47] It is one of the few local derbies that does not enforce fan segregation.[48] Liverpool has a rivalry with its neighbours Manchester United. This is mostly due to the success enjoyed by the two clubs and the proximity of the two cities.[49] The rivalry is so intense that the last player to be transferred between the two clubs was Phil Chisnall in 1964, when he moved to Liverpool from United.[50]
The club's supporters have been involved in two major tragic events. The first was the Heysel Stadium disaster, in which 39 Juventus fans were killed. They were penned into a corner by Liverpool fans who charged in their direction, the sheer number of fans cornered caused a wall to collapse. After the final UEFA laid the blame for the incident solely on the fans of Liverpool,[51] English clubs were banned from European competition for five years and Liverpool served an extra year, a six-year ban.[52] The second was during an FA Cup semi-final in 1989 between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, 96 Liverpool fans died due to overcrowding in what became known as the Hillsborough Disaster. The Sun newspaper publish an article entitled "The Truth", in which it claimed that Liverpool fans had robbed and urinated on the dead and had attacked the police.[53] Subsequent investigations proved the allegations to be false, and this led to a city-wide boycott of the newspaper.[54] Many organisations were set up as a result of the disaster, such as the Hillsborough Justice Campaign, which represents bereaved families, survivors and supporters, who campaign for justice for the 96 people who died in Sheffield on 15 April 1989.[55]
Ownership and finances
Liverpool is owned by George Gillett and Tom Hicks, who acquired the club on 6 February 2007 from previous chairman David Moores. The deal valued the club and its outstanding debts at £218.9 million. The pair paid £5,000 per share, or £174.1m for the total shareholding in the club, and £44.8m to cover the club's debts.[56] Disagreements between Gillett and Hicks, and their lack of the fans' support, have precipitated rumours that Dubai International Capital (DIC), who were interested in buying the club before Gillett and Hicks took over, would bid for the club.[57] Another group, Share Liverpool FC, also expressed interest in purchasing the club. They proposed to pay £500m, which would be funded by 100,000 fans contributing £5,000 each for a club share. However, the group have been unable to raise the required capital to make an offer for the club.[58]
In April 2008, business magazine Forbes ranked Liverpool as the fourth most valuable football team in the world, after Manchester United, Real Madrid and Arsenal. They valued the club at $1.0bn (£605m), excluding debt.[59] Accountants Deloitte rate Liverpool eighth in the 2008 Deloitte Football Money League, which ranks the world's football clubs in terms of revenue. Liverpool's income of £133.9m in the 2006–07 season moved them up from tenth the previous season.[60]
Liverpool in popular culture
As the most successful team in the history of English Football, Liverpool is often featured when football is depicted in British culture and has appeared in a number of media "firsts". The club appeared in the first edition of the BBC's Match of the Day, which screened highlights of their match against Arsenal at Anfield on 22 August 1964. The club was also the subject of television's first colour football transmission, which showed their match against West Ham United live.[61] Liverpool fans feature in the Pink Floyd song "Fearless", in which they sang excerpts from "You'll Never Walk Alone.[62] Liverpool released a song known as the "Anfield Rap" in 1988. It was the club's FA Cup anthem for the final against Wimbledon, and featured John Barnes performing a rap with other members of the squad participating.[63]
A documentary drama on the Hillsborough Disaster written by Jimmy McGovern was screened in 1996. It features Christopher Eccleston as Trevor Hicks, whose story formed the focus of the script. Hicks, who lost two teenage daughters in the disaster, went on to campaign for safer stadia and helped to form the Hillsborough Families Support Group.[64] Liverpool feature in the film The 51st State (also known as Formula 51). Ex-hitman Felix DeSouza (Robert Carlyle) is an avid fan of the team and the last scene of the film takes place at a match between Liverpool and Manchester United.[65] The club was featured in a children's television show called Scully; the plot revolved around a young boy, Francis Scully, who tried to win a trial with Liverpool. The show featured prominent Liverpool players of the time such as Kenny Dalglish.[66]
Statistics and records
Liverpool's first competitive game was an 8–0 victory in the Lancashire League against Higher Walton.[67] Ian Callaghan holds Liverpool's overall appearance record—he played 857 matches over the course of 19 seasons from 1958 to 1978—[68] and the record for League appearances with 640.[69] Of the current squad, Jamie Carragher has the most appearances; he played his 500th game for the club early in 2008.[70]
Liverpool's all-time leading scorer is Ian Rush, who scored 346 goals while at the club from 1980 to 1987 and 1988 to 1996.[69] Rush holds the record for the most goals in a season with 47 in 1983–84. However, during his career, Rush could not surpass Roger Hunt's record number of league goals, which has stood at 245 since 1970.[71] In the 1961–62 season, Hunt scored 41 goals, which is the club record for league goals in a single season.[72] Gordon Hodgson, the club's third highest scorer with 240 goals,[73] holds the club record of 17 hat tricks.[69] The most goals scored by a player in a single match is five; John Miller, Andy McGuigan, John Evans, Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler have achieved this feat.[74] Fowler also holds the club and Premier League record for the fastest hat trick: he scored three goals in four minutes, 32 seconds against Arsenal in the 1994–95 season.[75] Steven Gerrard is Liverpool's all-time leading goalscorer in European competition with 29 goals.[69]
Liverpool's biggest victory is 11–0 against Strømsgodset IF in 1974.[69] Liverpool's 10–1 defeat of Rotherham Town in 1896 was its largest league win.[72] This margin of victory was matched when Crystal Palace were defeated 9–0 at Anfield in 1989.[76] Liverpool's heaviest defeat, 1–9, came against Birmingham City in 1954.[69] Liverpool's 8–0 win against Beşiktaş J.K. in the Champions League is the largest victory in the competition's history.[77][78]
Current squad
First team players
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Players out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Notable players
Reserves and Academy squad
Managers
Liverpool has had 17 permanent managers and one caretaker manager since the club's first appointed, W.E. Barclay and John McKenna as professional managers in 1892. The longest-serving manager in terms of time was Tom Watson, who managed Liverpool for 19 years from 1896 to 1915. Bill Shankly managed the club for more games than any other manager; he served for 783 matches. Kenny Dalglish was the first player-manager in English football when he was appointed in 1985. Bob Paisley, who won 19 trophies during his tenure, was the club's most successful manager.[81]
Current coaching staff
- As of 1 December 2008.[79]
Position | Name | Nationality |
---|---|---|
Manager | Rafael Benítez | Spanish |
Assistant manager | Sammy Lee | English |
First team coach | Mauricio Pellegrino | Argentinean |
Reserve team coach | Gary Ablett | English |
Goalkeeping coach | Xavi Valero | Spanish |
Fitness Coach | Paco de Miguel | Spanish |
Physiotherapist | Rob Price | English |
Chief Scout | Eduardo Macia | Spanish |
Honours
Liverpool has won the English League Championship a record eighteen times,[82] the FA Cup seven times and the League Cup a record seven times. The club achieved a League and FA Cup "Double" in 1986, and has won the League and European Cup double twice, in 1977 and 1984. They also won the League Cup in 1984 to complete a unique treble, a feat they repeated (albeit with different trophies) in 2001 when they won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup.[83] Liverpool has won the European Cup, Europe's primary club competition, five times, which is an English record. Only Real Madrid and Milan has won the competition on more occasions. The club's fifth triumph meant that they won the trophy outright and was awarded the UEFA Badge of Honour.[84] The club has won the UEFA Cup, Europe's secondary club competition, three times, a record they share with Juventus and Internazionale.[85]
Domestic
League
- Winners (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
- Runners-up (11): 1898–89, 1909–10, 1968–69, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1977–78, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1990–91, 2001–02
- Second Division (level 2)
- Winners (1): 1892–93
Cups
- Winners (7): 1965, 1974, 1986, 1989, 1992, 2001, 2006
- Runners-up (6): 1914, 1950, 1971, 1977, 1988, 1996
- Winners (15, 10 outright and 5 shared): 1964 (shared), 1965 (shared), 1966, 1974, 1976, 1977 (shared), 1979, 1980, 1982, 1986 (shared), 1988, 1989, 1990 (shared), 2001, 2006
- Runners-up (6): 1922, 1971, 1983, 1984, 1992, 2002
- Winners (1): 1986
International
- European Cup and UEFA Champions League
- Runners-up (1): 1966
References
- ^ "LFC Story". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 17 March 2007.
- ^ Graham. p. 14.
{{cite book}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ Liversedge. p. 14.
{{cite book}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ Wallace, Sam (26 December 2002). "Patience is wearing thin at Liverpool". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
- ^ Kelly. You'll Never Walk Alone. p. 57.
- ^ Kelly. The Boot Room Boys: Inside the Anfield Boot Room. p. 86.
- ^ Pead. p. 414.
{{cite book}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "Bob Paisley". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
- ^ "The legacy of the boot room". BBC Sport. 21 December 2001. Retrieved 12 September 2006.
- ^ Cox. p. 90.
{{cite book}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "On This Day - 29 May 1985: Fans die in Heysel rioting". BBC. Retrieved 12 September 2006.
- ^ "Joe Fagan". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
- ^ "Kenny Dalglish". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
- ^ "On This Day - 15 April 1989: Soccer fans crushed at Hillsborough". BBC. Retrieved 12 September 2006.
- ^ "Taylor's interim report on the Hillsborough stadium disaster, August 1989 (zipped pdf)". South Yorkshire Police. 21 April 1999. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
- ^ "A hard lesson to learn". BBC. 15 April 1999. Retrieved 12 September 2006.
- ^ Kelly. The Boot Room Boys: Inside the Anfield Boot Room. p. 227.
- ^ "Houllier acclaims Euro triumph". BBC Sport. 16 May 2001. Retrieved 24 March 2007.
- ^ "Houllier 'satisfactory' after surgery". BBC Sport. 15 October 2001. Retrieved 13 March 2007.
- ^ "AC Milan 3-3 Liverpool (aet)". BBC Sport. 25 May 2005. Retrieved 15 April 2007.
- ^ "US pair agree Liverpool takeover". BBC Sport. 6 February 2007. Retrieved 2 March 2007.
- ^ McNulty, Phil (23 May 2007). "AC Milan 2-1 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ "LFC Story". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 17 March 2007.
- ^ "Shankly: the hero who let me down". Ian St. John's autobiography serialised in The Times. Retrieved 12 September 2006.
- ^ "new LFC away kit 2008/09". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
- ^ "Back on home turf, as adidas returns to Liverpool". Adidas. Retrieved 17 March 2007.
- ^ Crilly. p. 28.
{{cite book}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "new LFC Euro away kit 2008/09". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
- ^ Dart, James (6 July 2005). "Has a streaker ever scored?". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 August 2007.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthor=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Carlsberg renews sponsorship with Liverpool F.C." Carlsberg Group. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
- ^ "Hillsborough". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
- ^ "Where should Everton move? That's easy — to Anfield". The Guardian. 17 December 2006. Retrieved 7 March 2007.
- ^ a b "Anfield". LFC History. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
- ^ Chapple, Mike (25 August 2006). "100 years of the Kop". Liverpool Daily Post. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
- ^ a b Pearce, James (23 August 2006). "How Kop tuned into glory days". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
- ^ "Stadia List" (PDF). UEFA. Retrieved 2 May 2008.
- ^ Hornby, Mike. "Reds stadium gets go-ahead". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 12 September 2006.
- ^ "Liverpool get go-ahead on stadium". BBC Sport. 8 September 2006. Retrieved 8 March 2007.
- ^ Rice, Jimmy (6 November 2007). "New stadium gets the green light". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
- ^ "Work starts on Reds ground". Sky Sports website. British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB). 2008-06-25. Retrieved 2008-12-22.
- ^ "Liverpool's stadium move granted". BBC. 11 June 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
- ^ "Melwood". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
- ^ "Barclays Premier League Attendance Table". ITV Sport. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
- ^ "Anfield giants never walk alone". FIFA. 11 June 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2008.
- ^ Cavanagh, John. Songlines, BBC Radio Scotland. December 2006.
- ^ "Classic: Everton-Liverpool". Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 11 September 2006. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
- ^ Malam, Colin (25 March 2006). "Gerrard off as Reds take derby honours". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 August 2006.
- ^ "Advice for fans attending the Derby". Merseyside Police. 7 September 2006. Retrieved 22 December 2008.
- ^ Rohrer, Finlo (21 August 2007). "Scouse v Manc". BBC. Retrieved 3 April 2008-.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ Ingle, Sean (May 10 2000). "Knowledge Unlimited". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
{{cite news}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help); Unknown parameter|coauthor=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ McKie, David (31 May 1985). "Thatcher set to demand FA ban on games in Europe". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2008.
- ^ "The Heysel disaster". BBC. 29 May 2000. Retrieved 7 December 2008.
- ^ Smith, David (11 July 2004). "The city that eclipsed the Sun". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2008.
- ^ Burrell, Ian (8 July 2004). "An own goal? Rooney caught in crossfire between 'The Sun' and an unforgiving city". The Independent. Retrieved 22 December 2008.
- ^ "Justice?". LFC history. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
- ^ Wilson, Bill (6 February 2007). "US business duo at Liverpool helm". BBC. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
- ^ McNulty, Phil (20 January 2008). "Liverpool braced for takeover bid". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
- ^ "Business backing for LFC fan bid". BBC. 28 February 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
- ^ "Soccer Team Valuations". Forbes. 30 April 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
- ^ "Real tops Man Utd in rich league". BBC Sport. 13 February 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
- ^ Kelly. You'll Never Walk Alone. p. 188.
- ^ "The Hillsborough Tragedy". BBC. 16 June 2000. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
- ^ "Footballer Barnes for rap return". BBC. 3 March 2006. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
- ^ "Hillsborough's Sad Legacy". BBC. 14 April 1999. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
- ^ "The 51st State (2001)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
- ^ "Scully". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 3 December 2008.
- ^ "Liverpool v. Higher Walton, 1892, Match Details". LFCHistory. Retrieved 7 March 2007-03-07.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ Hargraves. p. 53.
{{cite book}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ a b c d e f "LFC records". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
- ^ Herbert, Ian (9 February 2008). "Jamie Carragher: No going back for Liverpool's working-class hero". The Independent. Associated Press. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
- ^ Hargraves. p. 70.
{{cite book}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ a b Rollin. pp. 232–233.
{{cite book}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ Liversedge. p. 160.
{{cite book}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "All Hat-tricks in Official Matches". LFCHistory. Retrieved 7 March 2007.
- ^ "The hat-trick Hall of Fame". BBC Sport. 25 February 2004. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Liverpool 9-0 Crystal Palace". LFCHistory. Retrieved 8 March 2007.
- ^ "Liverpool 8-0 Besiktas". BBC Sport. 6 November 2007. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
- ^ "Benitez revels in record victory". BBC Sport. 6 November 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
- ^ a b "First Team Players And Staff". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
- ^ "Liverpool FC". UEFA. Retrieved 25 August 2008.
- ^ "Bob Paisley profile". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 18 September 2008.
- ^ "England — List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
- ^ "Honours". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 27 February 2008.
- ^ "Regulations of the UEFA Champions League" (PDF). Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 19 June 2008.
- ^ "Competition format". UEFA. 13 July 2005. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
- Bibliography
- Cox, Richard (2002). Encyclopedia of British football. Routledge. ISBN 0-7146-5249-0.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - Crilly, Peter (2007). Tops of the Kops: The Complete Guide to Liverpool's Kits. Trinity Mirror Sport Media. ISBN 1905266227.
- Graham, Matthew (1985). Liverpool. Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd. ISBN 0-600-50254-6.
- Hargraves, Ian (1989). Liverpool Greats. Edinburgh: Sportsprint Publishing. ISBN 0-85976-273-4.
- Kelly, Stephen F. (1999). The Boot Room Boys: Inside the Anfield Boot Room. London: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-00-218907-0.
- Kelly, Stephen F. (1988). You'll Never Walk Alone. London: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 0356195945.
- Liversedge, Stan (1991). Liverpool:The Official Centenary History. London: Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd. ISBN 0-600-57308-7.
- Pead, Brian (1986). Liverpool A Complete Record. Breedon Books. ISBN 0-907969-15-1.
- Rollin, Jack and Glenda (2006–2007). Sky Sports Football Yearbook. Headline. ISBN 0-7553-1526-X.
External links
- Liverpool F.C. Official Website
- Official page for Liverpool Echo and Daily Post stories covering Liverpool F.C.
- LFCHistory.net – Articles and statistics relating to Liverpool F.C.