Yearly Archives: 2024

Chronicling Bill Shankly’s Transformative First Season as Liverpool Manager

Admin - December 19, 2024 - Managers

Image by Isriya Paireepairit on flickr

In the early 1960s, Liverpool was on fire.

The Beatles were established as the most popular band on the planet, the Mersey Beat sound was being exported to all corners of the globe and regeneration projects were bringing classic – and some unique – architecture to the city.

Meanwhile, the lifeblood of Liverpool – its two football clubs, but principally the Reds – were reaching new heights, with Liverpool FC clinching the First Division title for the first time since the 1940s.

But in the late 1950s, things were rather different. It was still a couple of years until Brian Epstein would discover John, Paul, George and Ringo, while Liverpool FC had spent years in the relative doldrums of the Second Division.

Is Mo Salah Now In the Conversation as Liverpool’s Greatest Ever Player?

Admin - November 21, 2024 - Players

Here’s some bad news for fans of every football club other than Liverpool: Mo Salah is getting better with age.

Even after celebrating his 32nd birthday, Salah continues to reach new heights: as of November, he was the first player in Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues to record ten goals and ten assists in all competitions during the 2024/25 season.

The Egyptian has now scored more Premier League goals than the legendary Robbie Fowler, and by the end of the campaign he could have even climbed above Frank Lampard and Thierry Henry in the all-time EPL goalscorers list; the likes of Sergio Aguero and Andy Cole would then be in his crosshairs.

Not bad for a guy who, aside from a handful of appearances for Chelsea, didn’t make his Premier League debut until he had turned 25!

From his goals and assists to his growing trophy cabinet, Salah continues to ascend towards the ranks of Liverpool’s all-time greats.

But can he yet be considered the best player in the club’s history?

Remembering All of Liverpool’s Best Kits As They Sign Historic £60m Adidas Deal

Admin - October 23, 2024 - Kits

The new kit deal penned by Liverpool will finally bring the club into line with the other Premier League giants.

Adidas will return for a third spell as kit manufacturer from the 2025/26 season onwards, paying £60 million a year for the privilege.

It’s an agreement that will see the Reds match similar sums paid to Manchester City (Puma), Arsenal (Adidas) and Chelsea (Nike), and is likely to be an increase on the current deal with Nike.

The American firm makes a guaranteed payment of £30 million a year to the club, with add-ons based upon the Reds’ performances on the pitch as well as royalties from replica kit and merchandise sales.

Ron Yeats: Liverpool Fans Say Goodbye to All-Time Great

Admin - September 26, 2024 - Players

It was with great sadness that the passing of Ron Yeats was reported in September.

The Scotsman, who made more than 350 appearances for Liverpool and many of them as captain, had been battling Alzheimer’s disease. He was 86.

A player described as a ‘colossus’ and a ‘man mountain’ by no less a judge than Bill Shankly, the 6ft 2in centre back combined a love of the physical side of the game with an ability with the ball at his feet – just some of the reasons why he was a mainstay in the Reds defence for more than a decade.

Remembering the Miracle of Istanbul: 20 Seasons On from One of Liverpool FC’s Most Incredible Nights

Admin - August 22, 2024 - Matches

Liverpool will return to the Champions League for the revamped 2024/25 edition of the continental showpiece.

It’s somewhat fitting that the Reds will be in the draw for the competition during this particular season, as it comes 20 years on from one the club’s most famous – or infamous – nights.

The culmination of the 2004/05 campaign saw Liverpool reach the final of the Champions League against AC Milan; setting into motion the most extraordinary contests you’re likely to see at any level of the beautiful game.

Crossing the Divide: Players That Have Played for Both Liverpool and Everton

Admin - July 18, 2024 - Players

It’s generally accepted that if you have a personal allegiance to a football club, you don’t then go and get involved with their bitter rivals in either a playing or coaching capacity.

But, occasionally, those rules go out of the window, with the fierce rivalry between Liverpool and Everton put to the test this summer.

John Heitinga, the Dutch defender turned coach, is the latest to cross the Merseyside divide. He played 140 times for the Toffees, and after hanging up his boots has forged a successful career as a backroom staff member – his stint with West Ham coming to an end when David Moyes was sacked at the end of the season.

Listing All of the Liverpool Players That have Captained England

Admin - June 20, 2024 - Players

Has any English club provided more than three captains for a single international tournament?

The closest possible rival would be Chelsea in 2007/08, who at the time had seven international skippers in the midst – however, only two of them (Michael Ballack and Petr Cech) actually played at EURO 2008 after England, captained by John Terry, famously failed to qualify.

There was a time when Real Madrid had Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale and Sergio Ramos on their books, and each captained their respective countries at one point or another.

But Liverpool’s current crop surely goes close to being the ‘most captained’ at a single international tournament, with a trio of Reds men taking the helm at EURO 2024. Virgil van Dijk is the long-term leader of the Netherlands, while Andy Robertson has taken the armband for Scotland.

They were joined in the leadership stakes by Dominik Szoboszlai, who was tasked with leading Hungary into battle with Germany.

The Long Goodbye: How Have Liverpool Fared the Season After a Managerial Change?

Admin - May 16, 2024 - Managers

By the time you’re reading this, it will almost be over.

Jurgen Klopp’s near nine-year reign as Liverpool head coach is coming to an end. There’s talk of statues, commemorating a manager that has brought Premier League and Champions League glory to Anfield, but the German’s connection to the club and its fans runs so deep that mere stone and marble alone aren’t enough to do it justice.

The worst-kept secret in football is that Feyenoord boss Arne Slot will be Klopp’s successor, and the Dutchman has almighty shoes to fill – sadly, managing a club after a legend has departed has not, historically, gone all that well for the replacement over the years.

The Best Transfer Signings of Richard Hughes: Liverpool’s Sporting Director

Admin - March 21, 2024 - Players

Four of Liverpool’s most favourite sons, The Beatles, wrote and recorded a famous song about revolution back in 1968.

Fast forward the best part of 60 years and there’s very much revolution in the air at Liverpool FC, too.

Jurgen Klopp will depart the club, leaving an almighty void to be filled. One thing that the Reds hierarchy seems very keen to do is present the new head coach, whoever that may be, with a young, hungry and progressive squad to work with.

To that end, Michael Edwards – the club’s CEO – has managed to persuade Richard Hughes to leave his beloved Bournemouth and take up the position of sporting director at Anfield.

How Good is Liverpool FC’s Record in Cup Finals?

Admin - February 20, 2024 - Trophies

Liverpool’s trip to Wembley Stadium for the Carabao Cup final will be the 14th time that they have contested the trophy game of the League Cup in its various guises.

The good news for Reds fans is that they have a pretty good record in the final of this particular competition – experiencing the joy of the trophy lift more often than the agony of defeat and the long trip home up the M1 and M6.

They are 1-1 in the League Cup final under Jurgen Klopp’s guidance, so can they break out and make it 2-1 in his final season in charge?

And how good has Liverpool’s record been in finals over the years?