100 Players Who Shook The Kop Top 10

#1 KENNY DALGLISH

Name: Kenny Dalglish

Years at Liverpool: 1977 to 1990
Position: Forward

Date-of-birth: 4/3/1951
Birthplace: Glasgow

Signed from: Celtic (August 1977)

Games: 529
Goals: 172

Honours:
First Division Championship (1978/79, 1979/80, 1981/82, 1982/83, 1983/84, 1985/86), European Cup (1978, 1981, 1984),
FA Cup (1986),
League Cup (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984),
Charity Shield (1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1986),
Super Cup (1977),
PFA Player of the Year (1983),
Football Writers Player of the Year (1979, 1983)

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There can only ever be one King and the man who’s earned the right to take his place on the Anfield throne is the one and only Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish. Regarded by the majority of Liverpudlians as the club's greatest ever player, his all round stunning brilliance has been deemed to have shaken the Kop more than anyone else.

The Scotland international was brought in to replace the recently departed Kop idol Kevin Keegan, who'd moved to Hamburg earlier that summer. If any player could step into Keegan's illustrious boots it was Dalglish and fears some Liverpudlians may have harboured over their new purchase were quickly laid to rest.

Dalglish found the back of the net within seven minutes of his league debut for the Reds, against Middlesbrough at Ayresome Park, and followed that up by hitting the target again on his first appearance in front of the Kop three days later as Newcastle were beaten 2-0.

The new King of the Kop crowned his first season at Anfield by topping the club's goalscoring charts and chipped in with the only goal of the 1978 European Cup Final against FC Bruges at Wembley – a delicate dink over the keeper that was quite simply perfection personified.

In 1979, his supreme individual ability was recognised by the football writer's of England who voted the canny Scot their Football of the Year. It was a fully deserved reward for a player whose every touch had Kopites purring with delight.

With Rush taking over the mantle of chief goalscorer, Dalglish became the undisputed creator supreme and if assists were recorded back then, he'd have been the first name on everyone's Fantasy Football teamsheet. A double footballer of the year in 1983, he was without doubt the finest British-born player of his generation and rightly spoken about in the same tone as such world renowned stars from this era like Maradona, Zico, Platini and Rummenigge.

In the aftermath of the Heysel Stadium disaster he was a surprising but popular appointment as player/manager and fears that his new role would result in him spending more time on the touchline and less on the pitch were initially unfounded.

Gradually, but inevitably, his appearances became less and less over the next few years as he concentrated more on the managerial aspects of his dual role but there was still the odd flashes of brilliance to revel in as the master sought to teach his apprentices.

What Dalglish went on to achieve as Liverpool manager cemented his legendary status but that is for another series. He did more than enough during his playing career to be rightfully hailed as the greatest player in Liverpool history.

Kenny, we'd walk a million miles to have you in our team again. Long live the undisputed King of the Kop!

Sold to: Retired (May 1990)

Claim to fame: Scoring the winner in the 1978 European Cup Final

Did you know? He had an unsuccessful trial with Liverpool as a 15-year old in 1966, playing in a 'B' team defeat to Southport

Where is he now? Working tirelessly to raise funds for his wife's breast cancer charity

Jamie Carragher on Kenny Dalglish: "For me he's not just Liverpool's best player but probably Britain's best ever football person if you like. We're the most successful club and he's the best player so I don't think anyone beats him."


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100 Players Who Shook The Kop Top 10

#2 STEVEN GERRARD

Name: Steven Gerrard

Years at Liverpool: 1998 to present
Position: Midfield

Date-of-birth: 30/5/1980
Birthplace: Whiston

Signed from: Apprentice

Games: 348
Goals: 64

Honours:
European Cup (2005),
FA Cup (2001, 2006),
UEFA Cup (2001),
League Cup (2001, 2003),
Community Shield (2006),
Super Cup (2001),
PFA Young Player of the Year (2001),
PFA Player of the Year (2006)

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The ultimate modern day footballer, Steven Gerrard is fulfilling the dream of every local Liverpudlian. The greatest English player of his generation and arguably one of the best in the world right now, pundits have run out superlatives to describe Liverpool's talismanic midfield powerhouse.

As the inspirational skipper of the Reds he's already lifted both the FA and European Cup and our hopes of adding the Premiership title to this illustrious list rests largely on his shoulders.

Originally spotted by Liverpool scouts as nine-year old, Gerrard's precocious talents were carefully nurtured by Steve Heighway and his staff at the club's centre of excellence. Nothing was going to distract him from his pursuit of the Anfield dream and though growth problems were to restrict his progress at times during his mid-teenage years, his single-minded determination to succeed shone through.

After taking just one look at him in training at the Academy, Houllier immediately promoted Gerrard to Melwood in November 1998 and by the end of the month had handed him his senior debut at home to Blackburn.

After making 13 appearances that season, Gerrard went on to fully establish himself in the side during the 1999/2000 campaign, netting his first goal in a 4-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday and collecting his first red card for a foul on his derby debut. Once these occasional bouts of recklessness were eradicated from his game Gerrard set about blooming into the complete midfielder that we know today.

His meteoric progress at club level was rewarded with a first full England cap that year and the following season saw his profile raised several notches more as he performed a key role in Liverpool's unprecedented cup treble success, scoring in the UEFA Cup Final win over Alaves and deservedly walking off with the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

With his influence on the team becoming more and more important, Gerrard was handed the honour of succeeding Sami Hyypia as club captain in October 2003 and how he thrived on the added responsibility.

His role in the unforgettable Champions League triumph of 2005 that followed was pure legendary; from his amazing last-gasp Kop shaker that sealed a passage into the knockout phase at the expense of Olympiacos to the spine-tingling night against AC Milan when he kick-started and orchestrated the miracle of Istanbul.

The sight of Gerrard proudly hoisting the gleaming silver trophy into the Turkish night sky was the cue for tears of happiness to be shed by many a tough Scouser. Bringing home 'number five' meant so much and will never fade from the memory.

In the immediate aftermath of his Ataturk heroics, Gerrard pledged his long-term future to the club, just has he'd done the previous summer in light of annoying speculation linking him with a move to Chelsea, but still the rumours rumbled on.

Liverpool looked to have lost the services of their best player and feelings of anger, disbelief and sorrow were visibly vented on the city streets. But in one of the most amazing u-turns ever performed, the red half of Merseyside awoke the next morning to discover all their Christmases had come at once;

With his future finally resolved, his performances reached even higher standards the next season and another super-human effort in a major cup final confirmed his standing as the heir apparent to Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool's greatest ever player.

Trailing to West Ham in Cardiff, Gerrard snatched the trophy from the Londoners grasp by masterminding another awe-inspiring comeback, setting up one goal and scoring two as the Reds clawed their way back into a game in which they twice looked dead and buried.

His last-gasp leveller at the end of normal time has already passed into FA Cup folklore and the subsequent penalty shoot-out victory ensured Gerrard became only the second player in history, after Stanley Matthews, to have a final named in his honour.

At 26, the undisputed 2006 PFA Player of the Year is showing no signs of slowing down. There's no reason to believe he won't be the fulcrum of this team for a long time to come and it's incredible to think his best days may still be ahead of him.

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson once described him as 'the most inspirational player in England, bar none,' and if he continues to progress at the rate he has done then, fingers crossed, it must surely be only a matter of time before the much-coveted Premiership title is residing in the Anfield trophy cabinet.

Kenny might still be the king but Stevie is most definitely the prince and if he can get his hands on that one trophy that has so far eluded him then maybe one day soon the crown will be passed over.

Claim to fame: Lifting the European Cup in Istanbul

Did you know? His promising football career was almost brought an abrupt halt as a teenager following an accident with a garden fork

Ian Callaghan on Steven Gerrard: "I think Stevie G without doubt is one of the best players in the world. I think he’s one of the best players that's ever played here, if not the best. He’s just got everything going for him, he’s got pace, power, he can pass the ball around and he scores goals - what more do you want? He’s just an unbelievable player."


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100 Players Who Shook The Kop Top 10

#3 IAN RUSH

Name: Ian Rush

Years at Liverpool: 1980 to 1987 & 1988 to 1996
Position: Forward

Date-of-birth: 20/10/1961
Birthplace: St Asaph

Signed from: Chester City (May 1980) & Juventus (August 1988)

Games: 660
Goals: 346

Honours:
First Division Championship (1981/82, 1982/83, 1983/84, 1985/86, 1989/90),
European Cup (1984),
FA Cup (1986, 1989, 1992),
League Cup (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1995),
Charity Shield (1982, 1986, 1989, 1990),
ScreenSport Super Cup (1986),
PFA Young Player of the Year (1983),
PFA Player of the Year (1984),
Football Writers Player of the Year (1984)

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Only one word is needed to describe Ian Rush's Liverpool career. Goals. Plenty of them, to be more precise. No player in Anfield history has scored more and his record his one that will take some beating.

Nothing shakes the Kop more than a goal and in two glorious spells with the club he netted so many times he must surely have been guilty of causing some structural damage before the old terrace was finally pulled down in 1994.

A goalscoring legend if there ever was one, it's hard to imagine that his glittering career with the Reds had such an inauspicious beginning. Signed from Chester City towards the end of the 1979/80 season for a then British record fee for a teenager - £300,000 – Rush felt he wasn't being given a fair crack of the whip by then boss Bob Paisley and asked for a transfer after making just a handful of appearances.

Tall, thin and ungainly, the young striker looked anything but a future striking hero when he broke into the team but how looks can be deceptive. It actually took him nine games before registering his first goal for the senior side but once that hit the back of the net there was no stopping him.

Electric pace and eagle-eyed anticipation meant he was also a nightmare to mark and his attacking partnership with Kenny Dalglish is genuinely regarded as one of the finest there has ever been.

A remarkable 47-goal haul – 48 if you count his spot kick conversion in Rome – was enough to see him become the first British player to win Europe's Golden Boot, a perfect accompaniment to an unprecedented treble of League title, European Cup and Milk Cup, not to mention double player of the year recognition.

After just one season in Italy though, he was to make a sensational return amid a blaze of publicity. Having been made aware that their former star had failed to fully settle in Turin, Liverpool jumped at the chance to bring him home and Rushie responded by picking up where he left off, scoring goals for fun and proceeding to smash what goalscoring records he hadn't already.

In October 1992 he found the back of the net for a 287th time in a Liverpool shirt and in doing so surpassed Roger Hunt as the most prolific striker in Anfield history. The same year, Rushie's status as one of the club's elder statesman saw him handed the captaincy by manager Graeme Souness and in 1995 he fulfilled a personal dream by lifting the Coca Cola Cup as Reds skipper.

While records are there to be broken it's not inconceivable to suggest Rushie's phenomenal tally of goals in a Liverpool shirt is likely to stand the test of time.

But even if he is, somehow, one day, displaced from his position at the summit of the clubs all-time leading goalscorers, the fact he shook the Kop a record 346 times means he'll forever be renowned as one of the all-time Anfield greats.

Sold to: Juventus (July 1987) & Leeds (May 1996)

Claim to fame: Scoring more goals for Liverpool than any other player

Did you know? Liverpool didn’t lose a match in which Rush scored until the 1987 Littlewoods Cup Final against Arsenal

Where is he now? Looking to get back into football after recently completing his UEFA coaching badges

Nicky Allt on Ian Rush: "Ian Rush is maybe your all-round complete centre forward because the man could run, defend, was pacy, athletic and he could put the ball in the net. But more than anything his work ethic for the team is something you don't really find in a striker today. Your modern goalscorer thinks he hasn't got to run back and work but Rushie was always our first line of defence and a lot of people forget that."

100 Players Who Shook The Kop Top 10

#5 John Barnes

Name: John Barnes

Years at Liverpool: 1987 to 1997

Position: Winger

Date-of-birth: 7/11/1963

Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica

Signed from: Watford (June 1987)

Games: 407
Goals: 110

Honours: First Division Championship (1987/88, 1989/90), FA Cup (1989), League Cup (1995), Charity Shield (1988, 1989, 1990), Football Writers Player of the Year (1988, 1990), PFA Player of the Year (1988)

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At his scintillating best in the late 1980's, there was no finer sight in football than that of John Barnes gliding down the left flank in a Liverpool shirt. One of the most exciting wingers of all-time, Barnes enthralled the Anfield crowd and ensured 'full-house' signs became a permanent fixture outside the Kop gates during one of the most entertaining era's in this club's history.

An awesome blend of poise, pace, strength and skill, when the Jamaican-born wide-man was in full flow he was quite simply a joy to watch and those privileged to have saw his sublime talent at close hand will forever cherish the memories.

Whenever he gained possession an air of anticipation would sweep through the ground, anything seemed possible as he advanced towards goal and to a generation of Liverpudlians he's still regarded as 'simply the best.'

Given the racial barriers that existed at the time, Barnes found himself the focus of intense scrutiny from day one of his Liverpool career but he took it all in his stride and quickly brought them crashing down, winning over the locals with his charismatic charm and amazing ability.

His sweet left foot and intricate close control was to prove the downfall of many a team as Liverpool took football in this country to previously unscaled heights during their run to a record-equalling 29-game unbeaten run from the start of the league season and a comfortable 17th title triumph.

Not surprisingly, Digger deservedly walked away with the 87/88 Player of the Year accolades but defeat to Wimbledon in the FA Cup Final denied him and his team-mates their dream double.

An exemplary role model, the positive influence he exerted on the club's up and coming youngsters meant he was the ideal man to succeed Ian Rush as captain in the mid-nineties - the likes of Steve McManaman, Jamie Redknapp and Robbie Fowler all benefiting from training and playing alongside him.

He spent a total of ten years with Liverpool, was a pivotal member of the side throughout and just as the number seven shirt will always be associated with Kenny Dalglish, the number ten will forever belong to Barnes.

On the pitch, John Barnes helped take Liverpool's brand of football to previously unscaled heights of excitement, but in a wider social context the contribution he made to the club was even more enduring.

Sold to: Newcastle United (1997)

Claim to fame: Being the club's first high-profile black player

Did you know? As well as an excellent footballer, he was also an accomplished rapper, performing on both the Anfield Rap and New Order's 'World in Motion'

Where is he now? After a brief spell in management with Celtic, he's now an established face in the media

Peter Hooton on John Barnes: "When he used to attack the Kop down the wing by the Kemlyn Road he literally used to walk past players. You just didn't know what he was going to do. Half the time I doubt even he knew what he was going to do. His technical ability was South American, it was Brazilian, there's no doubt about it. And that's why I state that he was my favourite all-time Liverpool player, to actually watch. I know Dalglish brought other things to the team but the most exciting, I ever thought, was John Barnes."

My Top 5 Players Who Shook The Kop

The ongoing 100PWSTK over at Liverpoolfc.tv is proving to be a huge success and has kept fans revisiting the site for the past few months. After weeks after weeks of unveilling of players, we have finally reached the pinacle, the top 5 players who has made a major impact in the most illustrious club in England.

We are left with the 5 players and they are: Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler, Ian Rush, Kenny Dalglish and John Barnes.

My Prediction:

1. Kenny Dalglish

I think nobody will be able to surpass the great 'King Kenny' of Anfield. His achievment at the club is for all to see and playing in the '80s Liverpool team where they totally dominated the English game as well as in Europe.


2. Ian Rush

All time top scorer for Liverpool, he has already endeared himself in the hearts of the fans because of his predatory skills and his apparent love for Liverpool. The moustached Welsh looks exactly what everyone think a Scouser will look like and he IS made for Liverpool.


3. Steven Gerrard

In an era where great players and legends are hard to come by, he stood forth and shone. He's the one player that carried Liverpool through the transitional period when Rafa Benitez took over. He's the one player that kept us in the Champions League in 2005 with that goal against Olympiakos. His goal in the Champions League final sparked a revival in the Liverpool team which looked to be down and out. He scored the double to carry Liverpool through the FA Cup final. You don't make a one man team, but you just need the one player to be more special than the rest.


4. John Barnes

The modern day equivalent of what we have in CRonaldo and Robben, but with pace and power. He excites the crowds in the late 80's and early 90's and his ability to rip opponent's defence to shreds earn his plaudits.


5. Robbie Fowler

The man they Kopites called 'God'. That is enough to tell how much the fans love the man. Although he played in an era where Liverpool slumped and stumbled most of the team, he provided the hope everyone was looking for, the salvation everyone hoped for. A natural goalscorer by birth, his wonderful left foot made football fans awe-struck. He 'died', but 'rose' again.

100 Players Who Shook The Kop Top 10

Of all the stories so far, Billy Liddell's one touched me the most. This is what I meant by sticking through thick and thin. Will you be there when Liverpool relegates?

#6 Billy Liddell

Name: Billy Liddell

Years at Liverpool: 1938 to 1960
Position: Winger

Date-of-birth: 10/1/1921
Birthplace: Townhill (near Dunfermline)

Signed from: Lochgelly Violet (June 1938)

Games: 534
Goals: 229

Honours: First Division Championship (1946/47)





Life as a Liverpudlian in the 1950s was no bed of roses but while Billy Liddell was around there was always a shining light amid the gloom of relegation from the top-flight, humiliating cup exits to lower league opposition and seemingly annual near misses in the quest for promotion.

The mere mention of his name is enough to send ageing Liverpudlians into dewy-eyed reminisces of bygone football age. For them, William Beveridge Liddell is quite simply the greatest player to have ever donned the famous red shirt.

Although his modesty would never have allowed him to admit it, without him the Reds could well have sunk into the murky depths of the old Third Division and if they had who's to say they'd have ever escaped?

To the modern generation of Liverpool fans, who look back in time and can't see beyond the arrival of Bill Shankly, this is a scenario too severe to contemplate but it's no exaggeration and for this reason alone, Liddell's contribution to the success story that followed should never be under-estimated.

Without doubt, 'King Billy of Anfield' was one of the post-war greats of the British game, a thrilling, skilful, two-footed winger - fast, direct and capable of bursting the back of any opposition net with one of his trademark thunderbolt shots.

But the fact that he was twice selected to represent Great Britain during the course of his career – a feat matched only by the legendary Stanley Mathews – is ample proof, if needed, of his immense stature in the game.

On the pitch, Liverpool was a club in decline and in 1954 the unthinkable occurred when the Reds suffered the indignity of relegation to the Second Division. Many players of his ability would have jumped ship at the prospect of dropping into a lower league but Liddell's unswerving loyalty to the Reds ensured that he remained with the club as they strove to regain their top-flight status in the proceeding years.

Ever the gentleman, Liddell didn't complain. During the course of his illustrious career he was never booked and captained the club with distinction. One of the finest role models ever to play the game, he was the perfect club ambassador – a devout Christian who never drank, smoke or swore, he did a lot of work for charity, helped out at local boys clubs and was a qualified Justice of the Peace.

It was unfortunate fact of life that Liddell's prime did not coincide with the Shankly revolution that followed his retirement. Had it done, who knows what he would have gone on to achieve?

The great man is sadly no longer with us but visit Anfield on a quiet day and old-timers will swear they can still hear the once famous roar of 'give it to Billy' ringing around the Kop. Gone but never forgotten, when legendary Liverpool players are discussed you can be sure his name will always figure prominently.

Sold to: Retired (1960)

Claim to fame: Carrying Liverpool through the fifties

Did you know? An accountant by profession, he trained only two days a week and worked at the club accountants office on the other days

Where is he now? Sadly passed away after suffering from Alzheimer's disease in July 2001

John Keith on Billy Liddell: "He was a role model before they had role models. He was a wonderfully exciting, good looking, dark hair, dashing player. Built to athletic perfection, with broad shoulders, tapering body, great speed and great power. He was excitement personified. That's how I would describe Billy Liddell."

100 Players Who Shook The Kop Top 10

#7 Jamie Carragher

Name: Jamie Carragher

Years at Liverpool: 1996 to present
Position: Defender

Date-of-birth: 28/1/1978

Birthplace: Bootle

Signed from: Apprentice (October 1996)

Games: 426
Goals: 3

Honours: European Cup (2005), FA Cup (2001, 2006), UEFA Cup (2001), League Cup (2001, 2003), Charity Shield (2001, 2006), Super Cup (2001, 2005), FA Youth Cup (1996)




His boyhood footballing allegiances may have lay on the wrong side of Stanley Park but ask any Liverpool fan who their representative is out on the pitch and you can bet the majority would plump for Jamie Carragher.

A blue-blooded Evertonian he may have been when growing up in the Marsh Lane area of Bootle but cut Carragher in half today and he'll bleed nothing but Liverpool red.

A no-nonsense defender, who plays with the passion and devotion of the most fanatical Liverpudlian, Carra has been a key figure in all of the Reds' recent triumphs and his value to the team is priceless.

A local working class hero, with the broadest of Scouse accents, he rose through the Anfield youth ranks and has remained true to his roots. As modest and down-to-earth as they come, in the modern game his attitude is both refreshing and endearing.

Widely regarded as one of the finest out-and-out defenders in Europe at the moment, comparisons with such defensive greats as Franco Baresi should not be taken lightly, for Jamie Carragher is fully deserving of such plaudits.

Whether it be at left-back, right-back or centre-back, he defends the Liverpool goal as if his life depends on it – as perhaps best proved from half-time onwards in the unforgettable 2005 Champions League Final against AC Milan in Istanbul.

While his versatility was to work in his favour to a certain extent during those early years, it prevented him from showing his true class in one position and he was not instantly adopted as a firm favourite of the fans, like he is today.

A succession of big money buys were brought in and his place seemed in constant danger but each and every time he resiliently knuckled down, refused to kick up a fuss and eventually saw off the challenge of all newcomers.

Seemingly growing in stature with every game, Carra slowly won over the doubters and blossomed into a highly consistent performer who was to become one of the first names on the Liverpool team-sheet.

Upon taking over the Anfield managership in 2004, Benitez was so impressed by his dedication and work-rate that he had no hesitation in appointing him vice-captain to Steven Gerrard, and as stand-in skipper he proudly held aloft the European Super Cup the following year.

Carragher will be first to admit that he's not the most technically gifted player to have ever pulled on the red shirt but a combination of hard work and a fully committed approach to his profession have helped him attain his goals.

An impeccable reader of the game and fine man-marker, he's strong in the tackle, dominant in the air and exerts a positive influence on all those around him. He would run through a brick wall in aid of the Liverpool cause and has displayed a willingness to play through the pain barrier.

After breaking his leg away to Blackburn in September 2003 he refused to accept that he couldn't continue and eventually left the field with a genuine belief that he'd let his team-mates down, while during extra-time of the Champions League Final he bravely soldiered on despite being crippled with excruciating cramp.

One of a select band of players to have played over 400 games for the club, his loyalty to the Reds is commendable. When once asked in an interview if he'd ever contemplate a move to somewhere bigger, his quick-as-a-flash reply was 'there is nowhere bigger than Liverpool'.

It's this type of attitude that has helped earn him 'living legend' status among those on the Kop, who dream about a 'team of Carragher's'. There have been many better players in Liverpool history but few have had a greater affinity with the crowd.

'23 Carra Gold' is the wording on one of the many banners to have been created by supporters in his honour and there can be no denying that Jamie Carragher is a present day jewel in Liverpool's crown.

Claim to fame: Giving Jerzy Dudek an inspirational pep-talk before the penalty shoot-out drama in Istanbul

Did you know? He is the longest serving player currently on Liverpool's books and will complete ten years unbroken as a professional at Anfield in October 2006

Chris Bascombe on Jamie Carragher: "I've probably been accused of being chairman of the Jamie Carragher fan club since he broke into the team and it's a funny one with him because when he first got into the side I don't think anybody would have believed he would become the player he has. But every season Carra has been in the team he's raised his game another 10 per cent and I think Liverpool fans have now woken up to how great he is."

100 Players Who Shook The Kop Top 10

#8 - Kevin Keegan


Name: Kevin Keegan

Years at Liverpool: 1971 to 1977

Position: Forward

Date-of-birth: 14/2/1951

Birthplace: Armthorpe

Signed from: Scunthorpe United (May 1971)

Games: 323
Goals: 100

Honours: First Division Championship (1972/73, 1975/76, 1976/77), European Cup (1977), FA Cup (1974), UEFA Cup (1973, 1976), Charity Shield (1974, 1976)




Bought for a bargain £35,000 from the lower leagues in 1971, Kevin Keegan's high-profile departure in the summer of 1977 may have left a bitter taste but there can be no denying his stature as a true legend of this club.

In the six years he wore a red shirt, Keegan went from unknown rookie to an internationally renowned star, attracting a type of hero-worship that was almost pop idol-esque at times. Like Michael Owen two decades later, he became not only a Kop hero but also the golden boy of English football and a player who shouldered the hopes of a nation.

One hundred goals, three League Championships, the European Cup, FA Cup and two UEFA Cup's, not to mention a multitude of magical memories mean he'll forever be revered in the red half of Merseyside.

'Robbery with violence' was how Bill Shankly described the capture of Keegan from Scunthorpe, such was the belief that he'd got himself a bargain buy to beat all others. And he was right.

Although he'd been signed with a view to replacing Ian Callaghan in midfield, the confident new recruit immediately impressed in an attacking role during pre-season. So much so that he was handed a surprise debut at home to Nottingham Forest on the opening day of the season – an occasion he marked by scoring in front of the Kop after just 12 minutes.

Energetic, enthusiastic and one hundred per cent committed to the Kop cause, Keegan was a born winner who provided Shankly's second great side with the spark that ignited a renewed assault on the major honours.

In 1972/73, Keegan fired the Reds to an unprecedented domestic and European double, topping the Anfield goalscoring charts in the process and netting what proved to be a crucial brace in the UEFA Cup Final first leg against Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Another two-goal Keegan blast clinched FA Cup success the following year as Newcastle, a club that would play a big part in his future life, were overwhelmed at Wembley. The effervescent number seven had already struck four times on route to the twin towers that season, including a perfectly lobbed effort over Leicester's Peter Shilton in the semi-final replay at Villa Park.

On the eve of the 1976/77 season every Liverpudlian's worst fears were confirmed when Keegan served notice of his intention to quit the club and join Bundesliga outfit Hamburg in twelve months time.

His decision was understandably met with disdain from certain sections of the Kop and his once soaring popularity dipped significantly in the months that followed as some fans questioned his loyalty.

Four days after being made the scapegoat by some for the FA Cup Final defeat by Manchester United, which had scuppered dreams of the treble, Keegan won back the everlasting affection of the supporters with a dazzling performance against Borussia Moenchengladbach.

On a balmy night in the Olympic Stadium his tireless work-rate and close control bamboozled experienced German international Bertie Vogts to such an extent that he had no option but to bring him down for the penalty that sealed a momentous victory.

Keegan may have gone on to be crowned European Footballer of the Year twice during his spell in Germany but it was at Anfield where he enjoyed his greatest success and spent his best years.

One of Liverpool Football Club's favourite sons, there'll always be a special place in the heart of the Kop for Kevin Keegan – an iconic figure of an era that no Liverpudlian who lived through it will ever forget.

Sold to: SV Hamburg (July 1977)

Claim to fame: Scoring twice in the 1974 FA Cup Final victory over Newcastle

Did you know? Liverpool had first option to buy Keegan back when he left Hamburg but Bob Paisley opted not to take up the offer and he went to Southampton instead

Where is he now? Not much has been seen or heard of him since leaving his post as Manchester City manager in 2004/05 but he was recently linked with the vacant managerial position at Doncaster

Brian Hall on Kevin Keegan: "Kevin turned out to be a brilliant footballer. For me, his contribution to that seventies team was quite phenomenal. The media tried to make him into some kind of superstar but he was a team player and when he pulled on his red shirt was one of the lads. I thought he was a terrific person and a terrific footballer."

100 Players Who Shook The Kop Top 10

#9 - Graeme Souness

Name: Graeme Souness

Years at Liverpool: 1978 to 1984

Position: Midfield

Date-of-birth: 6/5/1953

Birthplace: Edinburgh

Signed from: Middlesbrough (January 1978)

Games: 359
Goals: 56

Honours: First Division Championship (1978/79, 1979/80, 1981/82, 1982/83, 1983/84), European Cup (1978, 1981, 1984), League Cup (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984), Charity Shield (1979, 1980, 1982)




Forget his turbulent tenure in the Anfield hot-seat and remember Graeme Souness for his majestic midfield performances in the famous Red shirt during the most dominant period of success in the club's history.

Whatever sins he committed as Reds boss – and he has since apologised for them anyway – they should never be used to taint the wonderful memories he left behind as a player.

An awesome midfield enforcer, Souness was a renowned hard-man who possessed a subtle touch. Once described as 'a bear of a player with the delicacy of a violinist', he was the general who dictated much of Liverpool's play throughout a glorious six year career in front of the Kop.

A native of Edinburgh, Souey first shot to prominence as a young player of immense potential under the tutelage of the great Bill Nicholson at Tottenham but made just one senior appearance for Spurs before moving to Middlesbrough in 1973.

His precocious talent blossomed on Teeside and his services were soon reportedly being courted by many top clubs of the time. That was the cue for Bob Paisley to swoop and it took a record fee between two English teams to secure his services. It was a wise move and was to prove money well spent.

The influence he exerted on the team grew with each passing season, as did his medal collection. As part of arguably the best midfield quartet in Liverpool history, Souness prospered and reaped the rewards. Titles and trophies came his way and in January 1982 so too did the honour of skippering the Reds

No opposition crowd, however hostile, could faze his ice-cool temperament in the heat of the battle, while no opposing players would escape without retribution if they'd committed any misdemeanors against his Liverpool team-mates.

The more intimidating the atmosphere, the better he performed - a fact never better illustrated than during the climax to the triumphant 1984 European Cup winning campaign. In the semi-final second leg against Dinamo Bucharest, Souey was targeted by the Romanian crowd following an incident in the first leg that left a Dinamo player with a broken jaw. But, with every boo, whistle and jeer, the Reds skipper grew in stature and orchestrated proceedings as a place in the final was memorably secured.

Unlike many other 'greats' who had left the club, Liverpool struggled to replace a player of Souey's calibre. At the peak of his powers, the one-time 'emperor of Anfield', was rightly regarded as one of the best all-round midfield players there has ever been.

Few Liverpudlians will disagree and he'll always be considered an automatic choice whenever any all-time Reds XI is discussed. Even his unsuccessful spell as manager cannot change that.


Sold to: Sampdoria (June 1984)

Claim to fame: Skippering Liverpool to the treble in 1984

Did you know? He appeared in Alan Bleasdale's television drama of the early 1980's 'Boys From The Blackstuff', alongside his look-a-like actor Bernard Hill – aka Yozzer Hughes

Where is he now? No longer actively involved in the game since his sacking as Newcastle boss last season and is currently employed as a television pundit

Dave Kirby on Graeme Souness: "Probably the most complete midfielder I've seen. I mean, Steven Gerrard is getting up there now and he's got a variation in his game but Souness was a born winner. I've seen a good few players in my time but Souness, if I saw him now, I'd shake his hand. You've got to remember what he did for this club in the six years he was here as a player."


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The Graeme Souness one will be done later tonight.

Drogs out!