Tuesday, January 30, 2007

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 84: Howard Gayle


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Despite making just five first team appearances for the Reds, winger Howie Gayle did enough to be voted into our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown at number 84.
Four years after our ground-breaking '100 Days That Shook The Kop', we are delighted to invite you to enjoy our new '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' series – the definitive countdown of the 100 players who have made the biggest impact at Liverpool.

Over 110,000 supporters have all nominated their own personal Top 10 players in order of impact made and now the definitive top 100 countdown is underway.

Every player who has made the top 100 – and there are some surprises in there - will be honoured on this website via the e-Season ticket console with a specially produced video clip, including archive footage and exclusive interviews.

Since 1892 hundreds of players have represented this club but everyone has their own particular favourites so don't expect this list to be based solely on talent. The greatness of a player can be measured in many ways – obviously, his ability on the pitch is the most important, but 100 PWSTK is much more than that. It's about the impact the individuals chosen have had on this club, be it for a variety of reasons. Maybe it was because of their unique rapport with the crowd, a specific incident that has never been forgotten or anything else that has left a lasting impression.


Name: Howie Gayle

Years at Liverpool: 1977 to 1983

Position: Winger

Date-of-birth: 18/5/1958
Birthplace: Liverpool

Signed from: Bedford (Liverpool Sunday League)

Games: 5
Goals: 1

Honours won: none

Howard Gayle achieved two notable claims to fame during his short, but sweet, Liverpool first team career. A boyhood Liverpudlian from the Toxteth district of the city, Gayle fulfilled a dream when he signed for his idols in 1977 after being spotted playing Sunday League football by John Bennison. He quickly established himself as a key member of Roy Evans' all-conquering reserve side and in October 1980 made his first team debut at Manchester City. He came on as a second half substitute for David Fairclough and in doing so became the first black player to ever represent the club. Blessed with lightening speed and intricate skill, Gayle's most memorable moment in a Liverpool shirt came six months later in the impressive setting of Munich's Olympic Stadium. It was the second leg of the European Cup semi-final against the mighty Bayern Munich and Liverpool faced a daunting task in their bid to reach the final in Paris. Sent on a substitute for the injured Kenny Dalglish early in the game Gayle made a dramatic entrance. He terrorised the Germans with his blistering pace and dazzling ball control, while his frequent probing forays into Bayern territory silenced the vast home crowd. Having run the experienced Bayern defence ragged he was eventually substituted late in the second half but his scintillating performance paved the way for a famous Liverpool triumph. Unfortunately, that was as good as it got for the Gayle. He scored on his full debut three days after his heroics in Munich but he made just two further first team appearances after that. With competition for places fierce he regrettably bade farewell to Anfield in January 1983 and joined Birmingham City in a £75,000 deal. While at St Andrews he gained England under-21 honours and later enjoyed spells with Sunderland and Blackburn, among others. Sadly, the early promise he had shown in Munich was never fulfilled. At Anfield though, the memories of his European heroics will never fade.

Sold to: Birmingham City (January 1983)

Claim to fame: Helping Liverpool reach the 1981 European Cup Final

Did you know? He was the first Liverpool sub to be subbed

Where is he now? After hanging up his boots he went into coaching and he's currently involved in the development of local youngsters

Stephen Done on Howard Gayle: "In some ways, he only played five games, scored one goal, you could really say does that make him one of the great, most important players in the history of the club? Well, yes, in a way, it does. Perhaps not for the reasons Howie Gayle wants to be remembered."

Saturday, January 27, 2007

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 85: Alec Lindsay



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At number 85 in our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown is popular full-back of the seventies Alec Lindsay.
Four years after our ground-breaking '100 Days That Shook The Kop', we are delighted to invite you to enjoy our new '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' series – the definitive countdown of the 100 players who have made the biggest impact at Liverpool.

Over 110,000 supporters have all nominated their own personal Top 10 players in order of impact made and now the definitive top 100 countdown is underway.

Every player who has made the top 100 – and there are some surprises in there - will be honoured on this website via the e-Season ticket console with a specially produced video clip, including archive footage and exclusive interviews.

Since 1892 hundreds of players have represented this club but everyone has their own particular favourites so don't expect this list to be based solely on talent. The greatness of a player can be measured in many ways – obviously, his ability on the pitch is the most important, but 100 PWSTK is much more than that. It's about the impact the individuals chosen have had on this club, be it for a variety of reasons. Maybe it was because of their unique rapport with the crowd, a specific incident that has never been forgotten or anything else that has left a lasting impression.

Name: Alec Lindsay

Years at Liverpool: 1969 to 1977

Position: Left back

Date of birth: 27/2/1948
Birthplace: Bury

Signed from: Bury

Games: 248
Goals: 18

Honours won: First Division Championship (1972/73), FA Cup (1974), UEFA Cup (1973), Charity Shield (1974)

32 years on, it remains a burning bone of contention among Liverpudlians as to why Alec Lindsay's perfectly looking goal was disallowed in the 1974 FA Cup Final. But that should not distract from the fact that Lindsay was an excellent left back who made a fantastic contribution to the club's success in the early seventies. It was after helping his hometown club Bury win promotion to the old Second Division that Bill Shankly paid £67,000 to bring him to Anfield in March 1969. He arrived at the club as a midfielder but, after struggling in the reserves, Shankly took the decision to switch the former England youth international to left back and his talents blossomed. His left foot was seen as one of the most effective in football and he went on to earn four England caps. Lindsay scored on his Liverpool debut as a substitute at Ipswich in October 1969 but it was his penalty prowess that made him so reliable when put on the spot. His brace of penalties that gave Liverpool victory over Leicester in August 1974 made him the first Anfield player to score twice from the spot in a League game for 20 years. Lindsay, who played under the management of both Shankly and Bob Paisley, won UEFA Cup and League championship medals in 1973 and an FA Cup winner's medal a year later. He joined Stoke City for £20,000 in 1977 and finished his career in the NASL with Oakland but his Wembley strike that never was is still a hot topic of conversation whenever a certain generation of Reds fans get together.

Sold to: Stoke City (1977)

Claim to fame: Scoring the best disallowed goal ever in an FA Cup Final

Did you know? He once owned a pig farm

Where is he now? Running a pub in Leigh

Brian Hall on Alec Lindsay: "One of the best left foots I've ever seen. Alec was one of those players who had such a lovely sweet movement and motion when he kicked a ball with his left foot that he could kick it three quarters the length of the pitch and made it look so easy."

Thursday, January 18, 2007

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 86: Nick Barmby



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Voted in at number 86 in our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' series is a player who will never be forgotten on Merseyside, Nick Barmby.
Four years after our ground-breaking '100 Days That Shook The Kop', we are delighted to invite you to enjoy our new '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' series – the definitive countdown of the 100 players who have made the biggest impact at Liverpool.

Over 110,000 supporters have all nominated their own personal Top 10 players in order of impact made and now the definitive top 100 countdown is underway.

Every player who has made the top 100 – and there are some surprises in there - will be honoured on this website via the e-Season ticket console with a specially produced video clip, including archive footage and exclusive interviews.

Since 1892 hundreds of players have represented this club but everyone has their own particular favourites so don't expect this list to be based solely on talent. The greatness of a player can be measured in many ways – obviously, his ability on the pitch is the most important, but 100 PWSTK is much more than that. It's about the impact the individuals chosen have had on this club, be it for a variety of reasons. Maybe it was because of their unique rapport with the crowd, a specific incident that has never been forgotten or anything else that has left a lasting impression.

Name: Nick Barmby

Years at Liverpool: 2000 to 2002

Position: Attacking midfielder

Date of birth: 11/2/1974
Birthplace: Hull

Signed from: Everton (2000)

Games: 57
Goals: 8

Honours won: Worthington Cup (2001), UEFA Cup (2001), Charity Shield (2001)

Nick Barmby shook not only the Kop but the whole of Merseyside when he crossed Stanley Park to fulfil his childhood dream of playing for Liverpool. In a move which echoed that of Dave Hickson some 40-odd years before, he left Everton in controversial circumstances for a fee of £6 million during the summer of 2000. It was a transfer that sparked a huge local furore and, as result, the hype surrounding his first appearance for the Reds against the Blues later that year was intense. What happened next has since passed into Mersey derby folklore as he silenced the taunting Evertonians with a memorable headed goal in a 3-1 Liverpool win. It was, however, to be a rare high point in an otherwise undistinguished stay at Anfield. Used by Gerard Houllier as a wide player, operating on either the left or right flanks, Barmby chipped in with his fair share of important goals – including a penalty in the shoot-out win over Birmingham City in the Worthington Cup Final - but missed the climax of the treble season through injury. An England international, the Hull-born Liverpudlian, who began his career as an exciting youngster at Tottenham, then saw his Liverpool career peter out disappointingly. He hardly figured the following season due to an ankle injury and it came as no surprise when Gerard Houllier deemed him surplus to requirements and offloaded him to Leeds just prior to the start of the 2002/03 campaign. His stay at Anfield may have been brief but it will certainly won't be forgotten by the fans on either side of the great Mersey divide.

Sold to: Leeds United (2002)

Claim to fame: Scoring against Everton just months after crossing Stanley Park

Did you know? He had a two-week trial at Anfield as a teenager before signing for Tottenham

Where is he now? Playing for his hometown club Hull City in the Championship

Jamie Carragher on Nick Barmby: "If you ever watch that treble video back again, you don't realise until you watch it the impact he had on that season, definitely before Christmas, the amount of goals he scored. He was a great help in us winning those trophies."

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 87: Alun Evans



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At number 87 in our exciting '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown is striking starlet of the sixties Alun Evans, the one-time most expensive teenager in British football
Four years after our ground-breaking '100 Days That Shook The Kop', we are delighted to invite you to enjoy our new '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' series – the definitive countdown of the 100 players who have made the biggest impact at Liverpool.

Over 110,000 supporters have all nominated their own personal Top 10 players in order of impact made and now the definitive top 100 countdown is underway.

Every player who has made the top 100 – and there are some surprises in there - will be honoured on this website via the e-Season ticket console with a specially produced video clip, including archive footage and exclusive interviews.

Since 1892 hundreds of players have represented this club but everyone has their own particular favourites so don't expect this list to be based solely on talent. The greatness of a player can be measured in many ways – obviously, his ability on the pitch is the most important, but 100 PWSTK is much more than that. It's about the impact the individuals chosen have had on this club, be it for a variety of reasons. Maybe it was because of their unique rapport with the crowd, a specific incident that has never been forgotten or anything else that has left a lasting impression.

Name: Alun Evans

Years at Liverpool: 1968 to 1972

Position: Forward

Date of birth: 30/4/1949
Birthplace: Bewdley, Worcestershire

Signed from: Wolves (September 1968)

Games: 110
Goals: 33

Honours won: None

Looking more like a movie star than a footballer livewire striker Alun Evans, with his fashionable blonde mop-top, breezed into Anfield as British football's first £100,000 teenager when Bill Shankly signed him from Wolves as a prodigious 18-year old in September 1968. The son of a Welsh-born former West Brom wing half of the same name, Evans had gone to Molineux after impressing as a schoolboy for Mid Worcester, Birmingham and England, later earning youth and under 23 recognition by his country. Strong, skilful, quick and courageous, he first came to the attention of Shanks as a 16-year old when giving Ron Yeats a torrid time while playing against Liverpool for Wolves. His capture was viewed as a major coup by the Reds boss and Evans added to the excitement by making an explosive start to his Anfield career. He scored on his debut - a 4-0 defeat of Leicester – and then netted twice more a week later in a 6-0 rout of his previous employers at Molineux. But sadly his massive potential was never fulfilled. A catalogue of knee injuries halted his progress and his confidence suffered following a much-publicised nightclub incident that left him facially scarred. He bounced back spectacularly to plunder a famous hat-trick that sunk Bayern Munich in a 3-1 Fairs Cup victory at Anfield and also opened the scoring in the 1971 FA Cup semi-final against Everton at Old Trafford. By the following season though, with a young striking sensation by the name of Kevin Keegan now at the club, Evans was allowed to leave and moved on to Aston Villa for £70,000. In a world far removed from his days as the pin-up boy of Anfield he went on to work as a fish market delivery driver and painter and decorator upon retiring from football, but will always be fondly remembered at Liverpool for his dashing performances as a young starlet in the late sixties/early seventies.

Sold to: Aston Villa (1972)

Claim to fame: Becoming British football's first £100,000 teenager

Did you know? He was dubbed 'Der Bomber' by the German press after his goalscoring heroics against Bayern in 1971

Where is he now? Living in Australia

John Bishop on Alun Evans: "Alun Evans, you know what Alun Evans was to me? Alun Evans is like those fellas on Star Trek, who get sent down on the planet first. When Captain Kirk says we've got a new planet to explore, no-one wants to go first because they always get killed. Alun Evans is one of the few who would have gone to that planet and come back!"

Sunday, January 14, 2007

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 88: Mark Walters



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Winging his way into our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown at number 88 is Mark Walters, scorer of two never-to-be-forgotten goals in front of the famous old terrace.


Name: Mark Walters

Years at Liverpool: 1991 to 1995

Position: Winger

Date of birth: 2/6/1964
Birthplace: Birmingham

Signed from: Rangers (1991)

Games: 115
Goals: 19

Honours won: FA Cup (1992), Coca Cola Cup (1995) both as unused subs

Mark Walters etched his name indelibly into Anfield folklore with two much-celebrated strikes in front of the Kop. The first was his never to be forgotten winner for Liverpool against Auxerre in 1992, as the Reds overturned a 2-0 deficit from the first leg to win 3-2 on aggregate. The other, later that same season, was the decisive second goal in a famous victory over Manchester United that deprived the Old Trafford club of the League title. Signed by Graeme Souness from Rangers for £1.3 million the previous summer, it was hoped Walters, having been a big hit at Ibrox, could make a similar impact as fellow Reds winger John Barnes. Emulating a player of Barnes' ilk, however, was to prove too tough a burden for the player who first made his name in the game as a highly-rated youngster with Aston Villa. The task facing Walters was made doubly difficult by the emergence of a young Steve McManaman and although he ended his first season at the club as the proud owner of an FA Cup winners' medal, he was forced to watch the entire 90 minutes from the bench. The following season saw Walters score a hat-trick at home to Coventry City – the club's first in the inaugural Premier League – but it was a season of struggle at Anfield. When Souness resigned midway through the following campaign the writing was on the wall for Wally's Liverpool career. He was used largely as a substitute by new boss Roy Evans and was again among the subs as Liverpool won the Coca Cola Cup in 1995. With his trademark step-over, Walters was capable of some individual moments of brilliance but as they became more and more sporadic it was soon evident that he had no long-term future at the club. Loans spells at Wolves and Stoke followed before he eventually completed a permanent transfer to the latter. He may never have hit the heights that were expected of him but Mark Walters can look back on his time at Anfield and say with some justification that he shook the Kop - twice!

Sold to: Stoke City (1995)

Claim to fame: Scoring the dramatic UEFA Cup tie winner versus Auxerre

Did you know? His middle name is Everton

Where is he now? Coaches at the Aston Villa Academy and still turns out regularly for the Liverpool legends team

David Fairclough on Mark Walters: "Wally is probably remembered for his step-over trick that he's still foxing players with these days. As a veteran footballer he's fantastic. He just had that step-over, that no matter how much you knew it was going to come, you just didn't know how to handle it. he was effective and certainly Graeme Souness, who brought him to Anfield, was a big fan of his."

Friday, January 12, 2007

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 89: Donald Mckinlay



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The next name to be entered into our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' hall of fame is Donald McKinlay, a defensive stalwart of the 1920s who has been voted in at number 89.
Four years after our ground-breaking '100 Days That Shook The Kop', we are delighted to invite you to enjoy our new '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' series – the definitive countdown of the 100 players who have made the biggest impact at Liverpool.

Over 110,000 supporters have all nominated their own personal Top 10 players in order of impact made and now the definitive top 100 countdown is underway.

Every player who has made the top 100 – and there are some surprises in there - will be honoured on this website via the e-Season ticket console with a specially produced video clip, including archive footage and exclusive interviews.

Since 1892 hundreds of players have represented this club but everyone has their own particular favourites so don't expect this list to be based solely on talent. The greatness of a player can be measured in many ways – obviously, his ability on the pitch is the most important, but 100 PWSTK is much more than that. It's about the impact the individuals chosen have had on this club, be it for a variety of reasons. Maybe it was because of their unique rapport with the crowd, a specific incident that has never been forgotten or anything else that has left a lasting impression.


Name: Donald McKinlay

Years at Liverpool: 1910 to 1929

Position: Defender

Date-of-birth: 25/7/1891
Birthplace: Glasgow

Games: 433
Goals: 34

Honours won: First Division Championship (1921/22, 1922/23)

Scottish defender McKinlay enjoyed one of the longest careers of any Liverpool player and will forever be remembered as one of the most distinguished figures in this club's history. He made his debut as an 18-year old in 1910 and played his last game 18 years later. Although four years of McKinlay's life as a professional were lost to the First World War he more than made up for it in the years that followed. As a youngster he experienced the bitter pain of being on the losing side for Liverpool in the 1914 FA Cup Final but he recovered from that disappointment in style by skippering the Reds to successive League titles in 1922 and 1923. Regarded as an uncompromising, hard-tackling defender, McKinlay was predominantly used as a left-back but displayed such great versatility that he could also operate at wing half, centre half and right across the forward line. Long before the term "overlapping" had become part of football parlance he was a great exponent of the art, his speed carrying him menacingly into the opposition penalty area and, as a result, amassed the impressive total for a mainly defensive player of 34 goals, one of them struck spectacularly from 10 yards inside his own half at West Ham in January 1926. A solid competitor, the Glasgow-born Kop favourite was also renowned as an expert dead-ball kicker and was a really consistent performer throughout the course of his lengthy stay at Anfield. A true Liverpool stalwart in every sense, McKinlay's illustrious career was eventually ended by injury in 1929.

Sold to: Prescot Cables

Claim to fame: Captaining the club to back-to-back title triumphs in the early 1920s

Did you know? Despite playing over 400 games for Liverpool he was somehow only awarded two international caps by Scotland

Where is he now? Worked as a publican in the Merseyside area after hanging up his boots and passed away, aged 68, in September 1959

Stephen Done on Don McKinlay: "He was quite a stalwart of the club, playing 434 games. Big tall Scottish player, one of a long line of great Scottish players this club has had."

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 90: Neil Mellor



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At number 90 in our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' is present day striker Neil Mellor, who burst through the youth ranks and scored two memorable goals during the 2004/05 season.
Four years after our ground-breaking '100 Days That Shook The Kop', we are delighted to invite you to enjoy our new '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' series – the definitive countdown of the 100 players who have made the biggest impact at Liverpool.

Over 110,000 supporters have all nominated their own personal Top 10 players in order of impact made and now the definitive top 100 countdown is underway.

Every player who has made the top 100 – and there are some surprises in there - will be honoured on this website via the e-Season ticket console with a specially produced video clip, including archive footage and exclusive interviews.

Since 1892 hundreds of players have represented this club but everyone has their own particular favourites so don't expect this list to be based solely on talent. The greatness of a player can be measured in many ways – obviously, his ability on the pitch is the most important, but 100 PWSTK is much more than that. It's about the impact the individuals chosen have had on this club, be it for a variety of reasons. Maybe it was because of their unique rapport with the crowd, a specific incident that has never been forgotten or anything else that has left a lasting impression.


Name: Neil Mellor

Years at Liverpool: 2003 to present

Position: Forward

Date-of-birth: 4/11/1982
Birthplace: Sheffield

Signed from: Graduated from the Academy

Games: 21
Goals: 6

Honours won: None

No matter what Neil Mellor goes on to achieve in life, he'll always be remembered by the red half of Merseyside for two dramatic moments that shook the Kop during the never-to-be-forgotten 2004/05 season. A graduate of the club's Academy, Mellor scored goals galore for the youth and reserve team, attracting a cult following of fans and earning a deserved first team call-up from Gerard Houllier in 2002/03. A powerful, old-fashioned style centre forward, he netted his first senior goal in the first leg of the Worthington Cup semi-final away to Sheffield United but was loaned out to West Ham the following season, where injuries halted his progress. It was not until Rafael Benitez took charge at Anfield that Mellor enjoyed a prolonged run in the first team. With the club in the midst of a striking injury crisis, the popular goal-getter was once again summonsed from the ranks of the second string. Although he had his doubters, he fully justified his manager's faith in him by plundering two vital goals in a short space of time – a much-celebrated injury-time winner against reigning Premiership champions Arsenal and the crucial second in the 3-1 Champions League victory over Olympiacos. Unfortunately another nightmare spell of injuries was just around the corner for Mellor and he spent almost a year on the sidelines in 2005 following a double knee injury. Another spell out on loan, this time with Wigan Athletic, was also plagued by injury problems. To some, his inclusion in this list may come as a surprise but few fans will ever forget the aforementioned goals and the role he played in the glorious road to Istanbul.

Claim to fame: His last-minute winner against the then reigning champions Arsenal

Did you know? Neil's dad Ian was also a professional footballer and played for, among others, Manchester City and Sheffield Wednesday

Where is he now? Recovering from his latest knee operation

Chris Bascombe on Neil Mellor: "Credit to him. He has never looked out of his depth at the highest level. Always looked as though he would score a goal and did so against some very top teams."

Monday, January 8, 2007

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 91: Titi Camara



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Voted in at number 91 in our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown is the enigmatic but spectacular Guinean striker Titi Camara.
Four years after our ground-breaking '100 Days That Shook The Kop', we are delighted to invite you to enjoy our new '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' series – the definitive countdown of the 100 players who have made the biggest impact at Liverpool.

Over 110,000 supporters have all nominated their own personal Top 10 players in order of impact made and now the definitive top 100 countdown is underway.

Every player who has made the top 100 – and there are some surprises in there - will be honoured on this website via the e-Season ticket console with a specially produced video clip, including archive footage and exclusive interviews.

Since 1892 hundreds of players have represented this club but everyone has their own particular favourites so don't expect this list to be based solely on talent. The greatness of a player can be measured in many ways – obviously, his ability on the pitch is the most important, but 100 PWSTK is much more than that. It's about the impact the individuals chosen have had on this club, be it for a variety of reasons. Maybe it was because of their unique rapport with the crowd, a specific incident that has never been forgotten or anything else that has left a lasting impression.


Name: Titi Camara

Years at Liverpool: 1999 to 2000

Position: Forward

Birthplace: Conakry, Guinea
Date-of-birth: 11/7/1972

Signed from: Marseille (June 1999)

Games: 37
Goals: 10

Honours won: none

Titi who? Asked bemused Liverpool fans when it was announced that Marseille's Guinean striker was to be the club's next signing during the summer of 1999. Formerly of St Etienne and RC Lens, little was known of the enigmatic African, who Gerard Houllier paid £2.5 million for, but it didn't take him long to make an impact at Anfield. Camara quickly won a place in Liverpudlian hearts, scoring on his debut away to Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day of the 1999/2000 campaign and then following that up with a series of spectacular strikes. His dedication to the Red cause also won him respect and those present at Anfield on the night of 27 October 1999 will never forget the emotional scenes that accompanied Camara's winning strike, just hours after his father had sadly passed away. A pacy and skilful forward player who constantly had the crowd on the edge of their seats, Camara loved to entertain and, when on song, was a real menace to opposing defences. Unfortunately, his unpredictable style meant he struggled to hold down a regular place in the Liverpool starting eleven and when selected he was often deployed on the left-wing rather than his favoured striking role. The acquisition of Emile Heskey in March 2000 was to signal the beginning of the end for the popular Camara on Merseyside and after a sustained spell in the reserves he was eventually sold to West Ham as part of the deal that saw Rigobert Song arrive at Anfield. Although he scored just ten goals in a Liverpool shirt, almost everyone was a cracker and for this reason alone Liverpudlians will always have fond memories of the first footballer from Guinea to play in England.

Sold to: West Ham (December 2000)

Where is he now? Went to play in Saudi Arabia after leaving West Ham and was last know to be playing for French outfit Amiens SC

Did you know? His full name is Aboubacar Sidiki Camara

Jamie Carragher on Titi Camara: "When he first come, the first three or four months, we all thought what have we got here – Pele? Everytime you gave him the ball he was flicking it over someone's head or scoring some great goals. Unfortunately it went a bit pear shaped for him towards the end."

Saturday, January 6, 2007

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 92: Harry Chambers



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Harry Chambers, Liverpool's prolific goalscorer of the roaring twenties, is number 92 in our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown.
Four years after our ground-breaking '100 Days That Shook The Kop', we are delighted to invite you to enjoy our new '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' series – the definitive countdown of the 100 players who have made the biggest impact at Liverpool.

Over 110,000 supporters have all nominated their own personal Top 10 players in order of impact made and now the definitive top 100 countdown is underway.

Every player who has made the top 100 – and there are some surprises in there - will be honoured on this website via the e-Season ticket console with a specially produced video clip, including archive footage and exclusive interviews.

Since 1892 hundreds of players have represented this club but everyone has their own particular favourites so don't expect this list to be based solely on talent. The greatness of a player can be measured in many ways – obviously, his ability on the pitch is the most important, but 100 PWSTK is much more than that. It's about the impact the individuals chosen have had on this club, be it for a variety of reasons. Maybe it was because of their unique rapport with the crowd, a specific incident that has never been forgotten or anything else that has left a lasting impression.


Name: Harry Chambers

Years at Liverpool: 1915 to 1928

Position: Forward

Date-of-birth: 17/11/1896
Birthplace: Willinton Quay, Northumberland

Signed from: North Shields Athletic (April 1915)

Games: 338
Goals: 151

Honours won: First Division Championship (1921/22, 1922/23)

With his bandy-legged gait and hefty frame Harry Chambers was one of the most unlikely Liverpool goalscoring heroes. Looks can be deceptive though and ‘Smiler’, as he was commonly known by team-mates and fans alike, is right up there with the best of them when it comes to hitting the back of the net on a regular basis. There can no underestimating the importance of the goals he scored in a red shirt and his shooting prowess was instrumental in the club winning back-to-back League Championships in the early twenties. A native of the north-east, Chambers signed for Liverpool from North Shields Athletic in April 1915 shortly before the suspension of competitive football due to the outbreak of the World War One. Because of the hostilities it would be over four years before he made his debut for the Reds but in between he turned out as a wartime guest for Irish clubs Belfast Distillery and Glentoran. Once league action resumed it didn’t take the Geordie inside-forward long to make his mark and he scored on his official Liverpool bow. He went on to establish himself as the undisputed goal king of Anfield in the immediate post-war years, topping the club's goalscoring charts for the next five seasons, and representing England on eight occasions. In April 1928, aged 32, ‘Smiler’ finally bade Liverpool a fond farewell and such was his passion for the game he continued to play for another twenty years!

Sold to: West Bromwich Albion (April 1928)

Claim to fame: Scoring a hat-trick against Everton in a 5-1 thrashing of the Blues in September 1928

Did you know? Between August 1925 and September 1927 when he didn’t miss a game

Where is he now? Sadly passed away, aged 53, on 29 June 1949

John Keith on Harry Chambers: "Harry Chambers played a major part in Liverpool's success in the 1920s and so will always be listed as one of the great figures of the club's pre-war history."

Friday, January 5, 2007

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 93: Momo Sissoko



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The first present day player to make it into our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown is Mali international midfielder Momo Sissoko, who has been voted in at number 93.
Four years after our ground-breaking '100 Days That Shook The Kop', we are delighted to invite you to enjoy our new '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' series – the definitive countdown of the 100 players who have made the biggest impact at Liverpool.

Over 110,000 supporters have all nominated their own personal Top 10 players in order of impact made and now the definitive top 100 countdown is underway.

Every player who has made the top 100 – and there are some surprises in there - will be honoured on this website via the e-Season ticket console with a specially produced video clip, including archive footage and exclusive interviews.

Since 1892 hundreds of players have represented this club but everyone has their own particular favourites so don't expect this list to be based solely on talent. The greatness of a player can be measured in many ways – obviously, his ability on the pitch is the most important, but 100 PWSTK is much more than that. It's about the impact the individuals chosen have had on this club, be it for a variety of reasons. Maybe it was because of their unique rapport with the crowd, a specific incident that has never been forgotten or anything else that has left a lasting impression.


Name: Momo Sissoko

Years at Liverpool: 2005 to present

Position: Midfield

Date-of-birth: 22/1/1985
Birthplace: Mont-Saint-Aignan, France

Signed from: Valencia (July 2005)

Games: 45
Goals: 0

Honours won: (UEFA Super Cup 2005), FA Cup (2006)

Momo Sissoko turned down overtures from Everton to become Rafael Benitez's fifth summer signing of 2005. A deal with the Goodison club had all but been completed when Benitez made what has since proved to be an inspired acquisition. Although born in France, Sissoko opted to play his international football for Mali, the home country of his parents, and was part of the Mali side that exceeded expectations by reaching the last eight of 2004 Olympics. To date, he has won seven full caps. A tough competitor who is very quick and powerful in the centre of midfield, Sissoko was well known to Benitez having played under him at Valencia, with whom he won La Liga, UEFA Cup and Super Cup honours. The Reds boss was a huge admirer of his talents, comparing him to former Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira, and had no hesitation in forking out the £5 million fee to prise him from the Mestalla. Sissoko took no time at all in adjusting to the hustle and bustle of life in the Premiership. After impressing on his debut away at Middlesbrough he never looked back and quickly established himself as a firm favourite of the Anfield crowd. His arrival added greater strength to the Reds engine room, with his combative style of play allowing fellow midfielder's Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso more freedom in the centre of the park. In February 2006 a serious eye injury, sustained the Champions League tie away to Benfica, looked as though it would curtail his season prematurely but he made a miraculous recovery and was back in time to assist Liverpool's quest for FA Cup glory, playing a vital role from the quarter-final onwards. Sissoko can look back with pride on his first season at Anfield and if he continues to progress at the rate he has been doing then he'll surely move up this list in time.

Claim to fame: His miraculous recovery from that career-threatening eye injury

Did you know? He started his career in the youth ranks at Auxerre but never played a competitive first team game for the French club

Les Lawson on Momo Sissoko: "If Michael Essien is worth £25 million then there's no way he's five times a better player than Momo Sissoko. He's another example of Rafa Benitez's superb talent spotting and I think the lad will only get better and better as the years go by."

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 94: Sam Hardy



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Sam Hardy was one of the first in a long line of great Liverpool goalkeepers and he's been voted in at number 94 in our countdown of '100 Players Who Shook The Kop'.
Four years after our ground-breaking '100 Days That Shook The Kop', we are delighted to invite you to enjoy our new '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' series – the definitive countdown of the 100 players who have made the biggest impact at Liverpool.

Over 110,000 supporters have all nominated their own personal Top 10 players in order of impact made and now the definitive top 100 countdown is underway.

Every player who has made the top 100 – and there are some surprises in there - will be honoured on this website via the e-Season ticket console with a specially produced video clip, including archive footage and exclusive interviews.

Since 1892 hundreds of players have represented this club but everyone has their own particular favourites so don't expect this list to be based solely on talent. The greatness of a player can be measured in many ways – obviously, his ability on the pitch is the most important, but 100 PWSTK is much more than that. It's about the impact the individuals chosen have had on this club, be it for a variety of reasons. Maybe it was because of their unique rapport with the crowd, a specific incident that has never been forgotten or anything else that has left a lasting impression.


Name: Sam Hardy

Years at Liverpool: 1905 to 1912

Position: Goalkeeper

Date-of-birth: 26/8/1883
Birthplace: Newbold, Chesterfield

Signed from: Chesterfield (May 1905)

Games played: 239
Clean sheets kept: 64

Honours won: First Division Championship (1905/06), Dewar Shield (1906)

Sam Hardy was one of the first in a long line of distinguished goalkeepers to ply their trade at Anfield. Despite conceding six goals against Liverpool for his hometown club Chesterfield in January 1905 he did enough to impress the club's legendary secretary-manager of the time Tom Watson and four months later was signed for a fee of £500. Watson's judgement proved correct as Hardy went on to establish himself as one the finest stoppers in the land. Regarded as an unspectacular keeper, he earned the moniker 'Safe and Steady Sam' and made his Reds debut in October that year, replacing Ted Doig in a 4-1 victory over Nottingham Forest. Uncanny anticipation was considered to be one of Hardy's greatest assets and he showed this in abundance during his first season with the club as Liverpool walked off with the First Division title. He was a regular figure between the sticks at Anfield for the next six years and won 14 of his 21 England caps during this time. Held in the highest of esteem by Liverpudlians it was a sad day all round when in May 1912 time was called on his Anfield career and he left to join Aston Villa, with whom he won further honours.

Sold to: Aston Villa (May 1912)

Claim to fame: Keeping goal in the title-winning side of 1905/06

Did you know? After leaving Liverpool he won two FA Cup winners medals with Aston Villa and the Second Division title with Nottingham Forest

Where is he now? Worked as a hotelier in Chesterfield after retiring from football and died, aged 83, on 24 October 1966.

John Keith on Sam Hardy: "He was clearly a great goalkeeper because all the contemporary reports talk about this wonderful custodian which was a phrase they like to use. I remember some old timers at Liverpool when I was only young and they used to say they will never have another Sam Hardy. He was different class and he won the championship with Liverpool and played for England so clearly he was quite a goalkeeper."

Monday, January 1, 2007

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 95: Geoff Strong



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At number 95 in our 100 Players Who Shook The Kop countdown is sixties utility player Geoff Strong.
Four years after our ground-breaking '100 Days That Shook The Kop', we are delighted to invite you to enjoy our new '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' series – the definitive countdown of the 100 players who have made the biggest impact at Liverpool.

Over 110,000 supporters have all nominated their own personal Top 10 players in order of impact made and now the definitive top 100 countdown is underway.

Every player who has made the top 100 – and there are some surprises in there - will be honoured on this website via the e-Season ticket console with a specially produced video clip, including archive footage and exclusive interviews.

Since 1892 hundreds of players have represented this club but everyone has their own particular favourites so don't expect this list to be based solely on talent. The greatness of a player can be measured in many ways – obviously, his ability on the pitch is the most important, but 100 PWSTK is much more than that. It's about the impact the individuals chosen have had on this club, be it for a variety of reasons. Maybe it was because of their unique rapport with the crowd, a specific incident that has never been forgotten or anything else that has left a lasting impression.


Name: Geoff Strong

Years at Liverpool: 1964 to 1970
Position: Utility

Date-of-birth: 19/9/1937
Birthplace: Northumberland

Signed from: Arsenal (November 1964)

Games played: 200
Goals scored: 32

Honours won: FA Cup (1965), First Division Championship (1965/66), Charity Shield (1966)

Geoff Strong's versatility was a priceless asset to Liverpool's quest for honours during the sixties. Signed from Arsenal for £40,000 in November 1964, with whom he had made his name as an inside forward, scoring an impressive 69 goals in 125 league games, he was used by Liverpool to great effect in many different positions. In the six years that he spent at Anfield the likeable Geordie played in almost every position apart from goalkeeper and excelled in every one of them. At the end of his first season with the Reds Strong famously replaced the injured Gordon Milne in the 1965 FA Cup Final and performed admirably against Footballer of the Year Bobby Collins as the Reds won the trophy for the first time. The following season he scored one of Anfield's most celebrated goals against Celtic in the semi-final of the European Cup Winners Cup when, despite being badly affected by a leg injury, he climbed to meet Ian Callaghan's right-wing centre and headed the ball past Ronnie Simpson for the goal which took Liverpool through to the final. 'The cripple has scored' being perhaps Kenneth Wolstenholme's second most-famous utterance as a commentator! Unfortunately, injury ruled him out of the final. In the 1968-69 season he proved a capable left-back after replacing Peter Wall in that position, but he was one of the casualties of the dreadful FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Watford in February 1970 and only represented the club on five more occasions, the last being a home defeat to champions-elect Everton exactly a month after the cup defeat. He moved on to Coventry City that summer. Even though he was more of a squad player than a regular in the side, Geoff was a very popular player and when he led his new team out at Anfield in November 1970, he received a wonderful ovation from the Liverpool crowd as a tribute to the service he had given the club for nearly six years.

Sold to: Coventry City (summer 1970)

Claim to fame: Scoring the goal that fired Liverpool into their first European final

Did you know? He now has two steel knees as a result of the injuries sustained during his career

Where is he now? Recently retired from running his own refurbishing business - SDR - on Kirkby Industrial Estate

John Keith on Geoff Strong: "Geoff Strong was a jack of all trades and he could play absolutely anywhere. He never played in goal but I'm sure he could have done."