Sunday, February 25, 2007
100 Person Who Shock The Kop - No. 70 Ronnie Moran
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Coming in at number 70 in our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown is Liverpool legend and 1950's full-back Ronnie Moran.
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: Ronnie Moran
Years at Liverpool: 1952 to 1969 (as a player)
Position: Full-back
Date-of-birth: 28/2/1934
Birthplace: Crosby
Signed from: Amateur (January 1952)
Games: 379
Goals: 16
Honours: First Division Championship (1963/64), Second Division Championship (1961/62)
He may be more renowned for the sterling work he did as a member of Liverpool's fabled boot-room but Ronnie Moran's ability as a player with the Reds was equally commendable and should never be overlooked. He signed professional forms at Anfield just prior to his 18th birthday and made his debut away to Derby County in November 1952. A sturdy, reliable full-back, Moran was strong in the tackle and rarely beaten by an opposition winger for pace. It was following Liverpool's relegation to Division Two that he firmly established himself as a first-team regular and he became one of the mainstays in defence as the Reds frustratingly strove to reclaim their top-flight status. A highly consistent performer, the prematurely balding Moran could no doubt have commanded a starting place in many a First Division side of that time but such was his loyalty to the Anfield cause he never once sought a move to pastures new. His reward came when was handed the club captaincy, a role he carried out with great pride and distinction, but a series of injuries saw him sidelined for lengthy spell shortly after Bill Shankly's appointment as manager. Once fully recovered he played his part in Liverpool eventually winning promotion in 1961/62 and was then an almost ever-present as the title of the First Division was clinched two season's later. As well as his defensive capabilities, Moran was also well-known for his dead-ball expertise but unfortunately shook the Kop for the wrong reasons when he infamously missed a penalty in a FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Swansea at Anfield in 1964. With age catching up on him, Moran gradually saw his first team opportunities decrease and he played his last senior game for the club in the second leg of the European Cup semi-final against Internazionale in 1965. A position coaching the youngsters beckoned and the rest is history. He later served the club in a variety of back-room capacities until his eventual retirement from the game in the late 1990's. A true Liverpool legend, in every sense of the word.
Sold to: Retired (1969)
Claim to fame: Serving the club so loyally for almost 50 years
Did you know? He won no international honours but twice represented the Football League
Where is he now? Enjoying retirement but still a regular visitor to Melwood during the week and Anfield on match-days
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