100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 46: Gerry Byrne

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Voted in at number 46 in our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown is tough-tackling full-back of the sixties, Gerry Byrne.
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: Gerry Byrne

Years at Liverpool: 1957 to 1969
Position: Full-back

Date-of-birth: 29/8/1938
Birthplace: Liverpool

Signed from: Amateur (1955)

Games: 330
Goals: 3

Honours: First Division Championship (1963/64, 1965/66), FA Cup (1965), Second Division Championship (1961/62), Charity Shield (1964, 1965, 1966)

One of the most heroic and brave figures in Liverpool history, Gerry 'the crunch' Byrne took his place in Anfield folklore on the never-to-be-forgotten day of 1 May 1965 when the Reds lifted the FA Cup for the first time. Byrne didn't score in the 2-1 win over Leeds but his contribution to that victory was every bit as important as goalscorers Roger Hunt and Ian St John. Even more so, when you consider that he played the majority of the 120 minutes at Wembley with a broken collar-bone, following an early collision with Bobby Collins, and set-up the opening goal. To play on the way he did with such a painful injury was testament to his never-say-die spirit and his team-mates of the time rightly rated him as the hardest player they ever played alongside. The heady times of the mid-sixties, however, were a far cry from Byrne's early days at the club a decade previous when he'd actually been placed on the transfer list prior to Bill Shankly's arrival as manager. Having made his debut in a forgettable 5-1 defeat away to Charlton in 1957, the local-born full-back was making little headway in his aim to establish himself as a regular in the Reds first team until Shanks took over the managerial reigns from Phil Taylor. After seeing Byrne train, the new boss immediately made him part of his plans and a glorious Anfield career followed. In 1961/62 he was an ever-present as the Reds reclaimed their long lost top-flight status and remained a prominent figure as the First Division title was won twice, either side of that FA Cup triumph. A loyal member of Shankly's side throughout the sixties, Byrne was a consistently solid and dependable performer whose crunching tackles shook not only the Kop, but also the unfortunate player on the receiving end. His illustrious playing career was eventually ended by a knee injury in 1969 but such was the high esteem in which he was held at Anfield, Byrne was handed a job on the coaching staff after hanging up his boots and remains, to this day, one of the most revered former Liverpool players among a cast of thousands.

Sold to: Retired (December 1969)

Claim to fame: Playing on with a broken collar-bone in the 1965 FA Cup Final

Did you know? He scored an own goal on his Liverpool debut

Where is he now? Retired and residing in North Wales

Ron Yeats on Gerry Byrne: "I can't say enough about this boy. He's one of these lads who if you heard him speak three times in a season you were lucky. He said very little but he didn't have to say much because on the pitch he was superb. He really was a good player. A very quiet man, very good tackler, good trainer and I loved him to death as well."

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 47: Sammy Lee

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At number 47 in our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown is pocket-sized midfield dynamo of the great early eighties team, Sammy Lee.
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: Sammy Lee

Years at Liverpool: 1977 to 1986
Position: Midfield

Date-of-birth: 7/2/1959
Birthplace: Liverpool

Signed from: Schoolboy (1977)

Games: 259
Goals: 19

Honours: First Division Championship (1981/82, 1982/83, 1983/84), European Cup (1981, 1984), League Cup (1981. 1982, 1983, 1984), Charity Shield (1982)

It's debatable if there has ever been a more passionate Liverpool player than Sammy Lee. A boyhood Liverpudlian, who idolised the great Bill Shankly sides of the sixties and early seventies, Sammy fulfilled a dream when he joined the club as an apprentice in 1976. Tom Saunders and Bob Paisley spotted him when playing in a junior cup final at Melwood and it's fair to say he never looked back. Small in size he may have been, standing stall at just five foot seven inches, but in terms of stature he was a giant. This pocket dynamo style midfielder made rapid progress through the youth ranks and was soon earning rave reviews for his outstanding performances in Roy Evans' all-conquering Central League side. Paisley was a huge admirer, he followed his development closely and once described him as a 'young Billy Bremner'. It was not until 1978, however, that Lee made his senior bow. It came against Leicester City at Anfield and the stocky Scouser celebrated the occasion by scoring in front of the Kop, the terrace where just a few years earlier he stood and cheered on his heroes. Another two years passed by before he eventually displaced Jimmy Case on the right side of midfield permanently and made the number eight shirt his own. Sammy's infectious enthusiasm rubbed off on all of those around him and his unquestionable commitment to the Liverpool cause made him a firm favourite of the crowd in those early days. In April 1981 he turned in arguably his finest performance for the club when he successfully man-marked the legendary Bayern Munich midfielder Paul Brietner in a tense European Cup semi-final. Never one to shirk a tackle, Sammy possessed a fine range of passing and would also chip in with the odd spectacular goal. Just ask former Man City keeper Joe Corrigan, who had the pleasure of picking a long-range Sammy thunderbolt from the back of his net at Maine Road in April 1982. As an almost ever-present in Liverpool triumph's at home and abroad during the early eighties it came as no surprise when international recognition came his way. The pride of leading his beloved Liverpool to victory meant so much to him and in an eight-year playing career at Anfield Sammy deservedly amassed a glittering array of honours. Sadly, injury and loss of form resulted in certain sections of the crowd disgracefully turning on him and he was eventually forced to move on in 1986 when he could no longer command a regular first team place. His love of the club, however, never died. He jumped at the chance to return as a coach in the early 1990s and although his Anfield ties have now been severed once again, Liverpool Football Club will always hold a special place in the heart of one of its favourite sons, and vice-versa.

Sold to: QPR (August 1986)

Claim to fame: Marking Bayern Munich's Paul Brietner out of the game in the 1981 European Cup semi-final second leg

Did you know? He was first called up to the first team squad for the away leg of the 1977 European Cup semi-final against FC Zurich when he was just 17

Where is he now? Assistant manager to Sam Allardyce at Bolton

Kenny Dalglish on Sammy Lee: "Sammy was everybody's pal and a great wee player. I remember he was totally shocked when he scored his first goal against Leicester but a great wee character. A smashing fella and one of the most popular here. On the pitch he was a great work horse who could pass and move, close people down and loved the club."

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 48: Peter Thompson

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At number 48 in our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown is flying winger of the sixties, Peter Thompson.
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: Peter Thompson

Years at Liverpool: 1963 to 1974
Position: Winger

Date-of-birth: 27/11/1942
Birthplace: Carlisle

Signed from: Preston North End (August 1963)

Games: 415
Goals: 54

Honours: First Division Championship (1963/64, 1965/66), FA Cup (1965), Charity Shield (1964, 1966)

It took a then club record fee of £40,000 for Liverpool to acquire the services of the highly talented Peter Thompson in August 1964 but Bill Shankly was right when he later described the signing as 'daylight robbery'. The flying winger, who possessed lightening pace and intricate close control, went on to become one of the games great entertainers during his decade at Anfield. His capture was viewed as the last piece in the jigsaw as Liverpool prepared to launch an all-out assault on winning the First Division title for the first time 17 years and within nine months Thompson had justified the massive fee paid for him by inspiring the Reds to their number one objective. The Cumbrian-born England international had initially served notice of his ability in 1962 when his goal for Preston North End dumped Liverpool out of the FA Cup in a 5th round 2nd replay at an ice-bound Old Trafford. He was to make amends three years later though as the Reds won the famous old trophy for the first time in its 73-year history, for it was a wonder goal by Thompson that set Liverpool on their way to that memorable Wembley date with Leeds. Sixty-three minutes into a tense semi-final clash with Chelsea at Villa Park he jinked his way through the defence and unleashed a thunderous left foot shot past Peter Bonetti. It was Peter Thompson at his sublime best but the strike was a rare one. If there was one criticism of him, and this is being harsh, it was that he didn't score enough goals but those he did were certainly memorable. Under the watchful eye of Shanks, Thompson evolved into one of the most exciting wide men of his generation and he constantly had the fans at Anfield on the edge of their seats as his mesmerising runs tormented opposition defences. As the decade drew to a close he managed to survive Shankly’s famous mass clear out that saw many stars from the sixties side move on but come the early seventies a serious knee injury was to effectively end his Liverpool career. Thompson left the Reds to join Bolton Wanderers in 1974 before bringing the curtain down on a glittering career with a testimonial against Liverpool at Burnden Park. He remains one of the finest wingers to grace a red shirt and for a club that's been blessed with the likes of Billy Liddell and John Barnes that is some compliment.

Sold to: Bolton Wanderers (January 1974)

Claim to fame: Scoring the opener in the 1965 FA Cup semi-final victory over Chelsea

Did you know? He ran a garage on Walton Breck Road in Anfield after hanging up his boots

Where is he now? Owns a guest house in Harrogate

David Fairclough on Peter Thompson: "Thommo was the sort of glamour player of the sixties team I think. He was the type of player you could be bedazzled by his footwork and just love to watch him go past defenders. You give the ball to Peter and you knew that something was going to happen."

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 49: Alex Raisbeck

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At number 49 in our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown is the man regarded as Liverpool Football Club's earliest superstar, the great Alex Raisbeck.
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: Alex Raisbeck

Years at Liverpool: 1898 to 1909
Position: Centre-back

Date-of-birth: 26/12/1878
Birthplace: Polmont, Stirlingshire

Signed from: Stoke City (1898)

Games: 340
Goals: 21

Honours: First Division Championship (1900/01, 1905/06), Second Division Championship (1904/05), Dewar Shield (1906)

Regarded as the club's first ever star player, Alex Raisbeck played a prominent part in Liverpool's earliest success. His Anfield career spanned eleven seasons, during which the Scottish international evolved into one of the best centre-backs of his era. It was while playing for Stoke that Raisbeck was first brought to the club's attention and in the kind of transfer swoop that would later become a Liverpool trademark, the then secretary-manager Tom Watson was sent to the Potteries and instructed not to return without sealing a deal. It cost Liverpool £350 to tempt Stoke to part with their prized asset but it was to prove money well spent. Raisbeck was an instant hit with the Anfield faithful because in his first season at the club he declined the opportunity to gain a first international cap in order to concentrate his efforts on Liverpool's chase for the League and Cup double. As it turned out, his efforts were in vain. The Reds lost out on both fronts but it was a tremendous display of loyalty from the new man. Raisbeck would eventually gain representative honours for Scotland and domestic prizes were also on the horizon. Two seasons after that double disappointment, Liverpool defied all odds to carry off their first championship, with Raisbeck being the key figure and driving force behind the Reds' success. Despite being only 5'10" in height, he was a commanding centre-half whose timing and athleticism enabled him to reach the ball before taller opponents. The 1905/06 season though was when Raisbeck was perhaps at his peak. Following the shock of relegation two years earlier he'd again stayed loyal to the club and helped steer them back to the top-flight at the first time of asking, before leading by example once more as Liverpool became the first club to win the Second and First Division titles in successive years. When Raisbeck's glorious Liverpool career eventually came to an end the Scotsman returned to the country of his birth to play for Partick Thistle and Hamilton Academicals before experiencing spells at the helm of Bristol City, Halifax and Chester. His love of Liverpool, however, never died and he later came back to take up a scouting position. One of this club's finest ever servants eventually passed away in 1949 but Alex Raisbeck will forever be remembered as the first in an illustrious line of great Scottish centre-backs at Anfield.

Sold to: Partick Thistle (1909)

Claim to fame: Captained Liverpool to their first ever Championship

Did you know? The club supplemented his wages by giving him the job of bill inspector, overseeing the public hoardings and notice boards advertising Liverpool matches

Where is he now? Passed away 12 March 1949

Stephen Done on Alex Raisbeck: "He was probably Liverpool's first superstar. He dates from the early days of the club at the turn of the century and was a glamorous looking guy who would have been a pin up these days. He'd have been a Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler or David Beckham."

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 50: Albert Stubbins

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As we reach the halfway stage of our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown we present to you at number 50, legendary centre forward of the immediate post-war era, Albert Stubbins.
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: Albert Stubbins

Years at Liverpool: 1946 to 1953
Position: Forward

Date-of-birth: 17/7/1919

Birthplace: Wallsend

Signed from: Newcastle United (September 1946)

Games played: 180
Goals scored: 83

Honours won: First Division Championship (1946/47)

One of the most popular player to ever don the famous red shirt, Stubbins cost the club a then record £12,500 when he was signed from Newcastle United during the early weeks of the inaugural post-war league season. A prolific wartime marksman, when league football resumed in 1946 his signature was one of the most sought after in the game and Liverpool pipped Everton to capture him. Unfazed by the record transfer fee that would have hung like a millstone around the neck of lesser players Stubbins quickly set about repaying the huge investment in him, making the centre forward position his own and, together with Jackie Balmer, he fired the Reds to an unlikely championship triumph. It was a memorable season in more ways than one because in March 1947 he also scored what was to be his most celebrated goal – a diving header in a FA Cup quarter-final tie against Birmingham, that is still talked about to this day as the 'goal in snow'. Possessing a lethal combination of power, pace and skill, the ginger-haired Geordie was a fearless centre-forward who was at his most dangerous when running at defences with the ball at his feet. A self-imposed strike prior to the 1947/48 campaign added to his cult-status, as did the four goals he netted against Huddersfield Town in March 1948 despite receiving a threatening telegram prior to the game, warning that his legs would be broken if he scored! In 1950 he played a prominent role in helping Liverpool reach a Wembley Cup Final for the first time but the latter part of his Anfield career was plagued by injuries and he was unable to repeat the goalscoring heroics that had made him an instant hit on the Kop. He eventually returned to his native Tyneside in 1953 but was never forgotten by his adoring fans in the red half of Merseyside. Forty years after he'd last pulled on a red shirt, fan clubs were being formed in his honour and on his last ever visit to Anfield in April 1994 he received a thunderous reception from Kopites who were far too young to have ever seen him play. 'A-L-B-E-R-T – Albert Stubbins is the man for me!'

Sold to: Ashington (1953)

Claim to fame: Scoring the never-to-be-forgotten 'goal in the snow'

Did you know: He was the only footballer to appear on the cover of acclaimed Beatles album Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band

Where is he now? Passed away 28 December 2002

Stephen Done on Albert Stubbins: "He helped us win the 1946/47 First Division Championship and during his time with the club he scored the most amazing goals at times, some of them were incredible. A club record signing at the time, he is one of the great, great, names of post-war Liverpool."

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 51: Chris Lawler

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Voted in at number 51 in our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown is prolific goalscoring full-back of the Shankly era, Chris Lawler.
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: Chris Lawler

Years at Liverpool: 1963 to 1976
Position: Right-back

Date-of-birth: 20/10/1943
Birthplace: Liverpool

Signed from: Schoolboy (May 1959)

Games: 549
Goals: 61

Honours: First Division Championship (1965/66, 1972/73), FA Cup (1965), UEFA Cup (1973), Charity Shield (1965, 1966)

One of the most prolific goalscoring full-back's in football history, Chris Lawler played a prominent role in both of Bill Shankly's great Anfield teams. Quiet and self-effacing off the field - qualities which earned him the nickname 'Silent Knight' - Lawler oozed class and composure on it. In total, he amassed a remarkable 61 goals for the Reds – a stat that is even more amazing when you consider he achieved this without the aid of penalties. He was also a highly capable performer at centre half, a position in which he made his senior debut in March 1963. Liverpool-born, Lawler originally joined the club as an apprentice and progressed through the youth and reserve ranks. A master at the art of making blind side runs, his stealth at gliding forward from a defensive position into a scoring situation was a potent weapon for the Liverpool side of the 1960's and helped the Reds to Championship and FA Cup glory. Between October 1965 and April 1971 he made 241 consecutive League appearances and was always one of the first names on Shankly's team-sheet. In 1969/70 he was Liverpool's second top goalscorer, while the following season he won the first of just four England caps after previously representing his country at schoolboy, youth and under-23 level. His most famous goal was perhaps the late winner against Everton that completed a heroic three-goal comeback in November 1970. He also had a particular knack of finding the net in Europe, netting eleven in total and infamously having a scorching effort disallowed against Internazionale in 1965. Lawler was one of a select few who survived the Shankly's mass cull at the start of the seventies and went on to win experience more success in the Championship and UEFA Cup. By the time Shanks was replaced by Bob Paisley, Lawler reaching the end of his career and soon moved on to Portsmouth for two seasons before seeing out his playing days at Stockport. Debate about whether he was Liverpool's best ever right-back will forever rage but one thing is for certain, none of his competitors scored more goals and that's a record that is likely to stand the test of time.

Sold to: Portsmouth (October 1975)

Claim to fame: Netting the much-celebrated winner against Everton at Anfield in November 1970

Did you know? He coached Liverpool reserves for spell in the mid-eighties

Where is he now? Retired and still living locally

Ian Callaghan on Chris Lawler: "What a goalscoring full-back. They used to call him the ghost. He could turn up anywhere, unexpected and score vital goals. I think his ratio of games and goals is fantastic for a full-back and will never be beaten."

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 52: Ray Houghton

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At number 52 in our countdown of '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' is attacking right midfielder of the exciting late eighties team, Ray Houghton.
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: Ray Houghton

Years at Liverpool: 1987 to 1992

Date-of-birth: 9/1/1962
Birthplace: Glasgow

Signed from: Oxford United (October 1987)

Games: 203
Goals: 38

Honours: First Division Championship (1987/88, 1989/90), FA Cup (1989, 1992). Charity Shield (1988, 1990)

Sold to: Aston Villa (August 1992)

The signing of Republic of Ireland international midfielder Ray Houghton from in October 1987 was to prove one of the most astute of Kenny Dalglish's managerial reign at Anfield. Having already acquired the talents of John Barnes and Peter Beardsley during the summer of that year, Houghton was seen as the final piece of the jigsaw and the then tidy sum of £800,000 that it to took to prise him away from Oxford United was quickly looked upon as chicken feed. Houghton was to play a pivotal role in one of the best attacking Liverpool teams ever seen, chipping in with some vital goals and collecting League Championship and FA Cup honours along the way. A Glasgow-born Irish international, Houghton started his career at West Ham but made his name at Fulham in the early eighties. He moved to Oxford, with whom he won the Milk Cup in 1985, and was a much-coveted figure within the game at the time Liverpool swooped to sign him. An industrious right-sided midfielder who always gave 100 per cent, Houghton was equally adept at scoring goals and creating goals, while his probing runs into opposition territory meant he never gave defenders a moments peace. He endeared himself to Reds fans when scoring a superb headed goal against Everton in the 1-0 FA Cup 5th Round win at Goodison Park and also netted in the famous 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest at Anfield as Liverpool went on to clinch the First Division Championship. The following season he added an FA Cup winners' medal to his collection but injuries restricted him to just 16 league appearances as the title was won again in 1990. Two years later Houghton walked away with Liverpool's Player of the Year award and helped the Reds to another FA Cup triumph but the 2-0 win over Sunderland was to be his last appearance for the club. A dispute with manager Graeme Souness saw him harshly offloaded to Aston Villa and Liverpudlians mourned his premature departure. The fact he went on to achieve further success in the claret and blue of Villa, not to mention star for Ireland in the 1994 World Cup, further justified claims that he was sold too soon but Ray Houghton achieved more than enough in his five years at Anfield to be worthy of inclusion in any list of all-time great Liverpool players.

Claim to fame: His headed winner at the Park End in March 1988

Did you know? Houghton first played against Liverpool for Fulham in the marathon Milk Cup tie of 1983

Where is he now? Working as a media pundit

Gary Gillespie on Ray Houghton: "He was a skilful player. His work-rate was phenomenal and he'd always chip in with a goal, which was valuable for any midfielder player to do."

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 53: Markus Babbel

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Coming in at number 53 in our '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' countdown is heroic German defender Markus Babbel.
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: Markus Babbel

Years at Liverpool: 2000 to 2004
Position: Defender

Date-of-birth: 8/9/1972
Birthplace: Munich

Signed from: Bayern Munich (July 2000)

Games: 73
Goals: 6

Honours: FA Cup (2001), UEFA Cup (2001), League Cup (2001), Charity Shield (2001)

Markus Babbel's Liverpool career may have been tragically cut down in its prime through illness but the former German international did more than enough in his four years at Anfield to be considered a true legend of the club. Bavarian born, Babbel initially made his name with Bayern Munich and was a key contributor to his country's triumph at Euro 96. When Gerard Houllier snapped him up on a free transfer in 2000 it was a move that was widely acclaimed by the Liverpool fans and the attacking right full-back quickly set about justifying this optimism. A highly polished performer, Babbel's experience shone through as a dream first season on Merseyside culminated in that never-to-be-forgotten treble cup success. The popular German was heavily involved each triumph, with his most memorable contribution being the early headed goal that sparked a goal-fest in the Westfalenstadion as Alaves were beaten in the Uefa Cup Final. Another important strike that season came at Goodison Park as Everton were famously defeated 3-2 in a game that went some way to securing Champions League qualification. A glorious future in red beckoned but after playing in the 2001 Charity Shield victory over Manchester United he was struck down by the debilitating Guillan-Barre Syndrome, a rare virus that affected his nervous system and left him confined to a wheelchair. As a result, he missed the entire 2001/02 campaign. His charging forays down the right flank were sorely missed but intensive treatment back in his homeland eventually quelled fears that Babbel's career could be over. He displayed great courage and determination to battle his way back to full fitness but, sadly, was never the same player again. Frustrated at his failure to regain top form, he uncharacteristically suffered bouts of indiscipline that resulted in a bust-up with Houllier and him being loaned out to Blackburn in 2003/04. On his eventual return to Melwood it was quickly made clear that his Anfield days were numbered and in the summer of 2004 Babbel returned to Germany to sign for Stuttgart. He left Liverpool with the best wishes of everyone at the club and will be remembered in the annals of this club's history as a truly heroic figure who would have achieved much more had it not been for his unfortunate illness.

Sold to: Vfb Stuttgart (July 2004)

Claim to fame: Scoring the opening goal of the 2001 UEFA Cup Final

Did you know? He rejected the chance to sign for Real Madrid before joining Liverpool

Where is he now? Plying his trade back in the Bundesliga with Stuttgart

Didi Hamann on Markus Babbel: "Markus came in 2000 when we had that great season and played a lot of games. He was the kind of player who you always knew what you'd get from him. I think he played in almost every game – 60 games – that year. He was a right back but could also have played at centre back."

100 Person Who Shock The Kop - NO 54: Gordon Hodgeson

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At number 54 in our countdown of '100 Players Who Shook The Kop' is goalscoring machine of the late twenties/early thirties Gordon Hodgson.
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: Gordon Hodgson

Years at Liverpool: 1926 to 1936
Position: Forward

Date-of-birth: 16/4/1904
Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa

Signed from: Transvaal FC (December 1925)

Games: 378
Goals: 240

Honours: none

During an era when Liverpool often found themselves cast in the shadow of their near neighbours from across the park, South African inside forward Gordon Hodgson was one of the few shining lights for the Reds. Liverpool's answer to Everton legend Dixie Dean, Hodgson was a prolific marksman whose achievements in front of goal set new records at Anfield. Born in South Africa to English parents, Hodgson was spotted by Liverpool officials when visiting England with a touring South African side in the early 1920's. He was signed up in December 1925, along with compatriots Arthur Riley and James Gray, and quickly set about re-writing the club's goalscoring records. Hodgson served notice of his potential in his first full season with club when he netted a 22-minute hat-trick against Derby County. It was the second of many and signalled the start of a remarkable Anfield career that was to span a goal-filled decade. In 1930/31 he set a new Reds record of 36 league goals in a season – a feat not surpassed until the emergence of Roger Hunt in the sixties – while his record of 17 Liverpool hat-tricks is yet to be broken. In his ten years at the club he averaged more than 20 goals a season and was worshipped by his adoring fans who stood on the Kop. On completion of his ten years service he was honoured by the club with a benefit sum of £650 but 17 games into the 1935/36 campaign Aston Villa bid £3,000 for the ageing hit-man and Liverpool accepted. He went on to finish his playing career with Leeds United and then became manager of Port Vale in the aftermath of the Second World War. Despite leaving the Reds he remained a highly popular figure among the Anfield faithful and it came as a great shock when Hodgson suddenly passed away on 14 June 1951. His phenomenal goalscoring exploits deserved to reap greater reward in terms of silverware won but it's testimony to the loyalty Gordon Hodgson displayed towards Liverpool Football Club that he remained at Anfield for so long. Without his goals the barren years of the late twenties/early thirties would have been unbearable and Liverpudlians of that generation were eternally grateful to him for that.

Sold to: Aston Villa (January 1936)

Claim to fame: Scoring the most hat-tricks in Liverpool history

Did you know? He was a fine all-round sportsman who played first-class cricket for Lancashire and also excelled at baseball while at Liverpool

Where is he now? Passed away at the premature age of 47 in June 1951

John Keith on Gordon Hodgson: "He was a really top class striker and also a tremendous cricketer in the summer. Clearly in the 1920's I would say he was one of the best strikers in the business and again his name will always be up there with the best scorers of all-time in Liverpool's history, up alongside the likes of Hunt, Rush, Fowler and Owen."