Soccer History Of Liverpool FC

Date Published: March 19, 2021 – Date Updated: April 12, 2023

Liverpool FC is arguably one of the most popular teams in England and worldwide. They play in the English Premier League and are a regular contender for the league title.

Liverpool has enjoyed periods of continued success over the years, at one stage being arguably the best soccer team worldwide. They have a vast trophy cabinet with 19 First Division / Premier League titles. They also have 6 Champions League trophies, the most achieved by an English side. They play their home game at Anfield Road, a stadium with a capacity crowd of 53,394 seats.

The Anfield club has an exciting history that is worth being shared. Let’s dive right into the beginning of The Reds without wasting any time.

The Foundation Of Liverpool FC

John Houlding, the founder of Liverpool FC, was the club president and the Anfield landowner. He formed Liverpool FC in 1892 following a dispute with the Everton committee. Everton later moved to Goodison Park, and the newly formed Liverpool FC played at Anfield.

They won the Lancashire League in their debut season, winning their first match 8-0 against Higher Walton, on September 3, 1892. The club enjoyed early success, and, with a team comprised of mostly Scottish players, they played in their first Football League Second Division game in 1893-94. The Anfield club finished first and was promoted to the First Division.

The club established an early foothold within the local area, quickly becoming a club seen as a potential giant of the national game.

Liverpool FC First League Title

The Reds won their first league title in 1901 and then in 1906, cementing themselves as an early piece of English soccer folklore. They came out runner-up in the FA Cup final in 1914 when they lost to Bolton Wanderers by 1-0. However, future success would come in 1923 when the club managed to win back-to-back league titles.

During the next few years, Liverpool witnessed a fall. They had to wait for twenty-four years to win another trophy. During the 1946-47 season, they won the English League title for the first time since the Second World War. In 1950, the team played in another FA Cup final against Arsenal. They came out runners-up in the match.

Relegation To The Second Division

They suffered relegation in the 1953-54 campaign. They earlier spent 50 consecutive years in the English First Division.

Next, in the 1958-59 season, The Reds lost the FA Cup to the non-league side Worcester City by 2-1. Their fate was looking uncertain. Soon after, Bill Shankly took over the club; the rest is history.

The Bill Shankly Era

Bill Shankly’s arrival meant the Anfield club had to change how they operated. He transformed the boot storage room into a place where meetings were held. The coaches would discuss tactics during the sessions.

Shankly received the support of other members like Joe Fagan, Reuben Bennett, and Bob Paisley. Finally, in 1962, the Merseyside club achieved promotion back into the first division. Two years later, the club ended 17 years of trophy wait by winning the first division title.

The Liverpool Jersey

The early jersey Liverpool wore was red tops with white piping and white shorts with red stripes. Shankly proposed switching the jersey to an all-red one. He believed that it would have a psychological effect on the players and opponents.

“The all-red jersey made the players look like giants, and for the first time, there was a glow like fire when I entered Anfield.”

Shankly used these words to describe the impact of the all-red jersey.

More Trophies Under Shankly

In 1965, they won their first-ever FA Cup trophy by defeating Leeds United by 2-1 in the extra-time. The Reds went on to lift another league title in 1966. During the same season, they faced Borussia Dortmund in the European Cup final. The Anfield club lost by 2-1, courtesy of an extra-time goal by Reinhard “Stan” Libuda.

In the 1972-73 season, they lifted two major trophies. They won the league title and the UEFA Cup. The Reds won the FA Cup one year later.

At 60, Bill Shankly decided to retire as Liverpool coach. During his managerial career with “The Reds”, Shankly won 3 First Division titles, 2 FA Cups, 1 UEFA Cup, 3 FA Charity Shields, and 1 Second Division title. Bob Paisley took over as Liverpool head coach. He had the difficult task of continuing the legacy set up by Shankly.

The Bob Paisley Time

Bob Paisley’s tenure at Liverpool FC was for nine seasons. Despite having the difficult task of emulating Shankly’s performance, the gaffer delivered 20 trophies to the Anfield club.

Paisley turned Liverpool into a dominant force in England and Europe. He guided The Reds to a 63 games unbeaten run at Anfield between 1978 and 1981. Jürgen Klopp recently broke this record. Paisley is one of the three coaches in history who has won 3 European Cups with the same team. The other two coaches are Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane.

Paisley signed Kenny Dalglish from Celtic to replace Kevin Keegan. The club paid £440,000 to seal the signature of the Scottish forward. He scored 118 goals from 355 appearances for Liverpool in the First Division league.

Paisley won 6 league titles, 3 European Cups, 1 UEFA Cup, and 3 consecutive league cups. The only domestic trophy he could not achieve was the FA Cup.

In 1983, Paisley was replaced by Joe Fagan as Liverpool’s head coach.

“This Club has been my life; I’d go out and sweep the street and be proud to do it for Liverpool FC if they asked me to.” – Bob Paisley.

Joe Fagan And The Heysel Tragedy

Joe Fagan’s spells as Liverpool manager was brief compared to Shankly and Paisley. He spent two seasons as The Reds coach. During his first season, Fagan became the first manager in English soccer to achieve the treble. In the 1983-84 season, Liverpool won the European Cup, the First Division, and the League Cup.

The 1985 Heysel tragedy remains the darkest moment in the history of the UEFA competitions. Liverpool and Juventus fans confronted each other before the match, resulting in the death of 39 people. Most of the victims were Italians and Juventus supporters. Fourteen Liverpool fans found guilty were sentenced to three years imprisonment. English clubs received an indefinite ban from European competitions. The ban was lifted in 1990-91.

Eventually, on May 29, 1985, Fagan announced his retirement. His successor was Kenny Dalglish.

Kenny Dalglish As Player-Manager

Kenny Dalglish replaced the departing Joe Fagan as player-manager in 1985. He guided Liverpool to a double in his first season, winning the English League and the FA Cup.

Despite losing the league title to Everton the following season, Dalglish brought the title back at Anfield during the 1987-88 campaign. He went on to clinch a third title in 1989-90.

Liverpool also won the 1988-89 FA Cup by defeating Everton in the final. Dalglish announced his retirement as Liverpool FC manager on February 22, 1991.

The Hillsborough Disaster

Under Dalglish, Liverpool qualified for the semi-final of the FA Cup in the 1988-89 campaign. They were drawn against Nottingham Forest, with the fixture announced at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield.

A disaster occurred in the stadium on April 5, 1989, before the semi-final kick-off. A crush of soccer fans resulted in the death of 96 people. The 96 people who lost their lives were Liverpool fans, and hundreds of people were injured. The tragedy is still remembered and mourned today by world soccer.

The match was later re-scheduled at Old Trafford, which Liverpool won by 3-1. In the final, The Reds defeated Everton to clinch the trophy.

The 1990s & Beyond

The Anfield club’s decline was unforeseen despite Liverpool entering the 1990s as champions. Managed by Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United became a dominant force in English soccer.

The arrival of Graeme Souness and then of Roy Evans as Liverpool coach did not bring much change. Eventually, in the 1998-89 campaign, Gérard Houllier was appointed as co-manager alongside Roy Evans. Houllier was made the only Liverpool manager in November 1998.

Gérard Houllier And Treble Winners

Gérard Houllier guided Liverpool to a treble in 2001. After winning the League Cup, The Reds lifted the FA and UEFA Cup. Liverpool won the FA Charity Shield and the Super Cup the same year.

Houllier introduced academy players like Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, and Jamie Carragher. He also brought players like Sami Hyypiä, Dietmar Hamann, Vladimír Šmicer, Sander Westerveld, and Djimi Traoré.

On May 24, 2004, Gérard Houllier left Liverpool by mutual consent following a series of bad results. Spanish coach Rafael Benítez replaced him.

Rafael Benítez Is Appointed As Liverpool Coach

Rafael Benítez was appointed as Liverpool FC manager on June 16, 2004. The gaffer became the first Spanish coach to manage a Premier League side.

On his arrival, Benítez had the task of persuading club captain Steven Gerrard to extend his Liverpool contract. Chelsea was showing interest in signing the Liverpool midfielder. He eventually managed to convince Gerrard to stay at the club. On the other hand, Michael Owen refused to extend his contract and was subsequently sold to Real Madrid.

Benítez signed two Spanish players, namely Luis Garcia and Xavi Alonso. The two players went on to become club legends. Benítez also revived the career of Jamie Carragher by partnering him with Sami Hyypiä.

The Istanbul Miracle

The 2004-05 Champions League campaign remains the best season under Rafael Benítez. Liverpool had to wait for the 87th minute of the last group stage match of the Champions League to seal qualification. A superb strike from Steven Gerrard from the outside of the box finished into the net. Liverpool gained qualification against Olympiacos to the knock-out stages on the head-to-head difference.

Luis Garcia scored the only goal against Chelsea in the semi-final to propel Liverpool into the final. Their opponents in the final were AC Milan. The fixture was scheduled on May 25, 2005, at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey.

Benítez men were 3-0 down at half-time. In the second half, Liverpool scored three goals in six minutes to make a remarkable comeback. They eventually won the final on penalties thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek.

Benítez won 4 trophies as Liverpool manager. They are 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 FA Cup, 1 FA Community Shield, and 1 UEFA Super Cup. On June 3, 2010, Benítez left the club by mutual consent following issues with the management.

New Ownership, New Avenues

Liverpool previous owners, Tom Hicks, and Gillett, brought the team to the brink of bankruptcy. The High Court sanctioned the club’s sale, and John W. Henry successfully bid for Liverpool FC’s ownership.

The Reds were financially unstable and had many debts when they changed ownership. John W. Henry promised to turn things around, but he asked the fans for patience and time. He had the massive task of clearing all financial debts owed by the Anfield club and turning them into title contenders.

Since the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Sports Group (FSG) owner’s arrival, The Reds have had four managerial changes. Kenny Dalglish replaced Roy Hodgson following a series of poor results.

Dalglish helped Liverpool to a historic 8th League Cup success in 2012. He was replaced by Brendan Rodgers, whose best season came in 2013-14 when Liverpool finished second in the league table behind Manchester City. Liverpool scored 101 goals that season, a record number since the 1895-96 campaign, where they scored 106 goals. Luis Suárez led the Reds attack. He scored a whopping 31 goals and finished the season as the top scorer.

Brendan Rodgers was sacked during the 2015-16 season following a poor start. Jürgen Klopp, the ex-Borussia Dortmund manager replaced Rodgers at Liverpool.

Jürgen Klopp, The Normal One

Liverpool FC appointed Jürgen Klopp as their manager on October 8, 2015. He signed a three-year contract with the Anfield club. During his first press conference, Klopp promised to change The Reds fans from doubters to believers. He also promised to deliver his first title in 4 years.

During his first season in charge, Jürgen Klopp guided his side to an 8th place finish in the league. Besides, Liverpool booked its place in the League Cup final, where they faced Manchester City. Klopp’s men eventually lost the final on penalties.

In the UEFA Europa Cup, Liverpool defeated Manchester United by 3-1 on aggregate to advance to the quarter-finals. On April 14, 2016, The Reds produced one of the most remarkable comebacks in the Europa League history by defeating Borussia Dortmund. They faced Villareal in the semi-finals, in which they won 3-1 on aggregate. In the final, they had Sevilla FC as their opponent. Despite leading at half-time by 1-0 thanks to a Daniel Sturridge goal, Liverpool lost the final by 1-3.

New Contract, New Horizon

Despite losing two finals in his first season, Liverpool owners were pleased with Klopp’s debut season performance. They offered the Anfield manager a contract extension binding him to the club until 2022.

In his second season in charge, Klopp guided Liverpool to a 4th-place finish securing their ticket for the Champions League. During 2017-18 season, Liverpool again finished 4th in the league table to book their Champions League place.

Addressing The Attacking And Defensive Issues

In 2016, Jürgen Klopp signed Sadio Mané from Southampton for £34 million. Mané had an immediate impact on the team’s performance. Mohamed Salah incredible performance for Roma attracted interests from Liverpool. In 2017, The Reds signed him for £36.9 million. With Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino, and Mohamed Salah in the attack, Liverpool looked impressive up-front.

The defence was conceding too many goals, and this area needed to be addressed quickly. Jürgen Klopp signed Virgil Van Dijk from Southampton for a world-record fee of £75 million in January 2018. His arrival proved decisive as Liverpool booked their ticket for the Champions League final that season.

The Kyiv Champions League Final

Liverpool faced Real Madrid in the final of the Champions League. Klopp’s side started the match well, but a first-half injury forced Salah out. The game ended in a 3-1 defeat for The Reds.

Karim Benzema scored the opener for Real Madrid in the 51st minute. Four minutes later, Sadio Mané levelled the score at 1-1. In the 63rd and the 83rd minutes, Gareth Bale’s goals guaranteed a third consecutive Champions League trophy for Zinedine Zidane’s side.

Alisson And Fabinho Join The Reds

Two days after the Champions League final defeat, Liverpool announced the signature of Fabinho from Monaco for £39 million. Klopp knew that the missing puzzle for his side to compete at the highest level was a world-class goalkeeper.

On July 19, 2018, Liverpool signed Alisson Becker from Roma for £66.8 million. Liverpool squad looked promising and ready to fight for silverware.

At The End Of The Storm, There’s A Golden Sky

Liverpool started the 2018-19 Premier League campaign as best as possible. They won their first six matches of the season, making it the club’s best start in history. That season saw Liverpool finished second with 97 points, the most points a side ever earned in English soccer history, and not win the league. Salah and Mané both finished as the league’s top scorer together with Aubameyang.

Liverpool’s reiterated the impressive run in the Champions League. In the quarter-finals, they defeated FC Porto by 6-1 on aggregate. Jürgen Klopp’s side was drawn against FC Barcelona in the semi-finals.

The first leg was played at Camp Now stadium. Liverpool started the game well but eventually lost the match by 3-0. Two goals from Lionel Messi and one goal from Luis Suárez gave the Catalan a three goals advantage.

In the second leg, Liverpool welcomed Barcelona at Anfield. Overcoming a three goals deficit looked almost impossible. On May 7, 2019, Liverpool produced one of Champions League history’s finest comebacks to defeat Barcelona by 4-0. A brace from Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum ensured that The Reds advanced to the finals by a 4-3 aggregate win.

The UEFA Champions League Final

Liverpool faced Tottenham in an all-English final in Madrid, Spain, on June 1, 2019. An early Salah penalty and a late strike from Origi secured Liverpool a record sixth Champions League trophy, the most won by an English side. An astonishing 750,000 people joined the Liverpool Champions League trophy parade.

In the UEFA Super Cup final, Liverpool defeated Chelsea FC on penalties by 5-4. The match finished level at 2-2 after extra time.

Liverpool won the FIFA Club World Cup by 1-0 against Flamengo. Roberto Firmino scored the only goal of the match. Liverpool became the first English side to win an international treble.

Liverpool FC Are Premier League Champions

Liverpool started the English Premier League season 2019-20 aggressively. The Reds replicated their previous year league record by registering six wins in their first six league games. Impressed by Klopp’s performance, the owners gave him a two-year contract extension binding him with the Anfield club until 2024.

On January 11, 2020, Liverpool defeated Tottenham Hotspur by 1-0 to create a new record. They became the first side in Europe’s top 5 leagues to earn 61 points from their first 21 games. On June 25, 2020, Liverpool has officially declared Premier League Champions with seven games left. They finished the season with an 18 points advantage over second-place Manchester City.

The Covid-19 outbreak hit the 2019-20 Premier League campaign and soccer activity worldwide. The season was put on hold at one point. Ultimately, the Premier League resumed behind closed doors for safety measures.

Liverpool broke a 30 years jinx to lift their 19th league title and first-ever Premier League trophy.

Having won hearts and minds worldwide, Liverpool is back on their perch’ under Klopp. The club has endured a challenging thirty years domestically. Still, Klopp has helped restore their local and European ability, returning Liverpool to being one of world soccer’s proper elite clubs.

List of Liverpool FC Players

1. Alisson Becker (goalkeeper)
2. Virgil van Dijk (defender)
3. Joe Gomez (defender)
4. Andy Robertson (defender)
5. Trent Alexander-Arnold (defender)
6. Fabinho (midfielder)
7. Thiago Alcantara (midfielder)
8. Jordan Henderson (midfielder)
9. Harvey Eliott (midfielder)
10. Cody Gakpo (Attacking midfielder)
11. Darwin Nunes (forward)
12. Roberto Firmino (forward)
13. Mohamed Salah (forward)
14. Diogo Jota (forward)

List of Liverpool FC Managers

1. William Edward Barclay and John McKenna (1892-1896) – joint managers
2. Tom Watson (1896-1915)
3. David Ashworth (1919-1923)
4. Matt McQueen (1923-1928)
5. George Patterson (1928-1936)
6. George Kay (1936-1951)
7. Don Welsh (1951-1956)
8. Phil Taylor (1956-1959)
9. Bill Shankly (1959-1974)
10. Bob Paisley (1974-1983)
11. Joe Fagan (1983-1985)
12. Kenny Dalglish (1985-1991) – first spell
13. Graeme Souness (1991-1994)
14. Roy Evans (1994-1998)
15. Gérard Houllier (1998-2004)
16. Rafael Benitez (2004-2010)
17. Roy Hodgson (2010-2011)
18. Kenny Dalglish (2011-2012) – second spell
19. Brendan Rodgers (2012-2015)
20. Jürgen Klopp (2015-present)

You’ll Never Walk Alone Song

“You’ll Never Walk Alone” is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Carousel. The song has become a popular anthem in football, particularly associated with Liverpool Football Club. The club’s fans have adopted it as their signature song, and it is played before every home game at Anfield, Liverpool’s home ground.

The song gained its association with Liverpool FC in the early 1960s when the local band Gerry and the Pacemakers covered it. Their version topped the UK charts in 1963, and soon after, it started being played at Anfield. It quickly became an integral part of the club’s identity and a symbol of unity and support among the fans.

Here are the lyrics to “You’ll Never Walk Alone”:

When you walk through a storm Hold your head up high And don’t be afraid of the dark

At the end of the storm There’s a golden sky And the sweet silver song of a lark

Walk on through the wind Walk on through the rain Though your dreams be tossed and blown

Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you’ll never walk alone

You’ll never walk alone

Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you’ll never walk alone

You’ll never walk alone

References:

• Date accessed: 12 January 2021. Liverpool FC. Wikipedia: https://bit.ly/3q8XCXG
• Date accessed: 12 January 2021. History of Liverpool FC. Wikipedia: https://bit.ly/2NV3FSP
• Date accessed: 12 January 2021. Liverpool FC Timeline. Liverpool FC Official Website: https://bit.ly/3dzbibp