Alan A'Court
Left Winger (1953-64)
Date of Birth: 30/09/34
Birthplace: Rainhill
Debut : 7th February 1953 v Middloesbrough (A) Football League Division One: Won 3-2
1st team games: 382
1st team goals: 63
Other clubs: Prescot Celtic, Prescot Cables, Tranmere Rovers, Norwich City
National Team: England (1958-59) 5 caps/1 goal
The Rainhill-born left winger's career at Liverpool embraced the club's wilderness years in the old Second Division although it is great testimony to his talents that during that period he won five England caps, scoring on his debut in a 3-2 defeat by Northern Ireland at Wembley in 1957.
A'Court a keen Rugby League follower, joined Liverpool from Prescot Cables in 1952 when Don Welsh was in charge at Anfield and then played right through the era of his managerial successor Phil Taylor before Bill Shankly's arrival in December 1959.
Prior to that the speedy raider appeared for England in the 1958 World Cup Finals in Sweden, where he rose to the daunting challenge of replacing injured Tom Finney in an unbeaten three-match sequence against Brazil, Austria and the Soviet Union.
At Liverpool he was an ever-present in the Shankly team that stormed back to the top flight as Second Division champions in 1962. He moved on to Tranmere for £4,500 in 1964, later becoming Norwich City player coach before taking on various coaching jobs, including posts in Zambia and New Zealand.
Honours with Liverpool: Second Division Championship 1961/62
Alan A'Court