LIVERPOOL F.C. OLD STARS THREAD

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Dick White

Centre Half (1955-1962)

Date of Birth: 18-8-1931
Birthplace: Scunthorpe
Debut : 10th March 1956 v Barnsley (A) Football League Division Two: won 5-0
1st team games: 216
1st team goals: 1
Other clubs: Scunthorpe United, Doncaster Rovers, Kettering Town (player/manager)

Dependable centre half Dick White was signed from his hometown club Scunthorpe United in November 1955 as a replacement for Laurie Hughes.

He had to wait until the 1957-58 season to make his mark at Anfield but later captained the club and went on to miss just two matches in four consecutive seasons. White never gave less than 100 per cent and became a favourite with the Anfield crowd for his determination and will to win.

His only goal for Liverpool came in an FA Cup match at Southend when his equaliser 11 minutes from time rescued the Reds who went on to win and book a quarter final place.

Following the arrival of Ron Yeats, White lost the captaincy and his place in the centre of defence. His adaptability saw him switch to right back and it was in that position that he won a Second Division Championship medal in 1961/62, making 24 appearances.

He was sold to Doncaster Rovers in May 1962 for a reported fee of £4,000 and made over 80 appearances for the Bell Vue club.

Honours with Liverpool: Second Division Championship 1961-62


Dick White

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Alf Arrowsmith

Centre Forward (1961-68')

Date of Birth: 11-12-1942
Birthplace: Manchester
Debut : 7th October 1961 v Middlesbrough (A) Football League Division One: Lost 0-2
1st team games: 55
1st team goals: 24
Other clubs: Ashton United, Bury, Rochdale, Macclesfield

A player hailed by his manager Bill Shankly as being "born to score goals", his career at Anfield was cruelly cut down in its prime by injury. Arrowsmith, born in Hollingworth, Cheshire, was a record-breaking marksman in school and junior football. He cost Liverpool £1,500 in 1960 as a 17-year-old from Ashton United, where he had been a team-mate of future England star Alan Ball whose father, Alan senior, was manager.

He made his debut in October of the following year, the season in which Liverpool won promotion back to the top flight. But he literally shot to prominence in 1963-64, scoring four times against Derby County on his FA Cup debut for the club and hitting 15 League goals in 20 outings to help fire Liverpool to the championship and into Europe for the first time.

But on the eve of the following season, prior to Liverpool's trip to Reykjavik for their European debut, Arrowsmith suffered major damage to his left knee in a tussle with West Ham's Eddie Bovington in the Charity Shield duel at Anfield.

Although he returned to action midway through the season Arrowsmith could never recapture his blistering scoring edge and he moved on to Bury for £25,000 in 1968 and later played for Rochdale and Macclesfield.

Honours with Liverpool: First Division One Championship 1963/64, Charity Shield 1964 (shared)


Alf Arrowsmith

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Tony Hateley

Striker (1967-1968')

Date of Birth: 13-6-1941
Birthplace: Derby
Debut : 19th August 1967 v Manchester City (A) Football League Division One: Drew 0-0
1st team games: 42
1st team goals: 17
Other clubs: Aston Villa, Chelsea, Coventry City, Birmingham City, Notts County, Oldham Athletic, Bromsgrove Rovers, Prescot

The much-travelled Tony Hateley was signed by Bill Shankly from Chelsea in June 1967 for a club record ?96,000 and in only his third game in a Red shirt, he began to repay the huge fee by scoring a hat-trick in a 6-0 win over Newcastle United.
Hateley's greatest asset was in the air where he was virtually unstoppable given the right service. However, despite another hat-trick in the last home game of the 1967-68 season against Nottingham Forest and 16 goals that season, Hateley was to move on to pastures new the following season.

After just four games in the 1968-69 season it was decided that Hateley's style didn't fit in with Liverpool's pattern of play and he moved on to Coventry City in September 1968 for ?80,000.

Tony's son, Mark Hateley inherited his dad's aerial ability and went on to play for England.

Honours with Liverpool: None


Tony Hateley

[Mighty T.A.L.]

John McLaughlin

Date of Birth: 25-2-1952.
Birthplace: Liverpool.
Debut : April 18th 1970 v Chelsea (A). Division One - lost 2-1.
1st team games: 55
1st team goals: 3
Other clubs: Portsmouth.

John McLaughlin is the player Bill Shankly once famously declared to Bob Paisley, "We've created a monster!"

McLaughlin was a highly-rated youngster who started as an Apprentice at Anfield before signing professional terms on his 17th birthday in February 1969.

McLaughlin was a skinny figure of a player and Shankly insisted he had steaks for pre-match meals to build his weight up, hence the classic "We've created a monster!" quote.

Shankly eased the midfielder into the First Division scene by picking him for the final game of the 1969-70 season, a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea. At the start of the 1970-71 season McLaughlin became a regular in midfield and started the season well with a couple of goals in a 4-0 Anfield victory over Huddersfield Town. He then lost his place in the team after a 1-0 defeat at Wolves

The emergence of Brian Hall and the arrival of Peter Cormack the following campaign made it increasingly difficult for John to break back into the first-team and it was no surprise when he was allowed to leave Anfield to have a loan spell with Portsmouth.

However, John only made five League appearances for Pompey before drifting away to the non-league scene.

Honours with Liverpool: None


John McLaughlin

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Willie Stevenson

Half-Back (1962-1967)

Date of Birth: 26-10-1939
Birthplace: Leith
Debut : 3rd November 1962 v Burnley (H) Football League Division One: lost 1-2
1st team games: 241
1st team goals: 18
Other clubs: Rangers, Stoke City, Tranmere Rovers

He was settling into a new life in Australia after winning Scottish League and Cup winners medals with Glasgow Rangers before finding himself languishing in the Ibrox reserve side and deciding to emigrate.

But Bill Shankly moved in and swiftly persuaded his fellow Scot to return to Britain and open a new chapter in his life by signing for Liverpool in October 1962. It was an inspired decision by both men.

Leith-born Stevenson, a slim, elegant left half with an impressive range of passing ability and whose slim frame contained deceptive strength, established himself as a member of the famous Anfield half back line with Gordon Milne and Ron Yeats.

In his first four full seasons with Liverpool he missed only nine League games, playing a key role in the championship wins of 1964 and 1966 and in the team that brought the FA Cup to Anfield in 1965 for the first time. Stevenson, who first experienced European football with Rangers, also won a Cup Winners Cup runners-up medal with Liverpool in 1966. He later played for Stoke and Tranmere.

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


Willie Stevenson

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Peter Thompson

Winger (1963-1974)

Date of Birth: 27-11-1942
Birthplace: Carlisle
Debut : 24th August 1964 v Blackburn Rovers (A) Football League Division One: won 2-1
1st team games: 414
1st team goals: 54
Other clubs: Preston North End, Bolton Wanderers (initially on loan)
National Team: England 16 caps/0 goals

Thompson's performance and decisive strike for Preston against Liverpool in an FA Cup fifth round second replay at Old Trafford persuaded Bill Shankly to invest £40,000 in the England winger's talents in August 1963.

The artistic Thompson, who tormented defenders with his bewitching ball control, was the perfect foil on Liverpool's left flank for the more direct Ian Callaghan on the right and they were widely rated the best post war pair of club wingers. Their ability to lacerate defences prompted centre forward legend Dixie Dean to remark: "If I'd have played between those two I'd have scored even more than my record 60 League goals in a season"!

A majestic user of the ball Thompson also scored some memorable goals in his haul of 54 in more than 400 appearances. Two of his total came in the 5-0 mauling of Arsenal in April 1964, which clinched the Championship.

Thompson was also on target in the 2-0 win over Chelsea in the 1965 FA Cup semi final at Villa Park en route to Anfield's long awaited first ever triumph in the competition after a 73-year wait. He joined Bolton in 1974 and is now an hotelier.

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


Peter Thompson

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Ron Yeats

Centre Half (1961-1971) & Chief Scout (1986-?)

Date of Birth: 15-11-1937
Birthplace: Aberdeen
Debut : 19th August 1961 v Bristol Rovers (A) Football League Division Two: won 2-0
1st team games: 454
1st team goals: 16
Other clubs: Dundee United, Tranmere Rovers (player/manager then manager), Stalybridge Celtic, Barrow (player/manager)
National Team: Scotland 2 caps

The man Bill Shankly signed and appointed captain to lead Liverpool out of the old Second Division in 1961-62 after the club had languished in the football wilderness for eight seasons.
An inspirational, 6ft 2ins centre half who went on to win Scotland recognition, he cost £30,000 from Dundee United two months after his compatriot Ian St John had moved south to Anfield.

On the day Yeats arrived Shankly told assembled pressmen: "I've just signed a colossus - come in and walk round him"! A former slaughterman in his native Aberdeen, Yeats proved the rock on which the opposition's attacking ambitions were wrecked and he was the first skipper in Liverpool history to lift the FA Cup after the Wembley conquest of Leeds in 1965.

His physique and reading of the game assured Yeats of dominance in the air and he was no slouch, either, on the ground. After League and Cup success he moved to Tranmere as player-assistant boss in 1971, later becoming manager, and eventually returned to Anfield as chief scout.

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


Ron Yeats

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Phil Boersma

Striker (1965-1975) & Physiotherapist/First Team Coach (1991-1994)

Date of Birth: 24-09-1949
Birthplace: Kirkby
Debut : 24th September 1969 v Manchester City (A) League Cup: Lost 2-3
1st team games: 73
1st team goals: 17
Other clubs: Wrexham, Middlesbrough, Luton Town, Swansea City. Physiotherapist and coach at Rangers, Liverpool, Southampton, Benfica, Galatasary and Blackburn Rovers

Local lad Phil Boersma spent the majority of his time at Anfield having to settle for the role of substitute and stand-in striker due to the intense competition for places.

Just look at the forward line he had to compete with for a starting place in the form of Kevin Keegan and John Toshack!

He did make an appearance as substitute in the 1973 UEFA Cup victory over Borrusia Monchengladbach though when he came on for Steve Heighway and although he missed out on the 1974 FA Cup Final against Newcastle he did play at Wembley in the Charity Shield against Leeds three months later.

Frustrated by his lack of first team opportunities Boersma left Anfield to join Middlesbrough in December 1975.

A good friend of Graeme Souness, Boersma returned to Anfield with Souness in 1990 and became physiotherapist and first team coach. He left when Souness resigned as Reds boss and then occupied similar roles with the former Liverpool boss at Southampton, Benfica, Galatasary and then at Blackburn Rovers.

Honours with Liverpool: First Division Championship 1972/73, UEFA Cup 1973, Charity Shield 1974


Phil Boersma

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Alun Evans

Forward (1968-1972)

Date of Birth: 30-04-1949
Birthplace: Bewdley, Worcestershire
Debut : 21st September 1968 v Leicester City (H) Football League Division One: Won 4-0
1st team games: 110
1st team goals: 33
Other clubs: Wolves, Walsall and Aston Villa

The blonde, mop-haired striker became British football's first £100,000 teenager when Bill Shankly, impressed with the youngster's scoring performance against formidable Liverpool captain Ron Yeats, signed him from Wolves as an 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.

He began his Anfield career explosively, scoring on his debut in a 4-0 defeat of Leicester and hitting two more a week later in a 6-0 away rout of his former club Wolves. But sadly, his massive potential was never fulfilled, although he did plunder a spectacular Fairs Cup hat trick against Bayern Munich in 1971, the year he collected an FA Cup runners-up medal.

Evans was facially scarred in a publicised night club incident and also underwent cartilage surgery before he was sold to Aston Villa for £70,000 in 1972 after 110 Liverpool outings and 33 goals. He joined Walsall for £3,000 in 1975 and had a spell playing in America before joining Hellas in Australia where he now lives. He worked as a fish market delivery driver and painter and decorator after retiring from football.

Honours with Liverpool: None


Alun Evans

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Bobby Graham

Striker (1964-1972)

Date of Birth: 22-11-1944.
Birthplace: Motherwell
Debut : 14th September 1964 v Reykjavik (H) European Cup: Won 6-0
1st team games: 131
1st team goals: 42
Other clubs: Coventry City, Tranmere Rovers, Motherwell, Hamilton Academical.

Striker Bobby Graham made a memorable full debut for Liverpool when he scored a hat-trick against Aston Villa in September 1964, a feat only repeated by Ronny Rosenthal in 1990.

He joined Liverpool as an apprentice in November 1961 but his best season was 1969-70 when he was an ever present in the league. He scored 13 goals including a memorable strike against Everton in a 3-0 win at Goodison Park - a game famous for the Sandy Brown own goal.

The following season he suffered a cruel blow when he broke his leg. He was out of action for five months and by the time he returned a new strike force in the shape of Kevin Keegan and John Toshack had emerged.

Unable to break back into the first team Graham moved on to Coventry City in 1972 for £70,000. He later had spells with Tranmere Rovers (on loan) and Motherwell before Hamilton Academicals splashed out a club record £18,000 for his services in August 1977.

Honours with Liverpool: None.


Bobby Graham

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Kevin Lewis

Outside right-outside left (1960-63)

Date of Birth: 19-9-1940
Birthplace: Ellesmere Port
Debut : 20th August 1960 v Leeds United (H) Football League Division Two: won 2-0
1st team games: 81
1st team goals: 44
Other clubs: Sheffield United, Huddersfield Town, Port Elizabeth (South Africa).

Forward Kevin Lewis was signed from Sheffield United in June 1960 for a then Liverpool record transfer fee of £30,000.

Playing on the wing at Liverpool, Lewis scored a goal every two games and 44 goals from 81 games is some tally. A quality player, Lewis was the natural successor to the great Billy Liddell who was nearing retirement.

Lewis scored on his home debut via the penalty spot in a 5-0 win over Leeds United but was to eventually lose his place to a certain up and coming youngster by the name of Ian Callaghan.

His best contribution to the 1961-62 promotion season was when he scored twice against Southampton at Anfield to seal the title.

Lewis joined Huddersfield Town in August 1963 for £18,000 and then at the age of 25 bid goodbye to the English game when he emigrated to South Africa.

Honours with Liverpool: Second Division championship 1962


Kevin Lewis

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Larry Lloyd

Centre Half (1969-74)

Date of Birth: 06/10/48
Birthplace: Bristol
Debut : 27th September 1969 v West Bromwich Albion (A) Football League Division One: drew 2-2
1st team games: 218
1st team goals: 5
Other clubs: Bristol Rovers, Coventry, Notts Forest, Wigan (player manager), Notts County (manager)
National Team: England 4 caps/0 goals

He was signed by Bill Shankly from Bristol rovers for £50,000 in April 1969 as a 20-year old deputed to succeed Ron Yeats at the heart of Liverpool's defence. At 6ft 2in Lloyd was the same height as his predecessor and after breaking into the first team in 1969-70 he became a regular the following season.

Commanding in the air and powerful in the tackle he was a centre half from the traditional British school. His qualities earned him England recognition and, for a while, he had a fascinating rivalry with Roy McFarland for his country's No 5 shirt.

His most distinguished season at Anfield was 1972-73 when he was an ever present in the 54 game span of Liverpool's League and UEFA Cup double. He scored his only European goal in the home first leg of the UEFA Final against Borussia Moenchengladbach to help lift the club's first European trophy.

He lost his place through injury in February 1974 and the following August, just weeks after Bob Paisley had succeeded Shankly as manager, Lloyd joined Coventry for £225,000. His career was dramatically re-ignited in 1976 when Brian Clough paid £60,000 to take him to Nottingham Forest, with whom he won a championship, two European Cup medals and two in the League Cup. He was later Wigan player-boss and Notts County manager.

Honours with Liverpool: First Division Championship 1972/73, UEFA Cup1973


Larry Lloyd

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Ian Ross

Utility (1965-1972)

Date of Birth: 26-11-1947
Birthplace: Glasgow
Debut : 14th January 1967 v Sheffield Wednesday (A) Football League Division One: won 1-0
1st team games: 68
1st team goals: 4
Other clubs: Aston Villa, Notts County (loan), Northampton Town (loan), Peterborough United (initially on loan, then player/coach), Wolverhampton Wanderers, Hereford United, Huddersfield Town (manager), Berwick Rangers (manager), Valur (manager), Keflavik (manager)

Signed by Liverpool from junior football in his native Glasgow, where he was a school friend of Kenny Dalglish, Ross's aptitude for many roles rather than a specific position probably robbed him of many more appearances than the 68 he did make in Anfield colours following his debut in 1967.

He will be remembered for his success in two negative but crucial missions handed him by manager Bill Shankly. In December 1969 he was told to shackle the menacing talents of Alan Ball in the Goodison derby. The outcome was that a Liverpool side without injured Roger Hunt and Tommy Smith beat League leaders Everton 3-0.

The following season Shankly ordered Ross to do a similar job on the great Franz Beckenbauer in a European Fairs Cup quarter final second leg at Bayern Munich. Again his efforts were bathed in success as Liverpool drew 1-1 for a 4-1 aggregate triumph. Beckenbauer hardly had a kick and Ross also scored his side's goal, one of only four in his Anfield career.

Ross joined Aston Villa for £60,000 in 1972, captaining them to promotion and League Cup triumph. After various loan spells he became Peterborough player coach in 1977. He later joined Wolves - acting as caretaker manager for 10 days - and played for Hereford. He went on to manage Huddersfield and Berwick Rangers as well as Icelandic clubs Valur and Keflavik.

Honours with Liverpool: None


Ian Ross