All About Liverpool Football Club

Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool. Liverpool F.C is one of the most successful clubs in England having won more European trophies than any other English team with five European Cups, three UEFA Cups and three UEFA Super Cups. The club has also won eighteen League titles, seven FA Cups and a record eight League Cups on the domestic front.

How was the Club Formed.

Liverpool F.C. was founded following a dispute between the Everton committee and John Houlding, club president and owner of the land at Anfield. After eight years at the stadium, Everton relocated to Goodison Park in 1892 and Houlding founded Liverpool F.C. to play at Anfield. Originally named "Everton F.C. and Athletic Grounds Ltd" (Everton Athletic for short), the club became Liverpool F.C. in March 1892 and gained official recognition three months later, after the Football Association refused to recognise the club as Everton. The team won the Lancashire League in its début season, and joined the Football League Second Division at the start of the 1893–94 season. After finishing in first place the club was promoted to the First Division, which it won in 1901 and again in 1906.


Early History.

Liverpool reached its first FA Cup Final in 1914, losing 1-0 to Burnley F.C. It won consecutive League championships in 1922 and 1923, but did not win another trophy until the 1946-47 season, when the club won the First Division for a fifth time. Liverpool suffered its second Cup Final defeat in 1950, playing against Arsenal. The club was relegated to the Second Division in the 1953-54 season. Soon after Liverpool lost 2-1 to non-league Worcester City F.C. in the 1958-59 FA Cup, Bill Shankly was appointed manager. Upon his arrival he released 24 players and converted a boot storage room at Anfield into a room where the coaches could discuss strategy; here, Shankly and other "Boot Room" members Joe Fagan, Reuben Bennett, and Bob Paisley began reshaping the team.

The club was promoted back into the First Division in 1962 and won it in 1964, for the first time in 17 years. In 1965 the club won its first FA Cup, before winning the First Division again in 1966. Liverpool won both the League and the UEFA Cup during the 1972-73 season, and the FA Cup again a year later; soon afterwards, Shankly retired and was replaced by his assistant Bob Paisley. In 1976, Paisley's second season as manager, the club won another League and UEFA Cup double.

The following season, the club retained the League title and won the European Cup for the first time, but it lost in the 1977 FA Cup Final. Liverpool retained the European Cup in 1978 and regained the First Division title in 1979. During the nine seasons in which Paisley was manager, Liverpool won 21 trophies, including three European Cups, a UEFA Cup, six League titles and three consecutive League Cups; the only domestic trophy to elude him was the FA Cup.

Paisley retired in 1983 and was replaced by his assistant Joe Fagan. Liverpool won the League, League Cup and European Cup in Fagan's first season, becoming the first English side to win three trophies in a season. Fagan resigned after the disaster and Kenny Dalglish was appointed as player-manager. During his reign, the club won another three League Championships and two FA Cups, including a League and Cup "Double" in the 1985–86 season.

Heysel Stadium Disaster.

Liverpool reached the European Cup final again in 1985, against Juventus at the Heysel Stadium. Before kick-off, Liverpool fans breached a fence which separated the two groups of supporters, and charged the Juventus fans. The resulting weight of people caused a retaining wall to collapse, killing 39 fans, mostly Italians. The incident became known as the Heysel Stadium disaster. The match was played in spite of protests by both managers, and Liverpool lost 1–0 to Juventus. As a result of the tragedy, English clubs were banned from participating in European competition for five years; Liverpool received a ten-year ban, which was later reduced to six years. Fourteen Liverpool fans received convictions for involuntary manslaughter.

Hillsborough Disaster.

In an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on 15 April 1989, hundreds of Liverpool fans were crushed against perimeter fencing. Ninety-four fans died that day; the 95th victim died in hospital from his injuries four days later and the 96th died nearly four years later, without regaining consciousness. After the Hillsborough disaster there was a government review of stadium safety. The resulting Taylor Report paved the way for legislation that required top-division teams to have all-seater stadiums. The report ruled that the main reason for the disaster was overcrowding due to a failure of police control.

Dress Color.

For much of Liverpool's history its home colours have been all red, but when the club was founded its kit was more like the contemporary Everton kit.

The blue and white quartered shirts were used until 1894, when the club adopted the city's colour of red. The city's symbol of the liver bird was adopted as the club's badge in 1901, although it was not incorporated into the kit until 1955. Liverpool continued to wear red shirts and white shorts until 1964, when manager Bill Shankly decided to change to an all red strip.

Liverpool was the first English professional club to have a sponsor's logo on its shirts, after agreeing a deal with Hitachi in 1979.

Batch and Logo.

The Liverpool badge is based on the city's liver bird, which in the past had been placed inside a shield. In 1992, to commemorate the centennial of the club, a new badge was commissioned, including a resentation of the Shankly Gates.

The next year twin flames were added at either side are symbolic of the Hillsborough memorial outside Anfield, where an eternal flame burns in memory of those who died in the Hillsborough disaster. In 2012, Warrior Sports' first Liverpool kit removed the shield and gates, returning the badge to what had adorned Liverpool shirts in the 1970s; the flames were moved to the back collar of the shirt, surrounding the number 96 for number who died at Hillsborough.


Anfield Stadium.

Anfield was built in 1884 on land adjacent to Stanley Park. It was originally used by Everton before the club moved to Goodison Park after a dispute over rent with Anfield owner John Houlding. Left with an empty ground, Houlding founded Liverpool in 1892 and the club has played at Anfield ever since. The capacity of the stadium at the time was 20,000, although only 100 spectators attended Liverpool's first match at Anfield.

Anfield could accommodate more than 60,000 supporters at its peak, and had a capacity of 55,000 until the 1990s. The Taylor Report and Premier League regulations obliged Liverpool to convert Anfield to an all-seater stadium in time for the 1993–94 season, reducing the capacity to 45,276.

You'll Never Walk Alone.

The song "You'll Never Walk Alone", originally from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel and later recorded by Liverpool musicians Gerry & The Pacemakers, is the club's anthem and has been sung by the Anfield crowd since the early 1960s. It has since gained popularity among fans of other clubs around the world.

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
Is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of the 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

Rivalries.

Liverpool's longest-established rivalry is with fellow Merseyside team Everton, against whom the club contest the Merseyside derby. Their rivalry stems from Liverpool's formation and the dispute with Everton officials and the then owners of Anfield. Unlike other rivalries, there is no political, geographical or religious split between Liverpool and Everton.

Liverpool's rivalry with Manchester United is viewed as a manifestation of the cities' competition during the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century. The rivalry between the clubs intensified during the 1960s, after Manchester United became the first English team to win the European Cup in 1968, an achievement surpassed by Liverpool's four European Cup victories in the 1970s and 1980s.

Honors.

UEFA Cups (3) :1973, 1976, 2001.
League Titles (18) :1901, 1906, 1922, 1923, 1947, 1964, 1966, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990.
FA Cups (7) : 1965, 1974, 1986, 1989, 1992, 2001, 2006.
League Cups (7) :1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1995, 2001, 2003.
European Cups (5) :1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005.

Modern History.

Dalglish cited the Hillsborough disaster and its repercussions as the reason for his resignation in 1991; he was replaced by former player Graeme Souness. Under his leadership Liverpool won the 1992 FA Cup Final. Souness was replaced by Roy Evans, and Liverpool went on to win the 1995 Football League Cup Final. Gérard Houllier was appointed co-manager in the 1998–99 season and became the sole manager in November 1998 after Evans resigned. In 2001, Houllier's second full season in charge, Liverpool won a "Treble": the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup. Houllier underwent major heart surgery during the 2001–02 season and Liverpool finished second in the League, behind Arsenal.

Houllier was replaced by Rafael Benítez at the end of the 2003–04 season. Despite finishing fifth in Benítez's first season, Liverpool won the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League, beating A.C. Milan 3–2 in a penalty shootout after the match ended with a score of 3–3. The following season, Liverpool finished third in the Premier League and won the 2006 FA Cup Final, beating West Ham United in a penalty shootout after the match finished on 3–3.

American businessmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks became the owners of the club during the 2006–07 season, in a deal which valued the club and its outstanding debts at £218.9 million. The club reached the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final against Milan, as it had in 2005, but this time Liverpool lost 2–1. During the 2008–09 season Liverpool achieved 86 points, its highest Premier League points total, and finished as runners up to Manchester United. In the 2009–10 season, Liverpool finished seventh in the Premier League and failed to qualify for the Champions League. Benítez subsequently left by mutual consent.

Records and Statistics.

-Appearances.

Most appearances in all competitions: Ian Callaghan, 857.
Most league appearances: Ian Callaghan, 640.
Most FA Cup appearances: Ian Callaghan, 79.
Most League Cup appearances: Ian Rush, 78.
Most Continental appearances: Jamie Carragher, 150.
Youngest first-team player: Jerome Sinclair, 16 years and 6 days (against West Bomwich Albion, 26 September 2012).
Oldest first-team player: Ned Doig, 41 years and 165 days (against Newcastle United, 11 April 1908).
Oldest debutant: Ned Doig, 37 years and 307 days (against Burton United, 1 September 1904).
Most consecutive appearances: Phil Neal, 417 (from 23 October 1976 to 24 September 1983).
Most seasons as an ever-present: Phil Neal, 9 (from 1976–77 to 1983–84).
Longest-serving player: Elisha Scott, 21 years and 52 days (from 1913 to 1934).

-Goalscorers.

Robbie Fowler, who scored the fastest hat-trick in Liverpool history
Most goals in all competitions: Ian Rush, 346.
Most league goals: Roger Hunt, 245.
Most FA Cup goals: Ian Rush, 39.
Most League Cup goals: Ian Rush, 48.
Most Continental goals: Steven Gerrard, 39.
Most goals in a season: Ian Rush, 47 (during the 1983–84 season).
Most hat-tricks in a season: Roger Hunt, 5 (during the 1961–62 season).
Most hat-tricks: Gordon Hodgson, 17.
Fastest hat-trick: Robbie Fowler, 4 minutes, 33 seconds, (against Arsenal, 28 August 1994).
Highest-scoring substitute: David Fairclough, 18.
Most penalties scored: Jan Mølby, 42.
Most games without scoring for an outfield player: Ephraim Longworth, 371.
Youngest goalscorer: Michael Owen, 17 years, 143 days (against Wimbledon, 6 May 1997).
Oldest goalscorer: Billy Liddell, 38 years, 55 days (against Stoke City, 5 March 1960).

Record Signings.

Andy Carroll           £35m- Newcastle United- 31 January 2011
Luis Suárez             £23m- Ajax- 30 January 2011
Fernando Torres     £20m- Atlético Madrid- 4 July 2007
Stewart Downing    £20m- Aston Villa- 15 July 2011
Robbie Keane         £19m- Tottenham Hotspur- 28 July 2008

Record Transfers.

Fernando Torres £50m- Chelsea- 31 January 2011
Xabi Alonso £30m- Real Madrid- 5 August 2009
Javier Mascherano £17.3m- Barcelona- 30 August 2010
Andy Carroll £15m- Westham- 21 May 2013
Robbie Keane £12m- Tottenham- 2 February 2009