14th December

Shanks in charge
1959 - Bill Shankly took over as Manager, thirteen days after his appointment was announced. Words cannot fully explain his importance to the history of Liverpool Football Club, but his honours as reds boss included three League titles, two FA Cups, the UEFA Cup and the Second Division championship.

Happy birthdays
1979 - Michael Owen was born in Chester. He struck 158 times in 297 games for us, moving on to Real Madrid in August 2004 for £8m after seven years’ great service to the reds, having helped us to claim the UEFA Cup, FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, League Cup and FA Charity Shield.
1963 – Former Managing Director Christian Purslow was born in Cardiff. He was appointed in June 2009 to replace Rick Parry. He stood down in October 2010 after the sale of the club to New England Sports Ventures. He is now Chief Executive of Aston Villa.

In comes a striking legend
1925 - South African forward Gordon Hodgson signed from Transvaal. He bagged a club record eighteen hat-tricks amongst his 241 goals in 377 games, but was unable to claim a club medal in his time at Anfield, moving on to Aston Villa for £3,000 in January 1936.
1908 – Keeper Augustus Beeby joined the reds, but only made sixteen senior appearances before leaving for Manchester City in May 1911.

Red farewells
2020 - Gérard Houllier died. He was appointed as joint Manager alongside Roy Evans in July 1998, taking over sole charge four months later. He led us to the UEFA Cup, FA Cup, two League Cups, UEFA Super Cup and FA Charity Shield before leaving by mutual consent in May 2004. He then went on to lead Olympique Lyonnais to two straight League titles, as well as having a spell in charge of Aston Villa.
2009 – Left-winger Alan A’Court died. He signed for free from Prescot Cables in September 1952 and scored 63 times in 381 reds games, helping us to the Second Division title in 1962, as well as representing England at the 1958 World Cup in his time at Anfield. He moved on to Tranmere Rovers in October 1964.

God hits four for his century
1996 - Robbie Fowler scored four goals in our 5-1 thrashing of Middlesbrough at Anfield, with the opener coming after just 29 seconds and the second being his hundredth reds goal. He reached this milestone in 165 games, one faster than Ian Rush, and celebrated one of his goals by revealing a t-shirt with the hand-written slogan “God’s job’s a good un” on it! For the record, Stig Inge Bjørnebye netted our other goal, his fourth and final one for the club, with Michael Thomas putting through his own net.

The start of a record run
1974 - Phil Neal made the first of 365 consecutive League appearances, a club record, as we beat Luton Town 2-0 at Anfield. John Toshack scored his fiftieth reds goal with Steve Heighway also on target.

Off the mark
2023 – Jarell Quansah bagged his first goal for the club as we lost 2-1 at Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in a UEFA Europa League group game as we named our youngest ever starting eleven in continental competition, having already qualified for the knock-out phase. This goal took us to a joint club record 34 consecutive games in all competitions without failing to find the target.

Mo, mo, mo
2019 – Mohamed Salah struck in his third consecutive reds game as we beat Watford 2-0 at Anfield, with the Egyptian on target twice.
2016 – Divock Origi scored in his fifth consecutive reds game as we won 3-0 at Middlesbrough, with Adam Lallana nabbing a brace,

Spot-kick misery in London
1993 - We were knocked out of the League Cup by Wimbledon in a Fourth Round replay at Selhurst Park. We benefited from a Hans Segers own goal in the final minute as the game ended 2-2 with Neil Ruddock also scoring, Dean Holdsworth netting the first of his four strikes against the reds, and Robbie Earle bagging one of his five past us. John Barnes then had a penalty saved in extra time. Unfortunately, we lost the shoot-out 4-3, with both Jamie Redknapp and Mark Walters failing from the spot. We also suffered because Jan Mølby ripped a calf muscle in this game.

A European draw
1966 - We came from behind twice as we were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Ajax in the European Cup, with ‘Sir’ Roger Hunt and the legendary Johan Cruyff scoring twice each, as we crashed out at the Second Round stage 7-3 on aggregate. Peter Thompson and Geoff Strong had both hit the woodwork before the scoring began. This was the first time we had ever played in a yellow kit.

Red milestones
2014 – Raheem Sterling reached a century of games for the reds as we lost 3-0 at Manchester United, with keeper Simon Mignolet dropped in favour of Brad Jones after 93 consecutive Premier League starts, following recent errors. Wayne Rooney scored one of his seven goals past us, with Juan Mata also on target before the break. Robin van Persie’s seventh and last strike against the reds completed the scoring as David de Gea made a string of fine saves.
1968 – Denis Law bagged the only goal of our League trip to Old Trafford, one of his six strikes against the reds.

1912 – Forward Sam Gilligan played his fortieth and last reds game as we drew 1-1 at Bolton Wanderers, with Donald McKinlay on target and Joe Smith bagging the first of his eleven goals against the reds.
1957 – Outside-right Brian Jackson struck his eleventh and last reds goal as we lost a Second Division game 2-1 at Barnsley.
2004 - Harry Kewell played his fiftieth League game for the reds as we were held to a 1-1 draw at Anfield by Portsmouth, with Steven Gerrard netting our goal. Unfortunately, Lomana Lua Lua headed in a last-minute equaliser.

Reaching the World Cup Final
2022 – Ibrahima Konaté played as France beat surprise package Morocco 2-0 in their World Cup Semi-final in Qatar.

Treble awards
2001 - We won all three awards in World Soccer magazine’s annual poll. Michael Owen became the first Englishman to win World Player of the Year, Gérard Houllier claimed Manager of the Year and we were also made Team of the Year. It was the first time in twenty years that a single club had swept the board.

Four for Berry
1940 - Outside-right Berry Nieuwenhuys scored four goals as we beat New Brighton 6-4 at Anfield in a Wartime League fixture. Billy Liddell netted from the spot, with Bob Paisley also on target.

Mixed fortunes against Forest
We have twice entertained Nottingham Forest on this day in history.
1991 - Steve McMahon struck his fiftieth and final goal for the club as we won 2-0 with Jan Mølby also on the scoresheet, with David Burrows playing his hundredth League game for the club.
1901 - We lost 2-0 in another top-flight meeting. Arthur Capes scored one of his four goals against us, with Jack Calvey also on the scoresheet.

Beating the Black Cats
We have twice won at Roker Park on this day in history.
1929 - Jim Smith, Fred Hopkin and Gordon Hodgson netted as we beat Sunderland 3-2, with Evelyn Morrison bagging a brace for the home side.
1946 - Albert Stubbins, Jack Balmer, Berry Nieuwenhuys and Billy Liddell were all on target as we won 4-1, with Dickie Davis netting the first of his seven goals past us.

Mixed fortunes against Rovers
1963 - We lost 2-1 at Anfield to Blackburn Rovers as Andy McEvoy struck the first two of his four strikes past us, with Roger Hunt netting our consolation in this First Division match as centre-half Ron Yeats reached a century of League appearances for the reds.
1918 - Arthur Metcalf struck twice as we won an away Wartime League meeting 2-1.
1908 – We lost the Lancashire Senior Cup Final 5-3 at Ewood Park, with Ronald Orr bagging a brace and Sam Bowyer also on target.

Naby’s bow
2012 – Future red Naby Keïta scored while making his senior debut for Guinea in their 1-1 Africa Cup on Nations qualifying draw in Sierra Leone.

Welsh reds
Joey Jones, Ian Rush and Dean Saunders have all twice represented their country on this day over the years.
1977 - Jones played as Wales drew 1-1 with West Germany in a friendly in Dortmund.
1983 - He appeared in their 1-1 draw with Yugoslavia in Cardiff, as a Chelsea player. Ian Rush also featured in this game, a European Championships qualifier.
1994 - Rush appeared alongside Aston Villa’s Dean Saunders as the Welsh were beaten 3-0 in Cardiff by Bulgaria in another European Championships qualifier.
1996 - Saunders played in a goalless World Cup qualifying draw with Turkey, when he was a Nottingham Forest player. Future reds Markus Babbel, Brad Friedel and Christian Ziege all also played for their countries that day.

Internationals on target
1994 - Ex-red Ronnie Rosenthal struck as Israel were held to a 1-1 draw by Romania in a qualifier in Tel-Aviv. Also in action that day were Stig Inge Bjørnebye and future red Jari Litmanen, while Roy Hodgson took charge of Switzerland.
2003 – Hodgson managed Switzerland once more, as they won a World Cup qualifier 2-1 in Turkey.

2016 – Future red Dominik Szoboszlai was on target while captaining Hungary Under-17’s as they beat Italy 2-1 in a friendly.

Other reds games
1986 – We beat Chelsea 3-0 in L4, with Ronnie Whelan, Ian Rush and Steve Nicol all on the scoresheet.
1985 – We lost 2-0 at Arsenal, with Charlie Nicholas and Niall Quinn both scoring inside the opening half hour.
1935 – Bob Glassey and Vic Wright netted as we won 2-1 at Brentford.

1907 – Jack Parkinson was on target as Newcastle United triumphed 5-1 at Anfield. George Wilson struck the first two of his five goals against the reds, with Jock Rutherford nabbing two of his seven and Bill Appleyard also scoring.
1895 - We beat Darwen 4-0 at Barley Bank in a Second Division fixture. Joe McQue, Malcolm McVean, Fred Geary and Frank Becton all scored as the home side had to play the second half with only ten men after defender Richard Shaw had to go off injured.

Management highs and lows
2008 – John Barnes led Jamaica to victory in the Digicel Caribbean Championships as they beat Grenada 2-0 in the Final in Kingston.
1994 - Kevin MacDonald stepped down as Caretaker Manager of Leicester City. He was only in charge for four games, before Mark McGhee took over.
2009 - Erik Meijer was appointed Director of Sport at Alemannia Aachen, having already played for and coached the club.

On the move again
2013 – Former reds First Team Coach Steve Clarke was sacked as Manager of West Bromwich Albion, with Kevin Keen also departing from his role as Joint-Assistant Head Coach.
2001 - Ex-reserves striker John Durnin signed for Second Division Port Vale from Rhyl on a free transfer. He only netted twice in fifty games while at Vale Park, before joining Conference side Accrington Stanley.
1975 – Ex-reds forward Alun Evans joined Walsall from Aston Villa for £30,000 after sixteen goals in 74 games for the Villains.

Youngsters sign on
2004 - Reserve defenders David Raven and Zak Whitbread both signed new contracts until 2007. However, they have both subsequently left the club.

Also in international action
1999 – Future red Fábio Aurélio featured as Brazil drew a friendly 3-3 with Paraguay in Campo Grande.
1966 – Roy Evans played for England Youth as they faced a Sunderland Under-19’s side at Roker Park.