25th December

Happy birthday Gary Mac
1964 - Gary McAllister was born in Motherwell. He arrived on a free transfer in July 2000, proving inspirational in the run-in to the treble that season. He netted nine goals in 87 reds games before moving back to Coventry City as Player/Manager in May 2002. He returned to Anfield as a First Team Coach last summer, moving into an ambassadorial role after Brendan Rodgers was sacked.
1896 – Winger Chris Harrington was born in Edge Hill. He signed from South Liverpool in December 1920, failing to score in four senior outings, before returning to his former club the following year.

A sad day
1984 - Jack Balmer died in Liverpool. He had bagged 111 goals in 309 reds games after signing from Everton in May 1935, including trebles in three consecutive matches on our way to the League title in 1947. He also played in the FA Cup Final three years later.
1899 - Thomas ‘Harry’ Bradshaw died of tuberculosis in Tottenham. He joined from Northwich Victoria in October 1893 and netted 51 times in 138 games for the reds, helping us to our first two Second Division titles and was the first reds player to win senior international honours. He left Anfield to join Tottenham Hotspur in May 1898.

2004 - Left-back Eddie Spicer died. He was decorated for bravery whilst serving in the Royal Marines in World War Two, going on to net twice in 168 reds games, helping us to the first post-war League title and featuring in the 1950 FA Cup Final. Unfortunately, a second broken leg ended his career in December 1953.
2013 - Forward Wayne Harrison died aged just 46 after suffering from pancreatic cancer. He signed from Oldham Athletic for £250,000 in January 1985 at the age of seventeen, then a record fee for a teenager, although he never made a senior reds appearance before having to retire due to injury in the summer of 1991, aged just 23.

King Billy’s four
1954 - Billy Liddell scored four goals as we thumped Ipswich Town 6-2 at Anfield in our first season after relegation. Also on the scoresheet were Louis Bimpson and John Evans.

Rushie starts out
1979 - Ian Rush signed as a professional for Chester. He bagged seventeen goals in 39 games at Sealand Road, before moving to Anfield for £300,000 the following April.

Smiling at a treble
1925 - Harry ‘Smiler’ Chambers and the visitors’ Hughie Gallacher each bagged a hat-trick as we beat Newcastle United 6-3 at Anfield. Centre-half David Pratt scored his only reds goal, with Cyril Oxley and Dick Forshaw also on the scoresheet. These were the first of Gallacher’s eight goals past us, while our third goal was the club’s 2,000th in all competitions.
1923 - The Geordies left Anfield with both points after winning 1-0.

A pair from The Valley
1953 - Don Welsh signed full-back Frank Lock and forward John Evans from Charlton Athletic, for £7,500 and £12,500 respectively. On the same day, right-half and future Manager Phil Taylor made his 314th and final League appearance as we lost 5-2 at West Bromwich Albion, with centre-forward Jack Smith turning out for the 59th and last time. Alan A’Court was on target for the reds, with full-back Ray Lambert scoring from the spot, his second and final reds goal. Frank Griffin struck the last two of his six goals against the reds, with Ronnie Allen scoring the final one of his five, and Ray Barlow and Johnny Nicholls also on target.
1936 - We also lost 3-1 at The Hawthorns, with Fred Howe grabbing our consolation. Harry Jones bagged a brace for the Baggies, with Stan Wood netting one of his five goals past us.

Most recent Christmas goal
1957 - Tony Rowley scored our most recent goal on Christmas Day as we lost 3-1 in a Second Division fixture at Grimsby Town, with right-back John Molyneux reaching a century of reds games.
1930 - We also visited Blundell Park for a game that ended goalless, with full-back Tommy Lucas making his 300th League outing for the reds.

Christmas derbies
1916 – We were beaten 1-0 in a friendly at Goodison Park.
1939 - We lost a friendly 3-2 to Everton at Anfield with both our goals coming from Willie Fagan.
1940 - We won a Wartime League game 3-1 at home, thanks to a Len Carney brace and Berry Nieuwenhuys.

Bradley into the breach
1909 - Left-half Jim Bradley stepped in as an emergency goalkeeper, helping us to a 3-0 top-flight win over Bolton Wanderers at Anfield. Arthur Goddard and Ronald Orr grabbed our goals, to add to a Jack Parkinson penalty.

We have faced Bolton seven times in the First Division on Christmas Day, winning five and losing just once.
1914 – Centre-half Bob Ferguson played his hundredth reds game in our 1-0 win at Burnden Park. Forward Billy Lacey was our scorer.
1911 – Jack Parkinson netted the only goal of the game at Anfield.
1905 – We were held to a 2-2 draw in L4. Albert Shepherd scored the first of his twelve goals against the reds after Bob Clifford had opened the scoring. Joe Hewitt and Arthur Goddard both netted after the break.

1902 - Our biggest win was a 5-1 thumping at Anfield when Charlie Wilson struck a brace, his final goals for the club. Jack Cox and Edgar Chadwick were also on the scoresheet, with Sam Raybould adding a penalty. Peter Platt saved a spot-kick from Laurie Bell.
1897 – Forward Abe Hartley debuted as we won an away meeting 2-0, thanks to goals from Dan Cunliffe and Andrew McCowie.
1894 – We lost 1-0 at their old Pike’s Lane ground, with Jimmy Settle nabbing the first of his eleven goals past us.

Arsenal again
1935 - Arsenal won for the fourth consecutive season in the League at Anfield, with Joe Hulme scoring one of his ten goals against the reds. No team has since equalled this feat.
1947 - They also left L4 with both points when Bob Priday netted in a 3-1 defeat. Ronnie Rooke struck twice for the Gunners, with Don Roper netting the first of his five past us.

Eased in on his debut
1946 - John Easdale made his reds bow as we lost 2-1 at Stoke City, with Albert Stubbins netting late on for the reds after a Freddie Steele brace had put the Potters in control.
1941 - We also lost at the Victoria Ground, going down 4-3 in a Wartime League match, with our goals coming from Berry Nieuwenhuys, Stan Polk and Billy Liddell.

1906 – Forward John Lipsham debuted in our goalless draw at Manchester United, the first of just three outings for the club.
1948 – We held United to a goalless draw at Maine Road as Bob Paisley reached a century of reds appearances.

Two-ton Jimmy
1931 - Right-back Jimmy ‘Parson’ Jackson played his 200th reds game in our 3-1 defeat of Sheffield Wednesday in a top-flight encounter at Anfield. Harry Burgess struck one of his nine goals past us, with Gordon Gunson bagging a brace and Harold Barton also on target.

Tommy’s last
1913 – Centre-forward Tommy Gracie bagged his fifth and final reds goal as we beat Manchester City 4-2 at Anfield, with Jackie Sheldon netting a brace and Billy Lacey also on the scoresheet. Fred Howard struck two of his nine goals against the reds, both from the spot.

Match abandoned
1893 - Our friendly with Accrington Stanley at their Crown Ground was abandoned after 75 minutes due to bad weather. We were losing 1-0 at the time.

Clarets and Rams three times
1952 – We lost 2-0 at Burnley.
1926 – We were thumped 4-0 at Turf Moor with keeper Elisha Scott playing his 300th reds game. George Beel netted two of his eight goals against the reds, with Joe Devine also nabbing a brace.
1928 – We lost another trip 3-2 with Dick Edmed and Bob Clark on target. Louis Page scored one of his seven past us, with George Beel netting another brace.

1903 – We lost 2-0 at Derby County.
1900 – The Rams held us to a goalless draw in L4.
1899 – We were beaten 3-2 at the Baseball Ground, with Tommy Robertson scoring as well as seeing a penalty saved. John Hunter also struck for the reds, with Steve Bloomer netting one of his fourteen goals past us. Billy MacDonald and Fred Crump also scored for the Rams as keeper Harry Storer appeared for the reds for the 121st and final time.

Other reds games
1956 – Alan A’Court bagged the only goal of Leyton Orient’s visit in a Second Division encounter.
1951 – Jimmy Payne netted as Blackpool held us to a 1-1 draw at Anfield. Billy Liddell missed a penalty, with Stan Mortensen netting one of his eleven goals against the reds.
1950 – We lost 3-0 at Blackpool. Stan Mortensen struck twice, with Jackie Mudie also on target.
1933 – Portsmouth held us to a 2-2 draw in L4 with Sam English and Alf Hanson on the scoresheet. Jack Weddle bagged one of his five goals past us, with Jimmy Nichol also scoring.

1929 – We were thumped 4-0 at Sheffield United as Jimmy Dunne netted the first of his eleven strikes against us. Fred Tunstall scored one of his eight, with Tom Phillipson adding a brace.
1924 – We won 2-1 at Notts County. Dick Forshaw struck twice, with his first being when he converted the rebound from his own spot kick.
1922 – Donald McKinlay and Dick Johnson netted as we won 2-0 at Oldham Athletic.
1920 – Dick Johnson was on target in out 1-1 draw at Chelsea.

1919 – We beat Sunderland 3-2 at Anfield. Billy Lacey and Tom Miller netted, with Donald McKinlay missing a penalty as the reds also benefited from a Bert Hobson own goal. Jackie Mordue scored from the spot, the last of his six goals against us, with Charlie Buchan netting one of his 21.
1908 – Ronald Orr struck as we drew 1-1 at Aston Villa.
1907 – Joe Hewitt was on target as Chelsea returned home 4-1 victors. George Hilsdon scored the first two of his five goals past us, with George Henderson and Jimmy Windridge also on the scoresheet.
1896 – League leaders Aston Villa held us to a 3-3 draw in L4. Frank Becton scored twice, including a penalty, with George Allan also scoring. Jimmy Cowan nabbed one of his four goals against us, with Jack Devey scoring the first of his seven and Charlie Athersmith also on target.