13th July

A-L-B-E-R-T, Albert Stubbins is the man for me
1919 - Legendary reds centre-forward Albert Stubbins was born in Wallsend. He signed from Newcasle United for a British record £12,500 fee in September 1946 and struck 83 times in 178 reds matches, helping to power us to the first League championship played after the Second World War. He became a scout for the club in 1954, a post he held for the rest of the decade, He was also the only footballer to appear on the cover of The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album.

Forwards moving in
2018 – Xherdan Shaqiri signed from Stoke City for £13.75m, notching eight times in 63 outings before moving to Olympique Lyonnais for €6m in August 2021, helping us to claim the Premier League title and FIFA Club World Cup, as well as remaining on the bench as we claimed the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup.
2012 - Fabio Borini signed from Roma for £10.4m to become new boss Brendan Rodgers’ first capture. His first campaign was badly interrupted by injuries as he notched twice in twenty reds games, before spending the next season on loan at Sunderland. However, he only netted once in a further eighteen outings before joining the Mackems permanently for £8m in August 2015. On the same day, Maxi Rodríguez left the club to join Club Atlético Newell’s Old Boys back in his native Argentina after seventeen goals in 73 outings since arriving for free from Club Atlético de Madrid in January 2010.

2007 - Ryan Babel signed from Ajax for £11.5m. He proved a very useful asset in his first season, especially from the bench, as he equalled Djibril Cissé’s club record of seven strikes in a season as a substitute. However, subsequent campaigns were far less productive, and he struck a total of 22 times in 146 appearances before being sold to German side TSG 1899 Hoffenheim for £6m in January 2011.

Bellamy born
1979 - Craig Bellamy was born in Cardiff. He arrived from Blackburn Rovers for £6m in June 2006 with his one season in his first spell in L4 only being a partial success. He grabbed nine goals in 42 games, with his finest moment coming in the Camp Nou as he scored a crucial goal in our 2-1 victory to help us progress towards Athens. He was sold to West Ham United for £7.5m in July 2007, then the record fee paid by the Irons. He returned to Anfield on a free transfer from Manchester City last August, netting nine times in 37 games and helping us to claim the Carling Cup before joining his hometown club for free in August 2012.

On the same day, recent Fitness Coach Eduardo Parra García was born in Vigo. He began working in football as a fitness coach for teams in his native Galicia, before joining Real Club Celta de Vigo in 2007. He later followed Rafael Benítez to Internazionale.

Happy birthday Vedgy
1975 - Vegard Heggem was born in Trondheim in Norway. His five years at Anfield were ravaged by hamstring injuries, after becoming the only signing made by the joint management team of Roy Evans and Gérard Houllier, for £3.5m in July 1998. He could only make 65 appearances before being released in June 2003, scoring three times.

Kicking off early
2005 - We started the season proper in July for the first time ever, beating Total Network Solutions 3-0 at Anfield in the first leg of our Champions League first qualifying round tie, thanks to Steven Gerrard’s first treble. Pepe Reina and Bolo Zenden both made their first-class reds debuts, in front of our biggest home European attendance since we hosted Nottingham Forest in September 1978.

World Cup despair
2014 – Ex-red Javier Mascherano played as Argentina lost the World Cup Final 1-0 to Germany in Rio de Janeiro.

Starting off well
2013 – Iago Aspas netted in his first reds outing as we thumped Preston North End 4-0 to claim the Shankly Shield at Deepdale. Forward Luis Alberto, centre-half Kolo Touré and keepers Simon Mignolet and Danny Ward also played their first reds games. Young winger Jordon Ibe bagged his first goal for the club, after Philippe Coutinho had opened the scoring from the spot with Raheem Sterling also on target.
2016 – Midfielder Marko Grujić scored in his first reds game as we thumped Fleetwood Town 5-0 in a friendly at their Highbury Stadium. Forward Ben Woodburn netted his first goal for the club, with Roberto Firmino nabbing a brace and Lucas Leiva also on target, while Danny Ings had a penalty saved.

Debuting in the Far East
2011 - Conor Coady scored in his first reds game as we beat Guangdong Sunray Cave 4-3 in Guangzhou, with Christian Poulsen nabbing his only reds goal. Charlie Adam and Andre Wisdom both debuted for the reds, with David N’Gog and Andy Carroll also on target. On the same day, Lucas featured as Brazil beat Ecuador 4-2 in a Copa América group game in Argentina.

Anfield in mourning
2001 - The funeral of Tom Saunders was held. The former Youth Development Officer and long-standing Director also spent many years as a European ‘spy’ for the club, checking out upcoming opponents. He also managed the England Schoolboys and Under-18’s during his career, being well loved at Anfield.

Club for sale
1999 - Granada bought a 9.9% stake in Liverpool Football Club for £22m. A statement said, “The boards of Liverpool and Granada are pleased to have announced they have entered into a ground-breaking strategic partnership.”

Management moves
1999 - Steve Nicol was appointed head coach of Boston Bulldogs. He led them to the Third Division title, before moving to New England Revolution, whom he took to the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference Final in his first season in charge.
2013 - Kevin MacDonald left as Manager of Swindon Town by mutual consent, having only been in the role for five months.

Starting out
1989 - Stan Collymore signed as a professional for Wolverhampton Wanderers. He was only at Molineux for a year, without making the first team, before moving to non-League Stafford Rangers.
2020 – Left-back Adam Lewis signed a new contract with the reds. He had made his senior debut in an FA Cup Fourth Round replay win over Shrewsbury Town at Anfield in February 2020, spending the 2021/22 season on loan at Livingston.

Old boys lose their title
2003 - Reigning champions Liverpool bowed out of the Masters Tournament after finishing third in the North West Series of the legends football in Manchester. The reds team consisted of John Aldridge, goalkeeper Bob Bolder, John Durnin, Gary Gillespie, Ray Houghton, Alan Kennedy, Jan Mølby, Phil Neal, Michael Thomas and Ronnie Whelan.

On the move
2009 - John Welsh signed for Tranmere Rovers, having been released by Hull City the previous month. He bagged eleven goals in 149 appearances while at Prenton Park, moving on to Preston North End in May 2012.
2007 – Left-back Paul Konchesky joined Fulham from West Ham United for £2m, after two goals in seventy outings for the Hammers.
2011 - Konchesky was sold to Leicester City for £1.5m, having played just eighteen reds games since his £3.5m capture from Fulham the previous August.

1911 – Right-back Alf West left Anfield again, this time moving on to Notts County. He struck six times in 141 reds games across two spells, first arriving from Barnsley St. Peter’s in November 1903. He helped us to the Second Division championship in 1905 and our second League title a year later, joining Reading in June 1909, becoming their club captain but he only stayed for a season before returning to Anfield in May 1910. He only played five times in this second spell.
2016 – Winger Sergi Canós was sold to Norwich City for an initial £2.5m, netting three times in nine first-team games before joining fellow Championship side Brentford on loan. On the same day, midfielder Ryan Flynn joined Oldham Athletic from Sheffield United after nineteen goals in 119 games for the Blades.

2018 – Midfielder Adam Phillips joined Hamilton Academical on loan from Norwich City, playing just two senior games while in Scotland.
2022 – Winger Sheyi Ojo signed permanently for Cardiff City, having previously had a loan spell with the Bluebirds. He had struck once in thirteen senior reds games. On the same day, Raheem Sterling joined Chelsea from Manchester City for £47.5m.

Free Jürgen
2022 – It was announced that reds boss Jürgen Klopp would be awarded the Freedom of the city of Liverpool.

Last strike
2021 – Future red Alexis Mac Allister scored his final goal for Argentina Under-23’s as they drew a friendly 2-2 in South Korea.

In international action
1999 - Brad Friedel played for the USA as they met Derby County in a friendly in Denver.
2004 - Arnaud Bühler played for Switzerland Under-19’s as they drew 1-1 with Italy in a European Championships qualifier. On the same day, future red Javier Mascherano featured for Argentina as they beat Uruguay 4-2 in a Copa América group game in Peru.
2007 - Harry Kewell featured as Australia lost 3-1 to Iraq in an AFC Asian Cup group game in Bangkok.
2011 - Lucas Leiva played for Brazil in their 4-2 defeat of Ecuador in a Copa América group game in Argentina.