24th June

Happy birthday Luis
1978 - Luis García was born in Badalona in Spain. He settled into life in England quickly, and struck thirty times in 121 games, including five in our glorious Champions League campaign in 2005, before returning to his homeland to re-join Club Atlético de Madrid for around £4m in July 2007. He had also helped us to claim the UEFA Super Cup and FA Community Shield.

Other birthdays
1999 – Uruguayan forward Darwin Núñez was born in Artigas. He signed from SL Benfica for an initial £64.2m in June 2022, so far scoring 33 times in 96 reds games, including as we clinched the FA Community Shield on his debut.
1899 - Left-winger George Pither was born in Kew, Surrey. He struck once in twelve senior appearances after signing from Merthyr Town for £500 in November 1926, stepping in for the established Fred Hopkin. He moved to Crewe Alexandra in May 1928.
2004 – Left-back Luke Chambers was born in Preston. He signed pro terms in July 2021, having been with the Academy at the age of six, so far making four appearances for the first-team.

Signing on
2015 – Forward Roberto Firmino agreed to sign from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim for an initial £21m, with the deal being finalised the following month. He netted 111 times in 362 outings, helping us to clinch the Premier League title, UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup and FA Community Shield before moving on in the summer of 2023.
2021 – Irish number two keeper Caoimhín Kelleher signed a new contract, keeping fifteen clean sheets in 47 senior games to the end of the 2023/24 season, scoring the decisive penalty as we claimed the League Cup at Wembley in February 2022, also helping us to claim the same trophy two years later.

Going for a Song
1994 - Future red Rigobert Song was dismissed as Cameroon lost 3-0 to Brazil in Palo Alto, becoming the youngest player ever to see red in the World Cup Finals. He was sent off again in the World Cup almost exactly four years later to complete an unwanted double. Future reds goalkeeping coach Cláudio Taffarel was on the winning side.
2010 – Rigobert Song won his 137th and final cap for Cameroon as they lost 2-1 to the Netherlands in Cape Town, with Dirk Kuyt and future red John Heitinga in opposition as the Dutch topped the group. Christian Poulsen played his last game for Denmark while with Juventus as they lost 3-1 to Japan in Rustenburg, alongside Daniel Agger, so failing to progress. Also in action was Martin Škrtel, as Slovakia beat Italy 3-2 in a thrilling encounter in Johannesburg to reach the second stage at the Italians’ expense.

On the verge of the title
2020 – We thumped Crystal Palace 4-0 behind closed doors at Anfield as we edged closer to our nineteenth League title. Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a free-kick with Mohamed Salah also on target before the break. Fabinho and Sadio Mané completed the scoring in the second half. This result meant that Manchester City had to beat Chelsea the following day to delay the inevitable.

Farewell Miki
2012 – Ex-reds centre-half Miki Roqué died of cancer aged just 23. He was part of the victorious FA Youth Cup winning side in 2005 and made his senior debut in our Champions League defeat at Galatasaray in December 2006, but was released in June 2009 after spending much of his time out on loan.

International farewells
2014 – Steven Gerrard won his 114th and final cap as England were held to a goalless draw by Costa Rica in their final, dead rubber World Cup group game in Belo Horizonte. Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge and future red James Milner also featured for Roy Hodgson’s side, with Adam Lallana making his last appearance as a Southampton player. On the same day, Luis Suárez won his last cap as a reds player, biting Giorgio Chiellini as Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 in Natal, with Mario Balotelli playing for the last time while with AC Milan. Kolo Touré also represented his country that day.
2015 – Danny Ings made his last appearance for England Under-21’s while with Burnley as they lost 3-1 to Italy in a European Championships Finals group game in the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, Tiago Ilori featured as Portugal drew 1-1 with Sweden to reach the Semi-finals.
2019 – Suárez and fellow ex-red Sebastián Coates both played as Uruguay beat Chile 1-0 in a Copa América group game in Brazil. Future red Ibrahim Konaté played for France Under-21’s in their goalless draw with Romania in a European Championships Finals group game in Italy.

Other future reds at the World Cup
1998 - Future red Fernando Morientes nabbed a brace as Spain thumped Bulgaria 6-1 in Lens, but it was not enough to take them through to the knock-out stage. Meanwhile, Bernard Diomède appeared as France beat Denmark 2-1 in Lyon in their final group game, as they progressed as group winners to face Paraguay in the Second Round.

1990 – Future red Karl-Heinz Riedle played in West Germany’s 2-1 defeat of the Netherlands at the San Siro in Milan, as they reached the Quarter-final. On the same day, future reds goalkeeping coach Cláudio Taffarel won his last cap as an Internacional player as Brazil lost 1-0 to Argentina in Turin.
2006 – Maxi Rodríguez bagged the stunning extra-time winner in Argentina’s 2-1 Round of sixteen defeat of Mexico in Leipzig, with fellow future red Javier Mascherano also featuring.

On target on the world stage
2018 – Sadio Mané scored while captaining Senegal as they drew 2-2 with Japan in a World Cup group stage game in Russia. On the same day, Jordan Henderson and ex-red Raheem Sterling both featured in England’s 6-1 thumping of Panama, while future red Ozan Kabak appeared for Turkey Under-18’s in their 1-0 defeat by Greece in Spain.

Michael bows out
2004 - Michael Owen opened the scoring in England’s Quarter-final against host nation Portugal at the European Championships in Lisbon. The game was tied at 1-1 after ninety minutes, and then 2-2 after extra time. Owen also scored in the penalty shoot-out that Portugal won 6-5. This was his final international as a reds player, with Steven Gerrard and ex-red David James also featuring.
2012 – England were knocked out at the same stage, with skipper Steven Gerrard and future red Mario Balotelli both converting a penalty in the shoot-out after a goalless draw with Italy in Kyiv. Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson, Glen Johnson and future red James Milner all also featured for Roy Hodgson’s side.

The Irish in Orlando
1994 - Ex-red John Aldridge netted the Republic of Ireland’s consolation as they lost 2-1 to Mexico in their World Cup group encounter in Orlando. Future reds Phil Babb and Jason McAteer also played, as did ex-reds Ray Houghton and Steve Staunton. This was Ireland’s 300th full international match.

Deano starts out
1982 - Dean Saunders signed as a professional for Swansea City. He bagged twelve goals in 55 Swans games as they tumbled back down the divisions, before moving to Brighton & Hove Albion three years later, on a free transfer.

Off the mark
1981 – Future reds centre-half Glenn Hysén bagged his first senior international goal in Sweden’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying defeat of Portugal in Stockholm.

Uncle Roy the dad again
1978 - Backroom boy Roy Evans and his wife Mary had their second child, daughter Stacey.

Youngsters on the world stage
2005 - Future red Nabil El Zhar struck for Morocco Under-20’s as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Italy in the World Championship Finals in Utrecht. The game was decided by a penalty shoot-out, with Nabil converting the decisive kick as Morocco won 4-2.
2001 - Auxerre’s Djibril Cissé appeared in France’s goalless draw with Ghana in the same competition in Argentina. On the same day, future reds coach John Heitinga played for the Netherlands as they beat Ethiopia 3-1 in the same tournament.
2013 – Suso captained Spain Under-20’s in a World Championship Finals group game as they beat Ghana 1-0 in Istanbul, with future red Javier Manquillo also featuring, while future red Tiago Ilori played as Portugal drew 2-2 with South Korea.

Missing out
2009 – Xabi Alonso, Albert Riera and Fernando Torres all featured as Spain lost their Confederations Cup Semi-final 2-0 to the USA in South Africa, despite the Americans going down to ten men.

On the move
2007 - Paul Ince resigned as Manager of Macclesfield Town, having led them to safety after taking over when they were seven points adrift at the very bottom of League Two. He took over at MK Dons the following day.
2008 – Ex-reds reserves defender Richard Money was appointed Academy Director of Newcastle United.
2009 – Chief Executive Rick Parry was appointed as Chairman of a new anti-corruption panel set up by Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe.

1993 - Future reds loanee keeper Mark Prudhoe joined Stoke City from Darlington for £120,000. He had played 169 times in four years with the Quakers, the longest he ever stayed at any of his seventeen League clubs.
1998 – Future reds goalkeeping coach Cláudio Taffarel signed for Galatasaray at Disneyland Paris, while he was in France for the World Cup Finals, moving from Clube Atlético Mineiro for around $1.5m.
2013 – Winger Adam Hammill joined Huddersfield Town from Wolverhampton Wanderers, after one goal in 27 games for Wolves.
2019 – Midfielder Gary Mackay-Steven joined New York City from Aberdeen on a free transfer, scoring once in twelve outings before the end of the year.

Also in international action
2011 – Future red Takumi Minamino played for Japan Under-17’s in their 3-1 defeat of Argentina in the World championship Finals in Mexico.
2017 – Future red Federico Chiesa played for Italy Under-21’s as they beat Germany 1-0 in a European Championships Finals group game in Poland.
2021 – Ex-red Luis Suárez featured as Uruguay beat Bolivia 2-0 in a Copa América group game in Brazil.
2023 – Keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili won his first Under-21s cap as a Valencia player as Georgia drew 2-2 with Belgium in a European Championships Finals group game in Tbilisi. Fellow future red Ryan Gravenberch played for the Dutch Under-21’s as they drew 1-1 with Portugal in the same competition.