27th March

Yanks in
2007 - Liverpool FC announced that George Gillett Jr. and Tom Hicks now owned 98.6% of the club’s shares and intended to compulsorily acquire the remaining shares. Chief Executive Rick Parry said, “The incredibly high level of acceptance of the offer shows shareholders have faith in the vision outlined for the club by George Gillett and Tom Hicks.” The two Americans remained in control until October 2010.

We’re all on our way to Wembley
1965 - We beat Chelsea 2-0 in a Villa Park Semi-final en route to our first ever FA Cup triumph. John Mortimore had a goal disallowed for the Blues before Peter Thompson netted, with Willie Stevenson adding a penalty, the first he had ever taken. Right-half Gordon Milne played his 200th game for the club this day.
1971 - We beat Everton 2-1 at Old Trafford, before losing to Arsenal in the Final. Alun Evans and Brian Hall were on target this time after Alan Ball had given the Blues the lead, one of his eleven strikes past us, with Hall netting his first reds goal.

1899 - Our other Semi-final on this day, a second replay against Sheffield United at Fallowfield in Manchester, was postponed due to crowd congestion, with the reds leading 1-0 at the time thanks to a George Allan goal. We lost the rearranged game 1-0 three days later.

For Crazy Horse
1979 - A testimonial match was played at Anfield for long-serving skipper Emlyn Hughes. Borussia Mönchengladbach won 1-0 in front of a crowd of 25,290, raising gate receipts of £39,500.

Trebles
1964 - ‘Sir’ Roger Hunt scored a hat-trick in our 3-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur before 57,022 spectators, the highest ever for this fixture.
1909 - Less happily, Middlesbrough beat us 2-1, their third successive League win over us at home, with centre-half Jimmy Harrop grabbing our consolation, the first of his four reds goals. Alf Common struck the last of his four goals against the reds, with Steve Bloomer bagging one of his fourteen past us as right-back Alf West played his 136th and last game in his first spell with the club.

A flood of generosity
2005 - A charity match was staged at Anfield, billed as the Tsunami Football Testimonial. A Legends side beat a Celebs team 6-2, with the Legends’ goals including a brace from Jason McAteer, a Patrick McGuinness own goal, and strikes by Ian Rush, David Johnson and John Aldridge. The event raised an estimated half a million pounds to support those who suffered in the Asian tsunami tragedy that happened the previous Boxing Day.

Royal approval
1920 - King George V was presented to both captains, including our own Ephraim Longworth, before our League game with Manchester City at Hyde Road, the day after having attended the Grand National at Aintree. We lost the game 2-1, with Harry Chambers netting from the spot and Horace Barnes bagging two of his nine goals against us.

Debuting at Anfield against the Mancs
1937 - South African keeper Dirk Kemp played the first of his thirty reds games as we beat Manchester United 2-0 at Anfield, with Alf Hanson netting before Fred Howe added the second in the final minute. Forward Harold Taylor appeared for the 72nd and final time.

Derby joy
1982 - Ronnie Whelan struck with Graeme Sharp equalising inside the first three minutes as we won 3-1 at Goodison Park. Graeme Souness and Craig Johnston netted in the second half. Keeper Bruce Grobbelaar was handed a cardboard clown’s face by a Blues fan before the game, which he took in good spirits, placing it in the back of his goal!

Other milestones
1948 – Left-back Eddie Spicer netted his second and final reds goal as we won a top-flight match 2-0 at Grimsby Town, after Jack Balmer had opened the scoring.
1967 – Roger Hunt played his 300th League game for the reds in our goalless Anfield meeting with Arsenal.

God for England
1996 - Robbie Fowler made his senior England debut at Wembley as a substitute in a 1-0 friendly defeat of Bulgaria. Steve McManaman also played, while Paul Ince won his first cap as an Internazionale player, following his move from Old Trafford. Mark Kennedy, Jason McAteer, ex-reds John Aldridge and Steve Staunton, and future reds Markus Babbel, Gary McAllister and Christian Ziege all also featured in international friendlies on the same day.
2002 - Robbie scored in England’s 2-1 defeat by Italy at Elland Road, while winning his first cap as a Leeds United player, as well as skippering the side for forty minutes after David Beckham was substituted. Emile Heskey, Danny Murphy, Michael Owen, future red Joe Cole and ex-red David James all also featured.

2015 - Raheem Sterling netted his first England goal as Roy Hodgson’s side thumped Lithuania 4-0 at Wembley. Jordan Henderson and future red Nathaniel Clyne both also featured. Xherdan Shaqiri won his first cap as an Internazionale player as Switzerland beat Estonia 3-0 in Lucerne as future red Ragnar Klavan reached a century of caps. Meanwhile, future red Danny Ings played for England Under-21’s as they beat the Czech Republic in a friendly in Prague.
2009 – Tom Ince and future red Jonjo Shelvey both featured as England Under-17’s beat Serbia 2-1 in a European Championships qualifier in Hungary. Also in international action that day were David N’Gog and future reds Joe Allen, Dejan Lovren and James Milner.

Mixed fortunes against the Clarets
We have twice entertained Burnley in the top-flight on this day in history.
1976 - Substitute David Fairclough netted a brace as we won 2-0, our last League meeting for more than thirty years.
1897 - Robert Neill grabbed our consolation in a 2-1 defeat, his third and last goal for the club.
1946 – We also faced the Clarets, losing a Lancashire Senior Cup Third Round tie 3-2 at Turf Moor after extra time. Cyril Done and Willie Fagan struck for the reds.

Martin the best
2009 - Martin Škrtel was named Slovakia’s Player of the Year for 2008. This was the first of four times he has claimed this award to date.
2015 - He played for his country as they beat Luxembourg 3-0 in a European Championships qualifier in Zilina.

International reds in friendly action
2002 - Jari Litmanen became Finland’s joint all-time top scorer on 21 goals with a brace in a 4-1 win in Portugal, with Sami Hyypiä also playing. Meanwhile, Dietmar Hamann played in Germany’s 4-2 win over the USA in Rostock, with ex-red Christian Ziege on target with his final international goal. Future red Andriy Voronin made his senior bow as the Ukraine lost 4-1 in Romania. Leeds United’s Robbie Keane netted as the Republic of Ireland beat future red Christian Poulsen’s Denmark 3-0, with ex-reds Jason McAteer and Steve Staunton also in action. Jerzy Dudek needed treatment after being hit by a missile during Poland’s surprise 2-0 defeat by Japan in Łódź. Vladimír Šmicer and future reds Salif Diao, El-Hadji Diouf, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Alex Manninger and Fernando Morientes also played for their countries that day. Meanwhile, ex-red Dominic Matteo won his sixth and final cap for Scotland as they were thumped 5-0 by France in Paris.
2011 – Danny Wilson and future red Charlie Adam faced Lucas Leiva as Brazil beat Scotland 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium. Meanwhile, future red Oussama Assaidi and ex-red Carl Medjani both featured in Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

In action many times
Stéphane Henchoz has played for Switzerland three times on this day in history, each time away from home.
1996 - The Swiss lost 1-0 in Austria in a friendly.
1999 - They won their Euro 2000 qualifier in Belarus 1-0
2002 – Switzerland held Sweden to a 1-1 draw in a friendly.

Rigobert Song has also represented his country on three occasions on this day over the years.
2002 - Cameroon drew 2-2 with Argentina in a friendly in Switzerland.
2003 - They beat Madagascar 2-0 in the Semi-final of the Tunis Tournament.
2005 - He played in their 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat of Sudan in Yaoundé.

More international reds on target
2023 - Naby Keïta scored in his last game for Guinea as a reds player as they won an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Ethiopia 3-2. Dominik Szoboszlai netted for the final time before moving to Anfield, captaining Hungary to a 3-0 European Championships qualifying defeat of Bulgaria in Budapest, while Bobby Clark struck for England Under-18’s for the first time in their 3-1 friendly defeat of Switzerland in Croatia. Cody Gakpo won his first cap as a reds player, with Virgil can Dijk skippering the Netherlands to a 3-0 win over Gibraltar in Rotterdam, with ex-red Gini Wijnaldum also in action. Also playing for their countries that day were Vítězslav Jaroš, Ibrahima Konaté, Kostas Tsimikas and ex-red Marko Grujić as Bernard Diomède took charge of France Under-18’s.
2021 – Diogo Jota bagged a brace as Portugal drew a World Cup qualifier 2-2 in Serbia. Neco Williams, Ozan Kabak, Gini Wijnaldum, future reds Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch, and ex-reds Ryan Babel and Dejan Lovren also played for their countries that day.

2017 – Sadio Mané converted a penalty as Senegal drew 1-1 with Ivory Coast in Paris, although the match was abandoned after 88 minutes due to crowd trouble. Trent Alexander-Arnold won his tenth and last cap for England Under-19’s in their 5-1 European Championships qualifying defeat of Belarus at St. George’s Park, with Joe Gomez and future reds Federico Chiesa and Kostas Tsimikas also in international action that day.
1974 - Celtic’s Kenny Dalglish netted as Scotland beat West Germany 2-1 in a friendly in Frankfurt.
1985 - Ian Rush bagged the only goal as Wales beat Scotland in a World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park. Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen, Steve Nicol and ex-reds Joey Jones and Graeme Souness also played.

1991 - Dean Saunders, playing alongside Ian Rush, was on target as Wales drew 1-1 in Belgium in a European Championships qualifier. This was his final goal as a Derby County player. On the same day, John Barnes, Peter Beardsley and future red Mark Wright lined up against Ray Houghton, Steve Staunton and ex-reds John Aldridge and Kevin Sheedy as England and the Republic of Ireland drew their qualifier 1-1 at Wembley.
1999 - Future red Dietmar Hamann netted in Germany’s 3-0 Euro 2000 qualifying win in Northern Ireland, although the goal is sometimes credited as a Steve Morrow own goal. Fellow future red Markus Babbel also featured, while also in action that day were Patrik Berger, Vegard Heggem and future reds Nicolas Anelka and Vladimír Šmicer.

International bosses
1999 - Ex-red Kevin Keegan took charge of England for the first time as they beat Poland 3-1 in a Euro 2000 qualifier at Wembley. He selected Steve McManaman and Jamie Redknapp.
1993 - Future reds boss Gérard Houllier managed France as they won a World Cup qualifier 1-0 in Austria thanks to a Jean-Pierre Papin goal.

Jim’s farewell
2002 - Ex-reserves midfielder Jim Magilton won his 52nd and final cap for Northern Ireland as they were held to a goalless draw in a friendly in Liechtenstein.
1996 - He also turned out for his country, facing Stig Inge Bjørnebye and future red Øyvind Leonhardsen as Norway won a friendly 2-0 at Windsor Park. Future red Vladimír Šmicer also played for his country that day.
1991 - His first international appearance on this day came as his side lost a Euro ’92 qualifier 4-1 in Yugoslavia.

Final caps
2018 – Future red Cody Gakpo won his third and final Under-19’s cap as the Netherlands were thumped 4-1 in a European Championships qualifier in Germany.
2017 – Gakpo played for the Under-18’s for the third and last time as the Netherlands thrashed the Czech Republic 5-0 in a friendly.
2016 – Trent Alexander-Arnold won his second and final cap for England Under-18’s in their 4-1 friendly defeat of the Republic of Ireland at St. George’s Park, with Herbie Kane also featuring. On the same day, Abel Xavier took charge of Mozambique as they were held to a goalless Africa Cup of Nations qualifying draw by Ghana in Maputo.

2005 - Momo Sissoko won his twelfth and final cap as a Valencia player as Mali lost 2-1 to Togo in a World Cup qualifier in Bamako, with future red Kolo Touré featuring as Ivory Coast beat Benin 3-0 in a qualifier in Abidjan.
1988 - Ex-reds defender Avi Cohen was booked while winning his last international cap at any level as Israel won 1-0 in an Olympics qualifying game in New Zealand. Future red Ronnie Rosenthal also played.
1897 - Ex-reds left-back Duncan McLean won his second and final cap for Scotland as they thumped Ireland 5-1 at Ibrox in the British International Championships.

Ex-reds on the move
2014 – Left-winger Albert Riera signed for Watford having recently had his contract with Galatasaray terminated. He netted once in eight games for the Hornets. On the same day, Lee Peltier joined Nottingham Forest on loan from Leeds United, playing seven times.
2013 - Toni Silva joined Dagenham & Redbridge on loan from Barnsley, turning out for them four times in League Two.
2009 – John Welsh moved to Bury on loan from Hull City, playing six times for the League Two outfit.
2003 - John Miles joined Third Division Macclesfield Town on loan from Crewe Alexandra. He netted four goals in eight games, signing permanently two months later.

1997 - Ex-reserves defender Ashley Neal signed for Peterborough United from Huddersfield Town on non-contract terms, going on to play for the Posh just nine times. On the same day, forward Lee Jones joined Tranmere Rovers on loan, for whom he struck five times in eight games before signing permanently two months later.

Other reds games
1959 – We beat Barnsley 3-2 in a Second Division match at Anfield with Jimmy Melia adding to a Billy Liddell brace.
1926 – We defeated West Bromwich Albion 3-0 at the Hawthorns. Gordon Hodgson netted, with Dick Forshaw bagging a brace, including one from the spot.

Youngsters on target again
2018 – Dominic Solanke scored as England Under-21’s beat Ukraine 2-1 in a European Championships qualifier at Bramall Lane. Ex-red Iago Aspas scored for Spain as they thumped Argentina 6-1 in a friendly in Madrid, with ex-red Javier Mascherano skippering his country while winning his first cap as a Hebei China Fortune player and Thiago Alcântara scoring his last goal while with Bayern München. Ragnar Klavan captained Estonia while winning his last cap as a reds player as they lost 2-0 in Georgia, while Sadio Mané won his fiftieth cap as Senegal shared a goalless draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina in Dakar. Kamil Grabara, Marko Grujić, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, Simon Mignolet, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Corey Whelan, future reds Alisson Becker, Fábio Carvalho, Federico Chiesa and Kostas Tsimikas, and ex-reds Philippe Coutinho, Brad Jones, Carl Medjani, Victor Moses and Raheem Sterling all also represented their countries. Krisztián Németh won his last cap as a New England Revolution player as Hungary lost 1-0 to Scotland in Budapest, with ex-red Péter Gulácsi and Andy Robertson also featuring, while Bernard Diomède took charge of France Under-19’s as they beat Spain 4-2 in a European Championships qualifier in Benidorm.

2007 – Future reds forward Daniel Sturridge netted twice while winning his only cap for England Under-18’s in their 4-1 victory over the Netherlands in Yeovil.
2001 - Milan Baroš netted a brace in the Czech Republic Under-21’s 3-0 European Championships qualifying defeat of fellow future red Christian Poulsen’s Denmark in Teplice. This was the fifth consecutive international in which he had scored. Future red John Arne Riise played as Norway lost 1-0 to Belarus in the same tournament that day.
1997 – Future red Haukur Ingi Guðnason struck his sixth and last goal for Iceland Under-19’s as they beat Romania 2-0 in the Italy Tournament.

Behind the scenes moves
2009 – Assistant Manager Sammy Lee, first-team coach Mauricio Pellegrino, goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero, joint chief scout Eduardo Macía and fitness coach Paco de Miguel all extended their contracts with the reds. Meanwhile, Frank McParland was appointed to undertake a strategic review of the Academy.

Big money Crouch
2002 - Future reds centre-forward Peter Crouch joined Aston Villa from Portsmouth for £5m after a successful spell at Fratton Park. His time in the Midlands was less noteworthy, as he netted just six times in 43 games for the Villains, as well as spending three months on loan with Norwich City.

Also in international action
2022 – Ex-reds loanee Steven Caulker captained Sierra Leone as they beat Liberia 1-0 in a friendly in Turkey, while Bernard Diomède managed France Under-20’s to a 1-1 draw with Portugal in Belgium.
2019 – Ex-Academy Manager Steve Cooper took charge of England Under-17’s as they won a European Championships qualifier 3-2 in Denmark.
1994 – Titi Camara featured for Guinea as they lost an Africa Cup of Nations Finals group game 1-0 to Ghana in Tunisia.
1990 – Ex-reds Jim Beglin and Ken DeMange faced future red Nigel Clough as the Republic of Ireland beat England 4-1 in a B international in Cork, with future red Gary McAllister playing for Scotland B on the same day.
1905 – John Hughes and George Latham both played for Wales as they lost 3-1 to England in the British International Championships at Anfield.