4th October

Happy birthday Uncle Roy
1948 - Roy Evans was born in Bootle. One of the club’s greatest servants, he served as fan, left-back, reserves coach, Assistant Manager and then finally the top job for four years. He only made eleven first team appearances before injury cut his career short, but his time as reserves boss was incredibly successful, leading them to eleven Central League titles, including seven in nine seasons. However, his time as the main man was less glittering, as he could only claim one Coca Cola Cup.

1963 - Ronnie Rosenthal was born in Haifa. The Israeli forward made an instant impact on his arrival on loan in March 1990, with Kenny Dalglish saying, “Ronnie gave us the momentum. It was that which helped us to win the Championship.” He signed from Standard de Liège permanently that June for £1m and scored a total of 22 times in 97 reds games before joining Tottenham Hotspur for £250,000 after four years at Anfield.

1927 - Wing-half Bryan Williams was born in Liverpool. He netted five times in 34 reds games after arriving from South Liverpool at the end of the Second World War, moving on to Crewe Alexandra in May 1954, where he became a regular.
2001 – Midfielder Matteo Ritaccio was born in New York. He arrived at the Academy in August 2018, signing as a professional fifteen months later. However, he was released in January 2024.

Farewell Brendan
2015 – We were held to a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park, with boss Brendan Rodgers getting the sack later that same day. Danny Ings headed us into the lead but Romelu Lukaku equalised just four minutes later, on the stroke of half time, the most recent of his five strikes past us to date. Rodgers had led us to 85 victories in his 166 games in charge, failing to win any silverware but guiding us to within a whisker of claiming the League title in 2013/14.

A big day for Jones
1991 - Full-back Rob Jones signed from Crewe Alexandra for £300,000. The grandson of post-war utility man Bill made his reds bow just two days later, going on to play 243 times for the reds, before injury ended his career, famously failing to ever find the net in his time at Anfield.
1995 – He was sent off in our League Cup Second Round second leg at Sunderland after a rash tackle on Michael Gray. The home side’s Martin Smith was also dismissed after retaliating. Robbie Fowler bagged the only goal of the game to send us through 3-0 on aggregate. We wore the curious kit of gold shirts and green shorts to avoid a colour clash.

Off the mark
2014 – Adam Lallana bagged his first reds strike to open the scoring on the stroke of half time as we beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 at Anfield. Saido Berahino equalised from the spot after the break, but Jordan Henderson struck the winner.

Red centurions
2022 – James Milner played his 300th reds game, and fiftieth for the reds in the UEDA Champions League, with Trent Alexander-Arnold also reaching that milestone in the competition as we beat Rangers 2-0 in a group game at Anfield. Trent opened the scoring from a free-kick, with Mohamed Salah converting a second-half penalty after Luis Díaz was fouled.

Ouch
1998 - Pierluigi Casiraghi netted his only Chelsea strike. Phil Babb attempted to prevent the goal but only succeeded in wrapping his legs around a post at the Anfield Road end, causing grown men around the ground to wince in sympathy, and he was taken off shortly after. Jamie Redknapp equalised for the reds late on.
2009 – We lost 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, thanks to the last of Nicolas Anelka’s five strikes against the reds and a Florent Malouda goal.

Italian despair
2012 – Jonjo Shelvey headed us in front against Udinese in a UEFA Europa League group game at Anfield, but the Italian side went 3-1 ahead thanks to Antonio Di Natale, a Sebastián Coates own goal and Giovanni Pasquale. Luis Suárez scored a late free-kick, but we still lost 3-2.

Trebles for
1989 - Steve Staunton bagged a hat-trick as we beat Wigan Athletic 3-0 in an away League Cup tie that was switched to Anfield. He had come on in the second half as an emergency forward substitute after Ian Rush had limped off.
1941 - Cyril Done netted a treble in our 5-5 Wartime League draw at New Brighton, his third in consecutive games. Dicky Dorsett grabbed the other two.

Out-gunned
2003 - We lost 2-1 at home to Arsenal, with Harry Kewell netting after a quarter of an hour, and Michael Owen suffering a shin injury. Sami Hyypiä unfortunately scored an own goal in his last game as official club captain, with Robert Pires bagging one of his four goals past us as the Gunners won for the 21st time at Anfield in the League, with only Everton responsible for us missing out on all the points more often.
1977 - We also faced the Gunners, holding them to a goalless draw at Highbury.

Howard makes his way
1980 - Howard Gayle made his reds bow as a substitute for David Fairclough in a 3-0 win at Manchester City. Our goals came from Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness and Sammy Lee.

Hat-tricks against
2020 – Ollie Watkins bagged a first-half treble as we lost 7-2 at Aston Villa behind closed doors, the first of his five goals against the reds to date. Mohamed Salah and Jack Grealish each struck twice, with these being the first of Grealish’s four goals past us so far, with John McGinn and ex-Blue Ross Barkley also on target. This was the first time we had conceded seven goals since April 1963 when we lost by the same score at Tottenham Hotspur.
1919 - Billy Hibbert scored a hat-trick for Newcastle United as they beat us 3-0 at St. James’ Park, the last of his thirteen goals past us. Outside-right Harold Wadsworth made his debut in this game while inside-right Fred Pagnam featured for the 39th and final time.

Duncan off
1895 – Scottish left-back Duncan McLean was sold to St. Bernard's. He made his reds bow in our very first game having remained when Everton departed Anfield. He bagged four goals in 82 games, helping us to the Second Division title before returning north of the border to join Edinburgh St. Bernard’s in October 1895, with whom he won two full international caps.

Happier days against the Geordies
Our three other League meetings with Newcastle United on this day in history have all resulted in victories.
1961 - Kevin Lewis and Roger Hunt struck as we won 2-0 at Anfield, our twelfth straight game unbeaten since the start of this promotion season.
1952 - Jack Smith netted a brace as we won 5-3. Billy Liddell, Kevin Baron and Bob Paisley grabbed the other goals. George Robledo struck the last two of his five goals past us, with Ken Prior also netting for the visitors
1930 - We won 4-0 on Tyneside, thanks to a Jim Smith brace, Gordon Hodgson’s hundredth reds strike and outside-right Dick Edmed’s 46th and final reds goal.

Shanks thumps the reds
1958 - Bill Shankly’s Huddersfield Town trounced us 5-0 at Leeds Road in a Second Division fixture. Alan A’Court made his 200th reds appearance in this game. Derek Hawksworth struck a brace, with Les Massie scoring one of his four goals against the reds, and Ken Taylor and Ramon Wilson also on the scoresheet.

A derby win
1924 - Archie Rawlings struck the only goal of the game at Goodison Park after just three minutes.

A fair old win
1967 - Ron Yeats and Roger Hunt were on target as we beat Swedish side Malmö FF 2-1 at Anfield in a Fairs Cup First Round match to progress 4-1 on aggregate. Dag Szepanski bagged a late consolation for the visitors.

Mixed fortunes against the Owls
1902 - We beat The Wednesday 4-2 at Anfield thanks to a Sam Raybould brace, including a penalty, and goals from George Livingstone and Arthur Goddard. Harry Chapman scored one of his six goals past us, with Fred Spiksley nabbing the last of his four. Keeper Bill Perkins reached a century of League games for the reds.
1913 - We visited Owlerton in another top-flight encounter, with full-back Bob Crawford bagging our consolation from the spot as we were thumped 4-1. This was his only goal in 115 reds games, while outside-right Fred Staniforth was making the first of just three reds appearances while inside-right Jimmy Stewart appeared for the 63rd and final time. Sam Kirkman bagged one of his four goals against us, with Andre Wilson, George Robertson and Jack Burkinshaw all also netting.

Internationals on target
1998 - Future red Milan Baroš netted for the Czech Republic Under-18’s in their 2-1 European Championships qualifying win in Armenia.
2001 - Future red El-Hadji Diouf struck as Senegal beat Japan 2-0 in a friendly on his home ground in Lens. Salif Diao also featured. On the same day, future reds coach Gary O’Neil played for England Under-19’s as they lost 1-0 to Russia in a friendly in Barnsley.
1947 – Future reds forward Sammy Smyth bagged a brace as Ireland beat Scotland 2-0 in the British International Championships at Windsor Park, with Billy Liddell on the losing side.

Bosses against each other
1941 - Future reds boss Don Welsh netted as England beat Scotland 2-0 in a Wartime International at Wembley. Bill Shankly was on the losing side.

Sami on home soil
1995 - Sami Hyypiä won his seventh cap for Finland, his first on home soil, as Turkey held them to a goalless friendly draw in Helsinki. It was his final cap as a Myllykosken Pallo-47 player, before he joined Willem II in the Netherlands.

For Don
1951 - We took part in a testimonial match for Rhyl Athletic centre-forward Don Spendlove, with the reds winning 3-0 at Belle Vue. Jack Balmer struck twice with John Heydon also netting.

Durnin for the reds
2006 - Liverpool and Celtic drew a charity legends match at Celtic Park 2-2, with the reds’ goals coming from John Durnin and Steve McManaman. On the same day, young Danish centre-back Daniel Agger was named as the PFA Fans Player of the Month for September.

On the move
2006 - David Hodgson was sacked as Manager of Darlington after 51 victories in his 144 games in charge of this third spell with the Quakers. On the same day, Paul Ince’s playing contract with Swindon Town was cancelled by mutual consent, although he remained on the coaching staff for a few more weeks before taking over as Manager at Macclesfield Town.
2012 - Richard Money was appointed Cambridge United boss. He was sacked in November 2015, having guided them to the FA Trophy and promotion back into the Football League.
2013 – Ex-reds reserves forward Nathan Eccleston joined Carlisle United on loan from Blackpool, playing three times without scoring.
2022 – Right-back Josh Davidson signed pro terms with the reds, having been at the Academy since the age of six.

Song at last
2000 - Rigobert Song skippered Cameroon, winning his final cap as a reds player and being booked as they drew a friendly with France 1-1 at the Stade de France. This was his 49th cap to date.

Sad day
2010 – Joe Fagan’s widow Lil died at a nursing home in Lincolnshire, aged 92.
2016 – Welsh left-winger Mervyn Jones died. He was one of the smallest players to ever play for the club at just five feet four inches. He signed from Bangor City in November 1951, moving on to Southampton in July 1953 after just five reds outings.

Other reds games
1986 – We beat Wimbledon 3-1 at Plough Lane. Ian Rush struck twice with Jan Mølby also netting, with all the goals coming in the second half.
1975 – Brian Hall and Jimmy Case struck as we beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 at Anfield. The visitors’ coach broke down on the M62, meaning they arrived at the ground less than half an hour before kick-off.
1969 – Nottingham Forest held us to a 1-1 draw in L4 as we benefitted from a Bob Chapman own goal.
1947 – We lost 3-1 at Middlesbrough with Jack Balmer scoring our goal. Mickey Fenton netted two of his nine goals past us, with Johnny Spuhler also on the scoresheet.

Joe honoured
2011 – Future reds midfielder Joe Allen was named Young Player of the Year for 2010/11 at the FAW Awards.

Also in international action
2015 – Ex-Academy Manager Steve Cooper took charge of England Under-17’s as they drew a European Championships qualifier 1-1 in Portugal, with young red Adam Lewis featuring.
2017 - Bernard Diomède took charge of France Under-19’s as they beat Scotland 1-0 in a friendly.