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Fijne Verjaardag 1991 – Dutch centre-half Virgil van Dijk was born in Breda. He arrived from Southampton for a club record £75m in January 2018, a world record fee for a defender. He has so far netted eleven goals in 117 outings, helping us to claim the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. Uncle Joe’s first capture 1983 - Gary Gillespie signed from Coventry City for £325,000, becoming Joe Fagan’s first signing. His eight years at Anfield were blighted by injury, but he won three League title medals, and scored sixteen times in his 214 appearances, before moving back north to his boyhood heroes Celtic. Robbie appears 1980 - Robbie Keane was born in Dublin. He signed from Tottenham Hotspur for £19.3m in July 2008, but only netted seven times in 28 games before making the return journey for an initial £15m fee the following January. 1971 - John Achterberg was born in Utrecht, Netherlands. He was appointed reserves goalkeeping coach at Melwood in June 2009 after over a decade as player and coach with Tranmere Rovers, moving up to the first team two years later. Reds in mourning 2001 - Tom Saunders died. 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 and was well loved at Anfield. 2013 – Centre-forward Dave Hickson died. He made the controversial switch across Stanley Park to join the reds for £12,000 in November 1959, putting an extra 15,000 on the gate for his debut, with one fan running on to kiss him on the cheek! He scored 38 times in his 67 reds games before joining Aston Villa in July 1961. Debuting over the water 2016 - Midfielder Ovie Ejaria, keeper Loris Karius, winger Sadio Mané, centre-back Joël Matip and forward Ben Woodburn all played their first reds games as Danny Ings notched the only goal of our friendly at Tranmere Rovers. Milanese arrival 2010 - Milan Jovanović signed on a free transfer from Standard de Liège. He failed to establish himself in the first team, notching just twice in eighteen outings before moving back to Belgium to sign for RSC Anderlecht in August 2011. Masch on target again 2007 - Javier Mascherano struck for Argentina, having scored his first senior international goal just three days earlier. He was part of a side that beat Peru 4-0 in Venezuela to reach the Copa América Semi-finals. On the same day, Harry Kewell reached a quarter of a century of caps for Australia in their 1-1 AFC Asian Cup draw with Oman in Bangkok. 2011 – Sebastián Coates and Luis Suárez were both cautioned as Uruguay drew 1-1 with Chile in a group game in the same competition in Argentina. New signings 2005 - Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard both signed new four-year contracts. Our captain moved on to LA Galaxy this summer, having played 710 senior games, but Carragher retired a year ago after 737 reds appearances in total. 2009 – Gerrard renewed his contract again, this time until 2013, which was of course further renewed. 2008 - Midfielder Zsolt Poloskei signed on loan from MTK Hungária. He failed to appear for the reserves in his first season due to injury, renewing his loan spell for a second campaign when once again he was ruled out for most of the campaign. He has since returned to Hungary. 2011 – Right-back Jon Flanagan signed a new contract until 2015, which was subsequently extended. He played 51 senior reds games, notching once, before being released in June 2018. Double departure 2004 - Two of the coaching staff left the club. Sammy Lee took up a position as a full-time National Coach at the FA, with goalkeeping coach Joe Corrigan also moving on, ending up at West Bromwich Albion. Happy birthdays 1988 - Catalan centre-back Miki Roqué was born in Tremp. 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. He sadly died in June 2012, aged just 23. 1980 - Patrice Luzi was born in Ajaccio. He signed on a free transfer from Monaco in July 2002, but made just one first-team appearance, as a substitute for the injured Jerzy Dudek in our long overdue League win at Chelsea in January 2004, leaving the club after three years in the reserves. Six unveiled 1999 - Six new signings were presented to the press as Gérard Houllier’s revolution took shape - Titi Camara, Stéphane Henchoz, Sami Hyypiä, Erik Meijer, Vladimír Šmicer and Sander Westerveld. Le Boss said, “Some have turned down the chance of playing in the Champions League, others the UEFA Cup. Some of them rejected higher profile clubs than we are at the moment. We are very happy they accepted the challenge.” 2003 - Steve Finnan, Anthony Le Tallec and Florent Sinama-Pongolle all reported for the start of pre-season training for the first time. Another new arrival at Anfield was coach Christian Damiano, who joined from Fulham. Maxi the champion 2001 – Future red Maxi Rodríguez netted the second as Argentina Under-20’s beat Ghana 2-0 in the Final of the World Championships in Buenos Aires. Red arrivals 1996 - Defender Stephen Wright joined the Academy. He went on to play 21 first-team games before signing for Sunderland for £3m in August 2002. 2013 - Andy Hughes started work as the club’s Chief Financial Officer. Other moves 2005 - Craig Bellamy signed for Blackburn Rovers from Newcastle United for £5m. He bagged seventeen goals in 32 games while at Ewood Park, before the reds activated the £6m get-out clause in his contract. 2019 – Midfielder Jordan Rossiter joined Fleetwood Town on loan from Rangers, playing nineteen times for the Fishermen. On the same day, forward David Amoo signed for Port Vale on a free transfer from Cambridge United. He scored five times in 37 games in his first campaign with Vale. 2013 – Winger Paul Anderson joined Ipswich Town from Bristol City in a swap deal for Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, netting five times in 33 outings for the Tractor boys. 1999 - Ex-reds winger Mark Kennedy joined Manchester City from Wimbledon for £1m. He netted eleven times in 77 games whilst at Maine Road, and is now on Ipswich Town’s coaching staff. 1993 - Future loanee keeper Alec Chamberlain joined Sunderland on a free transfer from Luton Town. He made 108 appearances for the Wearsiders. He is now coaching at Watford, having made 288 appearances for the Hornets. Ablett in charge 2009 - Gary Ablett was appointed Manager of Stockport County, having recently been sacked as our reserves boss. He left his role at Edgeley Park in June 2010 by mutual consent, following a takeover of the club, having led them to relegation from League One. Stan out of pocket 2002 - A Spanish court ruled that Stan Collymore was in breach of his contract when he had quit Real Oviedo to return to England, walking out just months into a four-year contract. He was ordered to pay the Spanish club £200,000 compensation. Nando the dad 2009 - Fernando Torres became a father to Nora when his wife Olalla gave birth at the Hospital La Rosaleda Compostelan in Santiago de Compostela.

Happy birthday Jordan 1990 – Midfielder Jordan Henderson was born in Sunderland. He signed from his hometown club earlier for £16m in June 2011 after netting five times in 79 outings while on Wearside. He has notched 28 times in 359 reds games to date, so far helping us to claim the League Cup and leading us to victory in the UEFA Champions League Final a year ago, as well as the verge of the League title this year. 1994 – American midfielder Marc Pelosi was born in Bad Säckingen, Germany. He joined the reds in November 2011 from Californian side De Anza Force, becoming a reserves regular despite a series of serious injuries. He was released in June 2015. Strong no more 2013 - Utility player Geoff Strong died in Southport after suffering with Alzheimer’s disease. He made 201 reds appearances after moving from Arsenal in November 1964 for a club record £40,000, netting 33 times and winning a League title medal and the FA Charity Shield the year after helping us to our first ever FA Cup triumph. He left the reds to join Coventry City for £29,500 in August 1970. Other birthdays 1972 - Bjørn Tore Kvarme was born in Trondheim, Norway. He joined the reds in January 1997 on a Bosman free transfer from Rosenborg BK as a replacement for John Scales, and quickly showed his worth. However, high profile errors against Everton and Manchester United dented his confidence. After just 54 first-team appearances, he was sold to Saint-Étienne in August 1999. 1964 – Paul Small was born in Liverpool. One of the club’s masseurs, he came to Melwood from the Widnes rugby union club, also working with England. Jameo sold 1999 - David James was sold to Aston Villa for £1.7m. He had played 277 times for us, helping us to win the Coca Cola Cup in 1995. He only stayed at Villa Park for just under two years, before moving on to West Ham United in July 2001. Scott’s record 2007 - Scott Carson set a new record for number of England Under-21’s caps, previously held by Jamie Carragher and Gareth Barry. He turned out for the 28th time in a 2-0 defeat of Serbia in the European Championships Finals in Nijmegen. He went on to claim 29 caps at this level in total, but this record has since been superseded by James Milner with 46 appearances at this level, who also featured in this game. Meanwhile, Alberto Aquilani struck his final goal at this level as Italy’s 3-1 defeat of the Czech Republic in Arnhem was not enough to take them through to the next stage. International exits 2002 - Ex-red Steve Staunton confirmed his retirement from international football, after winning his 102nd cap in the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup exit to Spain the night before. He said, “I don’t think my knee could handle a few more years of this to be honest.” 2012 - Christian Poulsen won his last cap as an Évian Thonon Gaillard player, coming off the bench as Denmark lost 2-1 to Germany in the European Championships Finals in Lviv, with Daniel Agger skippering the side. Ex-red Raúl Meireles also featured in the tournament, as Portugal beat the Netherlands 2-1 in Kharkiv. 1984 - Midfield terrier Sammy Lee won his fourteenth and final England cap in their goalless friendly match in Chile. Future red John Barnes and ex-red Dave Watson both also featured. 1997 - Future red Mauricio Pellegrino made his third and final appearance for Argentina in their 1-1 Copa América draw with Paraguay in Bolivia. Reds in Europe 2008 – Dirk Kuyt, future red Alberto Aquilani and ex-red Nicolas Anelka all came off the bench in the European Championships in Switzerland. France lost 2-0 to Italy in Zurich while the Netherlands beat Romania 2-0 in Berne. This meant that the Dutch topped the group with maximum points while France finished bottom of the same group. Meanwhile, future red Luis Suárez played in a World Cup qualifier as Uruguay thumped Peru 6-0 in Montevideo. 2004 - Steven Gerrard was on target as an England side that also included Michael Owen and ex-red David James beat Switzerland 3-0 in a group game in Portugal. 2000 - Michael Owen faced Dietmar Hamann as Kevin Keegan’s England beat Germany 1-0 in their Euro 2000 fixture in Charleroi. Steven Gerrard won his second cap, coming on as a substitute for his clubmate on the hour mark. Future red Markus Babbel won his 51st and final cap in this game, while Christian Ziege made his final appearance for his country before his switch to Anfield, bringing him to 52 caps in total at this time. Future red Nick Barmby and ex-red Paul Ince both also featured. 1992 - Future red Torben Piechnik came off the bench in Denmark’s 2-1 win over France in Malmo, a result that took them through to the knock-out stages at the expense of their opponents. 2016 – Ex-reds loanee Nuri Şahin won his fiftieth cap for Turkey as they lost 3-0 to Greece in a group stage game in Nice. At the World Cup 2018 – Ex-red Philippe Coutinho scored as Brazil were held to a 1-1 draw by Switzerland in a group game in Russia, with Roberto Firmino and future reds Alisson Becker and Xherdan Shaqiri also featuring. 2014 – Future red Divock Origi faced ex-red Carl Medjani as Belgium beat Algeria 2-1 in a group game in Belo Horizonte. 2010 – Javier Mascherano skippered Argentina as they beat South Korea 3-1 in Johannesburg, with Maxi Rodríguez also in action. Sotirios Kyrgiakos played as Greece beat Nigeria 2-1 in Bloemfontein, while ex-red Nicolas Anelka featured in France’s 2-0 defeat by Mexico in Polokwane. 1994 - Future red Karl-Heinz Riedle appeared in Germany’s 1-0 defeat of Bolivia in Chicago, their opening game of the tournament. 1990 - Ray Houghton, Steve Staunton and ex-reds John Aldridge and Kevin Sheedy all played in the Republic of Ireland’s goalless draw with Egypt in Palermo. 1958 - Alan A’Court played as England lost 1-0 to the USSR in Gothenburg. 1998 - Future red Rigobert Song played in Cameroon’s 3-0 defeat by Italy in Montpellier. 2007 - Song also played for his country as they beat Rwanda 2-1 in an African Cup of Nations qualifier in Garoua. 2002 - Ex-red Brad Friedel was booked in the USA’s 2-0 win over Mexico in Jeonju, to set up a Quarter-final showdown with Germany. 1997 - He also played for his country in their 2-1 friendly defeat of Israel in Jacksonville. Emre on target 2015 – Emre Can scored for Germany Under-21’s as they drew 1-1 with Serbia in a European Championships group game in Prague. Philippe Coutinho and future red Roberto Firmino both played for Brazil as they lost 1-0 to Colombia in a Copa América group game in Chile on the same day. On the move 2010 - Keeper Simon Mignolet joined Sunderland from Koninklijke Sint-Truidense Voetbalvereniging for £2m, having helped them to claim the Second Division title and being named as Belgian Goalkeeper of the Year as they avoided relegation. He had even managed to convert a penalty in his 104 senior games before moving to England. 1997 - Stéphane Henchoz joined Blackburn Rovers from Hamburger SV for £3m, joining forces again with Roy Hodgson whom he had worked with at Neuchâtel Xamax. He played 82 times for Rovers, failing to score, before he switched to Anfield for £3.5m in June 1999. 1938 - Centre-forward Fred Howe joined Manchester City. He had struck 36 goals in 94 outings since signing on a free transfer from Hyde United in March 1935. He bagged three reds trebles, including notching four times in our record 6-0 derby victory at Anfield in September 1935. Backroom changes 2005 - Argentine centre-half Mauricio Pellegrino was released after rarely impressing in his thirteen reds games, having signed from Valencia on a free transfer, five months previously. He had arrived at Anfield with an impressive reputation, having previously won the Spanish League three times and the UEFA Cup, as well as appearing in two Champions League Finals. He then returned to Spain to join Deportivo Alavés, but subsequently returned to join the reds’ backroom staff before following Rafael Benítez to Internazionale. 2004 - Coach Christian Damiano left Anfield after just one season with the reds. 2010 - Gary Ablett stepped down as Manager of Stockport County by mutual consent when new owners took charge after a full season spent in administration. 2013 - Andy Hughes was appointed as the club’s Chief Financial Officer. Youngsters on the world stage 2005 - Future red Nabil El Zhar featured in the World Youth Championships as Morocco beat Chile 1-0 in a group stage game in Utrecht, to take them into the last sixteen. They eventually made it as far as the Semi-finals. 2001 – Future red Maxi Rodríguez netted the first goal of the competition as Argentina beat Finland 7-1 in the same tournament in Buenos Aires, with Daniel Sjölund on the losing side. In the army now 1975 - Bruce Grobbelaar joined the Rhodesian army. He went on to operate as a scout, tracking the movements and dodging the bullets of Robert Mugabe’s guerrilla fighters. Also in South Africa 2009 - Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres both featured in Spain’s 1-0 victory over Iraq in a Confederations Cup group game in Bloemfontein. Bellers wed 2006 - Craig Bellamy married Claire Jensen in the Vale of Glamorgan, just five days before he signed for the reds.