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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 £12.85m, notching seven times in forty outings to date, 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. Enter Sheedy 1978 - Kevin Sheedy signed from Hereford United for £80,000. He only made five first-team appearances for the reds before crossing Stanley Park in May 1982, where he found much greater success. Stanley starts 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. 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. 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. In international action 1999 - Brad Friedel played for the USA as they met Derby County in a friendly in Denver. 2007 - Harry Kewell featured as Australia lost 3-1 to Iraq in the AFC Asian Cup in Bangkok.

Rushie’s immediate return 1986 - Ian Rush officially re-signed for the reds on loan from Juventus, having signed for the Old Lady a month earlier. He stayed at Anfield for another season, bagging forty goals in 57 games, before finally moving to Turin. Fortunately, he returned to the reds after just one season in Italy. Yossi off 2010 - Yossi Benayoun was sold to Chelsea for £5m. He had signed from West Ham United for the same fee three years earlier, bagging 29 goals in 134 reds games, including hat-tricks against Beşiktaş JK, Havant & Waterlooville and Burnley. In comes Kolo 2013 – Ivorian centre-half Kolo Touré signed on a free transfer after his contract with Manchester City had expired. He notched just once in 71 reds games before moving on to re-join Brendan Rodgers at Celtic in July 2016. Red Olympian 1912 - Future reds left-half Joe Dines played in the United Kingdom’s 4-0 Semi-final defeat of Finland at the Olympics in Stockholm. The UK team went on to retain their Olympic title two days later. Double goulash 2007 - Forwards Krisztián Németh and András Simon both signed from MTK Hungária for a combined fee of around £1m, although neither managed to break through to the first team. 2014 – Midfielder Kevin Stewart signed from Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer, spending time out on loan with Cheltenham Town and Burton Albion during his first campaign. He broke through to the first team picture in 2015/16, playing twenty senior games before being sold to Hull City in July 2017 for a reported £6m. Gary Mac on the move 1990 - Gary McAllister stepped up to the big-time, moving from his first English club Leicester City to Leeds United for £1m. He helped steer them to the League title in 1992, netting 46 times in 295 appearances for the Yorkshire side before moving on to Coventry City, where he expected to see out the remainder of his career. Off at the World Cup 2010 – Future red Luis Suárez was dismissed for a deliberate goal-line handball as Uruguay were held to a 1-1 draw by Ghana in their World Cup Quarter-final in Johannesburg, although they went through after winning a penalty shoot-out 4-2. Meanwhile, Dirk Kuyt featured as the Netherlands beat Brazil 2-1 in Port Elizabeth. 1950 – Laurie Hughes won his third and final cap for England as they lost 1-0 to Spain in a group game in the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro. 1994 – Roy Hodgson took charge of Switzerland as they lost 3-0 to Spain in the Round of Sixteen in Washington DC. 2018 – Roberto Firmino scored as Brazil beat Mexico 2-0 in Russia to reach the Quarter-finals, with future red Alisson Becker and ex-red Philippe Coutinho also featuring. Joe departs 1952 – Glasgow-born centre-half Joe Cadden left the reds to sign for Grimsby Town after just five games since his arrival from Brooklyn Wanderers in the USA in June 1948. Champions 2017 – Emre Can played as Germany beat Chile 1-0 in the Confederations Cup Final in Saint Petersburg. 2005 - Future reds defender Gabriel Paletta played in the Final of the Under-20’s World Championships as Argentina beat Nigeria 2-1 in Utrecht. Meanwhile, future red Nabil El Zhar featured in Morocco’s 2-1 defeat by Brazil in the third-place play-off. 2013 – Suso featured in the same tournament as a substitute as Spain beat Mexico 2-1 in their Round of 16 encounter in Istanbul. Raggy’s bow 2002 – Future red Ragnar Klavan debuted for Estonia Under-21’s in their 1-1 friendly draw with Azerbaijan in Kuressaare. New contracts 2008 – Young Argentine left-back Emiliano Insúa signed a new contract to keep him with the reds until 2011. He made 62 senior appearances, netting once before joining Sporting Clube de Portugal in August 2011. 2009 – The appointments of fitness coach Eduardo Parra García and sports therapist Iván Ortega were announced. 2002 - Vladimír Šmicer was offered a new three-year contract at Anfield, which he went on to sign. The Czech star bagged nineteen goals in his 184 reds games, including a crucial strike and penalty in Istanbul in 2005, before returning to France to join Girondins de Bordeaux, having helped us to claim the Champions League, UEFA Cup, FA Cup and two League Cups. Rededication 2008 – The grave of St. Domingo’s chapel minister, the Rev. Ben Swift Chambers, was rededicated. Rick Parry and club chaplain Bill Bygroves were amongst those in attendance to acknowledge Liverpool and Everton’s common descent from the cricket club Chambers formed at his chapel in Everton in 1877. Heading towards glory 2019 – Roberto Firmino scored as Brazil beat Argentina 2-0 in their Copa América Semi-final in Belo Horizonte, with Alisson Becker and ex-red Philippe Coutinho also featuring. On the same day, ex-red Toni Silva played for Guinea-Bissau as they lost 2-0 to Ghana in an Africa Cup of Nations Finals grou game in Egypt. 2007 - Javier Mascherano won his 25th cap as Argentina beat Colombia 4-2 in a Copa América group game in Venezuela. Released 1999 - Julian Dicks was released by West Ham United. He had made 327 appearances in his two spells at Upton Park and remains a Hammers legend, which is more than can be said for his year at Anfield. 2002 - Paul Ince was let go by Middlesbrough after three years and 106 games on Teesside. He found a new club a month later, signing up with First Division Wolverhampton Wanderers. Also on the move 2019 - Rafael Benítez was appointed Manager of Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang, who recently changed their name to Dalian Professional. 2012 – Estonian centre-back Ragnar Klavan joined Augsburg from AZ Alkmaar, helping them to a club record fifth place Bundesliga finish in 2014/15. He netted four times in 140 games before joining the reds for £4.2m in July 2016. 2010 – Centre-forward Neil Mellor joined Sheffield Wednesday on a season-long loan from Preston North End, netting an impressive twenty times in 43 games for the Owls. 2005 – Future reds winger Maxi Rodríguez joined Club Atlético de Madrid from R.C.D. Espanyol for €5m. He struck 42 times in 145 games before moving to Anfield in January 2010. 2004 - Ex-reserves keeper Tony Warner joined Cardiff City on a free transfer from Millwall. He turned out thirty times for them as they remained in the Championship, before joining Fulham in January 2006. On the same day, James Milner signed for Newcastle United from Leeds United for an eventual £5m. He netted eleven times in 141 games for the Geordies before joining Aston Villa for £12m in August 2008 after a previous loan spell at Villa Park. 2009 – Former keeper Daniele Padelli joined Bari on loan from Sampdoria, for whom he played three times. 2018 – Hungarian keeper Ádám Bogdán joined Hibernian on loan, playing 25 times in his season at Easter Road.