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Happy birthday Gary 1965 - Gary Ablett was born in Liverpool. He signed on at Anfield as a professional on his eighteenth birthday, going on to make 147 reds appearances, scoring just once – in only his second game. He helped us to two League titles, FA Cup and FA Charity Shield before being sold to Everton by Graeme Souness for £750,000 in January 1992, with whom he won a second FA Cup. He returned to the club in the summer of 2006 to take over as Reserve Team Manager, leading them to the national title in his second season, although he left at the end of the following campaign. He sadly died in January 2012, aged just 46. 1993 – Keeper Lawrence Vigouroux was born in Camden, north London. He left Tottenham Hotspur to join the reds in 2014, moving on to Swindon Town in July 2016 after a successful loan spell there. Red farewells 1977 - John Toshack made his 246th and final reds appearance in a 1-1 draw with Bristol City, setting up the goal for Kenny Dalglish. 1898 – Left-back Tom Wilkie played his 64th and last game for the club as we lost 3-0 at Bury as Jimmy Settle struck two of his eleven goals past us, with Michael Kelly also on target. Anfield trebles 1921 - Centre-forward Danny Shone bagged a treble in our 4-0 defeat of Middlesbrough, with Tommy Lucas adding a penalty. 1927 - We faced Boro again in the First Division, holding them to a 1-1 draw at Ayresome Park, with Harry Chambers on the scoresheet. 1932 - Gordon Hodgson scored one of his seventeen reds trebles as we thrashed Derby County 6-1 in a top-flight meeting, with right-back Bob Done playing his hundredth League game. Dave Wright and Syd Roberts also netted to add to a George Collin own goal. Peter Ramage’s consolation was one of his five strikes past the reds. Crouchie not yet off the mark 2005 - Steve Finnan reached a century of reds games as we beat Portsmouth 3-0 at Anfield. Peter Crouch saw his penalty saved as he still awaited his first goal for the club. Fortunately, Bolo Zenden converted the rebound and Djibril Cissé and Fernando Morientes were also on target to secure victory. We ended the game with ten men after Xabi Alonso had to limp off after we had used all three of our substitutes. This was Alain Perrin’s final game as Pompey boss. Tons up 2016 – Emre Can played his hundredth reds game as we drew 0-0 in a League game at Southampton, despite dominating the game. 2000 - We reached a century of goals against under Gérard Houllier’s sole charge as we lost 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur. Robbie Fowler nabbed our consolation strike, with Les Ferdinand netting the last of his six strikes against the reds, and Tim Sherwood scoring the final one of his three goals past us. Leeds thumped 1966 - We secured our record equal victory over Leeds United as goals from Chris Lawler, Peter Thompson, Ian St. John and a Geoff Strong brace handed us a 5-0 top-flight win at Anfield. 1955 - We also faced Leeds, going down 4-2 at Elland Road in a Second Division encounter. Billy Liddell netted from the spot, with Alan Arnell also on the scoresheet for the reds. John Price played his only senior reds game this day, at left-back. The legendary John Charles bagged a brace for the home side, with Harold Brook and Jack Overfield also on target while full-back Ray Lambert played his 342nd and last game for the reds. More births and a death 1994 – Reserves forward Jack Dunn was born in Liverpool. He scored while making his first senior appearance in our post-season friendly at Shamrock Rovers in May 2014, moving on to Tranmere Rovers in June 2017 after being released by the reds. 1993 – Spanish midfielder Jesús Fernández Sáez, known as Suso, was born in Cádiz. He signed on as a professional on his seventeenth birthday, having left his hometown club the previous summer. He made 21 senior appearances, scoring once before signing on with AC Milan in January 2015. 1931 - Defender Ernest Peake died. He arrived as a Welsh international from his hometown club Aberystwyth Town in May 1908, netting six times in 55 games. The cup can be cruel 1892 - We suffered our first ever FA Cup defeat, losing 2-1 to Northwich Victoria at their Drill Field ground in the Third Qualifying Round. Tom Wyllie scored our consolation, while outside-left Andrew Kelvin was making his sixth and last reds appearance. Ton up for Jan 1986 – Coventry City held us to a goalless draw in our League Cup Fourth Round tie at Highfield Road as Jan Mølby reached a century of reds games. We won the replay a week later, going on to reach the Final once again that season. Eph at home with the League 1919 - Right-back Ephraim Longworth played for the Football League in their 2-2 draw with an Irish League side at Anfield. Future reds on target 2014 – Chelsea’s Mohamed Salah scored as Egypt lost an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier 2-1 in Tunisia. Kolo Touré, ex-red Carl Medjani and future reds Naby Keïta and Sadio Mané all also featured in qualifiers that day. 2008 – Milan Jovanović struck twice as Serbia thumped Bulgaria 6-1 in a friendly in Belgrade. 1974 - David Johnson bagged a brace as England Under-23’s won 3-2 in a friendly in Portugal, with future red Alan Kennedy putting through his own net. 1980 - Michael Robinson scored his first senior international goal as the Republic of Ireland thrashed Cyprus 6-0 in a World Cup qualifier at Lansdowne Road. Steve Heighway and future red Mark Lawrenson also played in what remains the Republic’s record World Cup win. Meanwhile, Terry McDermott and Phil Neal featured in England’s 2-1 World Cup defeat of Switzerland at Wembley. 2023 – Dominik Szoboszlai bagged a brace while captaining Hungary to a 3-2 defeat of Montenegro in a European Championships qualifier in Budapest. Mohamed Salah and future red Giorgi Mamardashvili both also played for their countries, with Steve Clarke taking charge of Scotland. International beginnings and ends 2019 – Simon Mignolet won his first cap for Belgium since joining Club Brugge in their 6-1 European Championships qualifying thumping of Cyprus in Brussels, with ex-red Christian Benteke bagging a brace. Gini Wijnaldum netted a hat-trick while captaining his country for the first time as the Netherlands beat Estonia 5-0 in another qualifier in Amsterdam, while ex-red Philippe Coutinho scored in Brazil’s 3-0 win over South Korea in Abu Dhabi, his only goal and last cap while on loan at Bayern München, with future red Arthur Melo playing for the last time while with Barcelona. Emre Can played for Germany for the last time while with Juventus, in their 6-1 trouncing of Northern Ireland in a qualifier in Frankfurt. Alisson Becker, Rhian Brewster, Bobby Duncan, Fabinho, Roberto Firmino, Divock Origi, Harry Wilson, future reds Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai, and ex-reds Joe Allen, Steve Clarke, Péter Gulácsi all also represented their countries that day, with Bernard Diomède managing France Under-20’s to a 2-1 friendly defeat of the Netherlands in Salon-de-Provence. 2009 – Future red Emre Can played for Germany Under-16’s in their 4-1 win in Turkey. 2018 - Ryan Babel won his last cap as a Beşiktaş J.K. player as the Netherlands drew 2-2 in a UEFA Nations League group game in Germany, with Virgil van Dijk on target while skippering a side that also included Gini Wijnaldum. On the same day, Curtis Jones played for England Under-18’s as they beat Belgium 3-1 in Murcia to win a friendly tournament, while Adam Lewis featured for England Under-20’s. Meanwhile, Bernard Diomède took charge of France Under-20’s as they beat Norway 1-0 in a friendly. 2003 - Future red Momo Sissoko made his debut for Mali in their 1-0 friendly defeat of Morocco in Casablanca. Meanwhile, future reds loanee keeper Paul Jones won his final cap as a Southampton player, and 37th in total, as they lost the second leg of their Euro 2004 play-off with Russia 1-0 at the Millennium Stadium. John Arne Riise faced future clubmate Xabi Alonso as Spain were 3-0 victors in Norway to win their Euro 2004 play-off 5-1 on aggregate. Future reds Ragnar Klavan, Pepe Reina and Albert Riera all also represented their countries that day. 2008 – Craig Bellamy won his last cap as a West Ham United player, netting the only goal as skipper as John Toshack’s Wales faced Daniel Agger’s Denmark in a friendly in Copenhagen. Scott Carson made his only senior appearance since joining West Bromwich Albion as England beat Germany 2-1 in another friendly in Berlin. Future reds Stewart Downing and Glen Johnson and ex-reds Peter Crouch and David James also featured. Dirk Kuyt netted for the Netherlands in their 3-1 defeat of Sweden in Eindhoven, with Ryan Babel and future reds coach John Heitinga also in action, while Fernando Torres was on target in Spain’s 3-0 defeat of Chile in Villarreal, with Xabi Alonso, Álvaro Arbeloa, Pepe Reina and Albert Riera all also featuring. Javier Mascherano captained his country as Argentina beat Scotland 1-0 at Hampden Park, with future red Maxi Rodríguez on target in Diego Maradona’s first game in charge. David N’Gog won his first cap for France Under-21’s as they beat Denmark 1-0 in Aalborg, with future red Mamadou Sakho also playing. On the same day, Yossi Benayoun, Sami Hyypiä, future reds Nuri Şahin and Luis Suárez and ex-reds Nicolas Anelka, Alou Diarra and Jari Litmanen all also played in friendlies, with ex-red John Arne Riise dismissed in Norway’s 1-0 defeat in the Ukraine. Meanwhile, ex-reds John Barnes, Milan Baroš and Harry Kewell were all involved in victorious World Cup qualifiers. 2013 - Rickie Lambert won his fourth and final cap as a Southampton player as Roy Hodgson’s England lost 1-0 to Germany in a friendly at Wembley, with Steven Gerrard skippering a side that also included Jordan Henderson, Daniel Sturridge and future red Adam Lallana. On the same day, Mamadou Sakho struck his first two goals as France beat Ukraine 3-0 in the second leg of their World Cup Play-off in Paris to reach the Finals in Brazil. Mohamed Salah won his last cap as a Basel player as Egypt beat Ghana 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier in Cairo. On the same day, Raheem Sterling nabbed a brace while winning his eighth and last cap for England Under-21’s, with future red Danny Ings netting his first two goals at this level and ex-red Tom Ince also on target as they thrashed San Marino 9-0 in a European Championships qualifier in Shrewsbury, their record victory at this level. Lucas Leiva, Simon Mignolet, Pepe Reina, Jack Robinson, future red Dejan Lovren and ex-reds Charlie Adam, Xabi Alonso, Álvaro Arbeloa, Alexander Kačaniklić, Carl Medjani, Raul Meireles, Pepe Reina all also represented their countries that day. 1975 - Joey Jones made his debut for Wales as they beat Austria 1-0 in a friendly in Wrexham. He went on to win a total of 72 caps for his country. Ray Clemence and Kevin Keegan also played in a qualifier that day. 1947 - Right-half and future reds boss Phil Taylor won his third and final cap for England as they beat Sweden 4-2 in a friendly at Highbury. Other reds games 1989 – We won 2-1 at Millwall thanks to goals from John Barnes and Ian Rush. 1988 – John Aldridge bagged the only goal of our trip to Queens Park Rangers. 1983 – Ian Rush was on target as we beat Stoke City 1-0 at Anfield. 1960 – We won a Second Division fixture 3-1 at Charlton Athletic with right-winger Sam Lawrie scoring at both ends before Roger Hunt and Johnny Wheeler struck. 1949 – Billy Liddell and Ken Brierley netted as we beat Aston Villa 2-1 in L4, with Johnny Dixon bagging the first of his four goals against the reds. 1938 – We lost 2-1 at Brentford with Berry Nieuwenhuys on the scoresheet. 1910 – We lost 1-0 at Notts County. 1904 – We won a Second Division encounter 2-1 at Gainsborough Trinity, with Jack Parkinson converting a penalty and Sam Raybould also scoring. Gems back home 2002 - Anthony Le Tallec and Florent Sinama-Pongolle won their fifth caps for France Under-21’s in a 3-0 friendly defeat of Yugoslavia at the Stade Jules-Deschaseaux in Le Havre. Future reds keeper Charles Itandje won his first cap at this level in this game, with Grégory Vignal coming on as a substitute, while future red Xabi Alonso was also in Under-21’s action. Moving on 1999 - Ex-red Mike Marsh signed for Conference side Kidderminster Harriers. He struck four times in 24 appearances in his one season at Aggborough, before joining Southport on a free transfer. 2004 - Ex-reds winger Nicky Rizzo returned to England from Italy to sign for MK Dons. The Aussie netted five times in sixty games for the League Two outfit before returning to his native land in May 2007 to join Perth Glory. Staying put 2021 - Ex-Academy Coach Neil Critchley signed a new contract as Manager of Blackpool. He led them to a total of 45 wins in 109 games between being appointed in March 2020 and quitting in June 2022 to become Steven Gerrard’s Assistant at Aston Villa. Also in international action 2022 – Ex-red Ozan Kabak played for Türkiye as they beat Czechia 2-1 in a friendly in Gaziantep.

Reds born 1946 - Brian Hall was born in Glasgow. He signed for the reds in July 1968 fresh from graduating university, and scored 21 goals in 224 games, helping us to claim a League title, UEFA Cup, FA Cup and FA Charity Shield. His most memorable moment came when he bagged his first reds goal, the FA Cup Semi-final winner against Everton at Old Trafford in March 1971, also scoring at the same stage against Leicester City three years later. He moved on to Plymouth Argyle in July 1976, later finishing his playing career with Burnley, but he returned to Anfield in 1991 to take up the post of Public Relations Manager, a position he held until retiring in 2012. He died in July 2015. 2002 – Keeper Oscar Kelly was born in Liverpool. He joined the Academy at Under-9’s level, turning pro in September 2021. 1960 - Midfielder Kevin MacDonald was born in Inverness. He played 64 reds games, scoring five times, following his £400,000 capture from Leicester City in November 1984. He helped us to the League and FA Cup double in 1986, with skipper Alan Hansen calling him “far and away our most influential player.” He moved to Coventry City in June 1989 after a number of loan spells away from Anfield while recovering from a broken leg. 1944 - Forward Bobby Graham was born in Motherwell. He netted 42 times in 136 reds games after signing professional terms in November 1961, but often found himself behind first Ian St. John and then Kevin Keegan in the Anfield pecking order. He left for Coventry City in March 1972 for a £70,000 fee. 1884 – Inside-left Bill McPherson was born in Beith, Ayrshire. He signed from St. Mirren in 1906, bagging seventeen goals in 55 outings including one on his debut against Woolwich Arsenal, before returning north of the border to join Rangers in May 1908. 1887 - Forward Wilf Bartrop was born in Worksop. He arrived from Barnsley for £900 in May 1914, playing three games before joining the Royal Field Artillery in 1915. He was killed in wartime action in November 1918. 1936 - John Price was born in Aberystwyth. He signed from Fordhouse youth club in October 1954, but played just one senior game, at left-back at Leeds United in November 1955, before moving to Aston Villa in March 1957. Stevie sets another record 2006 - Steven Gerrard struck his fourteenth goal in the European Cup as we beat PSV Eindhoven 2-0 at Anfield. In the process, he joined Ian Rush as our top goalscorer in Europe’s premier club competition. Peter Crouch grabbed a late second as we comfortably secured top spot in the group, although this came at the expense of injuries to Xabi Alonso, Mark González and Jermaine Pennant. John Arne Riise reached a half-century of reds appearances in the UEFA Champions League. Beginning and end 1952 - Ronnie Moran made his reds bow in a 3-2 defeat at Derby County. Jack Smith scored his fourteenth and last goal for the reds, with Billy Liddell adding a penalty. Hugh McLaren bagged a brace for the Rams, with Jimmy Dunn netting one of his four goals against the reds. 1902 - We lost there in another top-flight encounter, when Edgar Chadwick netted in a 2-1 defeat with Sam Raybould having a second-half penalty saved. 1913 – Newcastle United held us to a goalless draw at Anfield as outside-right Fred Staniforth played his third and final reds game. New records 1980 - We set a new record of sixty consecutive home League games without defeat, surpassing Millwall’s record of 59 games. A Kenny Dalglish brace handed us a 2-0 win over Aston Villa, with our run coming to an end after 63 games. 2020 – That record was broken as we reached 64 home League games without defeat by beating Leicester City 3-0 behind closed doors, with this run eventually reaching 68 fixtures. Gini Wijnaldum played his 200th reds game, with Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino both nodded in after Jonny Evans had headed into his own net. Shanks on the Kop 1975 - Ex-reds boss Bill Shankly stood on the Kop as we were held to a 1-1 draw by Coventry City. John Toshack grabbed our goal. 1981 – A memorial service was held for our former boss at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, just under two months after his death. Mighty Mouse against the reds 1977 - Kevin Keegan played for Hamburger SV against Liverpool for the first time, in the first leg of the UEFA Super Cup, as we held the Germans to a 1-1 draw at the Volksparkstadion. David Fairclough bagged our goal, and our thumping 6-0 win in the second leg saw us claim this trophy for the first of three times to date. Held by boys 2012 – We were held to a 2-2 draw by Swiss side BSC Young Boys in our UEFA Europa League group game at Anfield, with the visitors twice coming from behind. Jonjo Shelvey headed us in front, with our other goal coming from a rare Joe Cole strike. Joy against Leeds We have faced Leeds United three times on this day in history, without tasting defeat. 1969 - Ron Yeats struck as we held the Yorkshire side to a top-flight draw at Elland Road, with Johnny Giles having a penalty saved by Tommy Lawrence, although he was also on target with one of his five goals against the reds. 1972 - Kevin Keegan nabbed the only goal of our League Cup Fourth Round replay at the same venue in the final minute. Amazingly, Johnny Giles again missed a penalty! 1924 - Dick Forshaw bagged the only goal of the game at Anfield, our first ever meeting with Leeds. Reds bosses 1978 - 1950’s wing-half Bobby Campbell was named Manager of Bristol Rovers. He led them to just eleven wins in 46 games in charge as they struggled in the old Second Division. 1994 - 1980’s midfielder Kevin MacDonald was appointed Caretaker Manager of Leicester City after Brian Little’s controversial departure for Aston Villa. He was only in charge for four games, before Mark McGhee took over. Disappointments 1983 - Kenny Dalglish was on target shortly after half time as we were held to a 1-1 draw by Second Division Fulham in a League Cup Third Round replay, with the game going into extra time after Kevin Lock’s late equaliser from the spot, but no further goals were scored meaning that we had to play our first ever second replay in this competition. Sammy Lee played his 200th game for the club. 1997 - Ashley Ward bagged the only goal of the game as newly-promoted Barnsley won at Anfield to secure their first ever victory over us in L4. 2008 – We were held to a goalless draw by Fulham, with sections of the Anfield crowd expressing their dissatisfaction with Lucas Leiva’s performance. On the same day, future red Glen Johnson netted a left-footed thirty-yard screamer in Portsmouth’s 2-2 draw with Hull City at Fratton Park that was later named as the BBC’s Goal of the Season. International farewells 1953 - Future red Doug Rudham won his only senior cap for South Africa as they lost a friendly 3-1 to Portugal in Lisbon. 2008 – Future reds keeper Loris Karius played for Germany Under-16’s for the third and last time as they beat Tunisia 1-0 in a friendly. Thommo the skipper 1979 - Phil Thompson captained England for the first time as they beat Bulgaria 2-0 in a European Championships qualifier at Wembley. Ray’s Clemence and Kennedy both also played. Signing on 1930 – Outside-right Danny McRorie signed from Morton for £1,500. He bagged six goals in 35 reds games, moving on to Rochdale in October 1933. International goalscorers 1997 - Future red Harry Kewell netted his first goal for Australia as they drew the first leg of their World Cup Play-off 1-1 in Iran. 1930 - Gordon Hodgson struck his only goal for England in their 4-0 defeat of Wales in Wrexham in the British International Championships. Future red Ernie Blenkinsop also played for the English. For Mr Bowen 1976 - The reds took part in a testimonial match for Dave Bowen, drawing 2-2 with Northampton Town at the County Ground with Emlyn Hughes and Ian Callaghan on the scoresheet. Bowen was Manager during their only season in the top flight, as well as leading the Cobblers to the Third Division title, and later taking charge of Wales. A reds treble for Young England 2001 - David Mannix, David Raven and Mark Smyth all played for England Under-17’s in their friendly against Poland at Peterborough United’s London Road Stadium. Mannix and Smyth both scored in a 6-0 thumping. Other reds games 2003 – We drew 0-0 with Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium. 1995 – We were held to a goalless draw at West Ham United. 1978 – Our visit to White Hart Lane ended without score against Tottenham Hotspur, with the recently crowned new Miss World in attendance! 1958 – Geoff Twentyman and Jimmy Melia netted as we came from behind to beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 in a Second Division encounter at Anfield. 1947 – We beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 in L4, thanks to goals from Jack Balmer and Billy Liddell. 1930 – We were thumped 4-0 by Portsmouth at Fratton Park, with Jimmy Easson bagging three of his eight goals against the reds and George Ross also scoring. 1919 – Harry Chambers struck as we lost 2-1 at Preston North End. 1913 – Newcastle United held us to a goalless draw at Anfield. On the move 2001 - Rigobert Song joined 1. FC Köln on loan from West Ham United. He remained for the rest of the season, playing in sixteen Bundesliga games. 2007 - Young midfielder Ryan Flynn joined League Two side Hereford United on loan, although injury meant he failed to feature for the first team. 2012 – Scottish centre-half Danny Wilson joined Bristol City on loan, with whom he played just once. On the same day, Bolo Zenden was appointed Interim Assistant Manager of Chelsea under Rafael Benítez. 2013 – The departures of Rodolfo Borrell as Head of Academy Coaching and Director of Academy and Player Development Frank McParland were both announced. On the same day, John Toshack resigned as Manager of Azerbaijani side Khazar Lankaran. 2018 – Forward Sadio Mané signed a new contract, having originally joined the club from Southampton for an initial £30m in June 2016. Also in international action 1967 – Peter Thompson and Roger Hunt both played for England as they beat Northern Ireland 2-0 at Wembley in a European Championships qualifier that also counted for the British International Championships. 2000 – Future red Alberto Aquilani played as Italy Under-16’s were held to a goalless draw by Argentina. 2003 – Roy Hodgson took charge of the United Arab Emirates for their 3-0 defeat of Sri Lanka in an AFC Asian Cup qualifier in Dubai. 2022 – Ibrahima Konaté played for France as they beat Australia 4-1 in their opening World Cup group game in Qatar. They eventually went on to reach the Final. Award winner 2021 – Former Academy Coach Neil Critchley was named Manager of the Season at the North West Football Awards, having led Blackpool to promotion from League One earlier that year.