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Digger arrives 1987 - John Barnes was signed from Watford for £900,000. His transfer had been heavily trailed for at least six months, and Kopites were not disappointed by his performances once he arrived, as he helped us to two League titles, FA Cup, League Cup and two FA Charity Shields during an Anfield career in which he scored 108 goals in 407 appearances. He was also twice voted Football Writers’ Player Of The Year, as well as once by his fellow players, eventually moving on to Newcastle United on a free transfer in August 1997. In comes Jordan 2011 – Midfielder Jordan Henderson signed from Sunderland for £16m. He has notched 28 times in 359 reds games to date, becoming club captain and then helping us to claim the UEFA Champions League and League Cup. Ephraim arrives 1910 - Right-back Ephraim Longworth signed from Clapton Orient. He played for the reds 370 times across the next two decades, without finding the back of the net. He helped us to two League titles and became the first Liverpool player to captain England in May 1921. He then served as Reserve team trainer, before joining the ground staff. Happy birthdays 1954 - Forward Alan Waddle was born in Wallsend. He signed from Halifax Town for £40,000 in June 1973 but only made 22 appearances in his four years at Anfield, netting just once, at Goodison Park in December 1973, as his route to the first team was usually blocked by Kevin Keegan and John Toshack, although he was on the bench for the European Cup Final in 1977. He moved on to Leicester City that September. His cousin Chris went on to great things with Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Olympique de Marseille and England. 1979 - Late-1990’s reserves winger Nicky Rizzo was born in Sydney. He never made a senior reds appearance, and moved on to Crystal Palace and then lower League football in Italy, but is now back in his homeland running his own soccer school. Ged honoured 2003 - Gérard Houllier was awarded an Honorary OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. On the same day, agreement was reached to sign Steve Finnan from Fulham for £3.5m. He officially completed his move to Anfield three weeks later. On the move 2009 - John Achterberg was appointed goalkeeping coach, leaving his position at Tranmere Rovers. On the same day, ex-reds full-back Julian Dicks left his role as Manager of Wivenhoe Town by mutual consent. Meanwhile, ex-red Titi Camara was appointed Head Coach of Guinea, in addition to his role as National Technical Director. He remained in the top job for just over three months. 2012 - Kevin MacDonald left Aston Villa’s coaching staff after seventeen years with the Villains. 2014 - Former Academy full-back Calum Woods signed for Preston North End, having been released by Huddersfield Town at the end of the previous campaign. He played 82 times before joining Bradford City on a free transfer last January. Tommy for Scotland 1963 - Tommy Lawrence won the first of his three Scotland caps as they lost a friendly 1-0 to the Republic of Ireland at Dalymount Park in Dublin. Fellow red Ian St. John also played. Winning a trophy 1984 - Ian Rush netted in the final minute as we drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur in Swaziland to win the Royal Swazi Sun Soccer Challenge 6-3 on aggregate. On tour We have won US tour games three times on this day over the years. 1946 - We beat Kearny Celtic Scots 3-1, with Cyril Done grabbing a brace and Willie Fagan also netting. 1948 - A New York All Stars lost 5-2 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Billy Liddell and Albert Stubbins struck twice each, with Willie Fagan also on the scoresheet. 1953 - Inside-right Sammy Smyth bagged a treble when we thumped St. Louis All Stars 5-1, with Billy Liddell adding a brace. Final caps 1996 - Future red Torben Piechnik won his fifteenth and final cap as a substitute in Denmark’s 1-1 Euro ’96 draw with Portugal at Hillsborough. 1999 - Vladimír Šmicer won his last cap as a Racing Club de Lens player, and 38th in total, as the Czech Republic beat Scotland 3-2 in a Euro 2000 qualifier in Prague, alongside future clubmate Patrik Berger. Meanwhile, Mark Kennedy won his last cap while with Wimbledon, and 22nd to date, as the Republic of Ireland beat FYR Macedonia 1-0 in Dublin, with Robbie Keane playing his ninth and final game while with Wolverhampton Wanderers. On the same day, Nicolas Anelka made his ninth appearance for France, and final one as an Arsenal player, as they won 1-0 in Andorra in another qualifier. Meanwhile, Dean Saunders won his final cap as an SL Benfica player, and 69th in all, as Wales were beaten 2-0 by Denmark at Anfield, a result that kept the Danes on course for a play-off spot. Future reds Craig Bellamy and Paul Jones also played. Robbie Fowler, Haukur Ingi Gudnason, Sami Hyypiä, Jamie Redknapp and future red Emile Heskey all also played in qualifiers that day. 2013 - Mamadou Sakho won his final cap for France as a Paris Saint-Germain player in their 3-0 defeat by Brazil in Porto Alegre. 2011 – Alou Diarra won his last cap as a Girondins de Bordeaux player, his 34th to date, as France beat Poland 1-0 in a friendly in Warsaw. 2008 – Dirk Kuyt played as the Netherlands beat Italy 3-0 in Berne, while ex-red Anelka featured as France were held to a goalless draw by Romania in Zurich. 2000 – Alberto Aquilani won his eighth and final cap for Italy Under-15’s as they lost 2-1 to France. On the move 2001 - Mike Marsh signed for Boston United from Southport for £15,000. He netted once in seven games for the Pilgrims as they clinched the Conference title. 2017 – Ex- reserves forward Jack Dunn signed for Tranmere Rovers, so far making sixteen senior appearances without notching. 2016 – Future touring keeper Andy Lonergan joined Wolverhampton Wanderers from Fulham, playing fourteen times before returning to former club Leeds United in August 2017. Dirk’s first 2012 - Dirk Kuyt won his first cap as a Fenerbahçe SK player as the Netherlands lost 1-0 to a Denmark side captained by Daniel Agger in a European Championships Finals game in Kharkiv. Ex-red Raúl Meireles also featured in the competition that day, with ex-red Javier Mascherano in friendly action and future red Victor Moses playing in a World Cup qualifier. The Guv’nor in charge 1993 - Future red Paul Ince captained his country for the first time, becoming the first black player ever to skipper England, as they lost 2-0 to the USA in Boston. John Barnes and future red Nigel Clough also played. Meanwhile, Stig Inge Bjørnebye and Øyvind Leonhardsen featured in Norway’s goalless World Cup qualifying draw in the Netherlands. On target 1993 - Ex-red John Aldridge scored the fourth of his eight goals in four games against Latvia as the Republic of Ireland won their World Cup qualifier in Riga 2-0. Ex-reds Ray Houghton and Steve Staunton both also played. 2009 – Albert Riera and Fernando Torres both struck as Spain thumped Azerbaijan 6-0 in a friendly in Baku, with David Villa bagging a treble. Xabi Alonso, Álvaro Arbeloa and Pepe Reina all also featured. 1996 - Future red Christian Ziege netted in Germany’s 2-0 defeat of the Czech Republic in their Euro ’96 group encounter at Old Trafford. Fellow future reds Markus Babbel and Patrik Berger both also featured. On the same day, Mark Kennedy faced future red Brad Friedel in the US Nike Cup as the USA beat the Republic of Ireland 2-1 in Boston, while future red Mario Balotelli netted for Italy Under-21’s in their 4-0 friendly win in Denmark. 2019 – Roberto Firmino and ex-red Philippe Coutinho scored as Brazil thumped Honduras 7-0 in a friendly in Porto Alegre. Ryan Babel won his last cap as a Fulham player, with Virgil van Dijk captaining a side that also included Gini Wijnaldum as Portugal beat the Netherlands 1-0 in the UEFA Nations League Final in Porto. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Joe Gomez, Caoimhín Kelleher and ex-red Raheem Sterling also played for their countries that day. 2018 – Ex-red Iago Aspas scored as Spain beat Tunisia a friendly 1-0 in Russia. 2017 – Philippe Coutinho played in Argentina’s 1-0 friendly defeat by Argentina in Melbourne, with Gini Wijnaldum on target as the Netherlands beat Luxembourg 5-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Rotterdam. Future red Xherdan Shaqiri also played for his country that day. 2013 – Future red Wijnaldum scored in his fourth consecutive game for the Dutch Under-21’s as they thumped Russia 5-1 in a European Championships Finals group game in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, future red Mohamed Salah bagged a treble as Egypt won a World Cup qualifier 4-2 in Zimbabwe. On the same day, future reds Emre Can and Alberto Moreno faced each other at Under-21’s level in a European Championships Finals group game in Israel. In Toulon Future red Nigel Clough appeared in the Toulon Tournament in consecutive years for England Under-21’s. 1987 - They were held by the USSR to a goalless draw. 1988 – England beat Morocco 1-0. Fellow future reds Julian Dicks and Michael Thomas both also featured. 1989 – Future red Neil Ruddock featured in a goalless match with Republic of Ireland in the same competition. 1993 – Jamie Redknapp played in a 1-1 draw with Czech Republic, when future reds Academy coach Mike Sheron struck his fourth and final goal at this level. God married 2001 - Robbie Fowler married Kerrie at Duns Castle in Scotland. They already had two young daughters, Madison and Jaya, with a third following a year later, and have since added a son to their brood. Still the masters 2002 - The Liverpool Legends team won the Irish Masters in Belfast, with former reserves regular John Durnin grabbing both goals in their 2-0 Final victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Barclay elected 1890 – William Barclay was elected Vice Chairman of Everton. He later worked as a Secretary-c**-Manager for the first four years of the reds’ existence.

Champagne Charlie 1953 - Graeme Souness was born in Edinburgh. He won five League titles, three European Cups, four League Cups and three FA Charity Shields after signing from Middlesbrough for £352,000 in January 1978. He moved to Sampdoria for £650,000 in June 1984 after 55 goals in 359 games. He returned to Anfield as Manager in April 1991, although his time as reds boss was considerably less successful, with just one FA Cup triumph before his departure in January 1994. 1990 - Keeper Péter Gulácsi was born in Budapest. He joined on loan from MTK Hungária in August 2007, signing on permanently in September 2008. The young Hungarian made it into our bench 51 times, but failed to feature for the first team before joining Red Bull Salzburg in June 2013. 1994 – Another young custodian, Tyrell Belford, was born in Nuneaton. He arrived from Coventry City in the summer of 2009, aged just fifteen. He signed on professionally in July 2011, but moved to Swindon Town on a free transfer two years later after falling behind Gulácsi and Danny Ward in the pecking order. The first sighting of Saint Michael 1997 - Michael Owen netted on his reds debut, becoming our youngest ever scorer aged seventeen years and 144 days. He had come on as a substitute for Patrik Berger less than twenty minutes previously in our 2-1 defeat by Wimbledon at Selhurst Park, nabbing our consolation after a Jason Euell goal and one of Dean Holdsworth’s four strikes past the reds. 2006 - He became a father for the second time, to his first son, named James Michael. Missing out on the League 1991 - Our 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest handed the League title to Arsenal, their second in three seasons. Nigel Clough scored the opener with Jan Mølby netting our equaliser from the spot, while David Burrows was playing his hundredth game for the reds. Ian Woan bagged the winner. This game was postponed from the previous December. 1998 - We hosted the Gunners at Anfield after they had already clinched the League title, their first since that 1991 triumph. We thumped them 4-0, with Paul Ince bagging a brace, and Michael Owen and Øyvind Leonhardsen also on the scoresheet. Owen also had a penalty saved by Arsenal keeper Alex Manninger after Matthew Upson had fouled Steve McManaman. Red beginnings and ends 1898 - Centre-half Alex Raisbeck signed from Stoke City for £350. He played 341 times in eleven years, netting nineteen times and becoming our first skipper to lift the League title in 1901. He won a further League title five years later, as well as a Second Division championship, returning to the club in 1939 as a scout until his death ten years later. 1996 - At the other end of the reds spectrum, Phil Neal’s son Ashley played his final reserves game. 1939 – Right-back Tommy Cooper played his 160th and final reds game as we lost 2-0 at Manchester United in front of just 12,073 spectators. Johnny Hanlon bagged a brace as we ended the season in eleventh. Reaching a super cup final 1986 - Kevin Macdonald and Craig Johnston netted as we came from behind to beat Norwich City 3-1 at Anfield in the Semi-final second leg of the Screen Sport Super Cup, with Gary Brooke on target for the visitors. Jan Mølby added a penalty as we went through 4-2 on aggregate. The reds were presented with the League title prior to this game. The Final against Everton was held over until the following season - which we won, of course. Big wins We have twice won top-flight fixtures 4-1 on this day in history. 1922 - We beat West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns, with a Harry Beadles brace, his final reds strikes, and goals from Dick Forshaw and Jock McNab. Stan Davies struck one of his four goals past us. 1933 - Sheffield Wednesday lost at Anfield, centre-half Tom ‘Tiny’ Bradshaw put through his own net with Gordon Hodgson and Dave Wright both striking twice, as we finished the season in thirteenth position. Ton up Jameo 1995 – Keeper David James reached a century of reds games in our 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa, with Dwight Yorke netting two of his eight strikes against us. Most recently 2018 – We lost at Chelsea as Olivier Giroud headed in the only goal, one of his seven past us to date, as we stuttered towards a top-four finish in the League. Other birthdays 1971 - Former reserve keeper Jørgen Nielsen was born in Nykøbing Falster. The Dane never played a senior reds game, but he did sit on the bench 55 times following his £400,000 capture from Hvidovre in August 1997. 1969 - Another former reserve, midfielder Jim Magilton, was born in Belfast. He later had a successful career with Oxford United, Southampton and Ipswich Town before moving into management. Nando the champion 2001 – Future red Fernando Torres converted a penalty to hand Spain Under-16’s the European Championships, as they beat France 1-0 in the Final in the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, with Anthony Le Tallec and Florent Sinama-Pongolle both on the losing side. Firsts for Scotland 1959 - Motherwell’s Ian St. John won his first full international cap as Scotland beat West Germany 3-2 at Hampden Park. The Scots were managed by Andy Beattie, who had guested with the reds during the war, and later joined the backroom staff at Anfield after a successful management career. 1966 – Kenny Dalglish made his first international appearance, bagging a brace as the Under-15’s won 4-3 in Northern Ireland. New ground approved 2008 – The revised design for the club’s new stadium in Stanley Park was granted planning permission by Liverpool City Council. However, work never fully got underway and these plans have now been scrapped. Management ins and outs 1999 - Jan Mølby was appointed Manager of Kidderminster Harriers. He led them to the Conference title in his first season, and then mid-table Third Division safety in the next two years. 2004 - Steve McMahon resigned as Blackpool boss, with fellow ex-red Mark Seagraves dismissed as Assistant Manager on the same day. McMahon had guided the Seasiders to 102 wins in his 350 games in charge, leading them back out of the basement in his first full season, and mid-table security in his following three seasons. Reds on target 2003 – Future red Alberto Aquilani struck for Italy Under-19’s as they beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in a European Championships qualifier in Andria. 2009 – Christopher Buchtmann scored and was booked as Germany Under-17’s beat Turkey 3-1 in a European Championships Finals match in Erfurt, while future red Jonjo Shelvey featured as England drew 1-1 with the Netherlands in Gera. 2011 – Future red Samed Yeşil netted as Germany Under-17’s drew 1-1 with the Czech Republic in a European Championships Finals game in Serbia. Adam Morgan, Brad Smith and Raheem Sterling all featured as England lost 2-0 to Denmark in the same competition that day. 2019 – Ki-Jana Hoever played for the Dutch Under-17’s as they beat England 5-2 in a European Championships Finals group game in Dublin. Signing on 2017 – Scottish centre-back George Johnston signed professional terms with the reds. He is currently playing for the Under-23’s. 2011 – Midfielder Jay Spearing signed a new contract. He played 55 senior reds games without notching, moving on to Bolton Wanderers in August 2013 after a season-long loan there. 1992 - Future reds winger Mark Kennedy signed as a professional for Millwall. He went on to net twelve times in 54 games for the Lions, before moving to Anfield three years later. For John 1975 - We played in a testimonial match for Plymouth Argyle legend John Hore, with Brian Hall, Emlyn Hughes and Terry McDermott netting as we won 4-3 at Home Park, and Ray Clemence converting a penalty!