Emlyn Hughes

[Earl Hafler]

Whenever i see people talking about legends on here, he is the one name that is criminally overlooked.

 

He'd kick Gerrard's a*** and then some. And then have Souness for breakfast.

 

r.i.p Emlyn.

[Bjarkinn]

sad i never got a chance to see him play, was he as inspirational as Gerrard?

[Guest lobo]

He didn't need to be,he had better players around him

[Guest AnfieldGrass]

He didn't need to be,he had better players around him

 

So according to your theory, if Stevie had better players around him he'd be less influential? I think you know what I think about that idea.

[fyds]

sad i never got a chance to see him play, was he as inspirational as Gerrard?

Thought long and hard about this one - yes, very often he was as inspirational as Gerrard, but not in the same 'do everything' way, but in the 'up-and-at-'em/no-surrender' way - in that, he was always what Gerrard has become in the last year. Hughes would fight every ball...he hated losing big time...his head would not drop for more than a couple of seconds.

 

Like Gerrard, he could hit a ball harder, more accurately and from greater distance than anyone else around at the time. Peter Lorimer of Leeds could belt a ball, but often it went the way of a Jaap Stam penalty - Revie once offered Lorimer and as much as £200k (a fortune back then) in exchange for Hughes, Shanks of course, told him where to stick it. It's a shame more of Emlyn's goals have not survived on tape or DVD. I remember England against West Germany I think - when the Germans were World Champions circa '74, England were struggling to get out of their own half and mount a serious attack. Emlyn could be seen yelling at Tony Currie and others to pull their finger out, when, eventually frustrated, he got the ball in his own half and went for it - past a couple of German midfielders (he was a powerful, though not speedy runner), passed the single centreback and from 35 yards out hammered it - it struck the bar and shot about 30 yards up in the air as it went over. Sepp Meier, the German keeper had no idea what had just happened. 'Oh Emlyn Hughes! ' cried Barry Davies on the BBC 'Why don't you do that more often!' - you should come to anfield a bit more often Barry, I thought. Emlyn loved the club as much as Stevie Gerrard does, but was a bit more ambivalent about England where he thought others in the team didn't care as much as he did. He once called Maradonna a 'tosser' for not joining Liverpool when he was younger (others will know more about this than I do) and called Kevin Keegan the same for leaving when he did. When time was eventually called on him by Bob Paisley at Liverpool, he was beside himself, but not bitter - he went and capatained Wolves to their first trophy in a generation. I don't think they've won one since.

 

I have no idea what the 'real' Stephen Gerrard is like in the dressing rooms - word seems to be Carra, Moro and Xabi do most of the gee-ing up. But Stevie seems a well-liked captain. Emlyn was also a well liked captain - for a while. He made some bad judgement calls shall we say, which alienated him from some, Tommy Smith in particular hated him and still does in memoriam. All that would take far too long to go into and I for one don't want to rake a dead LFC hero's ashes over.

 

I was fortunate enough to see his first game and his last, and almost all those in between - including his testemonial which on a cold (and if I remember right - damp) night, still drew an appropriately large crowd.

 

A mixed bag of a human being (aren't we all?), he will always be a true anfield legend for me and my generation.

Edited May 21, 2006 by fyds

[Bjarkinn]

Thought long and hard about this one - yes, very often he was as inspirational as Gerrard, but not in the same 'do everything' way, but in the 'up-and-at-'em/no-surrender' way - in that, he was always what Gerrard has become in the last year. Hughes would fight every ball...he hated losing big time...his head would not drop for more than a couple of seconds.

 

Like Gerrard, he could hit a ball harder, more accurately and from greater distance than anyone else around at the time. Peter Lorimer of Leeds could belt a ball, but often it went the way of a Jaap Stam penalty - Revie once offered Lorimer and as much as £200k (a fortune back then) in exchange for Hughes, Shanks of course, told him where to stick it. It's a shame more of Emlyn's goals have not survived on tape or DVD. I remember England against West Germany I think - when the Germans were World Champions circa '74, England were struggling to get out of their own half and mount a serious attack. Emlyn could be seen yelling at Tony Currie and others to pull their finger out, when, eventually frustrated, he got the ball in his own half and went for it - past a couple of German midfielders (he was a powerful, though not speedy runner), passed the single centreback and from 35 yards out hammered it - it struck the bar and shot about 30 yards up in the air as it went over. Sepp Meier, the German keeper had no idea what had just happened. 'Oh Emlyn Hughes! ' cried Barry Davies on the BBC 'Why don't you do that more often!' - you should come to anfield a bit more often Barry, I thought. Emlyn loved the club as much as Stevie Gerrard does, but was a bit more ambivalent about England where he thought others in the team didn't care as much as he did. He once called Maradonna a 'tosser' for not joining Liverpool when he was younger (others will know more about this than I do) and called Kevin Keegan the same for leaving when he did. When time was eventually called on him by Bob Paisley at Liverpool, he was beside himself, but not bitter - he went and capatained Wolves to their first trophy in a generation. I don't think they've won one since.

 

I have no idea what the 'real' Stephen Gerrard is like in the dressing rooms - word seems to be Carra, Moro and Xabi do most of the gee-ing up. But Stevie seems a well-liked captain. Emlyn was also a well liked captain - for a while. He made some bad judgement calls shall we say, which alienated him from some, Tommy Smith in particular hated him and still does in memoriam. All that would take far too long to go into and I for one don't want to rake a dead LFC hero's ashes over.

 

I was fortunate enough to see his first game and his last, and almost all those in between - including his testemonial which on a cold (and if I remember right - damp) night, still drew an appropriately large crowd.

 

A mixed bag of a human being (aren't we all?), he will always be a true anfield legend for me and my generation.

 

 

Cheers for an excellent answer, seems to me that he was one hell of a lad

Edited May 21, 2006 by Bjarkinn

[Guest Terry Mc]

was he as inspirational as Gerrard?

 

Much more.

[Guest AndyM17]

Can't add too much more to what has been said about a great leader and a great man.

 

Still remember him scoring at Goodison(when we were allowed thousands of fans behind the goal) into raptures. Just remember the place going wild.

 

Great days, great memories.

 

Just a true legend!

[Guest ziggystardust]

great great player, terrible person

[Guest Terry Mc]

terrible person

 

If you're going to say that about one of our greatest ever legends, then you need to explain yourself.

Edited May 21, 2006 by Terry Mc

[anny road]

he was a great great player.....hard as nails.....different in style to a gerrard or a souness

 

 

I peronally dot this he was up there with those two, but thats not degarding him at all he was a great red

 

as for the personal bit...I think his open support of the Tories grated a bit on sum, esp during the 80's when Liverpool was in decline and had dit hard times

[Beardsley]

Good read that, fyds. Brought back some old, feel-good memories.

Emlyn is my all time greatest player - because, as you said, he hated loosing and the never say die approach to the game.

[Guest redmilky]

I've wondered for a while why he didn't get anywhere near the respect/kudos/mentions that other big players for us have. I assume its just the politics but i'd be happy to hear anything else if someone wanted to tell me.

[hideNseek]

Crazy Horse was defo crazy. A bit similar to Tommy Smith in being a right wing bell end. But you can't take away his ability and inspiration to the team. Someone above said he had better players around him, which was true. Fortunately Rafa is slowly but surely making sure Stevie G has better players around him.

 

Mind John Barnes gets all the plaudits and he's a Tory too.

[Guest redmilky]

Incidentally - 650 games to his name for us plus - Four League championships (72/73, 75/76, 76/77, 78/79), the FA Cup (73/74), two UEFA Cups (72/73, 75/76) and two European Cups (76/77, 77/78).

[kop205]

If you're going to say that about one of our greatest ever legends, then you need to explain yourself.

 

I think we all know the reasons why there are question marks for many people about Hughes as a person.

 

People hardly need to explain themselves for referring to that, vecause it isn't as if there is anyhting new to add - though at the same time, people hardly need to go raking up his failings again every time there is a thread discussing his on-pitch merits.

 

I'm too young to have seen Hughes, but have thought for a few years that, on the bais of what I've watched on video, heard, read, etc, that he is possibly the player whom Gerrard most closely resembles in many ways.

[Guest Terry Mc]

I think we all know the reasons why there are question marks for many people about Hughes as a person.

 

What, because of his opinions about us over the years when we were s***?

 

Hansen still does it now and he's treated like a god.

[kop205]

What, because of his opinions about us over the years when we were s***?

 

Hansen still does it now and he's treated like a god.

 

No, f*** all to do with that, more a mix of the open secret that a number of his team mates didn't like him, his politics grating with probably the majority of the fans, even down to things like his embarrasing TV appearances. And yes, I know that all of those things could apply equally to other past players but that isn't the point. The point is that those are the reasons why Hughes is disliked by some and there is nothing to be said about this that people don't already know.

 

The original comment about him being a 'terrible person' whilst possibly true, was uneccessary. But equally, there is no point asking him to justify that since it then takes the thread away from what it was meant to be about - Hughes the player. I know I've gone off topic, but only to ask that we stay on topic, if you see what I mean!

 

More posts like the fyds please.

[Guest Terry Mc]

No, f*** all to do with that, more a mix of the open secret that a number of his team mates didn't like him, his politics grating with probably the majority of the fans, even down to things like his embarrasing TV appearances.

 

You're talking crap. None of those mean he was a terrible person.

Edited May 21, 2006 by Terry Mc

[Rich Gobey]

Hughes was not a "terrible person" FFS. maybe his politics and profile got on peoples nerves but thats hardly enough to describe him as "terrible". he never killed anyone or stole from or raped anyone to my best knowledge. try reserving words like terrible for those who deserve it.

 

i never found him embarrasing on telly either, just a bit full on. no worse than kris akabusi!

[kop205]

You're talking crap. None of those mean he was a terrible person.

 

Put the f***ing goggles back on Momo and read what I actually posted.

 

I didn't say that he was a terrible person - in fact, I actually said that the comment that he was a 'terrible person' was totally unneccesary in the context of this thread.

 

The fact still stands, whether you agree with it or not, that the things I referred to are the reasons why many people have reservations about Hughes as a person. The lad chose to describe him as 'terrible' - fine, we can say that his choice of words was OTT but we know what he meant and it is pointless asking him to justify it when all he is going to do is tell usn thigs we knew already - that Smith thought he was a snide and a snitch, that he taodied up to Thatcher and her chums etc etc etc.

 

Somehow I've allowed you to succeed in dragging this thread away from Hughes the player. That would be a topic that there would be fairly unanimous agreement about and maybe it wouldn't satisfy your apparent need for an argument, but since that is what the thread was about then that will be the topic of my future posts herein.

 

My favourite Hughes memory is simply how happy he looked in Rome in 1977.

[Guest Marshy]

I've always been a bit of a leftie myself but i'll never let his voting for the tories cloud the fact he was one of our greatest ever players and a true Anfield legend - great person. I think you'll find a lot of our legends and footballers in general of the 70's/80's were Tory supporters.

[Guest Terry Mc]

I loved that big smile of his, and those elasticated arms up in the air after he'd scored.

 

He loved every minute of it.

[Guest ziggystardust]

[fyds]

There are personal issues around Emlyn that are nothing to do with media profile or politics - more to do with personal conduct but as has been said, even if some posters do not know about these issues, this is neither the time nor place.

 

The fact is he was a truly great player for us for just over 12 years, hardly missed a game, never gave less than the full measure and was inspirational and a leader on the field. He remained a fighter to the end.

 

As he's now gone, I choose to remember him that way.