Legends of the Red

By Emerald Gao
Written on October 6, 2006

The "100 Players Who Shook the Kop" series is finally over, and although the top five are generally accurate (though I'd place Rush ahead of Gerrard, and Hansen ahead of Barnes), there were some unpleasant surprises. I'm a nostalgic freak, so the fact that Luis Garcia made the list ahead of Phil Thompson is a bit displeasing, to be perfectly honest. I understand that the list was supposed to reflect the players who created the most excitement amongst Liverpool fans, but I'm still a little uncomfortable at some of the placement.

I can rattle off my top eight without any problems: Dalglish, Rush, Gerrard, Fowler, Hansen, Souness, Barnes, Hughes, Liddell. Had I voted based on the players I've actually seen play a full game, Barnes, Hughes, and Liddell might have been replaced by Owen, Lawro, and someone else, but it's the principle, the mythos that these players have created, and the fact that their names are still whispered with reverence amongst Kopites today is probably enough justification, whether or not you've actually seen them play.

That brings me to another topic. You see players who have been at the club for 13, 14, nearly 20 years, and that's hardly ever the case today. Certainly, after Souness left as manager, there was a growing unrest and instability at the club, which perhaps didn't foster (or value) loyalty as much, or at least certainly not as much as in the 70s and 80s. There was the Spice Boys debacle, and then Houllier's failed French experiments (some of whom we're still trying to offload).

In contrast, King Kenny, Jocky, Rush, Thommo, and a whole slew of others were not only fantastic footballers, but also huge servants of the club, dedicating the bulk of their careers to Liverpool. Sure, there was the incentive of almost-guaranteed success, and the club was more Scottish than Scouse in the 80s, but not many people could argue that those players didn't also love the club back. Today we've got maybe Carragher, Hyypia, and Gerrard who could fit into that category. (You could also name Robbie Fowler, since he was sold against his will, or the Kaiser, at a stretch.) But we're slowing getting back to that place where the backbone is indelible, untouchable, and we're starting to see hints of whatever's been hidden away since 1989.

So if there's one thing the "100 players" reminds us of -- not that many people really needed reminding in the first place -- it's that although so many players have come and gone throughout the years, there's never been a lack of star power, even in the dreadful 90s, and maybe it's time to break out of our shell. With the new stadium plans in place, it's even more imperative that the club win one last title at the legendary Anfield, before they pack up for Stanley Park to forge some new and glorious history.

This really wasn't supposed to be so long. I guess I just miss the club, a little. This is pretty priceless though:

Gerrard's promising football career was almost brought an abrupt halt as a teenager following an accident with a garden fork.

Eh, Stevie?

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