So, for the past 21 days you'll have read (and I'm sure you'll have enjoyed) some fantastic pieces about some fantastic players who have played for this fantastic club written by the Writers and Scribes of RAWK. I hope that this 22nd piece about one of my favourite ever players lives up to the 21 that have gone before it. My piece is about the 'arl fella who turned up, played 87 games and left his mark on the history of this great club.
Gary McAllister MBE
"He's got no hair but we don't care Gary, Gary Mac"<![CDATA[<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/4Fco9YpJDvQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/4Fco9YpJDvQ</a>]]>You might wonder why I've chosen Gary McAllister to write about, and if that's the case then I'm about to tell you why! I was born in 1987 so in 2001 I was at the age where football means more to you than it did previously. I grew up as a youngster watching a pretty average Liverpool side, so when 2001 came around and Liverpool were winning things, it was brilliant. Getting to travel to semi-finals and finals was alien to me (I remember watching the '95 League Cup win on TV, but I didn't really appreciate it at that time), so 2001 was great for me. Obviously, some of the men you'll have read about (and will read about in the next few days) will have played many more games for Liverpool, and a lot of them will have won more medals, but writing this piece for me brings back some great memories of the 2001 treble winning season and I don't think we'd have won those trophies without Gary Mac.
In a modern footballing culture that seems obsessed with young players, 'Moneyball' and potential sell-on fees, I doubt very much if we'll ever see a side with title-ambitions bringing in a 35 year old on a free transfer, unless of course it is in the goalkeeping position, where 35 looks to be a young age! In tough financial times, most clubs seem keen to invest in youth, while experienced pro's tend to fly off to China, America or the Middle East looking to earn vast amounts of money before riding off into the world of celebrity. I doubt you'll see many clubs with title aspirations making such a signing in the near future that's for sure.
It's hard to believe that it was over twelve years ago when Gerard Houllier brought in some 35 year old baldy 'arl fella to play for Liverpool, but that's how long it's been since Gary McAllister arrived at Anfield on a Bosman transfer from Coventry City. While nobody could question Gary's ability, some questioned why Gerard Houllier deemed it worthwhile to bring in a 35 year old centre midfield player when the squad already had good options in that position. However, 87 games and nine goals later it became clear how important a signing it was; as Houllier himself put it, Gary Mac was his "most inspirational signing".
"When Gary McAllister joined Liverpool, I was not alone in the dressing room in wondering what Gerard [Houllier, the manager] was doing. He seemed an odd buy. OK, he was once a terrific midfielder for Leeds United and Scotland, but McAllister was now thirty-five, his best days surely behind him … I rang my agent, Struan Marshall, who knew McAllister well. 'Stru, what's all this about?' I asked. "'Don't worry, Stevie,' replied Struan, 'Gary Mac will be brilliant for Liverpool, and for you as well. Listen to him. Learn from him.' 'Sod off, Stru' I said. 'McAllister can learn off me!' How wrong I was." -
Steven Gerrard - My Autobiography.
It's also hard to believe that he was only at Anfield for two seasons, yet Gary became a hero to Liverpool fans as part of the side which won five trophies in 2001. In fact, Gary was more that just 'part' of the team, he was one of the stand out players not only in that glorious couple of months, but beyond. Not many players can become legends in just two years but Gary Mac did. He had a calming presence in a very raw side, he provided the bit of class that a very dynamic team needed, and he's set-pieces were often a thing of beauty. He was also a big inspiration to our younger players off the pitch. He was known to be excellent in training, and the young players in the squad looked up to him. Steven Gerrard admitted that he would always try to be among the first to get to the team bus, "so I could sit next to McAllister, absorbing advice"
He scored some vital goals for Liverpool, such as the penalty against Barcelona in the UEFA Cup semi-final, or his goal in the UEFA Cup Final vs Alves, but the one Gary Mac moment that we all treasure the most was the winner in a highly competitive Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park in April 2001.
The game started brightly, Liverpool went ahead thanks to Emile Heskey before Duncan Ferguson levelled for Everton just before half time. Liverpool went ahead again thanks to a great breakaway goal tucked home by Marcus Babbel. Liverpool then missed a chance to put the game to bed when Robbie Fowler was fouled in the box by Richard Gough. Fowler dusted himself off and took the penalty himself, but it was saved by Paul Gerrard. Ivor Biscan was then sent off for Liverpool, and the disadvantage took its toll on the Reds as Everton got an equaliser from the penalty spot after Sami Hyypia was adjudged to have held down Duncan Ferguson by that idiot Jeff Winter. Then in stoppage time, Gegory Vignal was fouled mid-way inside the Everton half. As the referee turned his back, Gary Mac used his cunning to move the ball further forward, which proved to be vitally important. It seemed like a great chance for Liverpool to send a cross into the box, and that looked to be the plan when Gary McAllister used Sami Hyypia away to the back of the box. By doing so a big gap appeared and rather than send in a cross, McAllister went for goal and Paul Gerrard couldn't get across in time. It was such a great goal for so many reasons. Firstly, it was clever on McAllister's part to move the ball closer to goal as the referee turned away, and it was equally as clever to send Hyypia away from the near post to create a gap. Secondly, it took some bottle to go for goal. If he'd have messed it up, Liverpool fans and probably their manager would have been so upset that we'd wasted a great crossing oppertunity. Thirdly, it was technically beautiful. The way he bent the ball right into the corner was spectacular and finally, it was against Everton...in stoppage time..at Goodison...to win the Derby! Brilliant!
Gary Mac left Anfield on 13th May 2002 to take up the position of player/manager at his beloved Coventry City. He ended his Liverpool career with an emotional send-off with a substitute appearance in Liverpool's 5-0 win against Ipswich Town. He received a standing ovation from the Kop, which is rare for a man who only made 87 appearances for the club and he appreciated it:
"I'll never forget today and I'll never forget how good the fans have been to me during my time at Anfield. I will never forget today and I want to thank all the fans who gave me such a great ovation. They were immense. I thought I would get a decent reception but that surpassed all my wildest dreams. That sort of ovation is normally reserved for players who have won European Cups for a club. It was a brilliant day and it was nice to hear the Kop's humour at its best again when they were telling me to go back to Coventry."We loved how we got him on a free, we loved that we won all three, we loved his sweet roght foot, we loved his Dortmund pen, we loved his Bradford goal, we loved his Coventry goal, we loved his Spurs peno, we loved his Barca pen, we especially loved his Derby goal and we all loved his baldy head (especially us folically challenged fellas!). Plain and simple, we loved Gary Mac. He had no hair, but we didn't care.
It was great to see Gary Mac play for Liverpool, if only he came a few years earlier eh?
