Topic: Liverpool's Best Ever Jersey No. Xs

[Wingman]

Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler, Nicolas Anelka, El Hadji Diouf, Djibril Cissé, Fernando Torres, Andy Carroll, Iago Aspas, Rickie Lambert, Christian Benteke

This 'Number 9' shirt really is a bit hit and miss, isn't it?

16 was my 'lucky number' that I always used to knab for Sunday league/Youth games for some reason. Didi Hamman...

As good as Fowler was, Rushie has to get the 9

[Crouch Potato]

I think the "nailed on" players for me would have to be:

1. Ray Clemence
2. Phil Neal
6. Alan Hansen
7. Kenny Dalglish
8. Steven Gerrard
9. Ian Rush
10. John Barnes

I think most of the other low numbers can be debated but imho these are stonewall certainties for best ever in these numbered shirts.

[Kenny's Jacket]

Yes. Has to be.

I was actually asking the question?  A bit tongue in cheek as Robbie is more associated with 9 than 23, but he was still great as a young kid wearing 23.   

His 4 minute Arsenal hat trick was in No 23 shirt. 

[Alf Garnett!]

I think the "nailed on" players for me would have to be:

1. Ray Clemence
2. Phil Neal
6. Alan Hansen
7. Kenny Dalglish
8. Steven Gerrard
9. Ian Rush
10. John Barnes

http://youtu.be/mU9-3gv0K84

As good as Hansen was..

[Crouch Potato]

http://youtu.be/mU9-3gv0K84

As good as Hansen was..

Afraid i was just a bit too young to catch the best of Emlyn's career, but Hansen was definitely the best CB i can remember seeing.

[Kenny's Jacket]

I feel sorry for our younger fans when I see things like this. Make no mistake, Michael Owen was a very good player for us. But by putting him there I've got to come to the conclusion that you never saw John Barnes (1987-91 version).

John Barnes is probably the most exciting player I've seen for Liverpool over the last 30 odd years. Maybe he isn't the best (Gerrard) player to have played over that period but he's the most exciting. Only Suarez for his final 18 months can even get remotely close to him.

John Barnes was unbelievable in that 1987-1991 time period. 75 goals in his 1st 4 season from midfield (Suarez scored 82 goals over his 4 years at the club). God knows how many assist he got over that time period. He wasn't some lazy winger either who came to life when he had the ball. John Barnes was defensively sound too. He worked so hard to protect his full back too. Brilliant with both feet, boss in the air. The really wasn't anything he couldn't do. I can only remember 1 mistake he made in those 4 years.

If John Barnes was playing now he'd be at the same level as Messi and Ronaldo. The way the game has gone over the last 20 years, he'd have more protection and his skill set would be magnified in the modern game. He'd be the 1st 100M player. He'd be scoring 30-40 goals a season from midfield.

He was fucking boss was John Barnes and I feel sorry for any Liverpool fan that didn't get to witness his brilliance.

Whatever mate.  No 10 = Andriy Voroonin. 

[kavah]

When did they start wearing numbers on their backs?

[campioni]

Only number 19 I can even remember is Ryan Babel....

Maybe its a curse. Once we get a decent number 19, we'll win number 19.

How could you forget Downing?! Maybe you're right about a curse.

http://youtu.be/mU9-3gv0K84

As good as Hansen was..

He didn't half score some belters!

[Alf Garnett!]

He didn't half score some belters!

Could play anywhere across the back 4 comfortably & in midfield where he often looked Gerrardesque.

Makes him stand out from others,what a player-one of my top 5 legends.

[campioni]

Could play anywhere across the back 4 comfortably & in midfield where he often looked Gerrardesque.

Makes him stand out from others,what a player-one of my top 5 legends.

Before my time, but as soon as Hansen was mentioned as number 6 I knew there would be shouts for Hughes to take that number.

What we'd give for a player like that in the squad now.

[stewy17]

Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler, Nicolas Anelka, El Hadji Diouf, Djibril Cissé, Fernando Torres, Andy Carroll, Iago Aspas, Rickie Lambert, Christian Benteke

This 'Number 9' shirt really is a bit hit and miss, isn't it?

16 was my 'lucky number' that I always used to knab for Sunday league/Youth games for some reason. Didi Hamman...

Might be hit and miss recently but throw in Hunt (did he wear 9?), Toshack(?), St John, Heighway and Aldridge and you're not doing too badly.

Owen and Garcia being mentioned as best ever no. 10 is fucking mind boggling tho!

[Kenny's Jacket]

Might be hit and miss recently but throw in Hunt (did he wear 9?), Toshack(?), St John, Heighway and Aldridge and you're not doing too badly.

Owen and Garcia being mentioned as best ever no. 10 is fucking mind boggling tho!

Aldridge was No 8. Houghton wore 9 in those days. 

[stewy17]

Aldridge was No 8. Houghton wore 9 in those days. 

Yeah, don't think I've checked half of them out to be fair. Sure they all wore it at some point...

[Timbo's Goals]

throw in Hunt (did he wear 9?),

 


You mean SIR ROGER HUNT - who will always own the number 8 shirt and was of course the reason Aldo requested it

 

[Andy]

37. Martin Skrtel

Jari Litmanen!

[Timbo's Goals]

When did they start wearing numbers on their backs?

Not sure but back in the 50's and '60's the numbers did actually mean something and still does to us old fogeys - not that all you youngsters give two fucks about it like

 

[Kenny's Jacket]

You mean SIR ROGER HUNT - who will always own the number 8 shirt and was of course the reason Aldo requested it

 

Were numbers a lot more rigid in those days mate?

[Timbo's Goals]

Okay, I guess this is the best way to present it

Shankly's Supermen - Liverpool's greatest ever side

1. Tommy Lawrence [goalie]
2. Chris Lawler [Right back]
3. Gerry Byrne [Left back]
4. Gordon Milne [Right half]
5. Rowdy Yeats [Centre half]
6. Willie Stevenson [Left half]
7. Ian Callaghan [Outside right]
8. Sir Roger [Inside right]
9. St John [Centre Forward]
10. Tommy Smith [Inside left deployed as twin centre half]
11. Peter Thompson [Outside left]

 

Just to be clear it played week in week out as a basic 4-2-4 formation but it became a totally fluid arrangement depending upon the demands of each particular game and because each player in the team was just so fucking outstandingly good and reliable - with Cally, Smithy, Milne, Stevo and Lawler also so able to take up different roles and covering duties without so much as blinking an eye. I should also throw Geoff Strong into the mix who was the complete utility player usually deputising for Gordon milne in the number 4 position but equally at home in the back four or as centre forward.

I guess only those who witnessed them really know just how amazing that team was but younger folks really should take the time and trouble to research if they can. Forinstance I bang on about Tommy Smith as the outstanding footballer not just in that eleven but arguably in the entire pantheon of Liverpool players I've seen. In the twin centre back role he played in the mid Sixties I put him right at the very top in terms of all round ability shown in a red shirt right alongside Liddell, Keegan, Kenny, Souness, Barnesey, Gerrard and Suarez as the very top of the range world class players we've boasted.

Many fans who saw him only through the 70's as he was shunted to full back are unaware of just how immense a player he was in that mid sixties period both destructively and creatively. For that period he was effectively a one man team. Whoever he played against, he bossed. Totally. Domestic or European games Tommy ruled over whoever he was up against [I'm leaving out the joke in the fog over in Amsterdam] and once his dominance was established he'd proceed to provide the springboard for a huge chunk of our finest attacking play with his surges from the back into the opposition half.

An incredible player. If I was picking a team to represent the club then Tommy Smith would without question be the first and most important outfield name on the team sheet followed closely by Liddell, Keegan, Kenny and Luis up front with Barnesy, Souness and Gerrard just behind. And that would be it. We wouldn't need any more than those eight to win every game they played.

Timbo - rambling like fuck.

 

[Timbo's Goals]

Were numbers a lot more rigid in those days mate?

Totally.

[bird_lfc]

As good as Fowler was, Rushie has to get the 9

Due to my age, I'm only really old enough to remember Fowler in his final year before Leeds (and his return) so I have to opt for Torres.

Gutted I missed out on Rushie.

[Kenny's Jacket]

Jari Litmanen!

Good shout. However I think we didnt use him enough

[Scouser-Tommy]

Number 17...

Maxi Rodriguez or Craig Bellamy?

Bellamy also had number 39 on his second stint at us like.

[Penfold78]

 I love this thread. It's going to be defined by your age as much as anything. Born in 1978 I have to go with:

 10. Barnes
 23. Fowler
 4. Nicol
 17. Gerrard
 7. Suarez (bit cheeky given the choices available but having watched the 87/88 YouTube clip I've got to confess that the game has become a lot harder as time has moved on, certainly with regard to how much space you get and how fit the refs are  ).

 Honourable mentions go to my other favourite players Hansen, McMahon, McManaman, Hyypia, Riise, Alonso, Beardsley and Alrdridge. At the risk of causing a RAWK meltdown I also have 11. Giggs on my piece of paper. I watched him regularly when he played for Wales at the Arms Park. If he'd have been a LFC player we'd have a few more titles for certain. Apologies for any offence to some of our more sensitive RAWKites.

[SP]

Numbers 2 to 11:
http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=254663.0

[Carlito Roberto]

I feel sorry for our younger fans when I see things like this. Make no mistake, Michael Owen was a very good player for us. But by putting him there I've got to come to the conclusion that you never saw John Barnes (1987-91 version).

John Barnes is probably the most exciting player I've seen for Liverpool over the last 30 odd years. Maybe he isn't the best (Gerrard) player to have played over that period but he's the most exciting. Only Suarez for his final 18 months can even get remotely close to him.

John Barnes was unbelievable in that 1987-1991 time period. 75 goals in his 1st 4 season from midfield (Suarez scored 82 goals over his 4 years at the club). God knows how many assist he got over that time period. He wasn't some lazy winger either who came to life when he had the ball. John Barnes was defensively sound too. He worked so hard to protect his full back too. Brilliant with both feet, boss in the air. The really wasn't anything he couldn't do. I can only remember 1 mistake he made in those 4 years.

If John Barnes was playing now he'd be at the same level as Messi and Ronaldo. The way the game has gone over the last 20 years, he'd have more protection and his skill set would be magnified in the modern game. He'd be the 1st 100M player. He'd be scoring 30-40 goals a season from midfield.

He was fucking boss was John Barnes and I feel sorry for any Liverpool fan that didn't get to witness his brilliance.

Spot on absolute pleasure to have witnessed the brilliance of Barnes growing up, the man was a genius.

[Kenny's Jacket]

Spot on absolute pleasure to have witnessed the brilliance of Barnes growing up, the man was a genius.

One of my favourite games was the QPR game.  He was something else for 3 years.

[Timbo's Goals]

Numbers 2 to 11:
http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=254663.0

My old fella went back as far as Elisha.

Elisha and Billy Liddell were his all time favourites who he used to tell me were the finest he ever saw in a red shirt. Tommy Smith was that good, however, that even my old fella, for all his devotion to Elisha and Billy, used to say Smithy was in the same bracket as those two. He later said similar things about Keegan and Dalglish. He died before Barnesey arrived but Im sure he'd have bracketed Barnesy and later Luis and Stevie G in the same company.

[Kenny's Jacket]

My old fella went back as far as Elisha.

Elisha and Billy Liddell were his all time favourites who he used to tell me were the finest he ever saw in a red shirt. Tommy Smith was that good, however, that even my old fella, for all his devotion to Elisha and Billy, used to say Smithy was in the same bracket as those two. He later said similar things about Keegan and Dalglish. He died before Barnesey arrived but Im sure he'd have bracketed Barnesy and later Luis and Stevie G in the same company.

Who is your favourite goalie please? 

[Jookie]

Spot on absolute pleasure to have witnessed the brilliance of Barnes growing up, the man was a genius.

He sure was.

I wrote that post because I genuinely think he's under rated by a lot of people. Maybe because his international form didn't match his scintillating domestic form. Maybe because he didn't get to play European football at the peak of his powers.

During that 1987-1991 period the only player in European Football to be better than him was Diego Maradona. There's no shame in that. Particularly as Maradona is potentially the greatest footballer ever. In a perverse way it would have been great to see how Barnes would have fared in Serie A during the late 80's and early 90's. For me, Serie A during that period is by far the toughest domestic league there has ever been. There was absolute quality throughout the top 8-12 teams. I'm being genuine when I think Messi, Suarez and Ronaldo would have struggled to score 20 league goals a season in Serie A at that time (to be fair someone as good as Marco van Basten only broke the 20 goal barrier once in a 6 year spell)

I have no doubt that John Barnes would have tore it to shreds though. He was too good not to.

[FlashingBlade]

]
5. Rowdy Yeats [Centre half]

My first ever 'football shirt' was a red T shirt and my mum sowed on a Liverpool oval badge and number 5 on the back...my first Liverpool hero. I recall running down the street to play football with my mates, proud as punch.

You can have a great discussion on who 'owned' a shirt number 1 to 11 , but the scope of that discussion ends about 20 years ago, with the exception of Gerrard.

The current lot and for some years are just 'tennants'

[Timbo's Goals]

Who is your favourite goalie please? 

I should back my old fella's judgement about Elisha on that but having witnessed Clemmo in the flesh so many times I can only go for him. I can still recall his first goal kick which struggled to make the halfway line. he really struggled with that for a while but as a keeper for me he was at the same level as Jennings, Southall and Schmeichel and just a notch below Banksie.

[Alf Garnett!]

John Barnes was an absolute world beater.

Amazing talent,he had to be to keep me from selecting this fella ahead of him!

http://youtu.be/2UsarlBYhTQ

There are many 'worldies'..when asked,i always pick out Terry Mc's @ 1min 20secs in this vid.

[Timbo's Goals]

My first ever 'football shirt' was a red T shirt and my mum sowed on a Liverpool oval badge and number 5 on the back...my first Liverpool hero. I recall running down the street to play football with my mates, proud as punch.

You can have a great discussion on who 'owned' a shirt number 1 to 11 , but the scope of that discussion ends about 20 years ago, with the exception of Gerrard.

The current lot and for some years are just 'tennants'

 

It's forever emblazoned on my mind the way he used run onto the pitch leading the team carrying the ball in both hands and then reach the penalty box and give a leap in the air as if to say to the watching Kop that "no fucker is going to win a header against me today". Then the saint would begin his keepy up tricks right in front of us with his compulsory balancing it on his back between his shoulder blades with the crowd savouring every successful juggle and jeering every dropped attempt. It's only now looking back you realise just how unique and priceless those days were.

[Kenny's Jacket]

He sure was.

I wrote that post because I genuinely think he's under rated by a lot of people.

I think hes only under-rated by non Liverpool fans.  Thats likely to be based on England not getting the best from him.
I remember him getting booed v San Marino. Whilst I felt for Barnes as a fellow man, I wasnt bothered. If moronic ingerlund fans dont appreciate him then fine, we can just love him more. 

The Euro ban also added to this. However the likes of Platini and Finney recognised how good he was. 

[Timbo's Goals]

I think hes only under-rated by non Liverpool fans.   

Never mind barnesy, imagine how frustrating it is for the likes of myself and other 60's supporters when the greatness of the likes of Tommy Smith [the 60's version] and Kevin Keegan get such short shrift from younger Liverpool fans - even those who began watching in the early '80's.

You've only got to flick through this thread to see the blindspots and blinkers in this regard

[Zeppelin]

It's hard to judge how good some of the older players were - my own match going takes in the tail end of the Shankly's first great team of the 60s and there is TV footage giving an idea of how good those players were, but if you go back a bit further, you only rely on memories and handed down stories. My late grandfather saw his first game in 1909 (the 6-5 v Newcastle!), and followed the reds widely through the 20s and 30s. I can remember him telling me about the likes of Elisha Scott, Eph Longworth and Harry Chambers, but I've no idea how good they actually were. In the current climate of blanket coverage of every game from muliple angles, we are all experts on every player, but even as recently as the 1980s there were great games and goals that were never shown on TV. There is bound to be an emphasis on the modern players because of this - after all, how many Liverpool fans have even heard of someone like Billy Dunlop (363 games, 2 goals from 1894-1909), let alone would put him forward as our greatest No 3?

BTW I agree with everything said about John Barnes - not only one of the best players ever to wear a red shirt, but someone who always backs Liverpool and can be relied on to speak sense.

[FlashingBlade]

It's forever emblazoned on my mind the way he used run onto the pitch leading the team carrying the ball in both hands and then reach the penalty box and give a leap in the air as if to say to the watching Kop that "no fucker is going to win a header against me today". Then the saint would begin his keepy up tricks right in front of us with his compulsory balancing it on his back between his shoulder blades with the crowd savouring every successful juggle and jeering every dropped attempt. It's only now looking back you realise just how unique and priceless those days were.

As I sat typing that I have a 60's style Liverpool Shirt hanging on the wall, with oval badge and No. 5 and signed by they great man himself whishing my a happy 50th!

[Kenny's Jacket]

Never mind barnesy, imagine how frustrating it is for the likes of myself and other 60's supporters when the greatness of the likes of Tommy Smith [the 60's version] and Kevin Keegan get such short shrift from younger Liverpool fans - even those who began watching in the early '80's.

You've only got to flick through this thread to see the blindspots and blinkers in this regard

Im 39 but I cant speak for all the "youngsters"   

I didnt think Tommy Smith is under rated.  You may get some on here saying their favorite full back was Neal, or Rob Jones, but thats an age thing. A guy earlier in the thread had Torres at 9.  Hes probably in his 20s

As for Kegan, there may be an element of Liverpool fans viewing him as an outsider. A bit like Michael Owen.  Ive never liked owen as a person, and that was a long time before he signed for them lot. 

You dont have to be scouse to be a good red and I get the impression a lot of people dont view Keegan as a good red.  Maybe Im wrong, but thats the impression I get. I think also the fact he was replaced by Kenny who is unequivocally adored adds to this.

 

[FlashingBlade]

With regard to Barnes, he was unique in a way, a 100% team player with mecurial talents, that some players would use in a selfish way to better themselves, he used for the betterment of the team ( if that makes sense!)

I recall the Coventry game away, only our second I think we won 4-1 and it was his first explosive game that we came use to and the Guardian said we played with 'elan' ....I had to look it up.

Great player , Great man and for added bonus put to the sword the racist knobs who populated Anfield at the time

[RedVash]

23 Carragher