The Scousers In Our Team
ARTICLE WRITTEN BY: SUPERSUB
On 25th May 1967 (now there’s a date to trigger some memories) these men: Ronnie Simpson, Jim Craig, Tommy Gemmell, Bobby Murdoch, Billy McNeil (C), John Clark, Jimmy Johnstone, Willie Wallace, Stevie Chalmers, Bertie Auld and Bobby Lennox stepped onto a football pitch in Lisbon and beat Inter Milan 2-1 and became the team from the British Isles to win the European Cup.
What was truly remarkable about this achievement was that all but two of the fifteen man squad were born within 10 miles of their home ground in Glasgow. Celtic Park. Bobby Lennox was born 30 miles away in Saltcoats and Tommy Gemmell was born in Motherwell just 11 miles away. The Manager Jock Stein was born in Hamilton just over 9 miles away from Celtic Park.
Exactly 10 years later, 9 Englishmen, including 4 scousers, a Welshman and an Irishman (sounds like the start of a joke) would step onto a football pitch in Rome and beat the Wonderfully named Borussia Monchengladbach 3-1 and bring the European Cup back to Liverpool for the first time, the first of many.
Going back to Celtic though it was an amazingly unique achievement and something that will almost certainly never be achieved by any other team anywhere. With footballers from all over the planet playing for football teams in the European leagues it’s become more and more difficult for local players to “rise through the ranks” and establish themselves in their local football team.
Right now we’ve got Trent Alexander Arnold and Curtis Jones as the two established Scousers in the team and over the years the City of Liverpool has produced some very fine footballers indeed.
So what would an all Scouse team look like if we could choose from all the Scousers who have worn the famous red shirt at some stage over the years?
For the purposes of this exercise, I’ve decided to only include the players who have played for us since Shanks became manager in December 1959. I’ve also decided to narrow it down to those players who were born on the “proper” side of the Mersey and in an area which would now have an L postcode.
I’ve also not put too much emphasis on right foot/left foot, exact usual playing position, tactical formation/position etc. etc. but just chosen 11 players and 3 subs who fit the above criteria and in my opinion, would make up a pretty decent, fairly well balanced, footie team.
So here we go, here we go, here we go….
Goalkeeper: This is the easiest position to fill. For a club that up until 1982 anyway, had a telegram address of Goalkeeper Anfield there’s been a real lack of choice when it comes to a local born goalkeeper. The only one I can find is Billy Molineux who was born in Ormskirk (L39) and made just the one appearance for Liverpool in the 1964/65 season. So he is my choice by default. Does anyone know of any other possibilities for GK ?
Defence: Now this is where it becomes just that little bit more subjective. In the end I decided to go for a back 4 of: Chris Lawler, Tommy Smith, Jamie Carragher and Gerry Byrne. So no place for Trent I can hear the shouts from here, but he is my choice for sub. for the defence so that might appease some.
Midfield: Probably the most difficult positions to fill but, after a prolonged period of cosideration, I went for a midfield three of Terry McDermott, Steven Gerrard and Jimmy Case. The sub for midfield is Steve McMahon with honourable mentions for Curtis Jones (close for the subs position with McMahon) little Sammy Lee and Ronnie Moran.
Forwards: I did actually try to find some balance here and choose 3 who would complement the midfielders. In the end I decided to go for Robbie Fowler, John Aldridge and Ian Callaghan. Steve McManaman was considered but in the end there was only one choice i could make really…
So the team would be:
Molineux,
Lawler, Smith, Carragher, Btyrne
Fowler, Aldridge, Callaghan
Subs: TAA – McMahon – Fairclough (in case you hadn’t guessed)
Thoughts? How would these lads get on against an all Scottish11…? ?
Just a few additional thoughts about the selections from SuperSub…….
Molineux;
I’ve said all I know about him really. No choice. Sorry mate, no offence meant. 🙂
Lawler;
Always there…. Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith etc etc. The Silent Knight.
Quite a goal scorer too. Might do a write up on this guy himself if people want…??
Fascinating bloke.
Smith;
Dunno what more you can be said about Tommy Smith really. When he was on that pitch, he defined Liverpool. Possibly the 2nd most ‘Scouse’ person EVER…
(we all know who’s numero uno there. 😉
Carragher;
Again, not much to say really. You all know him.
Byrne;
One of Shanks’s favourite ever players & one that me Grandad used to go on about more than any other. Best remembered for the 1965 FA cup final. Never saw him play but, even now, I’m not gonna argue with Shanks & me Grandad.
McDermott;
Crackin perm & muzzie la…!! Terry Mac. Nutcase.
Gerrard;
It’s all been said before really.
Case;
He could get stuck in could Jimmy. Not quite at Souness level, but not far away either.
Crackin player.
Fowler;
Another I could blab on about for ages, but don’t really need to.
Aldridge
No superlative’s too much for Aldo. Gets a bit excited on the arl commentary sometimes tho.
Callaghan
Cally…. another of Shankly’s favourite sons. 857 appearances for Liverpool (1960-1978).
EIGHT hundred & fifty seven…..!!!!!
Subs;
TAA
Close call with Lawler, but experience won the day.
McMahon;
Ditto really….Him & Curtis was nearly 50/50.
McManaman;
I WISH I could think of this guy & not immediately think of the Armani suits….. Crackin player tho..
Recommended reading:
Celtic’s Smiler: The Neillie Mochan Story. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5539538/
‘Thursday, May 25, 1967 – the day that history was made in Lisbon’ Story https://www.celticfc.com/news/12691/
The Three Kings https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13519396/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
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