Liverpool FC

With five European titles to their name, Liverpool FC is the most successful British football team in Europe. However, in the Premier League they have not fared as well over recent years, with their last League title coming in 1990.

Founded in May 1892 as a team to rival Everton, the first Liverpool squad enjoyed immediate success, winning the Second Division without losing a single game. This continued in the 1900-1901 season, as they won their first League title, a feat which has since been repeated no fewer than 18 times. It took them a lot longer to win the FA Cup though, as the trophy eluded the team from Anfield until 1965.

But it is their success in Europe which has made the club so respected across the continent. Their huge success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when they won four titles in eight years, provides some explanation as to why the club is regarded as one of the biggest in the world.

However, Liverpool has also been marred by tragedy. The world of football will never forget April 15th 1989, when 96 Liverpool fans lost their lives at Hillsborough in the FA Cup semi-final, a disaster which reshaped the rules surrounding stadium layouts across the country.

Recent history has been kinder, with the highlight of the last decade being the Champions League final in 2005. At 3-0 down to AC Milan, Liverpool fans were seen leaving the stadium. However, a fightback on an unprecedented scale saw them bring the score level and incredibly then secure their fifth European title on penalties.

With such great names passing through their ranks as Ian Rush, Kenny Dalgleish, Robbie Fowler and of course Steven Gerrard, Liverpool has produced, and continues to produce, some of the finest footballers in the world.

Anfield

The legendary Anfield stadium was built in 1884, not for Liverpool fans but for their arch rivals, Everton FC. However, in 1892 it became Liverpool’s ground, and has remained so ever since.

However, this is all going to change in the next few years. A new stadium is currently being built to house the club, and it should be open for business by 2011. It will be an emotional journey for many Liverpool fans, for whom Anfield has become more than just a stadium over the last century.

Anfield currently has a capacity of 45,362, although it was a lot more than this when standing was allowed. It is 111 x 74 yards and consists of four different stands: The Kop, Centenary Stand, Anfield Road End and Main Stand, which includes the Paddock Enclosure.

The Kop

The Kop is the most famous of all the stands at Anfield, and possibly in the country as a whole. It has built a reputation as one of the most passionate, noisy and entertaining places to watch football, with a die-hard group of fans at its core to give it that special status.

The name is an abbreviation of The Spion Kop, which comes from the name of a hill in Natal, South Africa. During the Second Boer War, hundreds of men from the Lancashire Regiment lost their lives in The Battle of Spion Kop, a large proportion of whom were from Liverpool, and the stand was named in honour of their memories.

It was built in 1906 at the Walton Breck Road End and was a reward for the club winning the league for the second time. It was an enormous structure, and was known as perhaps the largest single-tier stand anywhere in the world.

When a roof was added in 1928, its capacity was cut down to 28,000. When seating was made compulsory later in the century, this was reduced even further. However, despite its reduction in size over the years, it still remains the biggest single-tier structure in the country. The capacity of the stand is as follows:

• Capacity: 12,409
• Disabled: 9

Centenary Stand

Named after the centenary of the club in 1992, Centenary Stand is the second biggest structure at Anfield, seating a total of 12,000 fans.

It differs from the Kop in that it is made up of two tiers rather than one, and of course it does not have the atmosphere or passion that have become trademarks of the Kop over the years.

It is also here that you will find all of the executive boxes, which tend to host a rather different clientele. The capacities of each stand are as follows:

• Upper tier: 4,600
• Lower tier: 6,814
• Boxes: 348

Anfield Road End

Found at the end of the stadium directly opposite the Kop, Anfield Road End is the newest structure at Anfield. It is also the smallest, with a total capacity of 9,074. It is a two-tier stand, and is mainly used to house the away supporters on match days. The capacities are as follows:

• Upper tier: 2,654
• Lower tier: 6,814
• Disabled: 29

Main Stand / Paddock Enclosure

Main Stand is the oldest structure at Anfield, dating back to the very first days of the stadium's history. It also consists of the Paddock Enclosure, which is found at the bottom of the stand. Main Stand has a total capacity of 9,597, and Paddock Enclosure is much smaller with a capacity of 2,409.

This is where the commentators and the club directors are seated, and the changing rooms are found underneath the stand. The capacities of each section are as follows:

• Directors Box: 177
• Press Box: 54
• Disabled: 40
• Overall capacity: 12,277

Anfield facts and figures

According to the club fansite This is Anfield:

• The pitch is cut twice a week during the football season, and four times a week during the summer.
• The grass is one inch high during the season, and two inches high during the summer.
• Recent features to the ground include an improved playing surface, a new draining system and under-soil heating.
• There are 400-420 stewards working on a match day, along with 65 police, two paramedic teams, a doctor and 40 St. John’s Ambulance staff.
• The stadium also houses a police station, a fire warning system, four first aid rooms and three ambulances.

Getting to Anfield

By Train

If travelling by train, the nearest station to the stadium is Lime Street. You can walk from here to Anfield, but if you choose to take a taxi it should cost you about £5.

Alternatively, you can also travel to Sandhills Station on the Merseyrail Northern Line. The advantage of arriving here is that there is a bus provided on match days which goes directly to the ground. It runs for approximately two hours before kick off, and for 50 minutes after the match. A single journey costs 50p.

By Car

From the North

Travelling on the M6, leave at Junction 23 onto the A580. Drive for about 14 miles down the road, and then take the A5058 (Queen’s Drive) on the left, travelling towards Widnes. After half a mile on this road, turn right at the traffic lights into Arkles Lane. Carry on to the end of Arkles Lane, where you will find the stadium on the right.

From the South

Travelling on the M62, take the A5058 (Queen’s Drive). Carry on down this road for about three miles, and then turn left into Utting Avenue at the traffic lights. Travel under the railway bridge and into Arkles Lane. Carry on to the end of Arkles Lane, where you will find the stadium on the right.

From North Wales

From the M53 or the A41, go through one of the Mersey Tunnels. Take the A59 when you come out, and then follow signs for the A580. When you reach the junction, stick to the right and go onto the A580. After the traffic lights, turn right into Everton Valley and stick to the right. Go past the traffic lights, and keep to the right to go onto the A5089 (Walton Breck Road). Keep driving along this road, and the ground is on the left-hand side.

Tickets

There are a number of ways to purchase tickets for games, but different rules apply for each. For example, away games and European games are often not available to the public, but only to season ticket holders. For updates on ticket information, check the Official Club Website.

Credit Card Hotline

• Phone: 0844 844 0844
• International: +44 (0)870 220 2151

This is the main method of purchasing tickets for the games, with lines opening on the day that the tickets go on sale at 8.30am.

Each buyer is limited to a maximum of four tickets per person, and there is a 50p booking fee on each of them.

If the tickets are bought more than three days in advance then they will be posted to the buyer. If purchased within three days of the match, the buyer will have to pick them up from the main ticket office whilst presenting their credit card.

Online

As a general rule, all tickets go on sale 18 days before the match. If you are an e-season ticket holder, then you can buy these online, where 500 tickets are set aside. A small number of tickets also go online for the public to purchase, and are available through the club website.

Postal applications

If you wish to apply for a ticket by post, you can visit the Ticket Application Form on the club website, where you will need to print it out, fill in the details and send it. Like the other types of ticket, these are available 18 days before a fixture.

Cheques should be made payable to Liverpool Football Club, or you could also send in your credit card details. You will need to state the game and the stand for which you are applying. The address to send the applications to is:

• Liverpool Football Club Ticket Office
• PO Box 204
• Liverpool
• L69 4PQ

Ticket Office

The ticket office is located directly under the Kop. It opens 11 days before the game to sell tickets, but it is not a recommended way to purchase tickets, as many games will have already sold out by telephone orders before it has opened.

Getting Tickets - Away Games

Tickets for away games are primarily sold to season ticket holders. If the tickets are not sold out in this way, only then will they go on sale to the general public. However, this does not normally occur.

Getting Tickets - European Games

For European fixtures, home games are only available to season ticket holders and will be allocated according to previous attendance at games. To purchase a ticket for an away game, you need to be a Fancard holder.

Ticket Prices

Tickets are divided into Category A and Category B. Category A games are against the following opposition - Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Everton, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur - whereas Category B games encompass all other clubs.

Main Stand, Centenary Stand, Paddock Enclosure and Anfield Road

• Category A / B: £36.00 / £34.00
• Over 65 A / B: £27.00 / £25.50

The Kop

• Category A / B: £34.00 / £32.00
• Over 65 A / B: £25.50 / £24.00

Combined Adult & Child at Anfield Road

• Category A / B: £54.00 / £51.00

Disabled/Visually Impaired Fans - Ticket Prices

• Paddock Enclosure and Anfield Road (Category A / B): £27.00 / £25.50

• The Kop (Category A / B): £25.50 / £24.00

Concessions are available for children of 16 and under.

Customer Services

• Tel: 0844 844 2005

The telephone line is open:

• Monday to Wednesday: 8.15 to 17.30
• Thursday: 10.00 to 17.30
• Friday: 8.15 to 17.30

First team squad

‘’’3. Steve Finnan'''

• Date of Birth: 24/04/76
• Nationality: Irish

Finnan signed for Liverpool in the summer of 2003. Known by the fans as ‘Mr Reliable’, his solid presence at the back has seen him turn into a crowd favourite over the years. He has over 50 international caps and also played in the first half of the successful 2005 Champions League Final.

‘’’4. Sami Hyypiä'''

• Date of Birth: 07/10/73
• Nationality: Dutch

Hyypiä joined the club in May 1999. The towering centre-back was then offered the captain’s armband in the 2000-2001 season, replacing the injured Redknapp for a while. From November 2001 to February 2006, Hyypiä played in every minute of every one of the 57 European games that Liverpool took part in.

‘’’5. Daniel Agger'''

• Date of Birth: 12/12/84
• Nationality: Danish

Agger was bought for £5 million by Liverpool in the January 2006 transfer window. A talented centre-back, he soon made it into the starting 11 and never relinquished his position. He won ‘Goal of the Season’ that same year for the club with a 35-yard strike against West Ham. He was also one of the players to take part in the unsuccessful Champions League final in 2007.

‘’’7. Harry Kewell'''

• Date of Birth: 22/09/78
• Nationality: Australian

Australian superstar Kewell arrived at Anfield from Leeds in 2003, a team who he had helped to the Champions League semi-finals in 2001. A regular starter for Liverpool, the winger has nevertheless been plagued by injury during his time at the club, the most frustrating of which was the injury that took him out of the 2005 Champions League final after 23 minutes.

‘’’8. Steven Gerrard'''

• Date of Birth: 30/05/80
• Nationality: English

After making his first-team debut on November 19 1998, the young Gerrard quickly clocked up 13 games that same season, and by the start of following season he had become a first team regular. Now the unchallenged captain of Liverpool, he has been described by many as the most complete footballer in the world. Adored by the fans of both Liverpool and England, his influence on the pitch is widely regarded as the reason behind the 2005 Champions League and the 2006 FA Cup victories.

‘’’9. Fernando Torres'''

• Date of Birth: 20/03/84
• Nationality: Spanish

After his first season at Liverpool since signing in July 2007 for over £20 million, Torres has surpassed all expectations. A Kop favourite already, the young Spaniard became the first player since Robbie Fowler in the 1996-97 season to score over 30 goals in a season. With 24 goals in the Premiership and 33 in all competitions, he also holds the record for the most goals in a debut season.

‘’’10. Andriy Voronin'''

• Date of Birth: 21/07/79
• Nationality: Ukranian

Another striker to join Liverpool in July 2007, Voronin was bought from Bayer Leverkusen and made his debut on August 1st 2007 against Aston Villa. Despite showing promise, it is fair to say that the striker has been largely overshadowed by his fellow newcomer Torres. With numerous international appearances under his belt, as well as playing at the last World Cup, he will surely find his feet at Anfield soon.

‘’’11. Yossi Benayoun'''

• Date of Birth: 05/05/80
• Nationality: Israeli

Midfielder Benayoun joined Liverpool in July 2007 from West Ham, where he had helped them to reach the FA Cup final. The Israeli national captain, he has many international caps under his belt and is a solid performer for Liverpool, scoring a hat trick in the 8-0 win over Besiktas in the 2007/2008 Champions League group stages.

‘’’12. Fabio Aurelio'''

• Date of Birth: 24/09/1979
• Nationality: Brazilian

Aurelio was the first Brazilian to ever sign for Liverpool when he arrived for free in July 2007. However, injury kept the left-back out of most of his first season and he managed only 25 games. The season also ended badly when he ruptured his Achilles tendon in the Champions League quarter-final.

‘’’14. Xabi Alonso'''

• Date of Birth: 25/11/81
• Nationality: Spanish

Alonso arrived from Real Sociedad in August 2004 for £10.5 million, making his debut on August 29th against Bolton. The midfielder was instrumental in their 4-2 victory over Fulham, when he came on as a substitute. He suffered a broken ankle from a Frank Lampard tackle on New Year’s Day in his first season, and was out for three months. However, the following year he made up for it, and one of his goals included a strike from his own half against Luton Town in the third round of the FA Cup.

‘’’15. Peter Crouch'''

• Date of Birth: 30/01/81
• Nationality: English

The 6 foot 7 inch striker joined Liverpool in the summer of 2005. Crouch took a while to get recognition as a quality striker, playing at Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Southampton, where he notched 16 goals in 33 games. When Southampton were relegated, he took his chance and joined Liverpool for £7 million. The goals didn’t come at first, but when they started to flow, Crouch grew in the fans' estimation. His best goal to date was the excellent scissor kick against Galatasaray in the 2006/2007 Champions League group stages.

‘’’16. Jermaine Pennant'''

• Date of Birth: 15/01/83
• Nationality: English

Pennant signed for the club in the summer of 2006. The right winger had previously played for Birmingham, where statistics showed that he had provided the most crosses out of any other Premiership player in the 2005-06 season. After making a slow start for Liverpool, he is now a regular first-team player.

‘’’17. Alvaro Arbeloa'''

• Date of Birth: 17/01/83
• Nationality: Spanish

Arbeloa signed to Liverpool in January 2007 after playing for both Real Madrid and Deportivo La Coruña. The defender made his debut on February 10th against Newcastle, and also has a few international caps to his name.

‘’’18. Dirk Kuyt'''

• Date of Birth: 22/07/80
• Nationality: Dutch

Kuyt joined Liverpool in August 2006 from Feyenoord. Having been named the Dutch Player of the Year in 2006, he justified his goal-scoring pedigree with 14 in his debut season for Liverpool.

‘’’19. Ryan Babel'''

• Date of Birth: 19/12/86
• Nationality: Dutch

Starting to show promise at the Ajax youth academy, Babel scored a goal in his international debut versus Romania in 2005, and helped them to win the final of the European Under-21s in June 2007. He joined Liverpool a month later in July 2007 for more than £10 million, and scored his debut goal against Derby County on September 1st. The midfielder, who can play on the wing or up front, netted a total ten goals in his debut season at the club.

‘’’20. Javier Mascherano'''

• Date of Birth: 08/06/84
• Nationality: Argentinian

The Argentinian Mascherano joined Liverpool from West Ham on loan, after making only seven appearances in six months for the Hammers. The midfielder, who previously played for South American teams River Plate and Corinthians, had already been playing for the international side since July 2003, and has now become a popular Liverpool starter. Eventually signing permanently for Liverpool in a big money move, he is a favourite with the fans, and won the Fans’ Man of the Match after the 2007 Champions League final.

‘’’21. Lucas Leiva'''

• Date of Birth: 09/01/87
• Nationality: Brazilian

The second Brazilian international to go to Liverpool, Leiva signed for the club in July 2007 from Gremio. His first start was on 25th September in a 4-2 victory over Reading in the Carling Cup. Since then, the midfielder has made 30 appearances, but has only scored one goal.

‘’’23. Jamie Carragher'''

• Date of Birth: 28/01/78
• Nationality: English

Carragher is the vice captain of Liverpool, which makes sense seeing as the defender has well over 500 first team games under his belt. He joined the club in October 1996, and has proved to be an asset due to his adaptability. Known as Mr Liverpool, he was the first player to make 100 European appearances for club.

‘’’25. Pepe Reina'''

• Date of Birth: 31/08/82
• Nationality: Spanish

Reina played for Spanish clubs Barcelona and Villarreal before joining Liverpool in July 2005. Known for his great distribution, he immediately ousted Champions League hero, Jerzy Dudek. It was a tough blow for the previous keeper, but Reina proved his credentials by helping the club to an 11th successive clean sheet before the year was out - a club record. At end of 2007-08 season, he won the Golden Glove award for the most clean sheets for a third successive season.

‘’’33. Sebastian Leto'''

• Date of Birth: 30/08/86
• Nationality: Argentinian

Leto has not made many appearances so far since joining Liverpool in the summer of 2007. The Argentinian winger previously played for Club Atletico Lanus, and Liverpool managed to get their hands on him, despite significant interest from many other teams. His desire for play for the club was seen as the contributing factor to his arrival, and he will be hoping for more first-team games this coming season.

‘’’37. Martin Skrtel'''

• Date of Birth: 15/12/84
• Nationality: Slovakian

Skrtel is a relatively new arrival at Liverpool, only joining the club in the January 2008 transfer window. The centre-back has played for numerous clubs, and eventually came to Liverpool from Zenit St Petersburg in Russia. He made his debut as a substitute on January 21st in a game against Aston Villa.

‘’’38. Craig Lindfield'''

• Date of Birth: 01/09/88
• Nationality: English

Lindfield has enjoyed great success with the youth team, helping the club to the 2006 and 2007 FA Youth Cups. He is a product of Liverpool’s own academy, and has shown sparks of brilliance to lead many to predict that he will be making his competitive debut in the near future.

‘’’42. Nabil El Zhar'''

• Date of Birth: 27/08/86
• Nationality: French

El Zhar arrived from St Etienne in October 2006. The talented striker played for the French national team at youth level, before shifting to the Moroccan national team where his parents originally came from. He can play on either the flank or directly behind the striker, and made his debut on November 29th 2006 as a substitute against Portsmouth.

‘’’48. Emiliano Insua'''

• Date of Birth: 07/01/89
• Nationality: Argentinian

Defender Insua made his debut for the club on April 28th 2007 against Portsmouth. The Argentinian started out at Maradona’s former club, Boca Juniors, and despite never playing in the first team with them, he did help the Argentina Under-20 squad win the 2007 World Cup. To date, he has only made a few first-team games for Liverpool.

Manager - Rafael Benitez

‘Rafa’ joined Liverpool in the summer of 2004, taking over from Gerard Houllier. The young and promising manager was signed from Valencia, with whom he had won two La Liga titles, after enjoying spells with Real Madrid’s youth team and Valladolid.

His success was instant. In his first year in charge, he led Liverpool to the Champions League for the first time in 21 years, and the match against AC Milan is widely considered one of the greatest finals ever. The following season he led Liverpool to FA Cup glory, becoming one of the club’s most successful managers in just two seasons. However, controversy has surrounded his relationship with the joint chairmen - George Gillett Jr and Tom Hicks - with rumours throughout the 2007/2008 season that he would be shown the door, but it looks like he is planning to stay for a while yet.

Chairmen - George N. Gillett Jr. and Tom Hicks

On 2nd February 2007, Gillett and Hicks successfully bought Liverpool in a £435 million deal. Both men are successful American businessmen with interests in US sports clubs. However, they were immediately unpopular with the fans, who did not want them as owners, and the fans’ feelings have been the same throughout the Americans' short tenure.

Furthermore, the relationship between the two men has also soured. In March 2008, it was revealed that Gillett wanted to sell most of his stock to DIC (Dubai International Capital), but Hicks blocked the sale from going through. Gillett also claimed to have received death threats from irate fans. However, it has recently been reported that relationships between the two men are improving, and there are no indications of any changes in the near future.

Honours

Domestic

• League Winners: 1900-01, 1905-06, 1921-22, 1922-23, 1946-47, 1963-64, 1965-66, 1972-73, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1985-86, 1987-88, 1989-90
• Division Two Champions: 1893-94, 1895-96, 1904-05, 1961-62
• Lancashire League Champions: 1892-93
• FA Cup Winners: 1965, 1974, 1986, 1989, 1992, 2001, 2006
• League Cup Winners: 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1995, 2001, 2003

European

• European Cup / Champions League Winners: 1977, 1978, 1981. 1984, 2005
• UEFA Cup Winners: 1973, 1976, 2001
• UEFA Super Cup Winners: 1977, 2001, 2005

Club Records

Appearances

• Most first-team appearances: Ian Callaghan (857)
• Most European Appearances: Jamie Carragher (91)

Oldest and youngest

• Oldest Player: Ted Doig (41 years and 165 days)
• Youngest Player: Max Thompson (17 years and 129 days)

Goals

• Most first-team goals: Ian Rush (346)
• Most League goals: Ian Rush (245)
• Most FA Cup goals: Ian Rush (39)
• Most European goals: Steven Gerrard (23)
• Youngest goalscorer: Michael Owen (17 years and 144 days)

Matches and attendances

• Record victory: 11-0 versus Strømsgodset
• Record defeat: 1-9 versus Birmingham City
• Highest attendance: 61,905 (vs. Wolves, 1951-52 FA Cup Fifth Round)