Ian Callaghan

[Mr Moustache]

Originally Posted by Hermes Ask him for the names of the other 9 and get back to me. I wouldn't rate him in the top 30 Liverpool players I've seen.

Hunt
St John
Kennedy, R
Dalglish
Souness
Whelan
Hansen
Barnes
Rush

[Hermes]

Whelan? in the top 10???? he's taking the piss.

[shouter]

If your gona go on about pure talent then beardsley has to be in there as well.

[AngryofTuebrook]

Originally Posted by King Emlyn Possibly the most underrated Liverpool player of all time.

Shankly said he was always the first name on the team-sheet, so I'm not going to argue with that.

[aws]

In terms of pure ability I'd agree with Hermes that Cally would struggle to get into a top 30 of Liverpool players.

But he added so much to the team in terms of hard work, control and game intelligence that I'd definitely put him in the side if I was selecting a "best of Liverpool players I have seen" team.

[Mr Moustache]

Originally Posted by aws In terms of pure ability I'd agree with Hermes that Cally would struggle to get into a top 30 of Liverpool players. But he added so much to the team in terms of hard work, control and game intelligence that I'd definitely put him in the side if I was selecting a "best of Liverpool players I have seen" team.

As someone stated he played 850 games in arguably our greatest era. 'Nuff said.

As for Whelan? I couldn't believe the stick he got when he was playing (it didn't dissipate till his later years) and I can't believe he is still underrated.

Ronnie Whelan was a class midfielder.

[SCOUSE TAPAS]

Ian Callaghan boasts without a doubt one of the most remarkable careers of any player in Europe past or present. He is LFC's appearance record holder with 857 games and was the first Liverpool player to be chosen Footballer of the year in 1974. Strangely enough he only played 4 times for his country. He was part of the World cup winning team in 1966, playing one game, but incredibly 11 years passed from his 2nd to his 3rd cap. When Liverpool won the European cup for the first time in 1977 Callaghan was the only player who had also played Liverpool's first European game in 1964.


Quotes

"Ian Callaghan is everything good that a man can be. No praise is too high for him. Words cannot do justice to the amount he has contributed to the game. Ian Callaghan will go down as one of the game's truly great players."
Shankly

"If I could play between Ian Callaghan and Peter Thompson I’d still get my 60 goals a season."
Goalscoring legend Dixie Dean asked if he could have set his scoring record in modern football.

Articles

Ian Callaghan attracted the attention of Liverpool's scouts when playing for a local boy's team. He was a 15 year-old when he was registered on Liverpool's books for 10 pounds. When Billy Liddell was retiring he was asked if Liverpool had in their ranks a worthy successor. Billy didn't harbour any doubts. "There is a 17 year old called Ian Callaghan who looks like taking over from me." Callaghan played his first game only six days after his eighteenth birthday. He came in for his boyhood hero Liddell and wore his no 7 shirt. Cally was awestruck: "Like everybody else in Liverpool I was very much aware of the respect the great Billy Liddell commanded and it was awesome to realise I was taking over from him. He was a great man who offered me good advice and was always very nice to me."

Callaghan had only been on a professional contract for six weeks when he faced Bristol Rovers in the 2nd division on the 16th of April 1960. Liverpool won the game 4-1 with goals from Jimmy Melia, Alan A´Court, Bobby Campbell and Dave Hickson. Callaghan's accomplished performance made the headlines. It's hard to find a debut that has created as much stir as Callaghan's show did. All 27,317 spectators gave him a standing ovation as did the players on both teams and the referee as well! The headline in the local paper The Daily Post read "A Callaghan debut to remember." In The Daily Express Graham Fisher wrote: "For Liverpool right winger Ian Callaghan, veteran of four Central League games, he just ended the most accomplished League debut I´ve had the pleasure to witness."

Shanks wanted to tread carefully with his rough diamond. Right before the start of next season Kevin Lewis was bought to star on the right wing. Bill calmed Callaghan's fears and told him he had a bright future with the club. Kevin scored 22 goals in 36 games and Ian could hardly complain. But during the promotion season 1961/62 Cally figured more prominently. When Liverpool reached the top flight in 1962 he had secured a place in the side that he didn't let go of the next 15 years.

Callaghan played on the right wing during the first half of his career. Peter Thompson was on the left wing. Both created lots of goals for Roger Hunt and Ian St John. No one can forget when Callaghan created St John's winning goal in the FA cup final 1965. The game stood at 1-1 in extra time after goals from Roger Hunt and Billy Bremner. Then Callaghan crossed from the right and the Saint headed his cross into the net. Liverpool beat Leeds 2-1 and won the FA cup for the first time. This memorable FA cup win is Callaghan´s favourite memory: "First has to be Wembley´65 and Liverpool lifting the FA cup for the first time. It was also my first appearance at the stadium and I had a hand, or rather a foot, in the winning goal." This historic FA cup win came between two Championships in 1964 and 1966. This was the golden age of Bill Shankly´s 60´s side.

The guy is one of only a few who can truely be called a Liverpool legend.

[Mr Moustache]

Originally Posted by SCOUSE TAPAS The guy is one of only a few who can truely be called a Liverpool legend.

I thank you.

[stringvest]

I have to say, when I started watching Liverpool regularly from about 70-71 I often wondered why Cally was in the team. He seemed a bit one paced, and was often guilty of playing a lot of square balls. But I was 10 then, and by the time he retired, I could see exactly why he was in the team. He very rarely lost the ball, he could cross at least as well as Heighway, and he took up positions that made it very difficult for the opposition to pass through midfield. No, not the most talented player we ever had, but a true true great, and deserves the respect of every fan.