R.I.P Alan A'Court

[njackets]

Liverpool Football Club were sad to learn of the death of ex-Red Alan A'Court, who passed away on Monday following illness.

 

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A'Court, who was aged 75, joined the club in 1952 and enjoyed an 11-year spell at Anfield, in which time he featured 381 times and scored 63 goals.

 

A strong and direct winger, he made the Reds' left flank his own during that time and even featured for England in the 1958 World Cup, despite plying his trade in the Second Division.

 

A'Court also had the honour of being the first man to score a competitive goal under Bill Shankly and Brian Hall of Liverpool's Former Players' Association, was quick to pay tribute to him, in a week that marks the 50th anniversary of the Scot's Anfield arrival.

 

 

 

"It's extremely sad news and everyone at the club is deeply saddened and shocked," said Hall.

 

"We knew he had not been well, but we did not realise how serious it was. He was a terrific footballer and a lovely guy.

 

"It is a real shock because I only saw him three or four months ago. Everyone at the club would like to pass on their sympathies to Alma and his family at this sad time."

[WaltonRed]

Minutes silence on Wednesday?

 

Always sad news to hear of an ex-reds demise.

 

YNWA

[njackets]

I have his book, got half way through it and never got round to reading the rest will have to dig it out. Should be a minutes silence tmrw I would of thought.

[goatboy59]

Sad news.

 

Can't be many of that generation left now.

 

Rest in peace.

[Chinandeler Bong]

RIP

[Lucky Pierre]

Watched his 60 minutes or 30 minutes with show on LFCTV in the summer and it was brilliant. He'll always be a part of our history just for his surname, the first in the alphabetical list.

 

RIP

[Faustus]

As WaltonRed said, it's always sad when ex-Red passes away.

 

My grandad said he was a decent player as well in his day.

[Lucky Pierre]

.

Rainhill-born Alan gave the club outstanding service from the day he made his debut against Middlesbrough as an 18 year old on 7th February 1953 until the last of his 355 League appearances in the final fixture of the 1962-63 season.

 

Peter Thompson was signed from Preston North End to fill the left-wing role that Alan had made his own for so long and he moved on to Tranmere Rovers in October 1964.

 

He made his farewell appearance for Liverpool in the club's historic opening European tie against Reykjavik in September 1964, despite not having played in a single League match during the whole of the previous season!

 

Alan had passed his 30th birthday by a few days when he moved to Tranmere and he was perhaps unlucky to just miss out on the glory days which were around the corner, having to settle for a Second Division championship medal as his only major honour with the club.

 

He had just begun to establish himself as a first-team regular when the club was relegated in 1954 but missed only a handful of games over the next 8 seasons before promotion was finally achieved back into the top division. Alan scored 61 League goals for Liverpool, with another 2 coming in the F.A. Cup.

 

More info on Alan A'Court:

 

++ / LFChistory.net -- Past Present Future

[ralph]

A very sad loss,i knew Alan and Alma personally he will be greatly missed by many. One of my fondest memories of him is when i was walking past his house on my return from istanbul and him stopping me and my friend to talk about our experience the previous night,he always had time to talk about our club and the latest matches as well as the old days.

A true gentleman R.I.P. Alan, you were a legend.

[goatboy59]

Played in the first European cup match too, with all the current doom and gloom I hope that's not an awful symmetry.

[njackets]

Loyal player staying with us through relagation, was easily good enough to have gone anywhere else.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Sad news.

 

Obviously too young to have seen him play but have read about his services and a true Liverpool legend.

[Tom R]

Every A-Z of LFC I've ever seen always starts with Alan A'Court.

 

Always sucks to hear news like this.

[zigackly]

Sad to hear. RIP.

[goatboy59]

LIVERWEB - Liverpool Results 1961-62

 

Now that is a team photo!

 

Played all 42 games, some vital points-winning goals there.

 

He won't like it 'up there' though. My dad will be bugging him morning noon and night!

[goatboy59]

[zigackly]

Interview from LFCHistory.net

[Rico1304]

He was in charge of the sports facilities at Staffs Uni for a while and always loved a chat about the old days.

 

Sad, sad news.

[Red Hot]

sad loss, watched him in the latter stages of his career. R.I.P. Alan

[WaltonRed]

Loads of ex players on the pitch tomorrow night for the Shanks thing.

 

I'm sure a silence will commence.

[ratcatcher]

Sad loss, the first player to score for Shankly's Liverpool.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Another one departs us. RIP.

[Guest simon]

Very sad news RIP

[Juniper]

Always sad to hear of ex players passing away.

 

RIP

[JohnnyH]

A night for Shanks and hopefully a minutes silence for the scorer of the first goal under the great mans management.

 

I remember as a kid been fascinated by his name for some daft reason.

 

Sad when an ex-red passes on.