Emlyn HUGHES

Emlyn Hughes was signed by manager Bill Shankly from Blackpool in February 1967 for a club record fee of £65, 000. Shankly had watched the 19-year-old midfielder for several months and identified him as a future England captain. His prediction proved correct, Hughes not only going on to captain his country but also to lead Liverpool for six seasons in the 1970s, a period of unprecedented success in the club's history which culminated in the European Cup triumph of 1977. An inspirational figure in the side for over a decade (first in midfield, later in defence), Emlyn was a whole-hearted player with great reserves of stamina who never gave less than 100 per cent. Nicknamed 'Crazy Horse' for his non-stop running and sometimes reckless style of play (which was more over-enthusiastic than malicious), he also possessed a powerful shot and chipped in with some useful goals during a great Liverpool career. Hughes made his debut on March 4, 1967, in a 2-1 League win against Stoke City at Anfield and made a further nine appearances that season, all in the League, as Liverpool finished 5th in the table, nine points adrift of champions Manchester United. He soon cemented his place in the side as a defensive midfielder and began the following season alongside the legendary Ian St John, who had moved back from his usual striking role following the arrival of Tony Hateley, a centre-forward signed from Chelsea. Emlyn scored his first goal for the club in a 6-0 thrashing of Newcastle United in a League match at Anfield on August 26, 1967, and went on to make 39 League appearances that season, plus another 17 in other competitions. His only other goal that term came in a 1-0 League win away to Nottingham Forest on September 5.

However, the 1967-68 campaign saw the Reds as 'nearly men' as they finished 3rd in the League, only three points behind champions Manchester City, and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, losing 2-1 in a second replay to eventual winners West Bromwich Albion. Season 1968-69 followed a similar pattern, with Emlyn a fixture in midfield and Liverpool not quite winning any silverware. He made 40 League appearances, scoring three times, including the only goal in a 1-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in December 1968, and played an important role in helping the Reds set a League record by conceding only 24 goals in 42 matches. Despite this defensive solidity, they could only finish runners-up to Leeds United, who were crowned champions with a five-point margin. Hughes made nine appearances in other competitions, scoring two goals: the decider in 2-1 win over Spanish side Athletic Bilbao in a European Fairs Cup 1st round second leg tie in October 1968 (Liverpool being knocked out on the toss of a coin after a 3-3 draw on aggregate!); and the second in a 2-1 victory at home to Burnley in a 4th round FA Cup tie in January 1969. (Martin Greensill)

 Emlyn continued to perform consistently throughout the 1969-70 campaign, missing just one League game and chipping in with a very useful seven goals, all in the League. Six of these came in the first half of the season, the most important probably being two opening strikes: in a 2-0 win away to Tottenham Hotspur in September and, three months later, in a 3-0 victory at neighbours Everton. In the second half of the campaign, Hughes scored only one goal, in a 3-2 win at Coventry City in March, but the side was being rebuilt after a shock FA Cup exit to Second Division Watford and Liverpool struggled to find any consistency, finally finishing 5th in the table, 15 points adrift of champions Everton. Emlyn made 12 appearances in the three knockout competitions the club were involved in (FA Cup, League Cup, European Fairs Cup), but the Reds completed a very disappointing season by failing to make the semi-finals of any of them. Hughes was fully involved in Liverpool's hectic 1970-71 season, making a total of 59 appearances in all competitions. He played 39 games in the League, scoring twice, bizarrely on the first and last days of the season: the winner in a 2-1 victory at Burnley on August 15, and the only goal in a 1-0 win over Southampton at Anfield on May 1. The Reds again fell short in the League, finishing only 5th, their title challenge probably not helped by reaching the FA Cup final (where they lost 2-1 to Arsenal) and the semi-finals of the European Fairs Cup (where they were beaten 1-0 on aggregate by Leeds United), resulting in a very busy campaign.

The team was also in transition as Shankly's rebuilding process continued apace, evidenced by Emlyn having three partners in central midfield that term (John McLaughlin, Brian Hall and Ian Callaghan), all of whom played at least 10 League games alongside him. Hughes ended the season playing with Callaghan (with Hall on the wing and McLaughlin out of the side) and Shankly chose this partnership to start the 1971-72 campaign. It was to prove to be highly effective, with Emlyn an ever-present figure in the League, scoring an impressive eight goals and providing defensive cover whenever Callaghan (who missed just one League game) moved forward to join attacking moves. Hughes finished as Liverpool's third highest League goalscorer, not far behind strikers John Toshack (13) and Kevin Keegan (9), an excellent effort by a defensive midfielder and one who did not take penalties. His strikes included the opener in a 3-2 win over Arsenal at Anfield in November and the last in a 3-0 win away to Manchester United in April. Despite his scoring eight goals and helping Liverpool concede only 30 times in 42 League games (the best defensive record in the division), the Reds fell agonisingly short in the title race, finishing in 3rd place, a single point behind champions Derby County. Emlyn made 11 appearances in other competitions, his only goal coming in a 2-0 home win against Swiss club Servette in a European Cup Winners' Cup tie in September. Liverpool, however, failed to progress beyond the 4th round of any of the knockout competitions they took part in that season. (Martin Greensill)

Emlyn Hughes played an important role in the epic 1972-73 campaign, one in which Bill Shankly's rebuilt Liverpool side came of age to end the club's seven-year wait for silverware. He made 41 League appearances, contributing seven goals, including the opener in a 4-2 home win over Wolverhampton in September and a brace in a 2-0 win at Everton in March, a result that kept the Reds firmly on course for the League championship. Liverpool wrapped up the title with a 0-0 draw at home to Leicester City on April 28 (a record-equalling eighth League championship but their first since 1966) and could now concentrate on the two-legged UEFA Cup Final against Borussia Moenchengladbach. In the first leg at Anfield on May 10, Liverpool ran out 3-0 winners to put themselves firmly in the driving seat and a 2-0 defeat in the second leg in Germany was enough for the Reds to win the tie 3-2 on aggregate and collect the first European trophy in the club's history. Emlyn had played all 12 games in this competition, scoring three goals - the second goal in a 2-0 1st round, 1st leg home win over Eintracht Frankfurt and a brace in a 3-1 away win at AEK Athens in a 2nd round 2nd leg tie. In all, he played 65 competitive games in a marathon season, with the highly impressive return of 12 goals, to help Liverpool win two trophies in the same season for the first time.

The start of the following campaign saw two major changes for Hughes: he was made captain of the side, taking over from defensive hardman Tommy Smith; and he moved into central defence to partner a young Phil Thompson. Hughes and Thompson soon established themselves as a formidable pairing, not only defending solidly but bringing more finesse to the side by playing short passses to the midfielders rather than hitting long balls to the frontmen. Their partnership would be crucial to Liverpool's success for several seasons to come and both players would captain both club and country. In that season's League campaign, they helped the Reds keep 19 clean sheets in 42 matches and concede only 31 goals in total (the joint best in Division One), but scoring 52 goals was never going to be enough to retain the championship and they finished runners-up by five points to Leeds United. So, after early exits in both the European and League Cups, the Reds' last chance of silverware came on May 4, 1974, when they faced Newcastle United in the FA Cup final at Wembley. Inspired by Kevin Keegan, who scored twice, Liverpool ran out comfortable 3-0 winners, with Hughes and Thompson keeping the Geordies' star strikers, Malcolm Macdonald and John Tudor, on a tight leash throughout the game. Emlyn duly picked up his third major honour in two seasons, but his first as skipper, and was fully deserving of a medal after playing in all 61 of Liverpool's competitive games that campaign. He found the net twice that season, both in the league, in a 2-0 win at Arsenal in November and a 1-1 draw at Ipswich in April. (Martin Greensill)

The 1974-75 campaign began with uncertainty at the club following the shock resignation of manager Bill Shankly that summer, though Hughes continued as captain under new boss Bob Paisley and again was ever present in the League, chipping in with one goal as Totenham were swept aside 5-2 at Anfield in September. He helped the Reds' defence concede only 39 times in 42 League games (again the best record in the top division) but Liverpool could only finish runners-up in the title race, two points behind Brian Clough's Derby County side. Emlyn played in all of the side's 11 other competitive games that season, but they made early exits from all three knockout competitions they were involved in. Neither he nor Liverpool could be too despondent though. The club had recovered from Shankly's departure and regrouped very effectively under Bob Paisley, laying the platform for a concerted assault on domestic and European honours in the seasons to come.

Hughes played in all but two of Liverpool's 59 games in the 1975-76 season as the side returned to trophy-winning ways. He missed just one League game and helped the side concede only 31 goals in 42 games (a record that included 22 clean sheets) as the Reds surged to a record ninth League title, dropping only one point in their last nine games. He managed to score two League goals: in a 1-3 defeat at Norwich City in December and a 5-3 home win over Stoke City in April. Emlyn also featured in Liverpool's run to the UEFA Cup final, a stout defensive display helping the Reds achieve a historic 1-0 win away to Barcelona - their first home defeat by a British side - in a semi-final first leg tie on March 30 1976. A 1-1 draw in the return leg at Anfield a fortnight later secured their place in the final, Liverpool going through 2-1 on aggregate. Here they met FC Bruges of Belgium in a two-legged affair, running out 4-3 winners on aggregate (winning 3-2 at home, then drawing 1-1 away) to complete their second League-UEFA Cup double in four seasons, Emlyn of course lifting both trophies as captain. He had added two more major medals to his growing collection, making a total of five in just three seasons. (Martin Greensill)

 The 1976-77 campaign was to prove even more memorable than the previous season as Liverpool made a determined challenge for an unprecedented League-European Cup-FA Cup treble. Emlyn was in the thick of the action, appearing in all 62 of the Reds' competitive matches, his only goal coming in a vital 1-0 League win away to Middlesbrough on March 12. With his regular partner, Phil Thompson, playing only 26 League games because of injuries (Tommy Smith replaced him in the other 16 matches), Hughes was the key figure in a defence which conceded only 33 goals in 42 games (again the best in the top division). One of their 18 clean sheets in the League came in a 0-0 draw at home to West Ham United on May 14, a result that gave Liverpool a record 10th championship title. Having already reached the finals of both the European Cup and FA Cup, the club's dreams of a famous treble were now a step closer to reality, but they were shattered by a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup Final at Wembley on May 21. Now the Reds had just four days to pick themselves up before the European Cup final in Rome against West German champions Borussia Moenchengladbach. Producing an excellent performance on the unforgettable night of May 25 1977, they completed a historic 3-1 victory, bringing the European Cup to Anfield for the first time. Emlyn therefore became the first Liverpool captain to lift Europe's most prestigious club trophy and, to round off a glorious campaign, he later collected the Professional Football Writers' Award for Player of the Season. Hughes made 39 League appearances in the 1977-78 season (without scoring) and helped the side keep clean sheets in their last five games. This was part of a 12-match unbeaten streak to end their League campaign, but Liverpool had left it too late after a patchy first half of the season and had to settle for the runners-up spot behind surprise winners Nottingham Forest, the same team that had beaten them 1-0 in the League Cup final replay on March 22. Nevertheless, the season ended on a high note as the Reds retained the European Cup, Emlyn helping to keep a clean sheet as Kenny Dalglish's clever chip proved enough to defeat their old foes FC Bruges 1-0 in the final at Wembley on May 10.

He continued as captain as the 1978-79 season began but soon came under pressure for his place in the side from Alan Hansen, a young Scotsman signed in 1977. Emlyn played six of the first seven League games but was then replaced by Hansen and did not regain his place until Boxing Day 1978 (a 3-0 League win away to Manchester United). Filling in at left back for the injured Alan Kennedy, he played the next nine League games and also featured in all of Liverpool's seven FA Cup ties that season. However, he was dropped and stripped of the captaincy after a 0-1 defeat by Manchester United in an FA Cup semi-final replay at Goodison Park (home of Everton FC) on April 4. This proved to be his last game in a red shirt, Alan Kennedy returning to left back and Hansen and Phil Thompson continuing as the favoured partnership in central defence. On their way that season to a record 11th League title, Liverpool remarkably conceded only 16 goals in their 42 games, a record low for all four divisions of the Football League, and notched up an astounnding 28 clean sheets. Hughes had made enough League appearances (16) to win his fourth championship medal, but it was Thompson, the new captain, who lifted the trophy. With a young, extremely solid defence now in place, Emlyn (now nearly 32) decided to seek a new challenge and in August 1979 he joined Wolverhampton Wanderers for £90, 000, where, typically, he promptly won the only trophy that had eluded him - the League Cup - during his trophy laden spell at Anfield. A marvellous Liverpool career had come to an end, Hughes having served the club with distinction for 13 seasons and won nine major honours (six as captain). An inspirational leader and outstanding player, especially in central defence, he made a total of 665 appearances, scoring 49 goals, and is remembered as one of the club's all-time greats. (Martin Greensill)