Kenny DALGLISH

 Bob Paisley retired in May 1983 after nine glorious seasons as manager, and was succeeded by another 'boot room boy', Joe Fagan. Fagan ensured a seamless transition and the 1983-84 campaign was to be even more successful, with Dalglish again playing a major role. Kenny made history on November 26, 1983, when he scored his 100th league goal for Liverpool, becoming the first player to score 100 League goals in both England and Scotland with only two clubs. But 1984 started badly for the Scotsman when he broke his chinbone in a game against Manchester United on January 2 (a 1-1 draw at Anfield) and was forced to miss 14 games. He only returned to the team two months later, coming on as a sub in a European Cup quarter-final tie against Benfica on March 7. Dalglish was now 33 years but still very influential. He helped Liverpool beat Everton in the Milk Cup final in March 1984 (the club winning a version of the League Cup for the fourth year in a row) and a third successive League championship was secured a few weeks later. Kenny scored only seven goals in the League but provided many for Ian Rush, top scorer with an outstanding 32.

That left only the final of the European Cup where, bizarrely, Liverpool had to face AS Roma on the Italian side's home ground. Just like in Paris in 1981, Dalglish played despite not being fully fit and was substituted, and Alan Kennedy again scored the winner, this time from the penalty spot in a dramatic shoot-out following a 1-1 draw after extra-time. Kenny therefore added another medal to his already huge collection as Liverpool were crowned champions of Europe for the fourth time in seven years, completing a historic League-European Cup-Milk Cup treble. In 1984-85, Liverpool made their worst start to a season in many years, dropping to an unheard of 18th place in the table after winning only two of their first 11 League games. Dalglish paid the penalty during this run by being dropped for the first time in his Anfield career. Manager Joe Fagan omitted him from the team to face Tottenham on October 12, but after Liverpool lost 1-0, he admitted his mistake and restored him to the side. Kenny scored only six goals this season (all in the League) and, like many of his team-mates in a disappointing campaign, did not find his best form.

Liverpool did recover in the League to eventually finish runners-up to Everton and were beaten in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, before losing 1-0 in the final of the European Cup, a match that lost virtually all meaning after the tragic deaths of 39 Juventus fans in the Heysel Stadium disaster. That was Joe Fagan's last game in charge - he retired at the age of 64 - and Dalglish was chosen to take over as player-manager, his new role beginning officially on May 30, 1985. Club chairman John Smith declared: "Kenny is entering the managerial side for the first time and we have every reason to believe he will have a successful period in office. We feel we have a man of great ability on the field who has got an old head on young shoulders". And so it would prove. (Martin Greensill).

1985/86  to  1987/88.

Kenny Dalglish's first competitive game as player manger was at home to Arsenal in the League on August 17, 1985, the opening day of the 1985-86 season. Typically, Kenny got off to a winning start as Liverpool eased to a 2-0 victory, but after a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle a week later, he dropped himself from the side, with Paul Walsh replacing him in attack alongside Ian Rush. Dalglish also made his first signing, Steve McMahon coming from Aston Villa for £350, 000 in September 1985 to link up with Jan Molby in a new-look central midfield. The revamped side dropped to mid-table early in the season, but soon joined an absorbing battle for the League title. Manchester United led the table for the first half of the campaign with Liverpool in second place from September onwards, before defending champions Everton took a five-point lead at the top by beating Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield in late February 1986. But Liverpool were not done yet. Dalglish made some changes to the team and the Reds regained their form, winning four and drawing one of their next five games. He now restored himself to the side for the final title push and Liverpool won their last seven matches, clinching the championship with a 1-0 at Chelsea on May 3, Dalglish himself scoring the decisive goal with a superb volley.

A week later, Liverpool completed their first ever League-FA Cup double by defeating Everton 3-1 in the Cup final at Wembley. To round off a great debut season for Kenny as player/manager (the first ever to win the League title), he was voted Manager of the Year. After those triumphs, the 1986-87 season was something of an anti-climax. Liverpool went out in the 3rd round of the FA Cup, lost the League Cup final to Arsenal (Kenny appearing as a late sub) and finished runners-up to Everton in the League after holding a five-point lead with nine games remaining. Dalglish realised that changes needed to be made, especially in attack. He had already brought in John Aldridge to replace the Juventus-bound Ian Rush, and then in summer 1987 added England stars John Barnes from Watford for £900, 000 and Peter Beardsley (Newcastle) for a UK record fee of £1.9 million. He also took a back seat himself from this time on, making only 18 League appearances that season, scoring six goals, but rarely featuring again in the team after October 1986. The new team, Dalglish's team, began the 1987-88 campaign very brightly, dropping just one point in their first 11 League games, and remained unbeaten in the League for a record-equalling run of 29 games from the start of the season, finally losing 1-0 at Everton on March 20, 1988. That was just a minor blip as they went on to win the League easily, racking up 90 points and scoring 87 goals.

However, hopes of another double were dashed when Wimbledon beat them 1-0 in the FA Cup Final at Wembley, one of the biggest shocks in the history of the competition. Nevertheless, it had been an excellent season overall. Liverpool had lit up the domestic scene with their vibrant attacking play and produced some of the best football seen in many years. Their 5-0 League win over Nottingham Forest at Anfield on April 13, 1988, has been described as one of the best performances ever given by a British team and drew comparisons with the great Real Madrid side of the late 1950s. Dalglish's decision to concentrate on management and leave himself out the side had clearly been vindicated - he made just two League appearances that season, both as a sub. He was deservedly named Manager of the Year for creating a new team and moulding them into outstanding champions. (Martin Greensill)

 1988 / 89

The first half of the 1988-89 season did not go as planned. Kenny brought back Ian Rush from Juventus in August 1988 after his unhappy year in Italy ('It was like living in a foreign country', the Welshman famously remarked), but he took time to find his old scoring touch and form a productive partnership with John Aldridge. Liverpool's progress was also stifled by the long-term absence of two crucial players, defender Alan Hansen (injury) and goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar (illness). After a 3-1 League defeat at Manchester United on January 1, 1989, Dalglish read the riot act to his players and the team improved markedly from then on, winning 16 and drawing three of their next 19 League games.

Now second in the League, behind Arsenal, and in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, where they would face Nottingham Forest, it looked being a memorable season for Liverpool. And so it would be - but mainly for the wrong reasons. Tragedy struck at the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough on April 15, 1989, as 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death in the worst disaster in the history of British football. Dalglish now took on a new role, leading the club through the darkest period in its long history. He impressed everyone with his quiet dignity and the considerable time he devoted to comforting the victims' families.

After a two-week period of mourning, Liverpool returned to action and resumed their quest for the double. The first leg was completed on May 20, 1989, when at an emotional Wembley, Liverpool overcame Everton 3-2 to lift the FA Cup, substitute Ian Rush scoring twice. To win the League, they needed to avoid a two-goal defeat at home to Arsenal in the last game of the season on May 26. The visitors took a 1-0 lead early in the second half but, as the game entered the 89th minute with no further scoring, it looked almost certain Liverpool would retain the title. But it was not to be. In an incredible finale, Michael Thomas scored for Arsenal in injury time and the Gunners won 2-0 to snatch the championship from Liverpool's grasp. (Martin Greensill)

Liverpool regrouped over the summer and started the 1989-90 season with a run of eight League games without defeat, including a memorable 9-0 hammering of Crystal Palace on September 12, 1989. That game, however, marked the last appearance of ace goalscorer John Aldridge, who Dalglish had controversially allowed to leave the club (for Spanish side Real Sociedad). Dalglish put his faith in a Rush-Beardsley-Barnes strike force, and this decision paid off with the trio contributing 50 League goals (Barnes top scoring with 22) as Liverpool regained the title. Dalglish was named Manager of the Year for the third time in five seasons, though this campaign did see him play his last game for the club.

After rarely picking himself in the team anymore (he made made just five appearances in all competitions in his last three seasons as a player), his final outing of an epic 515-game career at Anfield came in a 1-0 League win at home to Derby County on May 1, 1990. Liverpool began the 1990-91 season in fine form, winning 12 and drawing one of their first 13 League games including a 4-0 thumping of Manchester United in September 1990. Their first defeat did not come until December 6, when they lost 3-0 at Arsenal, a result Dalglish unwisely blamed in public on the players. Cracks began to emerge, with too many of the side either close to or over 30 and the press doubting the manager's methods. Liverpool won only four of their next eight League games and then drew 1-1 with Everton at Anfield in the 5th round of the FA Cup in February 1991. The replay at Goodison was a thriller, Liverpool taking the lead four times but Everton equalising each time to draw the game 4-4.

Two days later, on February 22, 1991, Liverpool called a press conference - where Dalglish shocked the football world by announcing his resignation as manager (confirming what he had told the club's board of directors the previous day). He blamed the stress of the job for his decision: 'The biggest problem was the pressure that I was putting myself under because of the desire to be successful. It was the build-up to matches and the aftermath that was the problem.' It was a historic day at Anfield as a legend departed. In a marvellous Liverpool career spanning 13 seasons as a player, Dalglish had made 515 appearances (355 in the League) and scored 172 goals, his brilliant play leading to him being widely acknowledged as the best player ever to wear the famous red shirt, a view endorsed by the two greatest managers in Anfield history, Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley.

He established himself as the best footballer in Britain and inspired his side to domestic and foreign glory. As a player or player-manager he won eight League championships, three European Cups, two FA Cups and four League Cups, and guided Liverpool to their first ever League-FA Cup double. He also led the club through the horror of Hillsborough with great dignity. For all these achievements, Kenny Dalglish is assured of his place as one of the most iconic and best loved figures in the history of the club. (Martin Greensill)