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After a highly successful two-year spell in Italian football, with Inter
Milan, Paul Ince returned to the Premiership with a £4, 200, 000 move
to Liverpool in the summer of 1997. Ince had started his career at West
Ham United, before moving on to Old Trafford to enjoy a trophy-laden
six-year spell with Manchester United and then came his move to the
Italian giants for £7m in June 1995. Paul's first season at
Anfield produced the more than useful return of eight goals in
thirty-one League appearances, from his position in the middle of the
park, with his first goal for the club in a 2-1 defeat at home to
Leicester City.
Ince had been brought to the club to provide steel and
determination to a Liverpool midfield that boasted the likes of Jamie
Redknapp and Steve McManaman but the club were unable to seriously
challenge for the title during his stay on Merseyside. His first season
at Anfield saw the club finish in third spot, albeit thirteen points
behind Manchester United, whilst in Ince's second and last campaign the
Reds could only manage a highly disappointing seventh place. Perhaps the
highlight of Paul's second season at Anfield was his last minute goal
which earned Liverpool a 2-2 draw with his former club Manchester
United.
Ince had come in for some heavy criticism from United boss Alex
Ferguson and his reaction after scoring showed how much the goal meant
to him. The arrival of Dietmar Hamann for a fee of £8 million in the
summer of 1999 convinced Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier that Ince was
surplus to requirements and the England midfielder moved onto
Middlesbrough, with the fee a cut-price £1m (David Scranage)
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