Steve HEIGHWAY

 Irish winger Steve Heighway joined Liverpool in May 1970 from local non-league side Skelmersdale United, no fee being involved as he was signed on an amateur basis. He was part of the club's rebuilding process of the early 1970s and manager Bill Shankly saw him as the ideal replacement for Peter Thompson, a left-winger and former England international whose highly successful spell at the club was drawing to a close. Fast and skilful and an accurate crosser of the ball, Heighway was to enjoy a long and successful career at Anfield, providing goals for the likes of Toshack, Keegan and, in later years, Dalglish and Johnson, as well as scoring a few himself. Good with both feet, though naturally left-footed, he had excellent ball control and was adept at riding challenges.

Unusually for a professional footballer, Steve held a university degree, having graduated in Politics and Economics from Warwick University. Heighway made his first team debut in a 3-2 win against Mansfield Town in a League Cup 2nd round replay at Anfield on September 22nd, 1970, and his first League appearance when coming on as a sub in a 1-0 win at home to Chelsea on October 3rd. Soon impressing observers with his pace and skill on the left wing, he scored his first goal in a 2-0 home win over Burnley in a League match on October 17, before enhancing his growing reputation by leading a memorable comeback in the Merseyside derby with Everton at Anfield in late November. Liverpool trailed 0-2 with only 22 minutes left to play, but Heighway scored their first goal with a 20-yard drive and then crossed for John Toshack to head home the equaliser, a late strike from full back Chris Lawler sealing a dramatic 3-2 win.

Steve made a total of 31 League appearances that season, scoring two more goals (in a 2-2 home draw with Blackpool in January '71 and in a 2-0 win away to Manchester United three months later). He also scored twice in six appearances in the FA Cup, his first goal giving the Reds a 1-0 win at Tottenham in a 6th round tie in March, and his second putting them 1-0 up in the Wembley final against Arsenal, his left-foot shot surprising Bob Wilson at his near post. Steve's strike raised Liverpool's hopes of FA Cup glory (the photo above is during the game), only for the North Londoners to come back to win 2-1, all the goals coming in extra time after a goalless first 90 minutes.

Now established on the left wing, Heighway made 40 League appearances in the 1971-72 campaign, scoring four League goals, in the home wins in September over Wolverhampton Wanderers (3-2) and Leicester City (3-2), and in the away wins at Nottingham Forest (3-2) in October and West Ham United (2-0) in April. More importantly, he was a provider for the new strike partnership of John Toshack and Kevin Keegan, Liverpool's goals often coming from crosses from Heighway to Toshack, the big Welshman either heading the ball in or nodding on for his smaller partner to fire home. With this trio linking up well, Liverpool made a determined challenge for the League title but fell agonisingly short, finishing in 3rd spot, just one point behind champions Derby County. (Martin Greensill)

That near miss in the 1972 FA Cup final was clear evidence that Bill Shankly's rebuilding was on the right track, and season 1972-73 was when his new-look side would come of age. Steve featured prominently, making 62 appearances in all competitions, scoring 10 goals and setting up many more with his incisive wing play. He scored six times in 38 League games, his most important strike being the opener in a 2-1 home victory over Ipswich in late February, that put the Reds back on top of the table after four games without a win had seen them slip down to second place. Liverpool lost only two of their last 11 League matches and lifted their first title since 1966 after a 0-0 draw at home to Leicester on April 28.

Steve had picked up the first medal of his career, but more glory was to come. With the League title sewn up, Liverpool could now concentrate on the two-legged UEFA Cup Final against Borussia Moenchengladbach, Heighway having secured their passage by scoring a vital away goal in a 2-1 defeat by Tottenham in the second leg of the semi-final. Having won the home leg 1-0, Liverpool went through to the final on the 'away goals' rule after the aggregate score ended 2-2. In the first leg of the final at Anfield, John Toshack headed on one of Steve's crosses for Kevin Keegan to score, the Reds running out 3-0 winners to take a firm grip on the tie. A 2-0 defeat in the second leg in Germany two weeks later meant Liverpool had triumphed 3-2 on aggregate, collecting their first ever European trophy and completing an unprecedented League-UEFA Cup double. Heighway had won his second major medal in less than a month.

Steve was again an important figure in the 1973-74 campaign, playing in 35 League games plus another 16 in Cup competitions. He found the net five times in the League, most importantly the only goal in a 1-0 win over Leeds United on March 16. That victory gave Liverpool hope of overhauling Leeds at the top of the table but they faded in the title run-in, winning just once in eight games, and finished runners-up to the Yorkshiremen by six points. However, the FA Cup was to have a happier ending, though only after a shaky start. Fourth Division strugglers Doncaster Rovers pulled off a shock 2-2 draw at Anfield in a 3rd round tie in early January, but in the replay three days later,

Heighway settled the side's nerves with a 15th minute strike and Liverpool went on to win 2-0. He played three more ties as the Reds progressed to the Wembley final, where they faced Newcastle United. After a goalless first half, a Kevin Keegan strike just before the hour mark put Liverpool ahead, before Steve ran onto a headed flick from John Toshack in the 75th minute to fire home a low, right-footed drive from 20 yards out. Another goal from Keegan completed a comfortable 3-0 win as Liverpool lifted the famous trophy for only the second time in their history. Steve had played his part on a memorable day and collected his third major medal in two seasons. (Martin Greensill)

The 1974-75 campaign began a with an air of uncertainty at Anfield following the summer's shock departure of Bill Shankly, who had resigned as manager after a legendary 15-year spell at the club. Assistant boss Bob Paisley was promoted to the managerial hot seat, and little seemed to have changed as Liverpool dropped only one point in their first six games. Heighway scored twice in this period, in a 2-1 win at Luton Town on August 17, and a 2-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers 10 days later, and would go on to score seven more League goals that season, despite making only 35 League appearances due to injury.

His best spell was a run of three goals in four games in December 1974, Liverpool going top of the table after the last of these, a 4-1 win against Manchester City on Boxing Day. However, they could not maintain their form into the New Year and finished second in the League, two points behind champions Derby County. Steve scored four times in 11 cup ties that term, including a brace in a 4-0 win over Bristol City in a League Cup 3rd round replay in October 1974, but Liverpool failed to reach the quarter-finals of any of the three knockout competitions they were involved in. Despite a rare season without a trophy, the transition from Shankly to Paisley had been very smooth and Liverpool were now ready to win silverware again.

Heighway would play an important role in the 1975-76 season, again more as a provider to the Keegan-Toshack combination than as a goalscorer himself. He managed only four goals in 39 League appearances, most importantly the winner in a 3-2 home victory over Tottenham in August 1975 and the opener in a 3-0 win at Manchester City in the penultimate game of the season, in April 1976, but his surging runs down the left wing and crosses into the area were one of the side's strongest weapons.

After early exits from the League Cup and FA Cup had left the path clear for a serious title challenge, Liverpool wrapped up the League championship (for a record ninth time) with a 3-0 win at Wolves on May 4, 1976, Heighway collecting the fourth major medal of his career. As for Europe, Steve scored twice in 11 UEFA Cup ties that season, both goals coming in a 9-1 aggregate win over Spanish side Real Sociedad in the 2nd round, but probably his most telling contribution was winning the penalty from which Kevin Keegan gave Liverpool a 3-2 home win in the first leg of the final against FC Bruges of Belgium on April 28, 1976. A 1-1 draw in the return leg three weeks later meant Liverpool triumphed 4-3 on aggregate, completing their second League-UEFA Cup double in four seasons. (Martin Greensill)

Steve Heighway would be heavily involved in Liverpool's bid for a unique League-FA Cup-European Cup treble in the unforgettable season of 1976-77, one in which he made 58 appearances in all competitions and scored 14 goals. Eight of these came in the League, where he scored only four fewer than the club's top marksman, Kevin Keegan, who hit 12. Steve's most important strike was the winner in a crucial 2-1 victory over title rivals Manchester City at Anfield on April 9, 1977, part of an unbeaten 11-match run that gave Liverpool back-to-back titles and saw the Irishman pick up his third championship medal in only five seasons. He also found the net six times in knockout competitions as Liverpool progressed to the final of both the FA Cup and the European Cup.

In the FA Cup, he scored twice in a 3-2 win at Crystal Palace in a 3rd round replay on January 11, 1977, and once in a 3-0 home win over Carlisle United in a 4th round tie at the end of that month. However, his hopes of another medal and the club's dreams of a trophy treble were left in tatters after a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the Wembley showpiece on May 21. In the European Cup, Heighway scored three times in nine ties, most importantly in a 3-1 win away to FC Zurich in the 1st leg of the semi-final on April 6, 1977. The Reds won the return leg 3-0 to complete a 6-1 aggregate victory and seal their first appearance in the final of Europe's top club competition.

Facing Borussia Moenchengladbach in Rome's Olympic Stadium on the night of May 25, Liverpool started well and took the lead in the 27th minute when Steve ran from midfield and slipped in Terry McDermott to shoot home. The West German side came back to equalise early in the second half, but in the 65th minute Heighway won a corner on left and his cross into the area found veteran defender Tommy Smith, whose firm header restored the Reds' lead. A late penalty from full back Phil Neal sealed a 3-1 win as Liverpool claimed the European Cup for the first time ever. Having set up two of the goals, Steve had made a massive contribution to the most important triumph in the club's 85-year history.

The following season, however, would see Heighway struggle to command a regular spot in the team; he made only 28 appearances in the League and scored five goals, the most important probably being those that twice gave Liverpool important away points with 1-1 draws at Nottingham Forest and Bristol City. The Reds ended the campaign with an unbeaten run of 12 matches but were unable to complete a hat-trick of League titles, finishing runners-up by eight points to Brian Clough's Forest side. Heighway made 17 appearances in other competitions, scoring his only goal in a 2-1 defeat in a European Cup 2nd round 2nd leg tie away to Dynamo Dresden (Liverpool going through 6-3 on aggregate after winning the first leg 5-1). It was in this competition where Steve would pick up another major medal after coming on as a second half sub in the final, Liverpool beating old rivals FC Bruges 1-0 at Wembley on May 10, with a goal from Kenny Dalglish. (Martin Greensill)

The 1978-79 campaign saw Steve appear in all but one of the first 26 League games, scoring four goals including a brace in 4-1 win at Norwich City in October, but he lost his place in March and started only one of the last 16 games. David Johnson took over the No 9 shirt Steve had nearly always worn since his debut in 1971 and seized his chance by scoring eight goals in the last 14 League games, helping Liverpool regain the League title as they finished eight points ahead of runners-up Nottingham Forest with a First Division record of 68 points (under the system of two points for a win). Steve's 28 League appearances were more than enough to win him his fourth League championship medal but, no longer a first team regular and the wrong side of 30, he must have feared for his future.

The writing was on the wall for Heighway's Anfield career after Johnson continued his fine goalscoring form into the 1979-80 season, finding the net five times in the first four League games. He ended up the side's top scorer with 21 League goals and, with Ray Kennedy excelling on the left side of midfield in a successful 4-4-2 formation, there was no place in the side for Heighway. He made only nine League appearances that term, starting only two games, which meant he wasn't entitled to a League championship medal as Liverpool won the title for the fourth time in five seasons and for a record 12th time in total.

The following campaign followed the same pattern with Johnson holding onto the No 9 shirt and Heighway hardly getting a look-in. He made only four League appearances, the last in a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal in March 1981, and his final game came as a second-half sub in a 0-0 draw with Bayern Munich in a European Cup semi-final, 1st leg tie at Anfield on April 8. Now 33 and realising his days as a Liverpool player were over, Steve decided to try his luck abroad and in April 1981 he joined Minnesota Kicks of the North American Soccer League on a free transfer.

In an illustrious Anfield career spanning eleven seasons, he had won nine major medals and made 475 appearances in all competitions, scoring 76 goals (50 of them in the League). After an eight-year spell playing and coaching in the United States, he returned to Anfield in 1989 as Youth Development Officer and helped bring through the likes of Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard. In the late 1990s, he was instrumental in establishing the Anfield Academy, which nurtures the club's young talent. (Martin Greensill)