NEWS STORY LFC'S GREATEST EVER RIGHT-BACK?
Jimmy Rice 30 June 2009
With the arrival of a new right-back in Glen Johnson, we thought we'd attempt to discover Liverpool's greatest ever right-sided defender. We've come up with nine names for you to choose from - so make sure you cast your
vote now and we'll reveal the results later in the week.
Rob Jones
Gary Neville wouldn't have amassed half as many England caps had injury not wrecked Rob Jones' career and forced him to retire at just 27. A real favourite among supporters of a certain generation, Jones was described by Ryan Giggs no less as the best full-back he ever faced. He just couldn't score for toffee.
Steve Nicol
Okay, so he missed a penalty in a European Cup final, but Steve Nicol hardly put a famously-large foot wrong during his illustrious Anfield career. His 466 appearances included four league titles, three FA Cups, the odd hat-trick and the 1989 Football Writers' Player of the Year accolade.
Chris Lawler
Chris Lawler's attacking play was a key feature in Shankly's legendary sides of the 1960s as trophy after trophy made its way back to Anfield - not least our first FA Cup. An awesome tally of 61 goals is almost unheard of among full-backs - though as his 'Silent Knight' nickname would suggest, Lawler was never one to seek the limelight.
Markus Babbel
Like Jones, Markus Babbel's career was cruelly cut short by injury, but his impact was immense during 73 first-team games for the Reds. A regular for Germany, Babbel oozed class in a red shirt, playing a crucial part in our treble success of 2001 including a goal in the UEFA Cup final.
Vegard Heggem
The first signing of Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier in their roles as joint managers in the summer of 1998, it didn't take Vegard Heggem long to impress the Liverpool supporters with his consistent and exciting attacking displays. Spectacular goals against Middlesbrough and Bradford City live long in the memory but a series of hamstring injuries eventually took their toll on Heggem's Liverpool career.
Steve Finnan
Clichés like 'unsung hero' and 'Mr Consistent' are overused in football, but here was a player to whom both really did apply. The Republic of Ireland international is the only footballer to play in each of the top five tiers in English football as well as the Champions League, World Cup and La Liga.
Alvaro Arbeloa
One of the few Liverpool players to win a European Championship medal. Like Finnan,
Alvaro Arbeloa goes about his work quietly, but over time he has gained the respect of our famous Kop.
Phil Neal
The most decorated player in Anfield history, Phil Neal is the only man to feature in each of our first five European Cup finals - winning four and scoring a clinching penalty in the first against Borussia Monchengladbach in 1977.
Ephraim Longworth
His name may not be familiar to younger Kopites, but Ephraim Longworth was a huge star in the early part of the Twentieth Century. The first Anfield player to captain England, he may well have amassed 500 Liverpool appearances had the First World War not intervened.
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