Welcome to
my weekly blog “The Igor Bišćan Hall of Fame” every week I’ll be adding two new
additions, one will be a Liverpool Legend or fans favourite, the other a
Player, Manager or Club who have contributed to the world game we all love
(Gary Neville need not worry). Please comment below who you’d like to see make
the IBHoF, here are this weeks entries. YNWA
CHRIS LAWLER
1962/63 -
1975/76
Chris
Lawler was hardly an eye-catching performer, seeming to saunter through games
with all the apparent urgency of a man out walking his dog. There was no
swagger, no tricks, no histrionics, but in time opponents came to realise -
often ruefully, as they retrieved the ball from their net - that they ignored
Liverpool's faithful right-back at their peril.
Not that
his defensive capabilities weren't respected from the outset. It was obvious
from early appearances deputising for centre-half Ron Yeats that the callow but
composed Chris had all the qualities of a future back-four stalwart. No, what
crept only gradually into the consciousness of opposing teams was an almost
uncanny ability to ghost in behind his forwards and snatch goals when no threat
seemed imminent. Presumably it was the result of instinctive anticipation,
though sometimes it seemed like second sight.
The odd
thing was that, unlike many defenders who pride themselves on finding the net,
Chris was not a dead-ball specialist, never took penalties and did not possess
a particularly powerful shot. Yet he can point to a career record of 61 goals,
including ten in 1969/70 when he was the Reds' second-highest scorer and 11 in
European competitions, which saw some of his most famous efforts. His most
prolific continental campaign was that of the 1965/66 Cup Winners' Cup, in
which he scored in three successive ties, starting with a deft header against
Juventus before striking twice against Standard Liege and once against Honved.
Back in the
First Division, Everton were twice the victims of the Lawler goal habit, both
times at Anfield. In November 1970 Chris capped a stirring Liverpool comeback
from a 2-0 deficit with a late winner and the following season scored with an
overhead kick to complete a 4-0 rout.
Priceless
though these attacking diversions were, Chris never allowed them to distract
him from his primary responsibilities at the back. In fact, he fulfilled them
so well that he missed only one League game between October 1965 and November
1973 - and that was when he was rested before the 1971 FA Cup Final. He first
came to prominence in the 1963 semi final, slotting into the middle of a
reshuffled defence alongside Yeats, and then earned widespread praise when he
stood in for the skipper in three Easter victories during the title run-in a
year later.
In 1964/65,
when the ageing Ronnie Moran stepped down and Gerry Byrne switched to the left
flank, Chris was handed the regular right-back berth. The slim, upright
youngster took his chance with aplomb, underlining his progress by stifling the
talents of speedy Leeds winger Albert Johanneson at Wembley and claiming a
Cup-winner's medal. Calm, skilful and good in the air, Chris became a fixture
and assisted in two Championship triumphs before a knee injury sustained at
Loftus Road ended his proud record of consistency, effectively sidelining him
for the rest of 1973/74. Despite a handful of appearances the following term he
was never the same again and - after a move to Manchester City was called off
by Liverpool at the last minute - he joined Portsmouth, later returning to
Anfield for a coaching stint.
Chris's
England outings were limited to four; there might have been more had he
possessed a little extra pace. Some would point to competition from Keith
Newton and Paul Madeley but Kopites would have none of it. For them the man
they called 'The Silent Knight' - a reference to his quiet, modest nature - was
simply the best right-back in the business.
BORN:
Liverpool, 20.10.43. GAMES: 546. GOALS: 61.
CLUBS:
Liverpool 62/3-75/6; Portsmouth 75/6-76/7 (36, 1); Stockport County 77/8 (36,
3).
HONOURS:
UEFA Cup 72/3. League Championship 65/6, 72/3. FA Cup 64/5.
INERNATIONAL
CAREER: 4 England caps (71).
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JOHN CHARLES
Nicknamed
'The Gentle Giant', John Charles was truly a colossus of the game, equally
adept at playing centre forward or centre half. Indeed, the 42 League goals
that he scored for Leeds United in 1953-54 (still a club record) came at a time
when he was playing in defence for Wales. Yet his lasting fame is as British
football's first major export to Italy where his achievements surpassed those
of the illustrious names that followed him in the early sixties, including
proven goalscorers such as Denis Law and Jimmy Greaves. Charles outshone them
all, helping Juventus to three Italian Championships and two Italian Cups. He
became a hero in a foreign land.
Born in
Swansea, he joined the ground staff at his hometown club before moving to Leeds
where he made his first-team debut in 1949. The following year he became the
youngest player to appear for Wales when, at eighteen years and 71 days, he
strode out against Northern Ireland. His record stood until Ryan Giggs stepped
on to the international scene 42 years later. Charles was then a centre half
but his powerful physique (he was 6ft 2in tall and weighed nearly fourteen
stone) encouraged Leeds to try him out in attack as one of the big, bustling
centre forwards that were in vogue at the time. His tremendous heading ability
made him an instant success in his new role and by the time he signed for
Juventus for a British record fee of £65,000 in 1957, he had scored 150 goals
in just 297 appearances for Leeds.
Like George
Best, the fact that he represented one of the lesser football nations denied
Charles a prominent place on the world stage. Yet there was no denying
Charles's pride in playing for Wales, whom he first captained in 1957. And the
following year he helped his country reach the World Cup finals for the only
time in their history. Exceeding all expectations, Wales drew their three group
matches and beat Hungary in a play-off to reach the quarter-finals. There they
met the eventual champions Brazil but, despite a gallant effort, Wales went
down to a solitary goal from Pele. Significantly, Charles missed that match
through injury.
Meanwhile,
he was quickly becoming a huge favourite in Turin. The Italian game, built on
the principles of a miserly defence, traditionally meant lean pickings for
strikers yet Charles managed to score a remarkable 93 goals in 155 games for
Juventus. The world's toughest defenders simply could not contain him.
By 1962
Charles and his family were missing home and he returned to Leeds for £53,000.
However, he stayed just three months (scoring three times in 11 games) before
surprisingly heading off back to Italy to join Roma for £70,000. Sadly, he was
a shadow of his former self. That subtle first touch, unusual for such a big
man, had deserted him and he had lost some of his pace and power. Sensing that
Italian defences had finally got the measure of him, he once again answered the
call of home and the following year he joined Cardiff City where he played
alongside his younger brother Mel. John Charles retired from League football in
1966 at the end of an illustrious career during which he had averaged a goal
every other game.
He briefly
tried his hand at management with Hereford United but then drifted out of
football altogether, as a publican and shopkeeper. If ever a man lived up to
his nickname, it was Charles. For despite the intimidation to which he was
subjected by defenders, he was never once sent off or even booked. And to this
day he remains a hero, not just in his native Wales (for whom he was arguably
their finest ever player), but also in a corner of Italy where he will forever
be remembered as 'Il Buon Gigante' - the Gentle Giant.
BORN:
Swansea, Wales. 27.12.31.
DIED:
Wakefield, England. 21.2.04 (aged 72).
CLUBS:
1948–1957 Leeds United 297 (150), 1957–1962 Juventus 150 (93), 1962 Leeds
United 11 (3), 1962–1963 Roma 10 (4), 1963–1966 Cardiff City 69 (18), 1966–1971
Hereford United 173 (80), 1972–1974 Merthyr Tydfil.
INERNATIONAL
CAREER: Wales 1950–1965 Caps 38 Goals 15.
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