Anfield's Treasures

CCSC_STRIKER20 · Dec 8, 2008

I know I posted some of these articles in LFC in the Media thread, but I thought I would put them over here as well. For the ones I already posted in the other thread I will just put a link, but if I haven't posted them in the other thread, I will post the full text here.

In case you didn't know, Anfield's Treasures is a series that LFC.tv are running to showcase certain items found in the team's museum. So there you have it. These articles are all worth a read if you are interested in some interesting parts of the club's history.

Hunt's 1966 World Cup Winners Medal

Paisley's Paintings

Villa de Madrid Trophy

2005 Champions League Banner

Grobelaar's Testimonial Trophy

CCSC_STRIKER20 · Dec 8, 2008

Why Reds Can Boast 20 League Titles

Ask any Kopite how many League titles Liverpool Football Club have won and 99 times out of 100 they'll tell you it's 18.

It's widely regarded as the record number of championship triumphs in England, but in actual fact, we've won 20.

We won one in the First World War and another one in the Second World War.

It's generally accepted that you are not really supposed to count those, but I know there are some clubs that are starting to include them in their honours list.

Whether you add them to the other 18 or not - the fact is that Liverpool have won two other championships.

Need proof of that?

Well, in the museum we have the Championship trophy from the 1942-43 season. It's from the North Championships Second Round competition. It may sound a bit complicated, but what it basically means, is that England was split up into the North and South to cut down on the amount of travelling.

They cut the fixture list in half too, because there was a fear that England may have been invaded and they weren't sure whether they would be able to complete a full season.

In some ways it sells the players short to discount them from the overall number of titles. The games were being played in very dark times under the shadow of war and so they were hardly taking it easy.

The trophy is quite modest in size because resources were very scarce, but it was regarded as something of morale-booster to have something to play for.

I'm rather fond of it and if our rivals start to get too close then I suppose we could start to count the 20, couldn't we!?
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CCSC_STRIKER20 · Dec 8, 2008

Ephraim Longworth's Medal Collection

This guy is a Liverpool legend.

He made 371 appearances between 1910 and 1928 and was the club's first player to captain England.

One of the great tragedies of being a footballer who played so many years ago, is that you tend to get forgotten. Obviously people can't remember him playing and many of those who were fortunate enough to have seen him in action aren't alive anymore.

But he did win a lot of honours and was a very important defender in the side. He also had an extremely interesting career.

After he finished playing he actually ended up as the groundsman during Bill Shankly's reign and became a close friend of his during his Shanks' later years.

Longworth's family kept everything from his time with the Reds and as a result we have all of his medals on show in the museum.

He won two league championships with the club and played in our first FA Cup final appearance too. That was against Burnley in 1914 and we have his runners-up medal from it as well as all seven of his England caps.

He also played a lot of post-World war representative games. This was a common occurrence after both the First and Second World War's where the Football League would play lots of high profile friendly games.

They were mainly arranged in order to boost morale, but it also helped raise funds for war widows etc.

As I say, it's a very special collection and fantastic to have something from an era so long ago.

It also helps to remind us that just because we can't remember a player it doesn't mean that they weren't great footballers.
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CCSC_STRIKER20 · Dec 15, 2008

A Great Day In Our History

In our latest peek behind the walls of Anfield's famous museum, curator Stephen Done invites us to take a stroll down memory lane and the glory of our first FA Cup Final win in 1965.

This is the actual jersey worn by Ian St John in the 1965 FA Cup Final.

Back in those days the FA Cup was absolutely huge. I've spoken to many fans who were there all those years ago and the build up to the Wembley showdown with Leeds United was massive.

In fact, they even go as far as to say that winning it for the very first time that year was more important to them than the subsequent European Cup successes in 1977 and 2005.

We may have a different opinion about that now, but back then it was the most important thing that Liverpool could possibly win.

It was a very intense game of football. Both sides were pretty much equal in terms of their quality and stature in the world of football at the time.

It also saw Bill Shankly pit his wits against Don Revie, so to put it simply, it had all the ingredients to be a titanic clash.

We all know now that we went on to win the match 2-1 and Ian St John scored the famous diving header that won us the cup.

So it's quite wonderful to have the shirt in which he made such a huge imprint on Liverpool's history here in the museum. It still looks brand new even now.

It's very generous of Ian to allow us to display it in the museum and it's certainly one of the most important items we have here.
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CCSC_STRIKER20 · Dec 22, 2008

The Burning Stub Collection

We have a number of great Albert Stubbins items here in the Museum, with the most notable being his 1950 FA Cup final shirt. You can even see that there's still a little bit of Wembley mud splattered on it.

Nicknamed the 'Burning Stub', he was a massive player for Liverpool back in the 1940s and 1950s.

He signed from Newcastle United in September 1946 after the Reds had suffered a humiliating 5-0 defeat against rivals Manchester United. In seven years at the club he went on to score 83 goals in 178 matches and was widely regarded as one of the finest marksmen in the country.

We've got both his 1946-47 Championship medal and his 1950 FA Cup runners-up medal here, but perhaps the most interesting medal we have of his came into the museum only recently. We weren't even aware that he had actually received it.

In the year of the 1948 London Olympics he was voted one of the top sportsmen in the land. There were only 12 people given this and it was quite an achievement for him to be included in that list, particularly as he wasn't involved in the Olympics.

t was a great honour for him, but then he was an exceptional footballer. He made a massive impact at Anfield and played an instrumental role alongside the likes of Liddell, in helping us to win the 1946-47 Division One championship.

His ability was such that he even received recognition away from football.

He is still the only footballer to appear on a Beatles album cover after featuring on the front of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

It was something he was immensely proud of, and goes to show just how big his overall impact on the city of Liverpool was.
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CCSC_STRIKER20 · Dec 29, 2008

Kenny Crowned King By His Peers

This is the Players' Player of the Year Award for 1982 and it can only have gone to one player, the irrepressible Kenny Dalglish.

There's actually a nice photograph of him holding it with that lovely grin that he's got!

All the players knew how good he was. He is truly one of the greatest to have ever played for Liverpool FC and quite possibly one of the finest to have ever played in Great Britain - a true genius.

This trophy was awarded to him in 1982 and there were many more years of success to follow.

There was a great quote someone said about him in 1986 when he was player manager. I can't quite remember who it was but they said: "I'd hate to see what he is going to do when he goes full-time!"

He didn't disappoint them either, as he led us to two more league titles and an FA Cup!

This trophy here may not be the most beautiful one you will come across in the museum, but it is another example of the importance of Kenny Dalglish and how well respected he was by his fellow professionals.
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CCSC_STRIKER20 · Jan 19, 2009

Memories of '86 - King Kenny's Shirt

In our latest peek behind the walls of Anfield’s famous museum, curator Stephen Done reminisces about one of our finest hours against Everton.

As we head into a week that sees us face a mouthwatering derby double-header with Everton, it is perhaps fitting that we have chosen to look at an item from one of our finest ever triumphs against the Toffees.

It is the shirt and tracksuit top that the great Kenny Dalglish wore back in 1986.

The first all-Merseyside FA Cup final was a great occasion for everyone associated with the club as we came from behind to beat our neighbours 3-1 at Wembley.

It not only meant that we lifted the FA Cup, but it also saw us clinch our first and only league and FA Cup double.

It would prove to be one of the highlights of King Kenny's career and capped a remarkable first season as player/manager.

We also have some other items from Dalglish's time at Anfield in this cabinet, including the actual Canon League trophy. When you won the league back in those days you used to get this strange piece of silverware along with the championship trophy we all know and love.

t's a nice quirky item to have along with a host of fantastic Dalglish memorabilia.

Kenny's is just one a number of great shirts that we have here and you will notice that none of them are signed.

People have this idea that the shirts should have someone's name written all over it. But what you discover is that 'real' shirts, actually worn by the players, are not signed. They don't need to be.

This is Kenny's shirt, worn in that famous final and owned by him.
It sets them apart from the sort of framed shirts you see in pubs - this is the real McCoy.
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CCSC_STRIKER20 · Jan 19, 2009

Shankly's Lucky Jumper

This black jumper is one of our (the museum's) greatest discoveries.

Bill Shankly's family informed me about it and told me that the great man used to wear it to training for several years. There's a famous picture of him wearing this up at Melwood, so I knew exactly what jumper they were talking about.

I can't believe we actually have it and that it has survived all this time.

Under the public spotlight Shanks would always appear immaculately dressed and often wore nicely tailored suits.

But when it came to his day-to-day life he was just like everyone else, happy to get muddy and wear an old shabby jumper. That was the serious business as far as he was concerned.

We've also got his 1974 FA Cup final tracksuit top which has long been a bit of favourite of mine.

Back in the late 1990s we actually made a replica of this and sold it in the club shop. To this day it's still a big seller and it's easy to see why, as it provides an almost iconic image of Shankly in his tracksuit top.
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CCSC_STRIKER20 · Jan 19, 2009

Why No One Can Fill Billy Liddell's Boots

We have a cabinet here at the museum that is dedicated to the legendary Billy Liddell.

If you get a chance to visit us, you will see a whole host of items that offer an insight into the career of one of Liverpool's true greats, including a pair of his boots, the 1946-47 championship medal, three Scotland caps and the first contract he signed.

He's considered by many to be one, if not THE, greatest footballer to have ever played for the club.

You can argue a case for some fantastic names, like Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, Steven Gerrard etc and you'd have to include Billy alongside those legends.

He had a fantastic attitude and loyalty that went with his undoubted ability as a footballer. His prime position was as a raiding left-winger but he also excelled on the opposite flank, at centre forward or inside forward - he was that good.

Just look at these boots he wore. These are big, heavy steel-toe cap boots and yet he could kick like nobody else - he was a tough player. But he was also very fair and never got sent off. He never argued with the referees.

He won the league with us, got to the FA Cup final but then ended up in a Second Division side. Liverpool were going nowhere slowly but he didn't complain and never asked to leave.

He could have played for anyone but chose not to and it just goes to show his influence on the team when you see that they were nicknamed 'Liddellpool' during his time there.

Despite the fact he played in the Second Division, he stands alongside Sir Stanley Matthews as one of only two players to have played twice for Great Britain and the United Kingdom.

We have the two shirts he wore when they took on Europe in 1947 and 1955 respectively. It is a great honour and showed how good a player he was.

Sadly, he died from Alzheimers disease in July 2001 at the age of 79, but will always be remembered as one of the finest players to have ever graced these shores.
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CCSC_STRIKER20 · Jan 28, 2009

Up Close With Carragher's Medals

The way Carra donated his medals to the Museum is typical of the man.

I got a phone call from Melwood telling me there was something up there that I should go and have a look at. When I enquired as to what that was, they told me it was big bag of medals!

Jamie had just brought them in, dumped them on the desk and told them to give Stephen Done a call.

So off I went and there they were, in this bag. He didn't want a receipt or anything. He just told me to put them on show in the museum and walked off.

It was absolutely unbelievable. It is one of the great moments I have had here as a museum curator and shows just how down to earth and trusting our favourite number 23 is.

I have to say that I think it is one of the most exciting additions we have ever received.

For me, it ranks alongside the Kenny Dalglish and Alan Hansen collections that are already on show.

We gave the medals pride of place in the museum just before Christmas and I am proud to say it includes everything he has won, from the FA Youth Cup medal of 1996 through to the Champions League winners' medal from 2005.

We also have the runners-up medal from Athens in 2007. Although it is only a runners-up medal it is an extremely beautiful one.

Not that Carra will see it that way, of course. He's a born winner and will no doubt still be frustrated it wasn't his second European Cup triumph.

Aside from that, we've also got his FA Cup medal, the UEFA Cup medal and the Worthington Cup medal from the 2001 treble winning season.

When you look at this collection you realise just how incredibly successful Liverpool have been since the turn of the century.

It also illustrates how fantastic Jamie Carragher has been as a player.

The cabinet is already overflowing but I have a feeling that before he hangs up his boots there will be plenty more to show off.

He's already regarded by many as a legend in his own right and is a name you have to include when it comes to talking about the greatest defenders to have played for the club.

With any luck, he may add a few more to his collection this season and top it off with the only one that is missing, the Barclays Premier League title.
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CCSC_STRIKER20 · Jan 28, 2009

Life With Ol' Big Ears

Imagine flying from one country to another in search of the football that was used the day we were crowned Champions of Europe for the very first time.

It's not your everyday job now is it?

But then, being the Museum curator and Stadium tour manager for the most successful football club in English football isn't the type of position you'd expect to find in the Guardian's job section...

Well, as it turns out it is.

When Stephen Done responded to the newspaper advert back in 1997 he began a journey that would see him fulfil a lifetime ambition to work for Liverpool FC.

Here he tells us all about a role that involves sharing intimate moments with the European Cup and the bread and butter that is the League championship trophy.

Stephen, let's great straight to the fun stuff! What's your favourite item in the museum?

That's a tough one. The obvious answer has to be the Champions League trophy. We get to keep it forever and it symbolises so much. You can't get better than being the Kings of Europe and we've done it five times.

Do you spend a fair bit of time in amongst the trophies?

It varies. There are some days that I am in there quite a bit and there are times when I go quite a while without setting foot in there. That's the nature of my job. Nothing is routine! If I want to change something or put a trophy in a cabinet, I tend to leave it until after the summer, which is our busiest time of the year.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I think it's probably when a relative of one of our great names from the past comes in with a great big box of goodies. They come in and say: 'I don't know if it's of any interest to you, but...' and we open it up and there are medals, caps and photographs in there. When I explain that this is almost beyond a price, both monetarily, and historically, the thrilled look on their faces is great to see. It's interesting and rewarding to meet players, former players and many of the great supporters that we have, especially those who can recall the very distant past. It is so important to try and capture these stories.

When did you realise this would be your calling in life?

Well I arrived here in December 1997 and set up the Museum and stadium tour as we know it today. Before that, I went to University to study Fine Art - that's basically painting and photography. However, I ended up in Bristol and started to volunteer at a Museum because as you can imagine, there's not much money in painting. I worked for an Industrial museum at first, and while I was doing that I did a postgraduate course in Museum Studies. I then got a job as a curator in Merthyr Tydfil looking after a huge collection ranging from fine arts to industrial history. I did that for 10 years before I spotted a tiny advert in the Guardian newspaper. The words Liverpool Football Club just jumped out at me and I went for it.

Did you grow up supporting Liverpool?

As a city Liverpool had always fascinated me and ancestrally my family do come from places that are close to Merseyside. So there was only ever going to be one team for me and I set my sights on working here. Luckily enough that dream came true.

What was it about the Reds that won your heart?

Well, I was 10 at the time and we were playing Arsenal in the 1971 FA Cup final. Of course, the Gunners won and I remember Charlie George lying on the pitch with his legs in the air in celebration of the winning goal. It wasn't the greatest day, but I remember feeling that it wasn't right that the likes of Steve Heighway hadn't come out on top. It was an occasion that confirmed to me that I was definitely a red.

So can you tell us what duties a Museum curator has?

On a daily basis the museum sort of looks after itself, but at times we make changes to the displays; I catalogue and research the collections, and look to plug gaps in the club's history with new additions. On top of that, it's all about making sure that we have enough staff to look after the place, maintain an overview of the business side of things and look to find ways to ensure that we have an attraction that keeps bringing the visitors in. I also answer enquiries about the club; from private individuals but also from Sport Media, you guys at LFC TV and the club Press Office. Then there is supplying suitable images from our photographic archive, which often entails actually taking photographs myself. Then we get people asking me to identify something or telling me they have something that might interest us, or wanting help tracing details of an ancestor who claims to have played for Liveprool FC. I've actually got two very interesting claims at the moment.

What are they?

There are two people who say they have the ball from the 1977 European Cup final. Both claims are strong and need serious investigation. We'll try and decide which one is the right ball. It's a really exciting, but tricky part of the job.

Do you remember your first game at Anfield?

(Laughs). It's quite embarrassing really. I'm a historian who can't remember much about what I've done myself! I know my first game was back in 1978 and that we won, but I can't for the life of me remember the opposition. I think it has been blown away by the memories I have from my experiences working here.

Okay. Tell us about some of your most extraordinary memories...

Well, on my first day here, we were playing Celtic in the second-leg of the UEFA Cup. Steve McManaman had earned us a 2-2 draw in the first-leg at Celtic Park. I was so thrilled just to be at Anfield, knowing that I was now part of the Club, and the next thing I know, Brian Hall gives me a ticket to the match and Peter Robinson comes over and asks me if I speak Italian. I told him I could just about order a beer and before I knew it he had me in front of some Juventus officials who had suddenly decided to visit. So, there I am walking along with Peter Robinson giving them an official tour. It was just prior to kick off and we went into the dressing room where all the players and the manager Roy Evans were sitting. From there it got even better. It was about 20 minutes until kick off and I found myself out on the centre circle with both sets of fans singing You'll Never Walk Alone. All this on my first day in work! It was a surreal experience to say the least. I couldn't sleep that night - I was high on adrenalin.

Is that your favourite memory from your time here?

I'd have to say no! It was fantastic, don't get me wrong. But there have been so many incredible moments since. I think the run-in during the 2000-01 season is up there for me. It was just a relentless run of great match after great match. I went to all three finals and it was just brilliant. Obviously Istanbul was the greatest sporting moment I will probably ever experience. It was the most intense and overwhelming game - and the most exhausting! But I have a soft spot for 2001, particularly the FA Cup final versus Arsenal. That was a lovely day out.

How do you relax away from football?

I watch more football! (laughs). Especially accompanied by a real English ale. I'm also a bit of a train spotter - well, steam trains, to be precise. I chase them around the country, and ended up driving one in Poland! On top of that I'm a published author - I wrote a crime novel called 'Smoke gets in your eyes', and have just released my lastest follow-up 'The Murder of Crows' (Both Hastings Press). I also like to bird watch. As you can tell, I have a busy life!

Who is your favourite Liverpool player of all-time?

That's a tough one. It's almost impossible. We've had so many amazing footballers. If I'm put on the spot I will default to a player who I admired before I came to work here. That man is Alan Hansen. He was brilliant. He made defending exciting. We all tend to look towards strikers, but he was a class act.

Finally, can you name your All-time Reds XI?

There are at last 50 tremendous players to choose from, so I'd have to say no! In my position as curator I have to have a bigger overview of past players and it's too hard to whittle it down to 11.
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CCSC_STRIKER20 · Feb 2, 2009

The Istanbul Collection

Is this the ball that Jerzy Dudek saved from Andriy Shevchenko to win us the European Cup for the fifth time?

It's nice to think so isn't it? One thing we know for definite is that it is certainly ONE of the balls used in Istanbul.

It was picked up by one of the stewards following the epic events that transpired at the Ataturk Stadium on May 25, 2005.

He was a local man from Liverpool who was working on behalf of the club. The celebrations were just getting underway as the players ran around jumping for joy and he saw this ball lying there, so he picked it up and put it under his jumper.

You can see that it's still got some grass stains from being kicked around during the game. Obviously there were quite a few balls used that night so we will never know the exact moment this one came into play, but it's still fantastic to have it here on display.

We've also got a pair of Xabi Alonso's boots. These are particularly special because he is a player who doesn't change his boots too often. He wears them until he thinks they are worn out.
So when he handed them to me personally, I was highly delighted.

I had to ask him which season he wore them in and he replied by saying he'd used them in 2005, which obviously led to me enquiring as to whether they were the ones he had on in Istanbul.

He said they were and handed them over.

It's quite wonderful really when you consider what he achieved wearing those boots.

They take their rightful place alongside the other items that we have here in the museum, all of which offer fond memories of that incredible night in May.
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CCSC_STRIKER20 · Feb 9, 2009

Paisley's Flat Cap

In the week that marks the 13th anniversary of the passing of the late, great Bob Paisley, it makes sense for us to take a look at the cabinet we have dedicated to our most successful manager ever.

The first thing that might strike you is that we have two flat caps bang in the middle of it all.

If you are clued up on your LFC history then you will know that Bob was famous for wearing these. Look a bit closer and you may notice that one of them has various marks on it and we think he must have worn it quite a lot.

As for the other one, it was something he bought especially for the 1977 European Cup final. It must have been a bit too warm for him over there in Italy because he didn't wear it in the end.

It's a fantastic item to have on show. It's a humble, little cap that sums up everything about Bob Paisley really.

His record is just awesome and he remains an inspiration to this day.

While other managers may try to emulate his achievements, one thing they won't be able to equal is the modesty he had in reaching his success.

We've also got lots of other lovely items in this cabinet all about Bob Paisley which his widow Jessie very generously donated to the museum.

Just look at the boards on either side which detail all his honours.

They basically tell you that Liverpool under Paisley were quite unstoppable and all these triumphs were all achieved by a man wearing a flat cap who was renowned for giving terrible team talks and telling the players to do the 'same as last week'!

A brilliant man and a true legend.

RIP Bob
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CCSC_STRIKER20 · Feb 16, 2009

Dressed For Success - Ray's Shirt

In our latest peek behind the walls of Anfield's famous museum, curator Stephen Done takes a closer look at our last title-winning shirt.

Can we win the league this year?

It's the question every fan wants a positive answer to and we've certainly put ourselves in a great position to make our biggest challenge in a long while.

The last time we won the holy-grail was back in 1990 and it is fitting that we have a few items on show in the museum from that title-winning side.

We have Ray Houghton's shirt and when you remember all the kits we've had since, it makes you realise just how long we've had to wait for title number 19.

You can see the big silver eagle of Barclays bank that they gave to the Reds for finishing top of the pile and we also have a glass urn given to us by Royal Doulton.

When I look at this section of our display I start to dream of seeing a Steven Gerrard shirt or a Fernando Torres one that we can put alongside Ray's and say 'Look at the shirts from our last two title triumphs.'

We're still in the hunt for it so let's keep our fingers crossed.
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