A successful team always requires a constant figure on the team sheet, one who leads by example and provides stability to the team as well as the manager. It requires patience and passion for a player to devote such substantial years of their career to a single club, which more often than not stems from an attachment that goes beyond the paycheck and the trophies. This is reflected in Liverpool FC’s history as well, as the top 3 players with the most appearances for the club were all local lads.
Who are Liverpool FC’s top five appearance-makers in the club’s history?
#5: Emlyn Hughes (1967-1979) (665)
After establishing himself at the club in 1967, Emlyn Hughes made a name for himself as a fierce and charismatic defender. He even rugby-tackled a Newcastle forward during a match, earning the nickname the “Crazy Horse” by the Kop. His leadership was obvious right from the get-go, with even Bill Shankly pronouncing that he sees Hughes captaining both the club and country in a few years.
After a few years of consistent displays at the back, he was made the captain of the club by 1975 and would go on to lead the team to their first European trophy in 1977 which they retained the next year. He was quite versatile at the back too, slotting in as a left-back or a defensive midfielder whenever needed, which led to him featuring in the goalscoring charts more often than not.
Playing a crucial part in Liverpool FC’s success throughout that decade, Emlyn Hughes won 4 league titles, one FA Cup, 2 European Cups, and even 2 UEFA Cups in his 12 years at Merseyside. Making a total of 665 appearances, he features as the fifth player to have the most appearances for the club in its history. He eventually left the club in 1979 however to join Wolverhampton, and sadly passed away in 2004.
STATS:
Competition | Appearances |
League | 474 |
FA Cup | 62 |
League Cup | 46 |
Europe | 79 |
Other | 4 |
Total | 665 |
#4: Ray Clemence (1967-1981) (665)
The benchmark for all Liverpool FC goalkeepers, Ray Clemence made 665 appearances between the sticks in a Red shirt, keeping 323 clean sheets in the process. A crucial part of the most successful Liverpool FC team during that decade, he was signed on from Scunthorpe United before making his debut almost 3 years later in 1970.
Ray Clemence can single-handedly be credited for Liverpool FC’s European successes as he made some really decisive saves across the seasons in crucial situations. His decisive save against Jupp Heynckes meant Liverpool FC lifted the UEFA Cup in 1973 courtesy of the away goal rule. He made similar saves in 1977 in the European Cup final against Uli Stielike when the score was 1-1, with Liverpool FC eventually winning the match 3-1. His headstrong nature and confidence as Liverpool FC’s No. 1 was complemented by his consistency as he went on a five year run of consecutive appearances(336) without missing a single match, and after lifting his third European trophy with the club, he departed for Tottenham after almost 13 years as a Red.
STATS:
Competition | Appearances |
League | 470 |
FA Cup | 54 |
League Cup | 55 |
Europe | 80 |
Other | 6 |
Total | 665 |
#3: Steven Gerrard (1998-2015) (710)
Racking in 710 appearances in that Red shirt for the club he adored, it comes as no surprise to see Steven Gerrard making it to this list. From his time from 1998 to 2015 for Liverpool FC, Steven Gerrard occupied many positions in the midfield, starting out as a wide right midfielder and later being shifted to a more defensive role, also being deployed as a No. 10 occupying the midfield a
Gerrard was a technically gifted box to box midfielder, which was supplemented by his ability to score beautiful long range volleys and shots. He was the captain of the team that pulled off the miracle in Istanbul and also inspired the Reds to a famous FA Cup final victory against West Ham in 2006. His famous goals include one against Olympiakos in 2004 at Anfield when he smashed in a howler to help Liverpool FC qualify for the knockouts.
His ability to make late runs from behind into the penalty area and his tactical intelligence allowed him to break down attacks too, and at his peak, he was easily one of the best midfielders in the world with many top clubs making offers for him to lure him away from Anfield. Nevertheless, Stevie G stuck to his roots as his passion for football was only superseded by his passion for the club, and later on was deployed in a more defensive role as his physical ability declined with age, making use of his long-range vision to create plays.
Far past his prime in 2015, Stevie G decided to leave the club at the end of the season and joined MLS outfit LA Galaxy for a brief stint before announcing retirement from professional football. He now manages Scottish outfit Rangers, with most Kopites seeing him as an obvious successor to Klopp’s reign at Anfield.
STATS:
Competition | Appearances |
League | 504 |
FA Cup | 42 |
League Cup | 30 |
Europe | 130 |
Other | 4 |
Total | 710 |
#2: Jamie Carragher (1996-2013) (737)
The young Evertonian didn’t imagine himself playing for the club that he hated the most, much less making it to the list of the player with most appearances. But as time went on and he was picked up by the Liverpool FC Youth Academy, Jamie Carragher warmed up to the prospect of playing for the Reds, and never played for any other team in his entire footballing career.
The versatile defender was the face of Liverpool FC’s emerging youth talent during the second half of the 90s along with players like Gerrard and Michael Owen. He established himself at the back with his passion and enthusiasm and his knack of giving his 100% every match. Carragher also holds the records for the most number of European appearances as a Red with 150 matches, winning a UEFA Cup in 2001 and a Champions League in 2005 in the process. The latter trophy also saw him make an extremely important goal-line clearance in the dying stages of the final.
An extremely hardworking player, he was known for making no-nonsense last-ditch tackles. Didier Drogba named him the toughest opponent he ever faced, as Carragher’s passion and hard-work saw him being an extremely aggressive albeit a fair tackler. The scouser went on to appear 737 times for the Reds across 17 years for the club, retiring at the end of the 2013 season. These days he can often be seen on TV providing analysis and good-natured banter with ex-United player Gary Neville.
STATS:
Competition | Appearances |
League | 508 |
FA Cup | 40 |
League Cup | 35 |
Europe | 150 |
Other | 4 |
Total | 737 |
ALSO READ – Liverpool’s All Time XI Players
#1: Ian Callaghan (1960-1978) (857)
Topping this list is this midfield-maestro who made over 857 appearances in a Red shirt across 18 years of his career. Ian Callaghan was a born Scouser and was tipped to lead the club back when it was still languishing in the second division. His gentlemanly nature and level-headedness in the playing field are portrayed by the fact that Callaghan was booked only once throughout his entire career.
Easily average around 50 games per season during his peak, Callaghan was the focal point of the entire team’s midfield. With his blistering pace and incisive passing, he was the focal point of Liverpool FC’s attack. From the measly second division to European glory, Ian Callaghan has won it all during his time at Anfield, even earning the Footballer of the Year award for his contribution in the 1974 season, making him the first Red player to ever win that accolade. He also assisted Ian St John in Liverpool FC’s FA Cup victory in 1965, making an incisive pass in the dying embers of extra time.
By 1978 after a trophy-laden successful career, he decided to move out to Fort Lauderdale with age catching up to his footballing ability. He left the club with a record 857 matches, a record which has stood the test of time and is unlikely to be broken anytime soon.
STATS:
Competition | Appearances |
League | 640 |
FA Cup | 79 |
League Cup | 42 |
Europe | 89 |
Other | 7 |
Total | 857 |
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Here are the rest of the players comprising the top 10 most appearances for the club –
- Ian Rush – 660
- Phil Neal – 650
- Tommy Smith – 638
- Bruce Grobbelaar – 628
- Alan Hansen – 620