11 legends pick their Top 5 players

Ian Callaghan:

LFC 1960 - 1978

1. Billy Liddell

Billy was the reason why I became a Liverpool supporter and he was everybody's idol. I was fortunate enough to take his position on the field and that to me was a huge honour.

2. Kenny Dalglish

I think Kenny was the best player in and around the box Liverpool have ever had.

3. Kevin Keegan

Kevin became the big star after George Best and was a real icon. He was a fantastic player.

4. Ray Clemence

I don't think Liverpool have ever had a better goalkeeper. We have had some brilliant keepers but for me no-one is as good or ever matched Ray Clemence.

5. Steven Gerrard

I think Steven is an unbelievable talent. He sets his own standards so high and he has more influence on games than any other player.

Tommy Smith

LFC 1962 - 1978

1. Billy Liddell

Without question Billy is my all-time boyhood hero. I played with Billy in the reserve team in 1960 when I was 15 and it was like I was playing with God! He was also a true gentleman.

2. Ian Callaghan

I call Cally ‘Mr Liverpool’. He never complained and he played more games than anyone else in a red shirt which just shows you what a good player he was. He very rarely had a bad game and is one of the best players there has ever been.

3. Roger Hunt

Roger was a great lad and he could score from anywhere. On top of that he didn't half work hard for the team. Roger was all over the pitch and he fully deserved to be a big part of the England team that won the World Cup in 1966.

4. Kenny Dalglish

Probably the most gifted player I have ever seen. He could turn on a five pence piece and he was an out and out footballer. He was just a tremendous player.

5. Kevin Keegan

The difference between Kevin and Kenny Dalglish is that Kenny was a natural footballer and Kevin was what I would call man made. His best asset was his quickness. Kevin was so quick and he could create something out of nothing. A good example of that was in the 1977 European Cup Final when he got the ball on the halfway line and ran all the way until he was brought down for the penalty.

Phil Neal

LFC 1974 - 1985

1. Kenny Dalglish

The undisputed king of Liverpool Football Club.

2. Steven Gerrard

An all-action super hero of the modern age.

3. Graeme Souness

Aggression and sublime skill.

4. Emlyn Hughes

Mr Liverpool Football Club in my eyes.

5. Ian Callaghan

The best professional ever to pull on the Red shirt and the man who taught me what Liverpool Football Club means.

Joey Jones

LFC 1975 - 1978

1. Kenny Dalglish

I think Kenny is the best player Liverpool have ever had. Many great players have worn the Red shirt - going back to the days of Billy Liddell - but Kenny was just a genius.

2. Tommy Smith

Tommy was what Liverpool was all about. He was a tough player and every successful team has to have a Tommy Smith in their side. He would have graced any team.

3. Emlyn Hughes

I always remember the first game I ever saw which was Everton v Blackpool. Me and my dad were Liverpool fans and I remember my dad saying Liverpool should sign this Blackpool defender who of course was Emlyn Hughes. A true great.

4. Alan Hansen

A cultured player. Alan shook the Kop in a different way to Tommy Smith. He was cool and composed and was a great reader of the game.

5. Ian Rush

The way he scored goals was phenomenal. To think Rushy struggled when he first came to the club is amazing, but after Bob Paisley told him to be more selfish there was no stopping him!

Paul Walsh

LFC 1984 - 1987

1. Kenny Dalglish

Kenny was my hero when I was growing up. I tried to model my game on his and he was just the master.

2. Alan Hansen

Big Al was just coolness personified. He was never flustered and he never looked like he was in any danger.

3. Mark Lawrenson

Lawro was classy and pacy and read the game so well. Forwards never got any change out of him.

4. Steven Gerrard

Probably the most complete all-round midfielder I can remember seeing and he is only going to get even better.

5. Steve Nicol

Nico was so versatile and was a great player. He certainly wasn't under-rated by the players and the manager but he was by the punters. He was a top, top player.

David Johnson

LFC 1976 - 1982

1. Kenny Dalglish

When he took over from Kevin Keegan you thought 'How can anyone replace Kevin?' Kenny was just a fantastic player.

2. Emlyn Hughes

Emlyn was a pleasure to play alongside and he captained Liverpool to many trophies. Shanks can't be wrong when he said that when picking the team Emlyn's name would be the first one on his list.

3. Kevin Keegan

Kevin was my room-mate and what he gave a football team was total commitment, not just in one game but in every game.

4. Ray Clemence

For great portions of our games Clem was redundant but then he would pull off a world class save. That's the mark of a great goalkeeper and he just had that fantastic level of concentration. He was a model professional

5. Billy Liddell

I never had the privilege of seeing Billy Liddell play but from what people tell me he was some player. I respect what I’ve heard about him so he has to be in my top five.

Gary McAllister

LFC 2000 - 2002

1. Kenny Dalglish

2. Steven Gerrard

3. Graeme Souness

4. John Barnes

5. Robbie Fowler

Roy Evans

LFC 1969 - 1998

1. Kenny Dalglish

Kenny was just a phenomenal player. The way he looked after himself was second to none. He was just a true professional, a great talent and he was successful which is the most important thing.

2. Billy Liddell

I only saw Billy play about five times but he had great power and great pace. He had so much ability and he could play up front and wide - what a fantastic player he really was. He was a top player before Liverpool were successful and, off the pitch as well, he was a terrific fellow. A great role model for Liverpool Football Club.

3. Ian Rush

The goals he scored and his combination up front with Kenny speaks for itself. They complemented each other perfectly and with those two up front, you were always going to be successful. It wasn't just about goals either, Rushy was also our best defender. We used to say that you defend from the front and Rushy was the best example of that to anyone.

4. Alan Hansen

The modern-style centre-back who could bring the ball out of defence and set up attacks. He was a fantastic player.

5. Graeme Souness and the 1965 FA Cup winning team

I can't decide on my fifth choice so it has to be a joint effort. Graeme Souness was the all-round midfield player. He had great skill, a magnificent will to win and determination to play. All in all, the perfect midfield player. The reason why the 1965 team has to be in there is it is my favourite Liverpool team of all time and brings back the happiest of memories because it was when I joined my favourite club. The Shankly team was the beginning of Liverpool Football Club. The players were all fantastic and it was a new style of play, the Shankly Way I always say. So take a bow Tommy Lawrence, Chris Lawler, Gerry Byrne, Tommy Smith, Ron Yeats, Ian Callaghan, Peter Thompson, Gordon Milne, Roger Hunt, Ian St John, Geoff Strong, Willie Stevenson, Bobby Graham and Alf Arrowsmith. And if I've missed anyone out from this list, well sorry, but you are not forgotten.

John Aldridge

LFC 1987 - 1989

1. Roger Hunt

Sir Roger at number one for me. Roger Hunt was the reason I wanted to be a footballer. I always wanted to be like him and score goals like him. He was just a fantastic player.

2. John Toshack and Kevin Keegan

They came as a partnership and to me they were the best strike pairing Liverpool has ever had. I watched Toshack and Keegan every week, home and away, and they were just exceptional.

3. John Barnes

For all the goals John set up for me. He was unbelievable and one of the best players Liverpool has ever had.

4. Kenny Dalglish

Kenny has to be in my top five. I didn't see an awful lot of him play but I know he will be many people's number one. He has to be in this list.

5. Steven Gerrard

It was between Steven and Graeme Souness for number five. Souness was just an unbelievable player but I think I have to go for Steven.

Gary Gillespie

LFC 1983 – 1991

1. Kenny Dalglish

Purely and simply the best player I ever played with or against. His record speaks for itself and he is idolised on Merseyside.

2. John Barnes

I had the privilege of playing with Digger at Liverpool and for the first couple of seasons when he was playing on the left wing, he was the best player in Europe. Absolutely phenomenal.

3. Kevin Keegan

I know Kevin left Liverpool under a bit of a cloud but he was a major influence at Anfield. His partnership with John Toshack was fantastic and he was just a fantastic player.

4. Roger Hunt

I didn't see a lot of Roger but his goalscoring record speaks for itself. He was a fantastic player and a nice man as well.

5. Ian Callaghan

Cally just edges out Ron Yeats for me. His record of playing over 800 games is just incredible. Cally should be in anyone's top five Liverpool players.

Alan Kennedy

LFC 1978 - 1985

1. Kenny Dalglish

The all-round team player.

2. Ian Callaghan

An unblemished record and a player who, for me, typified Liverpool in the '70s. A true gentleman.

3. Ian Rush

The best goalscorer I've ever seen or played with.

4. Alan Hansen

Mr Cool. He was under-rated as a defender but read the game better than anybody else.

5. Steven Gerrard

The driving force behind the modern day Liverpool. A real inspiration as we saw in Istanbul and Cardiff.

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