Past playersEmile Heskey

The Reds had held a long-standing interest in the England striker stretching back to Roy Evans' spell as manager and the club finally got their man in March 2000 – for a record transfer fee of £11 million.

Heskey was capable of terrorising opposition defences with either his pace or his powerful presence, and he started life at Anfield brightly with three goals in 12 appearances.

He developed an effective partnership with Michael Owen that thrived for club and country, as well as ensuring that the forward maintained a starting spot despite serious competition within Houllier's squad.

The striker played 56 times during the landmark treble season of 2000-01 and offered 22 goals - including strikes in four separate rounds of the FA Cup and a brutal hat-trick at Derby County; Heskey ended the campaign with three medals around his neck.

Goals would never flow quite as freely for the former Leicester City man in the years that followed, although he missed just three matches as the Reds narrowly missed out on the Premier League title in 2001-02.

Heskey started the League Cup final of 2003 against Manchester United, and Liverpool's triumph earned him the fourth winner's medal of his career in that competition. It would prove his final high at Anfield.

Houllier's decision to begin using Heskey in an unfamiliar left-wing position frustrated both fans and the player himself – but he nevertheless plundered a reasonable 12 goals in all competitions during 2003-04.

The time seemed right for a change, though, and as the Frenchman handed over the managerial reins to Rafael Benitez, Heskey said goodbye to complete a transfer to Birmingham City.