<ul><li><h2><strong>Years: </strong>1956-1961</h2></li><li><h2><strong>Appearances: </strong>177</h2></li><li><h2><strong>Goals: </strong>23</h2></li></ul>

A right-sided midfielder who was strong in the tackle, had a good engine and was dangerous in attack, Johnny Wheeler joined Liverpool in 1956.

<p>He was already an experienced player before arriving at Anfield, having played 101 league games for Tranmere Rovers in Third Division North and 205 games for Bolton Wanderers at First Division level.</p><p>Manager Phil Taylor put Wheeler's wealth of experience to good use as the Reds tried to get promoted from the Second Division and made him captain in the 1958-59 season.</p><p>Wheeler was a versatile player who normally played at wing-half, but many of his early appearances for Liverpool came as an inside-forward, including a remarkable day against Port Vale early in November 1956.</p><p>After Billy Liddell had equalised Vale's first-half goal, Wheeler scored one of the fastest hat-tricks ever recorded, his goals coming in the 81st, 82nd and 85th minutes.</p><p>He was a regular in the side between 1957 and 1960, making a total of 108 Second Division appearances from the maximum during that period of 126.</p><p>In the 1960-61 season he had to share the No.4 shirt with the young Gordon Milne, though, and by the start of the following campaign he was out of the first-team picture altogether and was only selected for one more league game.</p>

Past playersJohnny Wheeler

Years: 1956-1961

Appearances: 177

Goals: 23

A right-sided midfielder who was strong in the tackle, had a good engine and was dangerous in attack, Johnny Wheeler joined Liverpool in 1956.