Past playersSteve Staunton

Signed for the Reds by Kenny Dalglish from Irish side Dundalk in 1986, he had to wait two years for his club debut in September 1988.

Predominantly a left-back, Staunton was capable of featuring in a variety of different positions and would end that breakthrough campaign having started at Wembley as Everton were beaten in the FA Cup final.

The Republic of Ireland international was involved in 20 league games the following season, 1989-90, as Dalglish led the Reds to an 18th title success.

His versatility was also evidenced during that campaign when he scored a hat-trick after being deployed as an emergency substitute striker for Ian Rush at half-time of a League Cup tie with Wigan Athletic at Anfield.

But Staunton became a victim of the rule restricting the number of non-English players at each club. New manager Graeme Souness decided the defender was dispensable and sold him to Aston Villa in August 1991.

Staunton would flourish at Villa Park during the seven years that followed and recurring links regarding a move back to Anfield finally materialised into a return in the summer of 1998.

He made 40 appearances in all competitions during 1998-99 but struggled for game time subsequently and transferred to Villa for a second time in late 2000.

That was not before Staunton added yet another position to his list – the Irishman was used in goal for the final 15 minutes of the September 1999 Merseyside derby at Anfield after Sander Westerveld had been sent off.