Past managersW.E. Barclay & John McKenna

Cue the creation of Liverpool Football Club.

Houlding and W.E. Barclay remained at Anfield to help form the new team, with local businessman John McKenna (pictured above) being appointed to the club's first committee.

Following their inauguration, Liverpool made an immediate application to join the Football League but this was rejected and they had to take a place in the Lancashire League instead.

They won that championship in a tight contest with Blackpool and when the Second Division of the Football League was extended at the end of the 1892-93 season, the club was elected in favour of neighbours Bootle.

The side's first manager would be best described as a dual role between Barclay and McKenna.

Barclay was the actual 'secretary/manager' of the club during this period and had been involved at Liverpool before McKenna, who seems to have acted as a 'coach/manager'.

The tremendous work achieved by Barclay should not be overlooked, as he was the organisational force that helped create the great 'Team of the Macs' and the early successes of the club.

However, it was McKenna who seemed to be more involved with team affairs and he could not have had a better start to his new career, beating Rotherham Town 7-1 in a friendly in Liverpool's first ever match, on home turf on September 1, 1892.

Due to his trips north of the border to acquire players, the first team he fielded had no Englishmen.

At the end of the first season, McKenna - also acting as secretary to the club - had written to the FA, without anyone's knowledge, and requested election to the Football League.

McKenna's vision for the club was now apparent. Due to the old test match system, and no automatic promotion, Liverpool found themselves in a play-off situation with last-placed Newton Heath (Manchester United).

They eased to a 2-0 victory and in doing so finally achieved First Division status.

Despite relegation in 1895, Liverpool became known for their fighting spirit and began to flourish.

After Barclay and McKenna's pivotal efforts, the custodianship of the team was passed on to Tom Watson in 1896.