NewsLiverpool's Greatest - No.50: John Toshack
Years: 1970-1977
Appearances: 247
Goals: 96
Trophies: First Division (1972-73, 1975-76, 1976-77), UEFA Cup (1973, 1976), FA Cup (1974), European Cup (1977), UEFA Super Cup (1977)
John Toshack was one half of a lethal Liverpool strike partnership in the 1970s.
The Welshman’s career at Anfield will always be associated with the chemistry he and Kevin Keegan had at the top end of the pitch.
“Toshack was a wonderful player to play alongside,” Keegan said. “His aerial ability was fantastic and I always knew that he was going to win the high balls.
“From then on, it was just a question of me reading which way the ball was going to go and from those situations we created many chances. I always admired Tosh’s honesty as a player.”
He arrived at the Reds in November 1970 as the most expensive player in the club’s history and offered an early indication about what was to come over the next seven years.
The Cardiff-born forward scored the first of his 96 goals on his second appearance, rising above his marker to thump in a header during a comeback win over Everton at Anfield.
Despite being an elite target man, supporters were also left impressed at how well he fitted in with the pass-and-move ethos established by Bill Shankly.
After his debut season, Toshack would hit double figures for goals in each of the next six terms, even while battling numerous niggling injuries.
The first trophies he lifted as a Red – the league championship and UEFA Cup – came in 1972-73. Toshack created two goals for Keegan in the final of the latter as Borussia Monchengladbach were beaten.
An FA Cup medal followed the year after and was clinched with another example of Toshack’s unselfishness as he provided an assist for Steve Heighway in the showpiece against Newcastle United.
The 1975-76 campaign was his best in front of goal and those 23 strikes, including a winner at Camp Nou, helped him to medals in the First Division and UEFA Cup again.
Injury cruelly denied him the opportunity of appearing in the 1977 European Cup decider – the Reds again defeated Gladbach – and he would soon depart to take up a player-manager role at Swansea City.
“The basis of everything I’ve done, wherever I’ve been, stems from the education I received as a player under Shanks and Bob [Paisley]. I’m very grateful for that and owe them everything,” said Toshack.
“They say you can take the man out of Liverpool but you can’t take Liverpool out of the man and I’ll always be proud to be an ex-Liverpool player.”
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