Ian Callaghan

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Ian Callaghan
Personal information
Full name Ian Robert Callaghan
Date of birth April 10, 1942
Place of birth Toxteth, England
Position Midfielder
Professional clubs*
Years Club Apps (goals)
1960-1978 Liverpool FC 640 (50)

* Professional club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.

Ian Robert Callaghan (born April 10, 1942 in Toxteth, Liverpool) was a footballer who holds the record for the most appearances for Liverpool.

[edit] Life and playing career

Callaghan, a Liverpool supporter as a youngster who idolised Billy Liddell, joined the Reds as an apprentice on the 28th March 1960, he made his debut that April on the 16th against Bristol Rovers at Anfield, Rovers couldn't live with the Reds with the score finishing 4-0 in their favour.

A winger based on the right hand side of the pitch, Callaghan was a regular in the team from 1961 onwards, the club was still in the Second Division in those days but were promoted as champions in 1962 under the management of Bill Shankly. Liverpool had spent 8 years in the second tier and had come close to promotion on quite a few occasions under both Shankly and previous manager Phil Taylor, in ’62 all that changed as Shankly finally steered Liverpool back to the top flight and ‘Cally’ would be a big part of the side that took them back where they rightly belonged, he appeared 23 times and also managed to score his first goal for the club, it came in the 56th minute of the game against Preston North End at Deepdale on the 4th November 1961.

Callaghan became a major part of the side which Shankly took to great heights in the mid-1960s, finishing a creditable 8th in their first season back in Division One Shankly’s Reds surpassed everyone’s expectations the following year, 1963/ 64, winning the League championship by 4 points over bitter rivals Manchester United and 5 over Merseyside rivals and reigning league champions Everton, Shankly had done what he’d set out to do and Callaghan was a enjoying the journey, he was an ever-present in the title winning side adding this winners medal to the one he picked just two season’s earlier.

The 64/65 campaign was a mixture of disappointing league form and a descent run in the FA Cup. The Reds could only finish 7th in the defence of their title but Wembley beckoned for the Anfield club who were desperate to end their 72 year wait for the world’s most prestigious domestic cup win. West Bromwich Albion, Stockport County, Bolton Wanderers, Leicester City and Chelsea all fell by the wayside as Liverpool fought their way to a Wembley showdown with league runners-up Leeds United. As predicted, it was a tight affair with neither side able to break the deadlock in 90 minutes thus ensuring extra-time would follow. Roger Hunt opened the scoring for the Reds 3 minute into the extra period but Billy Bremner equalised just 2 minutes later. The game looked to be heading for replay when Callaghan broke down the right 9 minutes from the end, he sent in his usual pinpoint cross which was met by a diving Ian St John who headed home from close range past a shattered Leeds defence. This proved to be enough, Liverpool had finally done it, the F.A Cup was going back to Anfield for the very first time.

The 1965 season was a rollercoaster of both joy and despair, success came in the shape of yet another League championship but this was tempered by defeat in the European Cup-Winners Cup final as Borussia Dortmund won 2-1 at Hampden Park. Callaghan's disappointment reverted back to joy again when he and team-mates Hunt and Gerry Byrne were named by Alf Ramsey in the England squad for the 1966 World Cup, in which England were hosts.

Callaghan played in the group game against France which England won 2-0, but ultimately was left out of the side as it progressed, with Ramsey preferring Alan Ball in an innovative system which did not deploy natural wingers of Callaghan's type. The team went on to win the World Cup and became known as the "wingless wonders". Callaghan's England career was almost over at the age of 24.

The rest of the 1960s proved fruitless for Liverpool, and Shankly set about dismantling the now aging team, building a new, younger one. Callaghan, along with team-mates Tommy Smith, Chris Lawler and Emlyn Hughes, would emerge from the cull intact to become "elder statesman" figures (even in his late 20s) as a vibrant young side developed around him. Callaghan switched from the wing to a more central midfield role.

After a 5 year period of quiet, Liverpool, with Callaghan in the side, reached the 1971 FA Cup final, unfortunately this time Cally and the rest of Liverpool tasted defeat losing 2-1 to Arsenal after extra time. The 1972/73 campaign would be a better one for Liverpool as they achieved a League and UEFA Cup double, winning the league by 3 points over Arsenal and defeating Germans Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 on aggregate in the UEFA Cup, this could have been a much different story, Ray Clemence saved a Jupp Heynckes penalty at Anfield, if he had scored Gladbach would have won the trophy on the away goals rule.

Liverpool were now becoming a class act once more as in 1974, they won the FA Cup for the second time, this time easily beating Newcastle United 3-0 in one of the most one sided F.A Cup finals ever. Cally was collecting a fine collection of medals under Shankly when the great man shook the very foundations Anfield stands on, Shankly announced his retirement. Ian was the only player to have lasted longer in the first team than the time Shankly spent in charge of it. Also in 1974, Callaghan was named the Football Writers Footballer of the Year and was honoured by being awarded the MBE for his services to football, a much deserved award.

In 1976, at the age of 34, Cally was showing no signs of slowing down as he featured in Bob Paisley’s side which, again, won a League and UEFA Cup double, he played in all the European matches and missing just 2 league games. The League was a tight affair as Queens Park Rangers pushed the Reds all the way and were actually top with Liverpool having one game left to play. Liverpool had to win the game but would have to travel to Molineux to face the already relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers. Things were not going as planned as Liverpool trailed to 1-0 with just 14 minutes remaining to turn the game around, Kevin Keegan got the Reds back into the game as Liverpool now piled forward, they were attacking from all angles but especially down the flanks with Steve Heighway and Cally getting in numerous crosses. With 5 minutes left on the clock the travelling fans erupted as John Toshack finally put the Reds into the lead. Liverpool didn’t sit back on their lead though and with a minute left on the clock and Liverpool supporters ready to invade the pitch either side of the goal, up popped the elegant Ray Kennedy to fire into the roof of the net, they’d done it, the title was Liverpool’s once more and another medal would be added to Ian’s stash. The UEFA Cup final saw the Anfield club face Bruges of Belgium, the Reds took a slender 3-2 lead to Belgium and held Bruges to a 1-1 draw to take trophy for second time.

The ‘76/77 season, during which Cally reached the grand footballing age of 35, he was so impressive in Liverpool's march towards an unprecedented treble that he was awarded a third and fourth, his final, England caps. Cally had made his international debut on the 26th June 1966 in Helsinki against Finland and won his second during the ’66 World Cup, it would then be an incredible 11 years before Ian would play for England again. Cally's 3rd appearance for his country was memorable as he was 1 of 6 Liverpool players to start the international, against Switzerland Clemence, Neal, McDermott, captain Emlyn Hughes and Ray Kennedy were the others, also appearing was former idol Kevin Keegan who had only just left the Reds to join SV Hamburg. As for the treble itself, it didn't quite work out.

Liverpool won the League again beating Manchester City into second spot by a single point, the other Manchester club, United, stood in the way for a domestic double and the second part of the potential treble. Callaghan was a substitute for the game which was a thrilling spectacle, but unfortunately United stopped the run by beating the Anfield club 2-1.. Ian came on in the second half and impressed Paisley enough for him to keep Callaghan in the side for the European Cup final in Rome a few days later, Rome was engulfed in red and white as Liverpool supporters invaded the Italian capital, they were not let down either as Liverpool showed true professionalism and put the previous Saturday’s disappointment behind them. Terry McDermott put Liverpool ahead in the 29th minute but Dane Allan Simonsen equalised in the 50th, veteran Smith scored his first goal of the season in the 67th to give the Reds the lead once more and with 5 minutes left Keegan was brought down by man marker Berti Vogts in the penalty area, Keegan was making his final appearance for Liverpool and gave Vogts a torrid time, penalty expert Phil Neal stepped up to take the spot kick and, as a commentator for the game announced, “with great ease the European Cup must surely be won,” it was Liverpool held on to beat old Euro foes Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-1 and brought the trophy the Koppites nicknamed ‘Ol’ Big Ears’ back to Anfield for the very first time.

The effervescent Callaghan played one more season for Liverpool appearing in 41 league and cup matches. By the end of the ‘77/78 season, Liverpool had retained the European Cup beating another old foe, Bruges, 1-0 in the Wembley final, Callaghan was a non-playing sub for the game which Kenny Dalglish scored with a sublime finish. Cally did, however, play in Liverpool’s first ever League Cup final at Wembley, unfortunately they lost the match to Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest after a replay. The League Cup would ultimately prove the only domestic trophy to elude him.

In the autumn of 1978, Callaghan finally left Liverpool after an astounding 856 first team appearances, during which he scored 69 goals. He joined his former Anfield team-mate John Toshack's renaissance at Swansea City, helping them to two consecutive promotions. He also spent some time playing in the USA for Fort Lauderdale on loan, alongside fellow veterans Gordon Banks and George Best, he also played for Canberra City, also on loan, Cork and Sandefjord of Norway, he finally concluded his career at Crewe Alexandra where he set an all time record of 88 F.A Cup appearances. He retired at the age of 39 in 1981 though it was injury rather than age that finally curtailed his career - he suffered an Achilles tendon problem which forced him to quit.

Callaghan, a true gentleman who is well liked and respected, has kept a low profile since retirement but his name remains in the club's record books for the most first team appearances; the most League appearances and the most European appearances for the club, as well as the distinction to be the only Liverpool player to progress from Second Division championship to European Cup. His appearances record is unlikely to be beaten.

After retiring from football Ian Callaghan started an Insurance sales business with an office in Lydiate, he can still be seen at Anfield as he is a regular visitor to the club he still supports. Cally is still revered amongst the Anfield faithful, he was voted in at No.15 in the 100 Players Who shook The Kop poll in the summer of 2006.

Preceded by:
Pat Jennings		 Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year
1974		 Succeeded by:
Alan Mullery


England England squad - 1966 World Cup Champions (1st Title) England

1 Banks | 2 Cohen | 3 Wilson | 4 Stiles | 5 J. Charlton | 6 Moore | 7 Ball | 8 Greaves | 9 B. Charlton | 10 Hurst | 11 Connelly | 12 Springett | 13 Bonetti | 14 Armfield | 15 Byrne | 16 Peters | 17 Flowers | 18 Hunter | 19 Paine | 20 Callaghan | 21 Hunt | 22 Eastham | Coach: Ramsey

[edit] Career details

* Liverpool F.C (1960 - 1978) - 856 appearances, 69 goals

  • 5 First Division (level 1) championship medals (1964, 1966, 1973, 1976 and 1977)
  • 2 European Cup winners medals (1977 and 1978)
  • 2 F.A Cup winners medals (1965 and 1974)
  • 2 UEFA Cup winners medals (1973 and 1976)
  • European Super Cup winners medal (1977)
  • Second Division (level 2) championship winners medal (1962)
  • 6 Charity Shield winners medals (1964 (shared), 1965 (shared), 1966, 1974 (after penalties), 1976 and 1978 (shared))
  • 3 First Division (level 1) runners-up medals (1969, 1974 and 1978)
  • European Cup Winners Cup runners-up medal (1966)
  • 2 F.A Cup runners-up medals (1971 and 1977)
  • League Cup runners-up medal (1978)
  • Charity Shield runners-up medal (1971)

* Swansea City F.C (1978 - 1980) - 87 appearances

* Crewe Alexandra F.C (1980 - 1981) - 17 appearances

* England (1966 - 1977) - 4 caps

  • Member of the 1966 World Cup winning squad

* Personal awards

  • Ian was awarded the MBE in 1974 for his services to football
  • Football Writers Associations Footballer of the Year 1974

[edit] External links

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