Ronnie Moran

Ronnie Moran (born 28 February 1934) is a former Liverpool captain and coach, who twice served as caretaker manager (after the departure of Kenny Dalglish and when Graeme Souness was absent due to heart surgery) in the early 1990s.

Having spent his entire playing career at the club and then becoming a member of the coaching staff after hanging up his boots, he was the club's longest-serving employee when he finally retired in 1998, and a surviving member of the Liverpool Boot Room, with the likes of Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, and Reuben Bennett having all died by this stage.

Full time player

Moran was born in Crosby, Liverpool, and began his footballing career at Liverpool as an apprentice electrician playing with the 'C' team. Originally a left back, Moran signed professional terms for manager Don Welsh in January 1952 and subsequently made his debut in a 3–2 defeat at Derby County on 22 November 1952, at the age of 18 years.

It was in season 1955–56 that Moran established himself as Liverpool's first choice number three. The Reds were languishing in the Second Division at this time but Moran, a good marker who was rarely beaten by a winger for pace and was also something of a penalty expert, proved himself a consistent performer missing only six games between 1955 and 1959. Unfortunately he always hit his penalties low and to the goalkeepers' right and nearer the end of his playing career he became 'known' for this and had a number saved by the goalies .

He was rewarded for his sterling service towards the latter part of the decade when he was handed the club captaincy. In 1961–62, after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, he played sixteen games as the Reds finally regained their top-flight status and two seasons later was part of the Division One Championship winning side missing only seven games all season.

Injury problems then began to set in and he missed out to Gerry Byrne for the left back slot in the 1965 FA Cup Final win over Leeds United. He did, however, play in the famous Anfield victory over Internazionale three days later before playing his last competitive game for the Reds in the awesome setting of the San Siro stadium when Liverpool were controversially beaten in the second leg of the European Cup semi-final.

Transition to coaching

In 1966 Moran was invited onto the coaching staff by Bill Shankly though he continued playing for Joe Fagan's reserves for a further two years, helping to bring on the younger players.

Full time coach

He formally retired from playing during the 1968–69 season and joined the coaching staff full-time, where he joined the 'Boot Room' team of Shankly, Fagan, Bob Paisley and Reuben Bennett.^[1]

In 1971 he took charge of the reserve team and in 1972–73 guided the Reds' second string to the Central League Championship.

Moran, or 'Bugsy' as he had become known, became a vital ingredient in the Liverpool success story with his shrewd knowledge of the game and the ability to get the best out of the players. In a spectacularly successful period for the club he was a fine, loyal servant working first under Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and then Kenny Dalglish, and later for Graeme Souness and Roy Evans.

In keeping with the Boot Room traditions he never sought the limelight, never promoted himself above his colleagues or the team. He became famous on the bench for his loud voice shouting instructions to the players which could be heard in the packed Kop.

When Dalglish sensationally announced his resignation as manager in 1991, Moran was installed as 'caretaker' boss, a role he occupied for only ten games. He had placed on record an unwillingness to take the job on full-time and summarily stood down when Graeme Souness was duly appointed as Dalglish's successor.

In 1992 Moran took job as caretaker again after Graeme Souness went in for a Heart Surgery. Souness's first time back was The FA Cup Final where he chose the team along with Moran. Moran had the honour and pleasure of leading Liverpool out at Wembley for The Final. Souness returned to his full-time duties in July.

Moran remained on the coaching staff under Souness and then under friend Roy Evans when he took over as manager. Evans became the ninth manager Moran had worked under at the club in one capacity or another in his near half century of dedicated service, the full list being:

George Kay, Don Welsh, Phil Taylor, Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, Roy Evans.

Ronnie Moran finally announced his retirement from football and left Liverpool in 1998. Along with the great Bob Paisley, he had filled every role imaginable at the club from player, to physio, to coach and trainer, through to manager.

Honours

Player

Liverpool

• Football League First Division (2): 1963–64, 1965–66
• Football League Second Division (1): 1961–62
• FA Cup (1): 1964–65
• FA Charity Shield (3): 1964, 1965, 1966

References

External links

• LFC Online profile
• Player profile at LFChistory.net
• Manager profile at LFChistory.net
• 100 Players Who Shook The Kop – No.70