Liverpool have righted a historic wrong by recognising the contributions of former players who never received a First Division winners’ medal at the time of their league triumphs.
A special ceremony took place at Anfield to award medals to 14 past Liverpool stars who played a role in the club’s league title successes during the 1970s and 1980s.
The initiative was first sparked by RedMen TV, which created a documentary aimed at retrospectively honouring these players with their long-overdue league winners’ medals. Each medal has been engraved with the player’s name and the season in which the title was won.
Previously, players did not receive medals unless they made a minimum of 14 appearances in the title-winning season. While clubs could appeal for additional medals in exceptional circumstances, there was no guarantee that requests would be granted. When the Premier League was formed in 1992, the number of appearances needed to receive a medal was first reduced to ten, and later to five.
The retired Liverpool players who received medals at the ceremony included:
• David Fairclough – 1982-83 (eight appearances)
• David Hodgson – 1983-84 (five appearances)
• Alan Kennedy – 1985-86 (eight appearances)
• Chris Lawler (collected by his son) – 1963-64 (six appearances)
• Jan Molby – 1987-88 (seven appearances)
• Terry McDermott – 1975-76 (nine appearances)
• Ronny Rosenthal – 1989-90 (eight appearances)
• Paul Walsh – 1987-88 (eight appearances)
• John Wark – 1983-84 and 1985-86 (awarded two medals for nine appearances in each season)
Four players unable to attend the ceremony received their medals separately:
• Steve Heighway – 1979-80 (nine appearances)
• Colin Irwin – 1979-80 (eight appearances)
• Sammy Lee – 1979-80 (seven appearances)
• Alec Lindsay – 1975-76 (six appearances)
A posthumous medal was also presented to the family of Joey Jones for his 13 appearances in the 1975-76 season.
Kenny Dalglish helped present the medals alongside Liverpool’s chief legal and external affairs officer, Jonathan Bamber, who said:
“We’re thrilled to have been able to celebrate this occasion at Anfield. It was an emotional night for many and it’s a real honour to have been able to source and present league championship winner’s medals to our Forever Reds. Their role in winning one, or in one case two, of our 20 league titles deserves a medal not only to mark their achievement but also for playing such a significant part in our club’s decorated history, for which we are immensely grateful.”
Following Liverpool’s Premier League triumph last season, the club is now level with bitter rivals Manchester United on English top-flight titles.
Manager Arne Slot will be aiming to secure a second consecutive league title and move Liverpool ahead of United. But the club’s ability to chase such milestones today is built on the contributions of all players who have helped Liverpool succeed over the decades, making the recognition of these former stars a fitting tribute.
