PICTURE: Kenny Dalglish Awards Luis Suarez the Golden Shoe

He may have jumped ship for Barcelona earlier this summer, but ex-Liverpool striker Luis Suarez still remains well loved by the Reds faithful — and his insistence that Kop idol and former manager Kenny Dalglish present him with the Golden Shoe only strengthens the Uruguayan’s legend on Merseyside.

The Scotsman, who signed Suarez from Dutch side Ajax Amseterdamn during his second spell in charge of Liverpool, was a staunch advocate for the Uruguayan during his troubled time in England. Although he would be replaced by Brendan Rodgers after his first full season in charge, Dalglish retained his close ties to the club and was on hand on more than one occasion as Suarez romped to 31-league goals last season as the Reds pushed eventual champions Manchester City to the last day.

“I want to thank all the most important people in my life, my wife and my children.And of course everyone at Liverpool – all my colleagues, not just last year but over the whole three-and-a-half years I was at the club” said the Barcelona striker during the presentation. “They were spectacular years and it was thanks to this man here (Dalglish) that they signed me, that they noticed me. Now I am moving on to a new period, and I have to enjoy this next stage of my life – it is a dream come true.”

A small section of Liverpool fans have expressed anger at Suarez’s departure, but it’s hard to be mad at a player who helped you challenge for the title, got you back in the Champions League and made the club a profit of over £50mil when he was sold.

Congrats, Luis.