Liverpool FC Forum

[crazyhorse]

I think this has been done, but not for years. I thought it would lighten the mood here is we all looked back over the history of the club and picked out our own 'cult heroes'.

By this I mean players at the club who are maybe not seen as heroes, such as Fowler, Rush, Kenny ect and maybe were only at the club a short time. They are not widely talked about but if you look back made a valid contribution to the club.

To start off - I present John Wark!

Wark signed for us in the 1984 season and left in 1988.. He made 108 appearances for us, scoring 42 goals which is a good return for a versatile midfielder who could play in defence, midfield or up front. He scored on his debut in a 2 - 0 victory against Watford and was the clubs top scorer that season ahead of Ian Rush. For me his trademark was his moustache and his dry manner and uncompromising style on the pitch. Wark was part of the squad for the 1985 Heysel tragedy and was in the squad for the double winning season in the 85/86 season, playing 18 times before breaking his ankle cut short his season. He was shipped out soon afterwards back to Ipswich for £100,000.00  as he found it difficult to get back in due to the signings of Barnes and was kept out of the side by Barnes and Steve McMahon.

Wark played as a central defender, midfielder and, occasionally, as a striker. Wark was an unusual player; he was able to play as a defensive midfielder yet break forward to score. According to former team-mate Terry Butcher, this was because his colleagues would drop back to cover for him: "I played with John Wark, who was a sitting midfielder but was one of the top scorers in England and Europe. If you see it, then do it, as long as the others spot it and cover for you."

Wark was not a "supremely talented" player, but, according to football journalist Jim White, one who espoused team-work and team spirit: "There is no question that the 'one-for-all, all-for-one' mentality generated in the Anfield dressing room was the engine that drove the great team. With players such as Alan Kennedy, John Wark, Sammy Lee and Craig Johnston, nobody could claim this was a collection of top-notch operators in the manner, say, of the current Real Madrid. Every week, they played as an entity greater than the sum of its parts." He has been described as "a defensive midfielder with an astonishing goalscoring record".

Over the years, Wark has become closely associated with his moustache. Owen Slot described the player as "Ipswich's immortal moustache",[97] while Wark himself notes "... it is something of a trademark, even if people are always calling me Bruce


Wark lives in Suffolk in retirement and his Autobiography Wark On caused a stir as he admitted selling his allocation of cup final tickets to a tout, which paid for his wedding! (at the time this was perfectly legal and seen by players as a perk). He said of his transfer to Liverpool - ""I was rather taken aback when the doctor entered the Anfield boot room", Wark said. "He was small in stature and I could not help but detect the smell of alcohol on his breath as he introduced himself to me. I was even more surprised when he announced we would stay put to conduct the medical examination. "He took my blood pressure, looked at the reading and muttered 'that's fine'. Then something happened that to this day I still cannot get over. He asked me to bend down and touch my toes. "Trying not to show my surprise, I did exactly as he asked and as I lifted my head he spoke again, this time to announce 'you've passed'. That was it, my Liverpool medical."

[Kenny Kan]

[redno7]

[Benny The Noon]

Terry Mac and Sammy Lee were big cult heroes for me

[dundreamin]

Joey Jones

[woof woof !]

Tommy Smith, 18 years at the club.

Bill Shankly summed up Tommy best: "Tommy Smith wasn't born, he was quarried."

a quote from Tommy
"I did warn players. When Tottenham striker Jimmy Greaves came out at Anfield one time I handed him a piece of paper. He said: 'What's this?' I said: 'Just open it.' It was the menu from the Liverpool Infirmary. I make no bones about it, that's what I was good at.."


Legend