Liverpool’s top former captains
By Ethan Lowe
Graeme Souness
Appearances – 359
Games as captain – 147
Goals – 55
Well, as I said, I’m a younger supporter of our great club, but even I know all about Graeme Souness.
Souness enjoyed seven successful seasons at Liverpool, making him a very well respected servant. He’s mostly remembered for his time at our club, where he won 5 League Championships, 3 European cups and 4 League cups.
He arrived at Liverpool in 1978, alongside Alen Hansen and Kenny Dalglish, as Bob Paisley hoped to build on winning his first European cup in 1977. His debut came on the 14th of January (1978), while his first goal came against bitter rivals Manchester United on the 25th of February (1978).
He was awarded captaincy during the 1981-82 season after a spell of impressive performances and brining success to the club. Although this caused drama between him and previous captain Phil Thompson (would have been 10th on this list), it was a good move for Liverpool.
Under Souness’s captaincy, Liverpool won the League Championship and retained the League cup, both of which were the defended in the 1982-83 season. What strikes me as the most honourable act of Souness’s captaincy is the way in which he relinquished his right as captain to lift the League Cup at Wembley following a win against United, instead insisting that Paisley lift the trophy to mark his retirement season.
I’d have loved to watch Souness play, but unfortunately his career ended before I was even born. He later returned as Liverpool manager, but that’s another situation for another future article.
Next: Number 8