Liverpool will rename stand after Kenny Dalglish
By Paul Drake
Liverpool announced on Wednesday that it plans to rename Anfield’s Centenary Stand to “The Kenny Dalglish Stand.” The Stand will officially open in a ceremony later this year.
The announcement made by Liverpool FC News, honors Dalglish, a Liverpool legend. Dalglish won three European Cups, two FA Cups, five League Cups, and eight league titles. He achieved all of this during his 13 years as a player and two terms boss.
As a forward, Dalglish made 515 appearances and 172 goals. His accomplishments reminds fans of Liverpool’s glory years. The Reds are one of the world’s most storied clubs and this is a way to honor the Reds historical achievements.
Honoring Kenny Dalglish
According to John W. Henry, the renamed stand “is a testament to Liverpool’s history and status that we are not lacking in truly great individuals, whose names could easily grace a stand at Anfield.” Henry is right Dalglish is just one of many individuals like: Emlyn Hughes, Alan Hansen, Roger Hunt, Ian Callaghan, and even Ian Rush. These men are greats, but Dalglish holds a special place in the heart of the club.
“But in Kenny Dalglish we have a person who carries such immense significance to the fabric of this club, so it feels somewhat incumbent on us to recognize this in a manner that is befitting to the man.”
Dalglish’s name is well know with the city of Liverpool and with the club itself. For many years he made the club his home and served it well, leading it to glory during the 1970’s and 80’s. These years were when the Reds were at their pinnacle, in both domestic and international competitions.
This is not the first time the club has honored former managers and players. Currently, Anfield has two gates named after former managers, Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley. These are great honors but to have the Stand named after you is truly illustrious.
The Centenary Stand is directly across from the Main Stand, which recently was reopened last year after improvements were made to it, increasing its capacity by 8,500 seats.
Reds chairman, Tom Werner said, “We recognize this won’t sit comfortably with Kenny’s default position of humility and self-deprecation, but as we approach the club’s 125th anniversary year now is the right time in the club’s illustrious history to leave this legacy.”
The former Reds forward and manager is well-known for his humility, a mark of a true leader and a great man. This is an appropriate honor for Dalglish and fans should be proud that this great player graced their favorite club, Liverpool, for so many years!
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Quotes from the club news site.