October 19, 1968
Liverpool are a star team, consisting of star players. Every man wearing the Liverpool colours this afternoon is a player of established reputation, but there has been one departure from the team that opposed us in that Fifth Round FA Cup replay at Anfield last March.
Tony Hateley, who played centre-forward against us, left Liverpool for Coventry City last month. In his place today we are likely to see Alun Evans, who was signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers last month.
Some players take time to settle down with a new club, but Evans struck the top note as soon as he arrived at Anfield. He comes from Bewdley in Worcestershire, and developed to League rank via Wolves’ nursery system.
From Wrexham.
The only other player who may be wearing a Liverpool shirt on this ground for the first time is Peter Wall, the full-back signed from Wrexham in October, 1966. Wall was born at Shrewsbury, and played for the Shrewsbury Town club before joining Wrexham. He made his League debut for the Anfielders last season.
Tommy Lawrence, who has played for Scotland, is still the first-choice goalkeeper for Liverpool. Lawrence is a man of Ayrshire, but he has been at Anfield since he was 15.
Right back Chris Lawler is one of Liverpool’s local discoveries. He was born on Merseyside, and gained both schoolboy and youth international honours. It was in March, 1963 that Lawler made is League debut.
Penalty memory.
We have good reason to remember Tommy Smith, Liverpool’s midfield player. It was Smith’s twice-taken penalty-kick that sealed our fate in last season’s Cup replay at Anfield. Smith is another local Liverpool discovery, who joined the club straight from school. A former England Under-23 player, Smith covers an enormous amount of ground in switching between defensive and attacking positions.
Ron Yeats, Liverpool’s captain and centre-half, is a full Scottish international. He was born in Aberdeen, but made his name with Dundee United. Yeats was signed by Liverpool from the Scottish club in July, 1961.
Emlyn Hughes, who wore the No. 6 shirt against us last season, started as a left-back. He was born at Barrow-in-Furness, and started his career with Blackpool. Liverpool signed him from Blackpool in February, 1967.
Former Gunner.
Geoff Strong, wing-half or inside-forward, is a former Arsenal player. He was transferred from the Highbury club to Liverpool in November, 1964, but has spent a lot of his Anfield service in the Central League team. Strong joined Arsenal from Stanley United, a club in the North-east, as an amateur in 1957, and turned professional with the Gunners the following year.
We have good reason to respect the goalscoring power of inside forward Roger Hunt. The England international scored the first of Liverpool’s two goals against us in last season’s Anfield replay, and it was Hunt’s equaliser that earned a point for his team in last season’s League match here. Hunt also netted all three goals when Liverpool beat us on this ground by 3-1 in March, 1964.
World Cup player.
Right winger Ian Callaghan is a full English international, who played against France in the World Cup in the summer of 1966. He was born in Liverpool, and has been at Anfield since leaving school. Callaghan has been on professional forms with the club since March, 1960.
Ian St John is another of Liverpool’s international forwards. A Scot from Motherwell, he was transferred to Liverpool at the end of season 1960-61, and made his debut for the Anfield club in Second Division in 1961-62.
Peter Thompson is a player of equal stature. Another full international. Thompson was born at Carlisle, and started his career with Preston North End. A schoolboy international.
(Tottenham Hotspur Match Programme: October 19, 1968)
"Play Up, Liverpool" 