Against the Malaysia XI on Friday, Liverpool finished the match with six teenagers on the pitch. Our goal, brilliantly dispatched into the top corner to earn us a draw, was scored by 19-year-old Jordon Ibe.
There’s definitely plenty to be excited about right now in terms of the Liverpool players coming out of the academy side. The Reds have a proud history of producing superb home-grown players and Ibe looks to be well on the way to helping maintain that tradition.
SEE MORE:
Liverpool’s pre-season player ratings – Lallana and Gomez top of the class on Far East tour
Rodgers press conference: Malaysia, Benteke signing, possible team vs Stoke
Time to stop: Discussing why Liverpool should stick with seven summer signings
So, as we celebrate a successful pre-season campaign, here’s a look back at some of the best youth-team products we’ve produced down the years…
Billy Liddell (Liverpool debut – 1946)
Due to the outbreak of the Second World War, Liddell had to wait eight years to make his official debut for the Reds, which came in an FA Cup tie against Chester City. The winger would go on to play in more than 500 matches for the club and score close to 300 goals. The Scot was nicknamed “Liddellpool” due to his incredible dedication.
Ronnie Moran (Liverpool debut – 1952)
The full-back made his Liverpool debut at the age of 18. He spent his entire senior career with the Reds, retiring from playing in 1968 and then going into coaching. He enjoyed two spells as Liverpool’s caretaker manager in the early 1990s and is still a much loved figure at Anfield. He retired in 1998 after working in every possible role.
Ian Callaghan (Liverpool debut – 1960)
Liverpool’s record appearance maker. The midfielder spent almost two decades with our first-team, winning 19 major honours as the Reds went from a struggling second division side to European Champions. He won the continent’s top prize on two occasions, while he also won five first division titles and two FA Cups.
Phil Thompson (Liverpool debut – 1972)
An 18-year-old Thompson made his debut against Manchester United at Old Trafford, a match the Reds won 3-0. The centre-back would remain at Anfield until the mid-1980s, playing throughout our golden generation of success and winning a multitude of honours. He would later serve as our caretaker manager between 2001 and 02.
Steve McManaman (Liverpool debut – 1990)
The midfielder was one of the star players of a struggling Liverpool side in the early 1990s. He played a major role in helping the club win the FA Cup in 1992, and the League Cup three years later. Sadly, he spent the best years of his career at Real Madrid, where he won two European Cups before finishing his career with Manchester City.
Robbie Fowler (Liverpool debut – 1993)
The iconic striker enjoyed two successful spells at Anfield. The first run came between the early 1990s and the start of the 21st century. He scored in excess of 30 goals for three successive seasons before his form tailed off under Gerard Houlier. He was brought back to the club by Rafael Benitez and scored 12 more goals in 39 games.
Jamie Carragher (Liverpool debut – 1997)
He started his Liverpool career as a versatile defender, often playing at right-back, but by the time Rafael Benitez came in Carragher has been transformed into one of the most talented centre-backs of his generation. The local lad was Mr. Reliable for his manager and his teammates, consistently turning in performances of the highest quality for more than a decade.
Michael Owen (Liverpool debut – 1997)
This teenage sensation burst on to the scene in the late 1990s, shortly before his iconic moment at the World Cup in France. He helped lead Liverpool to the treble in 2001, with his brace enough to beat Arsenal in the FA Cup final in 2001, before he too was tempted away by Real Madrid in 2004. He scored 158 goals for the club.
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool debut – 1998)
The hero of Istanbul in 2005, the man who single-handedly led Liverpool to the FA Cup twelve months later, a treble winner, and arguably the greatest captain, leader and player the Reds have ever had. His near 30 year association with the club came to an end this summer, when he joined LA Galaxy, and he’ll be sorely missed.
Jon Flanagan (Liverpool debut – 2011)
More than ten years on from the crop of Owen, Carragher and Gerrard, this locally born full-back was handed a surprise start against Manchester City. The Reds won the game 3-0. Flanagan would have to wait until the 2013-14 season before he made a real impact, playing a starring role as we came second in the Premier League.
Raheem Sterling (Liverpool debut – 2012)
He became our third youngest player ever when he made his debut aged 17 years and 107 days. He quickly rose through the ranks and became a regular during the 2013-14 season. Unfortunately, his form dropped off the following year as his contract dispute rumbled on. He joined Manchester City this summer in a big money deal.
Who’s next?
Jordon Ibe is of course the most obvious candidate, with his brilliant goal in Malaysia the latest indication of his talents. However, Jordan Rossiter, Sheyi Ojo, Daniel Cleary, Joe Maguire and Pedro Chirivella also played in that game, while the likes of Harry Wilson and Ryan Kent were unused substitutes. Everyone should have one eye on our youth team next season, that’s for sure!
