Quick Facts
- Founded: 1892
- Home Ground (Capacity): Anfield (45,362)
- Nicknames: The Reds
- Home Colors: Red with white trim
- Top Goalscorer All-Time: Ian Rush (346 from 1980-1987 and 1988-1996)
- First Division/Premier League Titles: (18) 1900-01, 1905-06, 1921-22, 1922-23, 1946-47, 1963-64, 1965-66, 1972-73, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1985-86, 1987-88, 1989-90
- F.A. Cup Titles: (7) 1965, 1974, 1986, 1989, 1992, 2001, 2006
- European Cup/Champions League: (5) 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005
The Team
- Current Manager: Rafa Benitez
- Top Goalscorer 2008-2009: Steven Gerrard (24 in all competitions)
- Captain: Steven Gerrard
- 2008-2009 League Finish: 2nd
A Little History
Liverpool's glory days came under legendary managers Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley, the men who put Liverpool on the map without being members of the Beatles. And it was their Liverpool sides who earned the respect of Europe by combining for five European trophies in the space of 10 years. But perhaps Liverpool's most famous European win came in 2005 when they came back from 3-0 down to beat A.C. Milan on penalty kicks in the final of the Champions League.
The Reds have not enjoyed the same kind of success at home lately, but their fans live just as much for their annual derby games as they do for trophies. The biggest ones come against Manchester United and their neighbors across the Mersey River, Everton.
"You'll Never Walk Alone"
Before every home game, Anfield erupts into a rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone," which has become the club's anthem over the last forty years. Originally from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Carousel," the song was covered by the Liverpool-based band Gerry & The Pacemakers and, for no clear reason, immediately became popular at the Kop End, Anfield's most famous section of stands.Stadium Disasters
But Liverpool's fans have not always been so merry. They were at the heart of two of soccer's most notorious stadium tragedies.The first came at Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium before the 1985 European Cup final. Thirty-nine Juventus supporters were killed after they were attacked by Liverpool fans, who tore down a fence. The Italians backed into a dilapidated retaining wall, causing it to collapse.
Liverpool was banned from European competition for six years, ending their incredible string of performances. In order to make a statement about hooliganism in soccer, every other English club was also banned from European games for five years.
Four years later, Liverpool was playing Nottingham Forest in an F.A. Cup semifinal at Hillsborough in Sheffield, England when 96 Liverpool fans died due to overcrowding.