5th January

Off the mark
2018 – Dutch centre-half Virgil van Dijk scored on his reds bow as we beat Everton 2-1 in the FA Cup Third Round at Anfield. James Milner opened the scoring from the spot after a foul on Adam Lallana, with Gylfi Sigurdsson netting one of his five goals past us to level the scores. Our new record signing nodded in the winner late on to send the crowd into raptures.

Happy birthdays
1957 - David Fairclough was born in Liverpool. He signed pro terms in January 1974, bagging 55 goals in 154 reds games, two-fifths of which were from off the bench. The bionic carrot helped us to three League titles, European Cup, UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and two League Cups before moving on to Luzern in July 1983.

1874 - Right-back Archie Goldie was born in Hurlford, Ayrshire. He signed from Clyde in June 1895 and helped us to the Second Division title the following year, netting once in 149 reds games, many alongside his brother, left-half Bill. He left Anfield to sign for New Brighton Tower in 1900.
1951 - Midfielder Steve Arnold was born in Wembley. He signed from Crewe Alexandra for £12,000 in September 1970 but only ever made two first-team appearances before moving to Rochdale in June 1973. His career never really took off, and he retired from the game aged 23.
1898 – Inside-forward Billy McDevitt was born in Belfast. He signed from Swansea Town in 1923, being converted into a centre-half, but played just four times before moving on to Exeter City for a club record fee in May 1925.

King Billy’s memorable debut
1946 - Billy Liddell scored on his official reds bow as we won 2-0 at Chester in an FA Cup Third Round first leg match. Inside-forward Kevin Baron, defender Fred Finney, centre-half Laurie Hughes, full-back Ray Lambert, keeper Harry Wheeler Nickson, left-half Bob Paisley and winger Bob Priday all also debuted in this game. Willie Fagan nabbed the other goal, but unfortunately, we were knocked out by Bolton Wanderers in the next round.

Reds farewells
2011 – Roy Hodgson took charge of his last reds game as we were beaten 3-1 at Blackburn Rovers. Left-back Paul Konchesky made his eighteenth and final reds appearance, while Steven Gerrard missed a penalty after notching from open play. When Ryan Babel came on for David N’Gog, this was the 3,000th substitution in the club’s history. Benjani bagged a brace, the last of his four goals past us, after Martin Olsson had opened the scoring.
1974 - Outside-left Peter Thompson joined Bolton Wanderers for £18,000 after a loan spell. He had netted 54 times in 416 reds games, helping us to win two League titles and our first FA Cup, after signing for £37,000 from Preston North End in August 1963.

1895 – We were thumped 5-0 by The Wednesday at Olive Grove in a top-flight encounter. Right-back Andrew Hannah played his 69th and last reds game. Fred Spiksley struck the first two of his four goals against the reds, with Harry Woolhouse bagging a brace and Harry Brandon also on the scoresheet.
2009 – Academy forward Marvin Pourié was sold to Schalke 04. He had arrived from Ballspielverein Borussia 09 e.V. Dortmund in the summer of 2007 at the age of sixteen, scoring twelve times in his first year with the Under-18’s

Red centurions
2002 - Michael Owen netted a brace in our 3-0 FA Cup Third Round defeat of Birmingham City at Anfield, with Jamie Carragher playing his 200th reds game and Emile Heskey reaching his century. Nicolas Anelka added the third goal late on, his first reds strike and our 300th goal under Gérard Houllier's sole charge. However, we relinquished our grip on the trophy at the next stage, losing to eventual winners Arsenal.
1952 – Full-back Ray Lambert played his 200th League game for the reds as we were held to a 1-1 draw at Anfield by Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Phil Taylor on target.

Heading back to Wembley
2016 – We won the first leg of our League Cup Semi-final 1-0 at Stoke City thanks to a Jordon Ibe strike, despite three players suffering hamstring injuries during the game.

Curtis off the mark
2020 – Curtis Jones bagged his first reds strike, the only goal of our FA Cup Third Round encounter with Everton at Anfield. Left-back Yasser Larouci, forward Takumi Minamino and centre-half Nat Phillips all made their reds bows as we fielded a young side.

The Latics again
2014 - We faced Oldham Athletic for the third consecutive season in the FA Cup, this time winning our Third Round tie 2-0 at Anfield. Spanish forward Iago Aspas struck his only reds goal, with James Tarkowski putting through his own net late on. Boss Brendan Rodgers’ son Anton came on as a late substitute for the visitors.

Stevie’s ton up
2015 - James Shea became the hundredth different goalkeeper that Steven Gerrard scored past for the reds as we beat AFC Wimbledon 2-1 in an FA Cup Third Round tie at the Cherry Red Records Stadium. The skipper was on target either side of the break against the League Two side.

Pelle signs on
2005 - Argentine centre-back Mauricio Pellegrino signed from Valencia on a free transfer. He arrived at Anfield with an impressive reputation, having previously won the Spanish League three times and the UEFA Cup, as well as appearing in two Champions League Finals. However, he rarely impressed in his thirteen reds games, and moved on to Deportivo Alavés five months later.

FA Cup shocks
1957 - Half-back Johnny Wheeler scored, but it was not enough to prevent us losing 2-1 to Southend United from the Third Division South at Roots Hall in the Third Round.
1974 - Doncaster Rovers’ Brendan O’Callaghan hit the woodwork in the final minute of our Third Round tie against the Third Division side at Anfield, to keep the scores level at 2-2. Kevin Keegan bagged both our goals, with defender Dave Rylands playing his only game for the club and midfielder Trevor Storton appearing for the twelfth and last time. We won the replay 2-0 and went on to claim the trophy that season.

A Cup treble
1980 - David Johnson grabbed a treble that included his fiftieth reds strike as we thumped Grimsby Town 5-0 at Anfield, with Graeme Souness and Jimmy Case also on target. The Mariners went on to claim the Third Division title that season. We fell at the Semi-final stage for the second successive season.

Beating the Villains
1985 – We beat Aston Villa 3-0 in the FA Cup Third Round at Anfield, with a John Wark strike sandwiched between two from Ian Rush. This was Joe Fagan’s hundredth game in charge.
1929 – We won a top-flight encounter 4-0 in L4, when Dick Edmed bagged a brace, with Bob Clark and Gordon Hodgson also on target. Villa’s Thomas Smart sent a penalty high over the bar.

Red deaths
2004 - Jim Aspinall died aged 72. He had been involved in youth recruitment at Anfield for 26 years, during which time he had unearthed talents such as Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman. Fowler visited him in hospital but was minutes too late as he had already passed away.
1965 – Scottish forward Bill Salisbury died. He signed from Partick Thistle in October 1928, bagging three goals in seventeen games before joining Bangor City the following August.

Out of the Cup
1991 - Glenn Hysén was sent off as we were held 1-1 by Blackburn Rovers in our FA Cup Third Round meeting at Ewood Park, with Rovers having Kevin Moran shown a red card as well. A Mark Atkins own goal with just ten seconds left on the clock took the tie to an Anfield replay, which we won 3-0 with Steve McMahon dismissed this time around. BBC pundit Jimmy Hill complained about a ball girl, sixteen-year-old Gillian Maynard, retrieving the ball so promptly in the build up to our equaliser, and was later forced to apologise. We went as far as the Fifth Round that year before being knocked out by Everton.
1907 - We also faced Rovers, going down 2-0 at Anfield in a First Division encounter, with right-half Bobby Robinson reaching a century of reds outings.

Birthdays in reserve
1991 – Spanish forward Dani Pacheco was born in Málaga. He arrived at the club from Barcelona in July 2007, signing pro terms on his seventeenth birthday. He failed to score in his seventeen senior reds appearances before moving to AD Alcorcón in September 2013.
1989 – Hungarian forward Krisztián Németh was born in Gyor. He signed from MTK Hungária in a joint deal with compatriot András Simon for around £1m in July 2007. He really impressed for the reserves in his first season, bagging ten goals in fourteen outings. However, he was sold to Olympiacos for £1m in August 2010.

Mixed fortunes against the Hammers
1982 - We beat West Ham United 3-0 at Anfield thanks to goals from Terry McDermott, Ronnie Whelan and Kenny Dalglish as Phil Thompson played his 300th League game for the reds.
1901 - We also won in an FA Cup Supplementary Round fixture at their old Memorial Recreation Ground, with Sam Raybould grabbing the only goal of the game. We had to play in a specially arranged extra round having failed to register in time for the competition.
1924 - We lost another top-flight meeting 1-0 at Upton Park.

Raven flies up
2004 - Young defender David Raven officially stepped up to Melwood. He only managed to play four times for the first team and moved on to Carlisle United in July 2006. On the same day, the AGM at Anfield was a stormy affair, with Chairman David Moores saying for the first time that he might stand down if the reds again failed to qualify for the Champions League.

International firsts
1972 - Arsenal’s Ray Kennedy won his first Under-23’s cap as England beat Wales 2-0 in Swindon. John Toshack was on the losing side that day.
2011 - Keeper Brad Jones won his first cap as a reds player as Australia were held to a goalless friendly draw by the United Arab Emirates in Qatar.
1966 – Roger Hunt played for England in their 1-1 friendly draw with Poland at Goodison Park.

Another reds game
1935 – Arsenal won 2-0 at Anfield, with Ted Drake opening the scoring after just two minutes, one of his six goals past us. Arthur Riley saved an Eddie Hapgood penalty, but Hapgood converted the rebound.

Dicks in charge
2009 – Julian Dicks was appointed Manager of Eastern Counties League side Wivenhoe Town. However, he left the club at the end of the season by mutual consent.
2016 – Ex-reds keeper Brad Friedel was named Head Coach of the USA Under-19’s side.

On the move
2024 – Brazilian keeper Marcelo Pitaluga penned new terms as well as moving to St. Patrick’s Athletic on a temporary basis, but he only made seven senior appearances while in Ireland.
2021 – Forward Liam Millar signed a new contract with the reds, joining Charlton Athletic on loan on the same day. The Canadian international only netted twice in 27 outings, moving on permanently to Basel for a reported £1.3m in July 2021.
2018 – Young defender Corey Whelan joined Yeovil Town on loan, netting once in eleven games for the Glovers. On the same day, ex-reds defender Markus Babbel was sacked as Manager of Luzern. He had been in charge since October 2014, leading them to 36 wins in 79 League fixtures.

2016 – Ex-reds keeper Brad Jones signed for Nijmegen Eendracht Combinatie, playing seventeen times before moving on again at the end of the campaign.
2007 - Albert Riera joined Manchester City on loan from R.C.D. Espanyol, notching once in 21 games.
2006 - Ex-reds reserves keeper Tony Warner joined Fulham from Cardiff City for an undisclosed fee, after a loan spell at Craven Cottage. He had played thirty times for the Bluebirds and turned out 26 times for the West London outfit in total, before moving to Hull City in July 2008 after loan spells with Leeds United, Norwich City and Barnsley.