3 November 1973 · First Division · Highbury
Arsenal 0–2 Liverpool: Hughes and Toshack end the away wait
Late goals from Emlyn Hughes and John Toshack brought Liverpool their first away league victory of 1973–74, after seven unsuccessful attempts.
1959–1974
Bill Shankly
From the Second Division to champions of England and UEFA Cup winners. Shankly rebuilt Liverpool and established the foundations for the decades that followed.
Promotion in 1962 was the starting point. The first FA Cup followed in 1965, before a renewed side won the league and UEFA Cup in 1973. His final season brought another FA Cup.
Major honours
- First Division
- Won 31963–64 · 1965–66 · 1972–73
- FA Cup
- Won 21965 · 1974
- UEFA Cup
- Won 11973
Also: Second Division, 1961–62.
Key players
- Ron Yeats
- Ian St John
- Roger Hunt
- Kevin Keegan
- Ray Clemence
- Steve Heighway
Original writing · Denny Regan
Related articles
29 April 1975 · Bill Shankly testimonial · Anfield
Bill Shankly's testimonial: Anfield honours its former manager
A crowd of 39,612 attended Bill Shankly's Anfield testimonial, with Liverpool beating a Don Revie Select XI 6–2. The evening honoured the manager whose arrival in 1959 had transformed the club.
9 March 1974 · FA Cup sixth round · Ashton Gate
Bristol City 0–1 Liverpool: Toshack takes the cup run into the last four
John Toshack scored early in the second half at Ashton Gate, giving Liverpool the narrow victory that kept Bill Shankly's final FA Cup campaign moving towards Wembley.
More writing from this era
1 May 1972 · First Division · Baseball Ground
Derby County 1–0 Liverpool: the goal that left the title hanging
John McGovern’s goal ended Derby County’s league season with a win over Liverpool. It did not settle the championship that evening, but it gave Brian Clough’s side the total that would eventually be enough.
8 December 1973 · First Division · Goodison Park
Everton 0–1 Liverpool: Alan Waddle’s one unforgettable goal
Alan Waddle scored the only goal at Goodison Park after Liverpool had lost Kevin Keegan before half-time. It would remain his only goal for the club.
3 March 1973 · First Division · Goodison Park
Everton 0–2 Liverpool: Hughes settles the derby in eight minutes
Emlyn Hughes scored twice late in the game at Goodison Park, completing a league double over Everton and keeping Liverpool ahead in a closely contested championship race.
23 May 1973 · UEFA Cup final, second leg · Bökelbergstadion
Borussia Mönchengladbach 2–0 Liverpool: a defeat that delivered a European first
Two first-half goals from Jupp Heynckes brought Borussia Mönchengladbach close to overturning Liverpool's lead. A goalless second half secured a 3–2 aggregate victory and the club's first European trophy.
6 February 1971 · First Division · Elland Road
Leeds United 0–1 Liverpool: an early lead, a long defence
Liverpool had beaten Arsenal. Seven days later, they beat the league leaders too.
30 September 1972 · First Division · Elland Road
Leeds United 1–2 Liverpool: Phil Boersma completes the comeback
Liverpool came from behind at Elland Road to remain top of the First Division. Phil Boersma supplied the winning goal, having already helped create the equaliser.
8 May 1971 · FA Cup final, after extra time · Wembley
Liverpool 1–2 Arsenal: the final lost after Heighway’s breakthrough
For a few minutes at Wembley, Steve Heighway had Liverpool on course to win the FA Cup. His goal early in extra time broke a ninety-minute deadlock. By the end of the afternoon, Arsenal had recovered to complete the Double.
6 November 1971 · First Division · Anfield
Liverpool 3–2 Arsenal: Ian Ross finds the late winner
Ian Ross scored only four goals for Liverpool. His last arrived three minutes from the end against Arsenal, turning a 2–2 draw into victory over the reigning league and FA Cup champions.
10 March 1971 · Inter-Cities Fairs Cup quarter-final, first leg · Anfield
Liverpool 3–0 Bayern Munich: Alun Evans returns with a hat-trick
Alun Evans had been out for four months. In his first start back, he scored three times against Bayern Munich.
2 December 1972 · First Division · Anfield
Liverpool 4–3 Birmingham City: Lindsay leads the recovery
Birmingham led 2–0 and 3–1 at Anfield, but Liverpool recovered to win. Alec Lindsay scored twice before John Toshack completed the comeback with thirteen minutes remaining.
11 December 1971 · First Division · Anfield
Liverpool 3–2 Derby County: Jack Whitham’s afternoon
Jack Whitham scored seven goals in his Liverpool career. Three came in one afternoon against Derby County, and Liverpool needed every one of them.
13 December 1972 · UEFA Cup third round, second leg · Anfield
Liverpool 3–1 Dynamo Berlin: an early lead, then a second response
Phil Boersma scored inside the opening minute, but Dynamo Berlin’s equaliser briefly put Liverpool behind on away goals. Steve Heighway and John Toshack secured passage to the UEFA Cup quarter-finals.
27 March 1971 · FA Cup semi-final · Old Trafford
Liverpool 2–1 Everton: Brian Hall’s first goal sends Liverpool to Wembley
Brian Hall’s first Liverpool goal was the winner in an FA Cup semi-final against Everton. For a player who had originally come to the city to study mathematics, Old Trafford provided an extraordinary place to make his mark.
7 October 1972 · First Division · Anfield
Liverpool 1–0 Everton: Cormack makes his first derby count
Peter Cormack supplied the late winner in his first Merseyside derby, keeping Liverpool top of the First Division and continuing his productive introduction to Anfield.
4 March 1972 · First Division · Anfield
Liverpool 4–0 Everton: a derby won from the first minute
Liverpool were ahead before the first minute was over. By the end of the derby at Anfield on 4 March 1972, Everton had conceded four without reply.
10 May 1973 · UEFA Cup final, first leg · Anfield
Liverpool 3–0 Borussia Mönchengladbach: Toshack's return transforms the final
After rain forced the first attempt to be abandoned, John Toshack returned to the team and helped Kevin Keegan score twice. Larry Lloyd's header and Ray Clemence's penalty save gave Liverpool a commanding first-leg advantage.
23 April 1973 · First Division · Anfield
Liverpool 2–0 Leeds United: Cormack and Keegan put the title within reach
Second-half goals from Peter Cormack and Kevin Keegan ended Leeds United's title hopes and left Liverpool needing one more point to be certain of the championship.
10 August 1974 · Charity Shield · Wembley
Liverpool 1–1 Leeds United: a Wembley Shield decided on penalties
Liverpool won the first Wembley Charity Shield 6–5 on penalties after Phil Boersma and Trevor Cherry scored. The occasion was overshadowed by the dismissals of Kevin Keegan and Billy Bremner.
3 April 1974 · FA Cup semi-final replay · Villa Park
Liverpool 3–1 Leicester City: the second-half breakthrough that opened Wembley
Brian Hall's opener was quickly cancelled out, but Kevin Keegan and John Toshack settled the replay to send Liverpool into the FA Cup final.
12 August 1972 · First Division · Anfield
Liverpool 2–0 Manchester City: Hall starts a new title challenge
Brian Hall needed only three minutes to score Liverpool’s first league goal of 1972–73. Ian Callaghan supplied the second near the end, as a season that would bring the championship began with a 2–0 win against Manchester City.
22 December 1973 · First Division · Anfield
Liverpool 2–0 Manchester United: ten home league wins out of ten
Kevin Keegan’s penalty and Steve Heighway’s second-half goal preserved Liverpool’s perfect home league record as they reached Christmas in second place.
18 November 1972 · First Division · Anfield
Liverpool 3–2 Newcastle United: Toshack’s goal survives a late test
Liverpool recovered from defeat at Old Trafford with a five-goal victory over Newcastle. John Toshack made it 3–1, but a reply from Malcolm Macdonald and a missed Liverpool penalty kept the contest open.
18 March 1972 · First Division · Anfield
Liverpool 5–0 Newcastle United: five scorers and a warning in the tunnel
Five Liverpool players scored against Newcastle at Anfield on 18 March 1972. The goalkeeper’s contribution also mattered.
4 May 1974 · FA Cup final · Wembley
Liverpool 3–0 Newcastle United: Shankly's final FA Cup triumph
Two Kevin Keegan goals and a Steve Heighway finish turned a goalless final into a commanding Liverpool victory, bringing Bill Shankly his second FA Cup.
6 November 1973 · European Cup second round, second leg · Anfield
Liverpool 1–2 Red Star Belgrade: an Anfield defeat with a lasting lesson
Red Star repeated their first-leg victory to eliminate Liverpool 4–2 on aggregate. The tie would later be remembered for what it taught Shankly’s coaches about European football.
23 September 1972 · First Division · Anfield
Liverpool 5–0 Sheffield United: three quick goals take Liverpool towards the top
Liverpool scored three times in five minutes against Sheffield United, turning a goalless match into a commanding lead. Two further goals after half-time completed a 5–0 win which put them top of the First Division.
10 April 1973 · UEFA Cup semi-final, first leg · Anfield
Liverpool 1–0 Tottenham Hotspur: Lindsay gives Liverpool the advantage
Alec Lindsay's early goal beat the UEFA Cup holders at Anfield, leaving Liverpool with a narrow advantage to defend at White Hart Lane.
3 April 1972 · First Division · Old Trafford
Manchester United 0–3 Liverpool: two quick goals and a debut for Phil Thompson
Liverpool scored twice in two minutes at Old Trafford on Easter Monday 1972. By the end of the afternoon they had a third goal, another clean sheet and a new first-team player.
24 October 1973 · European Cup second round, first leg · Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade 2–1 Liverpool: Lawler keeps the tie within reach
Chris Lawler pulled a goal back after Red Star had taken a two-goal lead, leaving Liverpool with a recoverable deficit but a third successive away defeat.
16 March 1971 · FA Cup sixth-round replay · White Hart Lane
Tottenham Hotspur 0–1 Liverpool: Heighway scores, Clemence keeps Spurs out
Steve Heighway scored the goal that took Liverpool into the 1971 FA Cup semi-final. At the other end, Ray Clemence made sure it was enough.
25 April 1973 · UEFA Cup semi-final, second leg · White Hart Lane
Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 Liverpool: Heighway's away goal opens the final
Martin Peters scored twice for Tottenham, but Steve Heighway's reply sent Liverpool into the UEFA Cup final on away goals after a 2–2 aggregate draw.
8 May 1974 · First Division · White Hart Lane
Tottenham Hotspur 1–1 Liverpool: Shankly's last league team
Four days after winning the FA Cup, Liverpool finished their league season with a draw at Tottenham. Max Thompson made his debut in what became Bill Shankly's final league match in charge.
14 September 1964
Six goals on Anfield’s first European night
Liverpool beat KR Reykjavík 6–1 as Anfield staged European football for the first time, with Bobby Graham scoring on his debut.
30 January 1971 · First Division · Anfield
Liverpool 2–0 Arsenal: a win against the coming Double winners
Liverpool scored near the beginning of each half. Arsenal left Anfield without a reply.
21 November 1970 · First Division · Anfield
Liverpool 3–2 Everton: Heighway starts the comeback
Steve Heighway and John Toshack brought Liverpool back from two goals down before Chris Lawler completed a 3–2 derby victory over Everton.
27 May 1981
Phil Thompson lived the life every Liverpool supporter imagines
A Kirkby lad who stood on the Kop lifted the European Cup as Liverpool's captain. Almost nobody talks about him.
Sources & historical notes
Facts checked 7 September 2026. Key players are an editorial selection.
Major honours include the top-flight league, FA Cup, League Cup, European Cup / Champions League, UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. Promotion and the Football League Super Cup are noted separately; Charity/Community Shields are excluded.
- Liverpool FC · Bill Shankly Confidence: high. Managerial years, era overview and honours.
- LFChistory · Bill Shankly Confidence: high. Appointment, departure and historical context.
- Liverpool FC · honours Confidence: high. Competition winners and seasons; counts exclude Charity/Community Shields from major honours.
- Liverpool FC · Shankly’s retirement Confidence: high. Retirement announced 12 July 1974.