Versatility is a key part of a Jürgen Klopp team. There are not many players within the current squad that cannot competently fulfill a roll in more than one position. Players being able to play across the back four, any of the midfield three or front three is a huge bonus. However, rarely are the players talented enough to shift from attack to defence or visa versa. One issue that has occurred for Liverpool in the past is what happens if the goalkeeper is sent off and there are no substitutions remaining? In April 2012, Pepe Reina was sent off at Newcastle away and so José Enrique was forced to take his place in goal. Liverpool lost that day 2-0; Enrique did keep a clean sheet and went on to be the only ‘keeper in the league that season to do so.
There have been many occasions that outfield players have had to play in goal. Phil Jagielka for Sheffield United, Niall Quinn for Man City and Peter Beardsley for Newcastle have all been faced with the daunting task of pulling on someone else’s shirt and gloves and prove themselves in goal. There are few players however, who can play in goal and outfield with equal competence.
Several keepers have had the opportunity to play outfield but normally in friendlies or meaningless matches. Notably, Pepe Reina against Kaiserslautern in 2006 and Shamal George against Huddersfield in 2016, both in pre-season friendlies, and David James for Man City in the league in 2005. These men were clearly keepers playing out and did not play outfield again. There are very few people that can play in and out of goal, with equal ability. Liverpool had one in their very first season, Matt McQueen.
Two McQueen brothers arrived together at Anfield, Matthew and Hugh joined William Barclay and John McKenna’s Liverpool just three months into the club’s inaugural season. Matthew was a Scotland international and played as a winger predominantly. Despite arriving with a preference to playing on the wing, McQueen’s versatility meant that he moved around the pitch representing the club in various positions. In all McQueen played in 103 games for the reds but what makes him stand out was how adept he was in goal. His goalkeeping performances meant that he, at one stage, was preferred to first-choice goalkeeper William McOwen. Five times he played in the place of McOwen, and went on to make 41 appearances in total for Liverpool in goal.
McQueen won two Division Two titles during his time at Liverpool, and remains the only player in English football history who has done so as a goalkeeper and an outfield player. This illustrates just how rare a player McQueen was as this feat has not been repeated. Despite this versatility and ability in goal, Harry Storer was brought in to take over in goal. From the end of the 1895-96 season, McQueen’s adaptability was not enough to keep him in the side and he only played six more games throughout the next three seasons.
McQueen’s Liverpool career limped to a quiet end, when he retired at Liverpool he had represented the club in all eleven positions on the pitch. There are very few players around today that could displace the first-choice keeper, play at centre half and then play up front all in 100 games. Oxlade-Chamberlain was praised for his versatility by Klopp when he was first signed, the chances of him having the ability to replace Mignolet or Karius in goal may be higher than him partnering van Dijk or Matip at the back, but just thinking about the fact that McQueen was deemed good enough to do this for Liverpool is phenomenal.
Football was very different in the late 1800’s and the quality was no doubt lower than it is today. Nevertheless, the role that McQueen played for Liverpool should not be ignored or undermined. Milner receives great acclaim for being a willing cover for the oft hapless Moreno at left-back, I don’t think there are many players playing today (be that professional or Sunday League) that would willingly play in every position on the pitch for their team.
Having said McQueen had featured in every role on the pitch would be incorrect at his retirement. Not happy with all playing positions, McQueen went on to become a qualified referee and linesman in 1904. McQueen’s love for football was clear and he wanted to remain in the game, this would obviously not happen today as players don’t need to continue working after retirement. McQueen had such a thirst for the game that he did not want to leave it all together, his heart was with football and with Liverpool.
McQueen had only ever played in Scotland before his arrival in Liverpool and he stayed with the club until the end of his career. Refereeing was keeping McQueen in the game, but it was his love for Liverpool that ended his officiating career. In 1919 he was invited to join the board of directors at Liverpool, his loyalty to the club and love for the game was what enticed the board to select him. His role on the board was short lived, this coincided with the shock departure of David Ashworth.
Under the stewardship of Ashworth, Liverpool had won the 1921-22 First Division and were over half way to retaining the title. Despite this, Ashworth’s head was turned by bottom of the table Oldham Athletic. Oldham had given Ashworth his first job in football as their manager, with his old side struggling he wanted to help them remain in the top division. Oldham were ultimately relegated, but Liverpool were left manager-less and top of the league. McQueen was the overwhelming favourite for the job by the board of directors and he was appointed manager. He was among many ex-players to apply for the job, but the Liverpool Echo was happy to report ‘Mr. Mat McQueen was officially appointed team manager of the Liverpool Football Club’. This appointment meant that McQueen had now played in every single position for Liverpool as well as being a board member and now manager, a momentous achievement that illustrates his love for the club.
McQueen, now 60 years old, was the first ex-player to manage the club. He oversaw the last 14 games of the season and, despite only winning one of the last seven matches, guided Liverpool to consecutive First Division titles. This was the only trophy that McQueen won as manager of Liverpool, but it was important that Liverpool held on to win the league that season and McQueen was important in guiding them to league success. Another incident that occurred which further illustrates his love for Liverpool came in November 1924.
‘Mr McQueen went to Barnsley on a scouting expedition, and when returning from the match with a colleague … he was knocked down by a taxi and was found to have a broken leg’. McQueen was told to go to hospital with his broken leg, instead he got into a two-seater car to meet the Liverpool chairman regarding his scouting mission. McQueen would have been in agony during the meeting, but he put the needs of his club in front of his health, this is admirable when what transpired is further analysed. Unfortunately, McQueen had ‘his leg amputated as a consequence of septic poisoning arising through a broken leg sustained at Barnsley in November’. Had McQueen gone straight to hospital after he broke his leg then it may have been saved, but he chose to meet the chairman rather than deal with a broken leg. If this is stupidity or loyalty it is a little hard to decide. The phrases ‘wearing his heart on his sleeve’ and ‘would give his right arm’ are thrown around very easily, in McQueen Liverpool had a man who gave a leg for the club.
McQueen’s health was seriously affected following his amputation. Despite this he remained in charge of Liverpool until 1928 and left mid-season due to ill health. In his final season he made a phenomenally important transfer for the club, bringing in Gordon Hodgson. The South-African was talent spotted when he was on tour with his native side Transvaal. Hodgson of course went on to score 241 goals in 377 games for Liverpool and remains third in the all-time goal scoring charts. McQueen should be afforded a great deal of credit for the signing of a player that went on to be so successful for the club. McQueen stayed in Liverpool and lived on Kemlyn Road, the site of his old house now lies under the Kenny Dalglish Stand, and he visited Anfield regularly throughout his retirement.
McQueen’s retirement at the age of 65 ended a fifteen-year relationship with Liverpool. His versatility was certainly noteworthy during his playing days, but to also make the transition from board member to manager shows how broad his football knowledge and ability was. McQueen clearly took Liverpool to his heart, he had never left Scotland before coming to Anfield and he ended up staying here until his death in 1944, aged 81. Matt McQueen is a man who may have been forgotten over the years but offered more to Liverpool than many other legends of the club. His host of records like being the first player to win a league as an outfield player and a keeper and first ex-player to become a manger of Liverpool illustrate how important he was. He chose meeting his chairman with a scouting report over seeing to a broken leg, leading to an amputation. McQueen gave everything for Liverpool and deserves to be remembered in the annals of Anfield history forever.
https://peterkj.wixsite.com/football-historian
#RedAllOverTheLand #MattMcQueen #JurgenKlopp #PepeReina #NewcastleUnited #JoseEnrique #PhilJagielka #NiallQuinn #PeterBeardsley #ShamalGeorge #DavidJames #Kaiserslautern #HuddersfieldTown #ManCity #HughMcQueen #WilliamBarclay #JohnMcKenna #WilliamMcOwen #Division2 #Division1 #HarryStorer #AlexOxladeChamberlain #SimonMignolet #LorisKarius #JoelMatip #JamesMilner #AlbertoMoreno #Referee #Linesman #Scotland #DavidAshworth #OldhamAthletic #Barnsley #GordonHodgson #Transvaal #KemlynRoad #KennyDalglishStand #VirgilvanDijk #ScottishFootball
