A Countdown of Eight of the Highest Capped Scottish Internationals to have Played for Liverpool
When George ‘Dod’ Allan won his only Scottish International cap in a 2-1 win over England in 1897, he became the first Liverpool player to represent Scotland. Sadly tb cut his life short at the age of only 24 so who knows what he could have achieved for both Liverpool and Scotland. He is also the only player to score 30 goals for the Reds quicker than Mo Salah.
From then on Liverpool and Scotland have had an inextricable link. From their famous ‘Team of Macs’ which was Liverpool’s first ever team in which every member was Scottish, to the great Bill Shankly whose footballing ethos was built in East Ayrshire, all the way up to Andy Robertson who had his named roared by the Kop following a lung busting run in the game which ended Manchester City’s unbeaten run in the Premier League in January 2018. Liverpool is a team built upon the contributions of some of the greatest footballing Scots, here's the 'Exceptional Eight':
8. Ian St John – Scotland 21 (14 at Liverpool) apps, 9 goals – Liverpool 425 apps, 118 goals
Ian St John played for Liverpool from 1961-71, he was a club record purchase of £37,500 and one of Shankly’s first signings at Anfield. Part of the spine of the team that helped drag Liverpool from Division 2, St John lies 13th in the top goal scorers in history. His greatest achievement was scoring the winner in Liverpool’s first FA Cup victory, leading to him being one of the first players to have his name sung by the Kop.
His Scotland career stemmed from 1959-65, his greatest moment came in the qualification for the 1962 World Cup. St John scored two in the play-off against Czechoslovakia, however Scotland were defeated in extra-time. He no doubt endeared himself further to the Tartan Army by scoring the equaliser against England in his final international appearance, at Wembley. St John now 80, works on the radio in Liverpool.
7. Tommy Younger – Scotland 24 (16 at Liverpool) apps – Liverpool 127 apps
Younger was signed by Phil Taylor after winning two titles with Hibernian. He claimed the number one shirt at Anfield and played in 43 of 45 matches in his first season. During his three years (1956-9), Younger only missed six matches. He left the club in a surprise swap deal with Falkirk’s Bert Slater. Younger became player-manager and stated “It came as a complete surprise. I didn’t want to leave Anfield. But I thought it was up to me to look after my future.”
His Scotland career (1955-8) was an unbroken sequence of 24 games. The highlight of his international career was the 1958 World Cup where he played two games in goal before being replaced by Bill Brown for the third game, Scotland were unfortunately eliminated in the group stages. Younger became president of the Scottish Football Association in 1983 until his death in 1984, aged just 53.
6. Alan Hansen – Scotland 26 (26 at Liverpool) apps, 0 goals – Liverpool 620 apps, 14 goals
Nothing short of an Anfield legend, Hansen is regarded by many as the best defender in Liverpool’s history. Hansen won eight league titles and three European Cups during his 13 years (1977-91) on Merseyside. In 1986 he captained the Reds to their first ever double. Hansen came 12th in 100 players who shook the Kop in 2013.
Hansen’s second Scotland cap was in an Argentina 3–1 win, an 18-year-old Maradona scoring his first international goal. Hansen said Maradona was " virtually unplayable – even at 18”. Hansen featured in the 1982 World Cup but was dropped by Alex Ferguson for the 1986 World Cup. Hansen’s lack of caps is afforded to the strong partnership of Aberdeen’s Willie Miller and Alex McLeish. Ferguson said Hansen’s poor international form and reluctance to play friendlies was the reason for his World Cup omission.
Hansen went on to become a famous Match of the Day pundit until his retirement in 2014. Now aged 62, he spends his retirement on Merseyside.
5. Steve Nicol – Scotland 27 (27 at Liverpool) apps, 0 goals – Liverpool 468 apps, 46 goals
Nicol won 4 League Titles and 1 European Cup at Anfield (1981-94). Signed by Paisley, Nicol’s chance came under Fagan where he featured in the European Cup Final as a substitute. He missed a penalty in the shoot-out, but Liverpool went on to win. He became a mainstay under fellow Scot, Dalglish and was the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year in 1988-9.
His Scotland career (1984-92) began with a debut win against Yugoslavia, where he played alongside Liverpool teammates Dalglish and captain Souness. He played every game of Scotland’s 1986 World Cup campaign, where they finished bottom of the group. Nicol emigrated to America in 1999 and has played and managed in the States. He now works as a commentator for ESPN, aged 56.
4. Billy Liddell – Scotland 28 (28 at Liverpool) apps, 8 goals – Liverpool 534 apps, 228 goals
A man so great his side were coined ‘Liddellpool’, the first name that the Kop ever sang and a phenomenally loyal servant whose selfless devotion for the club no doubt hampered his ability to win more. In his 23 years (1938-61) at Anfield he only won one medal, the First Division in 1946-7 but broke countless records. 12th top appearances, captained the side for three years, 4th top goalscorer and the oldest goalscorer aged 38. Never swore, drank or smoked a true gentleman and a legend.
Liddell fell afoul of the SFA decision to not participate in the 1950 World Cup as they had not won the British Home Championship. He was then not selected for the 1954 World Cup but became 1 of 2 players (Stanley Matthew being the other) to be selected twice for a Great Britain XI aginst the Rest of Europe. The defining moment of Liddell’s Scotland career (1946-55) came as he scored the decisive goal against England in the crucial final game in the 1951 Home Championship in front of 98,000 at Wembley.
He went on to work for the Liverpool Supporters’ Association and Littlewoods’ Spot the Ball panel, after a battle with Parkinson’s he was admitted to a home and passed away in 2001, aged 79.
3. John Wark – Scotland 29 (3 at Liverpool) apps, 7 goals – Liverpool 108 apps, 42 goals
Wark’s Liverpool career (1984-8) earnt him 2 League Titles and a European Cup runners-up medal. In the 1984-5 season he finished above Ian Rush as top-goalscorer, injuries halted his progress and he was sold by Dalglish in 1988. Wark’s Liverpool medical has become a famous story, after taking his blood pressure the club doctor “asked me to bend down and touch my toes. Trying not to show my surprise, I did exactly as he asked and as I lifted my head he spoke again, this time to announce 'you've passed'. That was it, my Liverpool medical".
Wark made his debut in the same game as Hansen (0-3 versus Wales at Ninian Park, Cardiff) and went on to score 2 goals in the 1982 World Cup in Spain. Scotland were eliminated at the group stage on goal difference. Wark’s final Scotland game came in Nicol’s debut. Wark now 61, works in the corporate hospitality department at Ipswich Town.
2. Graeme Souness – Scotland 54 (37 at Liverpool) apps, 4 goals – Liverpool 359 apps, 55 goals
The swashbuckling, hard-tackling midfield general won 5 League Titles and 3 European Cups at Liverpool (1978-84). Souness captained one of the greatest teams in English football history. Signed on a club-record fee to replace record-appearance holder Ian Callaghan, Paisley signed three Scots that went on to be pivotal members of the team; Hansen, Dalglish and Souness. Assisting Dalglish’s goal in the 1977 European Cup Final and scoring the winner against Manchester United in the 1983 League Cup Final, Souness was imensly important to a great Liverpool side.
Souness was selected for the 1978 World Cup but injury reduced his playing time to one game, which was not enough for him to halt elimination. He also played in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups for the Tartan Army. Self-confessed poor performances in the 1986 World Cup led to Souness’ international retirement.
Souness went on to manage Liverpool and Rangers, amongst others. He is now aged 65 and works as a pundit on Sky Sports.
1. Sir Kenny Dalglish – Scotland 102 (55 at Liverpool) apps, 30 goals – Liverpool 515 apps, 172 goals
What can be said that hasn’t already about King Kenny. His playing career at Liverpool (1977-90) delivered 6 League Titles and 3 European Cups, considered by many as the greatest player in Liverpool’s history. As player-manager he delivered the club’s first ever double in 1985-6 scoring the winner against Chelsea to clinch the League Title. As manager he won 3 League Titles and remains the last Liverpool manager to win the league or a trophy and the last manager in England to get to both domestic finals in the same season.
The record appearances and goals for Scotland, Kenny is as loved in his native land as he is in his adopted home. From 1971-86 he played over 100 times, a feat yet to be matched. Scoring two winners against in England both home and away in the space of a year cemented his place as a legend. Kenny went on to manage Celtic and Blackburn winning the Premier League for the latter.
The ‘Kenny Dalglish Stand’ was recently unveiled at Anfield and Dalglish, now 67, works as a non-executive director for Liverpool. In June 2018 Dalglish was knighted in Queen’s birthday honours.
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