Phil Thompson
Liverpool & England
Profile
Footballer (and assistant manager) for Liverpool and England.
Date of birth: 21st January 1954 (Kirby, Liverpool).
League appearances: 459 (+7 as sub) for Liverpool and 12 goals. England internationals: 42 Full Caps.
Other highlights: Two European Cups, one UEFA Cup, seven League Championships, two League Cups, one FA Cup, assistant manager for Liverpool.
Summary
Phil Thompson is one man who went all the way from standing on to the Kop to playing for the side and ultimately was assistant manager of the side. Thompson was always a thin man with wiry legs, which was always highly amusing to the late Bill Shankly.
However Thompson, originally a midfielder was brought through the ranks and made his debut in April 1972 at Old Trafford. His centre back role didn't actually start until Larry Lloyd was injured in February 1974.
Thompson had sometimes lacked the pace required in midfield and Shanks tried him out alongside Emlyn Hughes and the rest as they say is history. Phil was a new breed of centre back for the reds who played his way out of any trouble the reds had got themselves into rather than just powering headers away.
When in 1978/79 Hughes stepped aside in the side for Alan Hansen, it was Thompson who took over the captaincy of the side, which he kept for a few seasons before being replaced by Graeme Souness . Thompson also combined his captain job for the reds' with that of the national side.
Thompson carried on playing for the reds until the 1982-83 season, when injuries and the emergence of Mark Lawrenson forced him out of a place.
He moved on to Sheffield United, before retiring and later returning to Liverpool to become part of the Anfield coaching staff. In 1992, however, he was sacked from Liverpool by the then boss Graeme Souness and stayed out of the game until Gerard Houllier made a call for him after taking sole control of the club.
Thompson assisted Houllier throughout his reign, which included temporary stints as team manager during Houllier's illness. Thompson left the club after Rafael Benitez took over as manager.
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