Former Charlton Athletic manager Alan Curbishley has looked back on strong links that he was in line for the vacant Liverpool job before Rafa Benitez was eventually appointed in 2004.
After taking sole charge of the Addicks in 1995 he went on to lead the club into Premier League via the play-offs in 1998 after a barn-storming Wembley final against Sunderland. But despite being relegated back to the second tier of English football the following season, Curbishley kept his job and took Charlton straight back to the Premier League a year later, romping to the First Division title with 91 points, two ahead of Manchester City.
After consolidating Charlton's status in the Premier League, Curbishley started to become linked with the top jobs in English football and that included Liverpool following the exit of Gerard Houllier in 2004.
