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Liverpool Echo

Sport

Richard Garnett

Calvin Ramsay can follow in the footsteps of seven Liverpool legends

Calvin Ramsay Kenny Dalglish Bill Shankly Gary McAllister Andy Robertson Jurgen Klopp Steve Nicol St. John FA Cup Liverpool

Liverpool's third and possibly final signing of the summer arrived last week. Calvin Ramsay joining fellow Scot Andy Robertson at Anfield.

The Scottish Football Writers' Young Player of the Year has been flung into the spotlight after a superb season for the Dons and will now be looking to carve out a successful career for himself in the Premier League under Jurgen Klopp.

The Reds have a proud tradition of signing players north of the border. In fact, Liverpool's team in their first ever season in 1892 comprised almost entirely of Scotsman under Ulsterman John McKenna. A lot has happened in the 130 years since, but here's a look at some of Liverpool's best ever Scottish signings since the 1960s and how they helped keep the Reds conveyor belt of silverware rolling on.

Ian St John (1961-71)

'The Saint' joined Liverpool from Motherwell in 1961 for a club record £37,500. At the time, Bill Shankly's side was still in the Second Division but his arrival was considered by Shanks to be a turning point in the club's fortunes. Liverpool's investment in their new forward paid off. St John scored 18 times in his first season, helping the Reds to clinch the Second Division title and return to English football's top flight, where they have remained ever since.

St John went on to score 98 goals in 372 appearance for the Reds helping Shankly to win two League titles. Perhaps his finest moment arrived in the 1965 FA Cup final, when the Saint headed home in extra-time to win Liverpool their first ever FA Cup, beating Leeds United 2-1 at Wembley. He also made 21 appearances for Scotland.

After retirement St John enjoyed a successful media career and is best remembered for his rapport with former Tottenham striker Jimmy Greaves on the Saint & Greavsie show. He died in March 2021 aged 68 after a long illness.

Ron Yates (1961-71)

Another Shankly signing that helped revolutionise the football club. Yates was captured from Dundee United for £20,000 and was given the captain's armband straight away. When introducing him to journalists for the first time, Shankly famously said: "The man is a mountain, go into the dressing room and walk around him."

Yates didn't let Shankly down, after successfully captaining the team to the Second Division Championship he helped to deliver two top flight League titles and an FA Cup triumph. He made 454 appearances for the Reds before joining fellow Merseyside club Tranmere Rovers as Player Manager.

Greame Souness (1978-1984)

Edinburgh-born Souness started his football career as trainee with Tottenham Hotpsur. But despite reportedly telling manager Bill Nicholson that he was the best player at the club, he only made one appearance for Spurs and instead went on to have a successful spell with Middlesbrough.

It was from here that Bob Paisley brought the tough-tackling Scot in as part of a team upgrade alongside fellow countrymen Kenny Dalglish and Alan Hansen. Liverpool were already European Champions but the arrival of the trio took them onto greater heights.

In his seven seasons at Anfield, Souness would win five league titles, three European Cups and four League Cups, establishing his standing as a Liverpool legend. He also became captain from the start of the 1981-82 season.

Souness would later become manager of the club after a victorious spell back in Scotland with Rangers, but despite winning the FA Cup in 1992, just weeks after under-going heart surgery, he was sacked after a 1-0 FA Cup Third round replay defeat to Bristol City in 1994.

Sir Kenny Dalglish (1977-1990)

Liverpool set a new British transfer fee record when they paid Celtic £440,000 for Dalglish to replace Kevin Keegan in 1977, but it would be one the most important signings in the club's history.

Crowned by the Kop 'King Kenny', Dalglish would go on to become one of the greatest players in the club's history, scoring 31 goals in his debut season including the vital goal against Bruges that clinched Liverpool's second European Cup in 1978. After winning five league titles, three European Cups and four League Cups, Dalglish went on to become the club's Player Manager and took the Reds to even greater heights in his first season, guiding them to a League and FA Cup double in 1986.

The King would eventually have two spells as Liverpool manager, winning the Premier League title with Blackburn Rovers in-between. No wonder he now has a stand at Anfield named after him.

Steve Nicol (1981-1994)

Another Paisley signing, Nicol joined the Reds in 1981 but had to wait a whole year before making his first team debut, such was the competition for places. Moving from Ayr United for £330,000 he would go on to become an Anfield stalwart for years to come, wracking up the medals in the process.

Nicol won the European Cup in Rome with Liverpool on penalties despite missing his own spot-kick. His versatility in defence and midfield ensured that he was a regular performer under four different managers, winning four league titles and three FA Cups. He was also voted Football Writers' Player of the Year in 1989. Not bad for the boy from Troon.

Gary McAllister (2000-2002)

McAllister was 35 when he joined Liverpool on a free transfer from Coventry City, with his signing raising eyebrows both inside and outside club circles. But such was his impact that Gerard Houllier would later claim that he was his "most inspirational signing". The Motherwell-born midfielder, who started his football journey with his hometown club in 1981, played a crucial role in Liverpool's exciting 2001/01 treble-winning season.

McAllister scored a number of significant goals towards the end of the campaign, starting with an outrageous 40-yard free-kick in injury time against Everton to clinch a dramatic 3-2 victory at Goodison Park in one of the greatest Merseyside Derbies of modern times. It would be McAllister's penalty that pushed the Reds past Barcelona in the UEFA Cup semi-final against a Barcelona team that included the Brazilian Rivaldo and after helping to win the FA Cup against Arsenal he provided the free-kick delivery in extra-time against Spanish side Alaves that lead to an own-goal which clinched Liverpool their third UEFA Cup in a barmy 5-4 triumph, completing a unique cup treble.

McAllister only spent two seasons at Anfield, but perhaps only James Milner can challenge his claim to be Liverpool's greatest ever free transfer.

Andy Robertson (2017)

Glasgow-born full-back Robertson earned his stripes in Scotland with Queen's Park and Dundee United, before joining Steve Bruce's Hull City. And it was from here that Liverpool paid an initial fee of £8million to bring him to Anfield under Jurgen Klopp in 2017.

After initially playing the role of understudy to Alberto Moreno, Robertson was handed his chance when the Spaniard got injured and never looked back. In five seasons on Merseyside he has won every major honour possible and was a crucial part of the team that ended Liverpool's 30-year wait for a League title. His attacking performances at left-back, with Trent Alexander-Arnold offering a similar threat on the opposite flank, have been a key component of Klopp's successful Anfield reign. So much so, that he is now the captain of Scotland.