Liverpool FC

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The first Liverpool managers, William Edward Barclay and John McKenna, were appointed in 1892. Barclay handled administration while McKenna took charge on the field, winning promotion from the Lancashire League in the club's first season. In 1896, Tom Watson was appointed and won two Football League championships before dying in May 1915, aged 56, in his nineteenth season. David Ashworth won one league title but left for Oldham Athletic. Matt McQueen won one league title, then a barren spell of over 20 years followed until George Kay led Liverpool to the title in 1947. Kay also reached the 1950 FA Cup Final, losing 2-0 to Arsenal. Don Welsh became the first Liverpool manager to be sacked after relegation in 1954. Phil Taylor failed to win a trophy or gain promotion. On 1 December 1959, Bill Shankly was appointed, beginning a fifteen-year spell that brought three league titles, two FA Cups, and a first European trophy, the UEFA Cup. Shankly established the Anfield boot room for tactical discussions, personally replied to fan letters, called supporters at home to discuss games, and provided tickets for fans. When Shankly retired in 1974, his assistant Bob Paisley took over and won six league titles and three European Cups. Joe Fagan continued the Boot Room tradition, winning a treble of League, European Cup, and League Cup in his first season. Kenny Dalglish became player-manager and led Liverpool to a League and FA Cup double in his first season, then two more league titles and another FA Cup. The Hillsborough disaster overshadowed his reign and contributed to his resignation on 22 February 1991.

In Their Own Story

Graeme Souness won the FA Cup in 1992 but nothing else. Roy Evans won just the League Cup. Gérard Houllier, Liverpool's first non-British manager, won a cup treble in 2001 (FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup) and another League Cup in 2003. Rafael Benítez's first season saw Liverpool beat A.C. Milan on penalties in the 2005 Champions League Final after a 3-3 draw. The following season, they beat West Ham United on penalties in the FA Cup Final after another 3-3 draw. Benítez guided Liverpool to the 2007 Champions League Final, losing 2-1 to A.C. Milan. He left by mutual consent on 3 June 2010. Roy Hodgson was sacked on 8 January 2011 after a poor tenure. Kenny Dalglish returned, signed a three-year contract in May 2011, but was sacked a year later after an 8th-place finish, though he guided Liverpool to two cup finals. Brendan Rodgers led a surprise title challenge in 2013-14, finishing second with 101 goals, and won the LMA Manager of the Year Award, but was sacked on 4 October 2015 without winning a major trophy in three years. Jürgen Klopp replaced Rodgers on 8 October 2015. In his first season, he guided Liverpool to a League Cup Final (lost to Manchester City on penalties) and a Europa League Final (lost 1-3 to Sevilla), finishing 8th. He signed a six-year contract extension in June 2016. Klopp led Liverpool to the 2018 Champions League Final, losing 1-3 to Real Madrid. In 2018-19, he guided Liverpool to their sixth Champions League triumph with a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur and a second-place league finish. In 2019-20, Liverpool won the FA Community Shield (lost on penalties to Manchester City), the UEFA Super Cup (won on penalties against Chelsea), and their first FIFA Club World Cup. Klopp secured Liverpool's first Premier League title and first top-flight title since 1990, finishing with a club-record 99 points. The season was interrupted by the COVID-19 shutdown.

Reader's Guide

Managing Liverpool means inheriting a club with 20 league titles and six European Cups. The board expects Champions League contention every season. You must navigate a transfer market where top-tier talent is expected to join, but wages must remain competitive. The fanbase is passionate and vocal; maintaining high morale is crucial when results dip. The local derby against Everton is a fixed point of rivalry. Success means building a legacy comparable to Bob Paisley's nine-year reign of six league titles and three European Cups, or Bill Shankly's fifteen years of three league titles, two FA Cups, and a UEFA Cup. Tactical flexibility is needed to overcome strong domestic rivals while managing European fixtures. The goal is to restore or maintain status as one of England's greatest clubs through consistent silverware collection.

Did You Know?

• Bob Paisley won six Football League titles, three European Cups, and three Football League Cups in just nine years as manager.
• Tom Watson managed Liverpool from 1896 to 1915, totaling 19 years, and died in May 1915 at age 56 while still in charge.
• Kenny Dalglish is one of only two men to have managed Liverpool twice, first from 1985 to February 1991 and then from January 2011 to June 2012.
• Liverpool scored 101 goals in the 2013-14 season under Brendan Rodgers, the club's most since the 1895-96 season and the third-highest in Premier League history.
• Jürgen Klopp guided Liverpool to their first Premier League title in 2019-20, finishing with a club-record 99 points.