Kenny Dalglish Player-Manager Era
Player-manager who led Liverpool to three league titles and two FA Cups.
Kenny Dalglish was appointed player-manager in 1985. In his first season in charge, Dalglish led the club to a League and FA Cup double. After that great first season, Dalglish led Liverpool to a further two league titles and another FA Cup. However, the Hillsborough disaster overshadowed his reign; it was one of the reasons for Dalglish resigning on 22 February 1991.
- Role
- Player-Manager
- Club
- Liverpool FC
- Era
- 1985–1991 (Transition to full-time management)
- Status
- Completed
- Key Achievement
- Won league titles as both player and manager
Lore & Background
Kenny Dalglish is one of 2 men to have managed the club twice. He first managed Liverpool from 1985 to February 1991, and then from January 2011 to June 2012.
In Their Own Story
The floodlights hummed over Anfield that Tuesday night. In the tunnel, Dalglish adjusted his boots, feeling the familiar weight of the captain's armband mixed with the clipboard tucked under his arm. He looked at the young laces tying their shoes and the veterans warming up, realizing he was both one of them and above them in a way no other had been. As he stepped onto the grass, the roar of the Kop didn't just welcome a player; it acknowledged a king who ruled from the center circle.
Reader's Guide
Dalglish's first stint as manager saw Liverpool win the First Division in 1985–86, 1987–88, and 1989–90, along with FA Cup victories in 1986 and 1989. His second stint ended with an 8th-place finish in the Premier League and a loss in the 2012 FA Cup Final.
Did You Know?
- Dalglish is one of only two men to have managed Liverpool twice.
- Dalglish resigned as manager in February 1991, partly due to the Hillsborough disaster.
- Dalglish's first season as player-manager yielded a League and FA Cup double.
More in Club History & Eras
Elsewhere in the Liverpool FC universe
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