Number 4

Sami Hyypia
Sami Hyypia came to Liverpool in the summer of 1999 from Dutch side Willem II, one of Gerard Houllier’s signings in order to shore up the defence to play alongside another new signing Stephane Henchoz. “Sami who?” many people asked. Finnish footballers werent well known in the European Leagues at the time. However Sami Hyypia took to the Premiership like a duck to water, becoming many fans’ player of the season in his first season, and earning comparisons to Alan Hansen. He also was trusted enough to take the captaincy when both captain and vice captain Jamie Redknapp and Robbie Fowler were injured. If his first season was good, his second got better. Liverpool played 63 games in total that season, with Sami playing 62 of that 63. Amazingly for a defender, he went an entire season without a single booking, a run that from the previous season, spanned a whopping 87 matches without a booking, in a season where he played an instrumental part in Liverpool’s UEFA, FA and Carling Cup victories and helped them qualify for the Champions League.

The following season, he was instrumental in leading Liverpool to second place in the League, where they were very unlucky to finish behind a phenomenal Arsenal side. This led to high hopes for the following season but many players looked jaded and the team as a whole slumped. Sami did enjoy lifting one trophy as he captained the Reds to a Worthington Cup win over Manchester United, but it was a season to forget for most Reds fans. Sami also blemished his impeccable disciplinary record when he was rather harshly red carded against Manchester United, setting the tone for a miserable 4-0 defeat.

At the start of the 2003/04 season, Sami’s form hit a slight slump and he was replaced as captain by Steven Gerrard, Sami became vice captain, though, being a true professional, accepted this and got on with his game, helping the team reach 4th place and qualify for the Champions League

Sami returned at the beginning of the next season to a new manager as Rafael Benitez came to Anfield. The famed Henchoz-Hyypia partnership was also no more as Jamie Carragher partnered Sami in central defence. Sami’s positon came under threat in January as Rafa signed Mauricio Pellegrino from Valencia. Benitez tactic became a masterstroke however as Sami was rested in domestic games but was then able to play a significant role in Liverpool’s run to Istanbul and while not too much at fault for Milan’s goals in the first half, the big Finn, along with his indomitable partner played an integral part in keeping Crespo and Shevchenko at bay as Liverpool overcame all odds and became Champions of Europe for the 5th time.

The following season, despite beginning the season in July, Sami Hyypia kept going and although one of the older players on the side and despite having played more games than anyone else that season, he was still one of the few players still standing at the end of Liverpool’s FA Cup victory over West Ham.

In his home country of Finland, Sami is very highly regarded by Finnish fans, winning the Finnish footballer of the year award on many occasions(almost enjoying virtually a duopoly with Jari Litmanen) and is helping Finland on their campaign to try and reach a major tournament

Back at Liverpool, his position has come under threat somewhat, due tot he emergence of up and coming Dane, Daniel Agger.

However Sami, after 7 years at the club, still remains as superb a reader of the game as ever, keeps himself in impeccable fitness and has no pace to lose. It would be fitting to see him retire as a Liverpool player and he will surely go down as one of Liverpool’s greats.

We salute you Sami

Each day up to Christmas, we’ll be opening one of the doors of the RAWK Advent Calendar.

It’s the 1st December so behind the door of number 1 is:

Number one

RAY CLEMENCE. My favourite No.1

Stats
Date of Birth: 05-08-1948
Birthplace: Skegness
Debut : 16th September 1969 v Dundalk (H) European Fairs Cup: Won 10-0
1st team games: 666
International caps 61

Honours with Liverpool: First Division Championship 1972/73, 1975/76, 1976/77, 1978/79 & 1979/80, FA Cup 1974, European Cup 1977, 1978 & 1981, UEFA Cup 1973 & 1976, Charity Shield 1974, 1976, 1977 (shared), 1979 & 1980, European Super Cup 1977 .

Succeeding the great Tommy Lawrence as regular first choice in 1970, Clem was a brilliant goalie who shone out in an era of great goalies: Shilton, Banks, Pat Jennings, and so on…

Clemence got 61 caps but even though Shilton got twice that, for my money Ray was the better goalkeeper. But I’m biased as he played in my all time favourite Liverpool team, that of the European Cup Winning side in 1977.

As the .tv site tells us, “In the great 1978-79 title-winning campaign, when Bob Paisley’s side set a points record of 68 under the old two-points-for-a-win system, ever present Clemence conceded a record low of 16 goals.”

16 goals in a season. To put it in perspective, we’ve let in 15 so far this year.

The facts will tell you that he sadly moved onto Spurs in 1981, but the heart tells you that a goalie lasting 12 years at a club in the heyday of mud battled centre-forwards, being allowed to basically body check anyone in front of them, was truly amazing.

Clemence was a nice guy, a real red and he came from Scunthorpe as did Kevin Keegan. Keegan usually gets all the glory in the annals of LFC but for my money, Ray Clemence was one of my favourite all-time players. The applause he got on his return to Anfield when with Spurs shows the esteem he was held in.

Now a regular figure in the England set-up, Ray has always been a great member of that exclusive club, the ex-red. Long may he reign as Liverpool’s best goalie.

Number one in the RAWK Advent Calendar - the number one goalie for us, Ray Clemence.

Number 2

2 is also for Phil Neal, our most decorated player

Date of Birth: 20/02/51 
Birthplace: Irchester, Northamptonshire 
Debut : 16 November 1974 v Everton (a) Football League Division One: drew 0-0 
1st team games: 648 
1st team goals: 60 
Other clubs: Northampton Town, Bolton Wanderers (player/manager, then manager), England (coach), Coventry City (manager), Cardiff City (manager), Manchester City (manager) 
International caps while with Liverpool: 50 
International goals while with Liverpool: 5 
Honours with Liverpool: First Division Championship: 1975/76, 1976/77, 1978/79, 1979/80, 1981/82, 1982/83 & 1983/84, League (Milk) Cup 1981, 1982, 1983 & 1984, European Cup 1977, 1978, 1981 & 1984, UEFA Cup 1976, Charity Shield 1976, 1977 (shared), 1979, 1980 & 1982, European Super Cup 1977 

Bob Paisley plucked Neal from Fourth Division obscurity at Northampton and transformed him into a player who would captain Liverpool, make 650 appearances, collect a joint-record eight Championship medals amongst a batch of honours and win 50 England caps.
He was Paisley’s first signing, costing just £66,000 in October 1974, and was plunged into his top flight debut against Everton at Goodison a month later. Neal grasped his surprise opportunity to launch a glittering career essentially as a right back but with the capability of playing anywhere across the back line.

His tally of 60 goals was amassed largely through his expertise from the penalty spot, although one from open play proved to be a golden strike. His goal against Roma in the 1984 European Cup Final ensured Liverpool went into a victorious penalty shoot-out against the Italians on their own ground.

Seven years earlier at the same stadium he had dispatched the penalty against Borussia Moenchengladbach, which clinched Liverpool’s first European Cup triumph with a 3-1 win. He became Bolton player boss in 1985 and later managed Coventry.