The Liverpool Football Club: From Origin To Rebirth

Nothing marks a true fan quite like wearing the Liverpool home kit to matches, and nothing makes them happier than watching Liverpool games live, especially at Anfield. Even in away games, the Liverpool spirit is irrepressible – and the energy, palpable. Fans from all walks of life and different parts of the globe come together, raising their flags, pennants and scarves and breaking out into Allez, Allez, Allez or crooning a heartfelt rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Are you a new Reds fan? Proudly wear the liverbird on your chest and the Liverpool Football Club colours. Read on to deepen your knowledge of Liverpool Football Club history and learn some trivia to bring along on your next live match or get-together with the Kop.

Liverpool Origins

It was 15 March 1892 when John Houlding – one-time Lord Mayor of the City of Liverpool and former President of Everton Football Club (the Blues) – and some friends founded Liverpool FC.  It was three days after Houlding’s official split with Everton FC, a rift caused by various things but primarily a disagreement about whether or not the Blues should rent or buy Anfield, which was Houlding’s land.

On 3 June 1892, Liverpool FC (technically Liverpool Football Club and Athletic Grounds Ltd) was officially recognised by the Board of Trade. In 1894, by which time he had given up on taking possession of the Everton name, Houlding embraced his new Club’s identity by adopting the City of Liverpool’s colour (i.e., red). In 1901, the liverbird – Liverpool’s symbol – became Liverpool FC’s crest.

Liverpool’s First Game

Under the leadership of Irishman ‘Honest’ John McKenna, Liverpool FC began to take shape. John recruited many players from Scotland. That 1892 team became known as the Team of all the Macs because many players had Mc surnames: McOwen (not a Scotsman but an Englishman), McLean, McBride, McCartney, McQue, McQueen, and McVean.

LFC was not allowed to join the Football League, so it joined the Lancashire League. Their first match occurred at Anfield on 1 September 1892, a friendly game against Rotherham Town. Liverpool won, but it was a bittersweet victory because, on that same day, Everton FC – which used to be based at Anfield in Liverpool – also had a match at Goodison Park. Only a handful of people attended Liverpool’s match at Anfield, while thousands flocked to Goodison.

Liverpool in the Lancashire League

On 3 September 1892, Liverpool played their first Lancashire League competitive match. It was an away game against Higher Walton. There was a disappointing turnout as only a couple of hundred spectators came to watch, but Liverpool FC won the match 8-0.

Liverpool’s first Lancashire League game was a harbinger of a successful season. The Club won the Lancashire League Cup, Liverpool District Cup, and Reserve Cup.

Liverpool FC’s First Game in the Football League

More than a year after Liverpool FC was formed, it was accepted into the Football League. On 2 September 1893, one day before the first anniversary of their first-ever competitive match, Liverpool FC played a Football League away game against fellow Division 2 team Middlesbrough Ironopolis. Liverpool FC won that match after McQue and McVean scored goals in the second half.

Liverpool’s Promotion and Relegation

Liverpool FC acquitted itself well in its first year in the Football League. At the end of the season, it gained the top spot in Division 2, getting eight points ahead of its closest rival, Newton Heath. This meant automatic promotion to Division 1 in the following season: 1894-95.

However, their year in Division 1 did not go as well as their first year in the League. Landing at the bottom of the heap, Liverpool FC was relegated to Division 2 in 1895-96.

However, at the end of that season, Liverpool FC emerged at the top of Division 2 and regained its spot in Division 1 the following season. Liverpool would remain there for more than four decades, an impressive record interrupted only briefly by its relegation to Division 2 in 1904-05.

Liverpool’s First League Title

Liverpool won their first league title on 29 April 1901, just eight years after entering the Football League. LFC’s lineup at this time was impressive, mainly due to Tom Watson, who came onboard as manager in 1896. Tom’s team for the 1900-01 season consisted of the following Liverpool legends, among others:

• Alex Raisbeck
• Bill Perkins
• Billy Dunlop
• Jack Cox
• Sam Raybould
• John Thomas Robertson
• Charles Satterthwaite
• William Goldie

The 1901 title was no easy win, however. The first half of the season was rife with disappointments and defeats. However, the team turned things around during the season’s latter half, fighting fiercely from the bottom until their heart (and excellent defence) eventually won them that season’s league championship.

The Dark Ages and Redemption

Liverpool won the Football League title a few more times (1906, 1922, 1923, and 1947), but then came the descent. After a miserable 1953-54 season, LFC lost its spot in Division 1 and was relegated to Division 2.There, the Club remained for eight seasons until a stellar performance in 1961-62 led to its promotion back to Division 1.

A large part of it was due to William Shankly. Bill, as he was fondly called by everyone who followed Liverpool, joined the team in 1959. He shook things up by instituting new measures. He also dismissed 24 players in his very first year as manager.

The changes paid off, and after three seasons, Liverpool returned to Division 1. In their second season back (1963-64), they clinched their sixth Football League title. Liverpool proceeded to win the Football Association Challenge Cup (FA Cup) the following season — the first of several — and in1965-66 secured their seventh top-flight league title.

The Future Looks Bright

Since Liverpool’s re-promotion to Division 1, through the Football League’s transition to the Premier League and until today, the Club has remained in top-tier football. From 1962 onwards, the Club earned 13 more Football League titles and one Premiere League title. It has also won several European Cups, more FA Cups, many League Cups, multiple Charity/Community Shields, a few UEFA Cups and Super Cups, and a FIFA Club World Cup.

The team that used to play in empty stadiums now has over a hundred million fans worldwide. Indeed, the future couldn’t be brighter for Liverpool. Rest assured, a trip to the Liverpool store in Dubai will never be wasted, as you couldn’t have chosen a better football team to support.