Beyond Salah & Dalglish: 8 Unsung Liverpool Legends You Should Know

Liverpool’s massive financial outlay on new players during the 2025 summer transfer window has raised plenty of eyebrows across the football world.

The club has previously established an enviable track record for being shrewd operators in the transfer market over the past few years and fans will hope that trend continues.

The new crop of big-money signings have plenty to live up to at a club which is renowned for acquiring players who have gone on to achieve legendary status.

Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish and Mohamed Salah are among a plethora of signings who have etched their names into the record books at Anfield.

It would be possible to fill a library with the number of articles that have been written about Liverpool’s standout signings during their history.

However, those players would likely not have enjoyed the same level of success were it not for the efforts of some of the club’s under-the-radar acquisitions.

With that in mind, we have delved through the club’s archives to identify eight Liverpool players we believe deserve more recognition.

Ian St John

Modern-day fans accustomed to watching Liverpool compete regularly for major silverware may not know that was not always the case at the club.

The Reds won their fifth league title in 1946/47, but subsequently struggled to match that achievement and were relegated to the Second Division in 1953–54 season.

Bill Shankly’s appointment as manager in 1959 proved to be an inspired decision, laying the foundations for Liverpool to evolve into the club they are today.

Shankly put 24 players on the transfer list when he arrived at Anfield and set about building a team that won several trophies while he was in charge.

One of the first players he targeted was Ian St John, who was a prolific goalscorer for Motherwell in Scottish Division One.

St John became a firm favourite with Liverpool supporters, helping the club win promotion back to the First Division in 1961/62.

He subsequently played a key role as Liverpool won two league titles and the FA Cup. St John left the club in 1971 after scoring 118 goals in 425 appearances.

Ron Yeats

Many supporters believe that Virgil van Dijk is the greatest defender in Liverpool’s history and a strong case can be made to support that argument.

However, for people who recognise that football existed before the Premier League was launched in 1992, their stance is flawed.

Signed by in 1961, Ron Yeats led Liverpool out of the Second Division and captained them to two First Division titles and their first FA Cup victory in 1965.

He was an unyielding presence in defence, earning the nickname ‘The Colossus’ for his dominating performances in the heart of Liverpool’s backline.

Yeats formed a formidable partnership at the back with Tommy Smith, and their no-nonsense style left opposing forwards running for cover.

He played during an era where physical contact was encouraged – a factor which gives him an advantage over the sanitised era Van Dijk has experienced.

Yeats subsequently served as the club’s chief scout for 20 years, cementing his well-earned status as a true Liverpool icon.

Steve Heighway

While Liverpool’s glittering array of strikers hogged the headlines during the 1970s, they would not have been as effective without Steve Heighway alongside them.

Heighway flew under the radar while studying at university and playing in non-league football for Skelmersdale United.

After being spotted by Liverpool’s scouts in 1970, the talented winger was signed by the club and swiftly made his mark in the professional ranks.

Heighway won his first league title in 1973, along with the UEFA Cup. He followed up by playing a key role in Liverpool’s FA Cup success the following year.

He won the league and UEFA Cup double with Liverpool in 1976 and was part of the side which came close to the League, FA Cup and European Cup treble in 1977.

Heighway was on the bench as Liverpool retained the European Cup with a 1–0 victory over FC Bruges in 1978 and remained with the club for another four years.

He won 11 major trophies during his time with the club, before embarking on a spell in North America. Heighway returned to Liverpool to manage their youth academy.

Joey Jones

The recent announcement about Joey Jones’ death triggered memories of an underrated player who sparkled during his time with Liverpool.

He was signed from Wrexham by Bob Paisley as a 20-year-old during the summer of 1975 and spent three memorable years on Merseyside.

Jones won the league, European Cup and UEFA Cup during his time with the club, and is fondly remembered for his no-nonsense style of play.

He was the first Welshman to receive a European Cup winners medal when Liverpool won their first title by defeating Borussia Monchengladbach 3–1 in 1976/77.

Jones was underutilised the following season, with Smith’s renaissance and the emergence of Scottish defender Alan Hansen limiting his first team opportunities.

He returned to Wrexham for £210,000 in 1978, a record that stood as their record signing until the £300,000 acquisition of Ollie Palmer in 2022.

Despite only spending three seasons with Liverpool, the buccaneering full-back is still fondly remembered by the club’s older generation of fans.

Steve Nicol

Much like Liverpool teams in the 1970s, many of the headlines during the following decade were generated by a handful of standout performers.

Dalglish, Ian Rush and Graeme Souness are among the players who earned legendary status for their exploits with the Merseyside club.

Defender Steve Nicol was a key member of the supporting cast during that period, helping the club continue their dominance during the 1980s.

He won five English league championships, three FA Cup winners medals and the 1984 European Cup during 14 seasons with Liverpool.

The £300,000 Liverpool paid to Ayr United to secure his services in 1981 proved to be one of the club’s most shrewd moves in the transfer market.

His versatility was a major bonus and allowed him to remain as a regular in the first-team until the start of the 1994–95 season.

When he left the club for Notts County, the Scottish international was the club’s most senior player in terms of unbroken service.

Ronnie Whelan

Ronnie Whelan was another player who was overshadowed by Liverpool’s headline performers, but his contribution to the club should not be underestimated.

Signed from Home Farm just a few days before celebrating his 18th birthday, Whelan subsequently made almost 500 appearances for the Reds.

His acquisition was made sweeter by the fact the Liverpool beat Manchester United in the race to secure his services from the League of Ireland club.

Manager Bob Paisley described him as ‘the man for the big occasion’ and Whelan repeatedly lived up to that billing during his time with Liverpool.

He won six league championships, three FA Cups, a European Cup and three League Cup medals to cement his legacy as a Reds icon.

He extended his career at Liverpool by reinventing himself as a central midfielder to accommodate John Barnes on the left wing.

Injuries scuppered his hopes of breaking the 500-appearances barrier at Liverpool, but that does not detract from his stellar achievements with the club.

Gary McAllister

Signed on a free transfer from Coventry City in 2000, midfielder Gary McAllister was 35 years old when he made the switch to Anfield.

The veteran showed his class by making vitals contributions towards the end of a season that finished with Liverpool winning three trophies.

His penalty was the difference against Barcelona in the UEFA Cup semi-final and he also scored from the spot as the Reds defeated Alaves to lift the trophy.

McAllister’s free-kick winner in the closing stages of the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in April 2001 was another highlight reel moment for him at the club.

Manager Gerard Houllier described McAllister as his ‘most inspirational signing’ and it is impossible to argue with that lofty assessment.

He received plenty of praise from elsewhere, with Steven Gerrard and Alan Hansen amongst the people who recognised what McAllister offered to Liverpool.

Many pundits believe Liverpool missed a trick by not signing the former Leeds United star earlier in his career and their view is bang on the money.

Steve Finnan

Despite winning the 2004/05 Champions League, the first decade of the 21st century cannot be categorised as a vintage era for the club.

Success in the Premier League eluded them as Man United, Arsenal and Chelsea dominated the landscape on the domestic front.

While several players were guilty of not living up to expectations during that period, that accusation could not be levelled at full-back Steve Finnan.

After struggling with injuries during his first year with the Reds, the Republic of Ireland made the right-back berth his own the following season.

He won the Champions League and FA Cup during his time with the club, but eventually lost his first-team place under manager Rafa Benitez.

Finnan’s consistency was undoubtedly his strong point – a factor evidenced by the personal accolades he garnered on his career CV.

He was named in the Team of the Year for the Premier League, Championship and the old Second Division. Not many players will have achieved that feat.