10 Moments That Made Liverpool FC the Club They Are Today

Liverpool Football Club; one of the sport's most famous, successful and enduring teams.

Trials, troubles, transfers and tragedies have taken their toll on the club at times, but through everything negative, the club has always managed to bandy together, pull through stronger and go on to achieve major success.

There have been spells of dominance unmatched by all but the finest sides of any given country, both domestically and in Europe.

A whole host of players who would grace the best teams in the land on their day have made their indelible stamp on football while playing in the Red of Liverpool, and managers seen as the most intuitive, progressive and talented have had the honour of leading the club.

Though the likes of the Hillsborough tragedy and Heysel disaster have absolutely played a part in the institution the club has become, there have been far more bright than dark days in the history of Liverpool FC.

Here are 10 such moments that shaped the club so far.

The Split from Everton

Liverpool vs. Everton—it wasn't always this way.

Back in the late 1800s, it was Everton who were the only club of the city, playing at Anfield.

In 1892, after a series of disagreements, Everton moved out of the Sandon pub and the stadium and taking up residence elsewhere.

Liverpool's founding father, John Houlding, was therefore the owner of the land and the stadium. He created the club on March 15, 1892.

It was a momentous decision that continues to have a profound effect over a century and a quarter later.

First League Championship

Back in the day, Liverpool players posing with the league championship trophy were a familiar sight.

The Reds haven't had such a photo opportunity, though, since 1990.

In April 1901, less than a decade after the club's inception, they achieved that honour for the very first time, winning the league championship.

Tom Watson was the manager at the time, one of Liverpool's first legendary men.

Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and the Boot Room Establishment

Bill Shankly was appointed Liverpool manager in December 1959 and went on to transform the then-second division side into one of the best on the continent.

"Shanks" loved the club and the supporters, and the feeling was definitely mutual.

He revolutionised Liverpool's training, club ethos and even the way the team conducted their business in the transfer market—but above all, he brought sustained success to the club.

Shankly would be the first of a line of successive Liverpool managers—going right up until Roy Evans—who were brought up in the way of the club. They learned their trade in the "boot room" of Anfield and were well-versed in what was expected of the club and how to keep the success coming.

Getting Battered by Red Star Belgrade

It's not often that a defeat is included in a slideshow of positive happenings for a club, but Liverpool's two-legged defeat by Red Star Belgrade in 1973 prompted a tactical re-think by Bill Shankly which went on to aid the club significantly in their search for European domination.

The progressive style of play from the Red Star team saw Liverpool outwitted, and a change in style was nigh for the Reds.

The seeds were sown that day for the yesteryear equivalent of Daniel Agger to play at the heart of the Reds defence, starting the possession-based approach to winning that Liverpool are once again trying to achieve.

The First European Cup

On May 25, 1977, the seeds of that defeat by Red Star bore fruit.

Liverpool claimed their first ever European Cup triumph, beating Borussia Moenchengladbach in Rome.

Phil Neal scored the penalty which sealed the game late, but there were heroic performances all over the pitch from the likes of Ian Callaghan, Kevin Keegan and the club captain Emlyn Hughes, who lifted the trophy.

It was one of the finest days in Liverpool Football Club's history, and one that was reached several more times in the near future. In fact, the Reds retained the trophy the next season and won it again in '81 and '84.

Kenny Dalglish Signing

A record £440,000 fee was paid to bring Celtic favourite Kenny Dalglish to Liverpool in the aftermath of the European Cup victory in 1977.

It was a momentous signing which was to have huge positive influences through the years, as "King Kenny" became Liverpool's greatest player ever, with a list of accomplishments to match.

Dalglish was top scorer in his first season with the club, scored the winning goal in the European Cup final that season and went on to score a total of 172 goals for the club in 515 games.

He also had two spells as manager; one which ended after the wear and tear on his mind and body following Hillsborough, and one which ended just a couple of months ago following the culmination of the 2011-12 Premier League season.

Dalglish remains the last manager to lift the League Championship for Liverpool.

Gerard Houllier, All Change

A period of success and stability followed Dalglish's arrival in the late '70s, but the 1990's were not nearly so kind to Liverpool.

Graeme Souness and Roy Evans failed to deliver the title, so Liverpool broke with tradition to bring in an "outsider." French manager Gerard Houlllier was appointed first joint-manager with Evans, and then sole boss in his own right.

The move itself was to redevelop Liverpool as a club, bring continental thinking to a club stuck in its ways, upgrade the training ground, look further abroad for transfer targets and bring professionalism and a work ethic expectancy to a team sorely in need of it.

Houllier's trophy haul was no mean feat either, despite the ignorant minority's derision of his time at Liverpool.

"Ged" delivered a unique League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup treble, as well as further domestic cups, domestic community shields and European Super Cups.

Istanbul, 25.05.2005

The most amazing, incredible and unlikely night in history for a generation of supporters of Liverpool FC: May 25, 2008—28 years to the day after their first European Cup triumph. On that day, the Reds clawed back from a 3-0 halftime deficit to AC Milan to win the match on penalties.

Rafael Benitez was the man at the helm who guided the likes of Igor Biscan, Chris Kirkland, Antonio Nuñez and Djimi Traore to European glory.

That the Reds were far from the best side in Europe was undeniable, but they had a spirit, resolve and belief about themselves that took them far—and no shortage of quality, either, in Carragher, Gerrard, Luis Garcia and Xabi Alonso.

Ousting George Gillett and Tom Hicks

The Texan cowboys, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, were possibly the worst people who could have bought the club.

But buy it they did, and it took a lengthy battle by the club's supporters and other board members to rid themselves of the duo after several court appearances, counter-sues and protests.

NESV—latterly FSG—bought Liverpool from them, and under the new ownership the club continues to rebuild, having rid the company of the huge debts mounted by Hicks and Gillett.

Less than two years after buying the club, principal owner John W. Henry and his company have seen a return in terms of silverware, but are anxious for the next phase of their plan to come to fruition. That is, to see a return to Champions League football.

Brendan Rodgers Begins the (Newest) New Era

And now to the latest piece of the puzzle, the most recent man to be charged with bringing glory and success back to Liverpool FC.

Brendan Rodgers, formerly of Swansea City, was appointed a month ago as Liverpool's new manager, the seventh manager to try to win the league title for the Reds since they last achieved the feat.

Before running, though, he will have to walk—getting Liverpool back into the top four is the prime objective.

Pass and move is the philosophy Liverpool is built on and that is what Rodgers will be advocating—tiki taka by any other name is still pass and move.

It's a long way back to greatness for Liverpool from here, but with time, support and patience, just maybe Rodgers can be the next best thing in the Reds' long and illustrious history.

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