Ranking Liverpool's Greatest over-30 Signings of the Premier League Era
American actress Helen Hayes once said age is not important unless you're a cheese. However the same could also be said about Premier League footballers.
Life in the English top tier can be incredibly unforgiving for those past their prime. Just look at Wayne Rooney, who seems more out of place for Manchester United these days than a doner kebab appearing on the evening menu at a five-star hotel.
Liverpool's record when bringing in experienced players is, quite frankly, mixed.
Yet, since the start of the Premier League era, occasionally a new (yet still old) face has fought off Father Time to shine in the twilight years of their career at Anfield.
Here, Bleacher Report has picked out the club's greatest golden oldies, ranking the signings who rolled back the years after turning up on Merseyside after their 30th birthday.
Before the hits, however, there's a chance to remember some of the misses.
Honourable Mentions
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Initially, the idea of picking Liverpool's outstanding recruits over 30 threw up a number of notable names.
Paul Ince, Jari Litmanen and James Milner all sprung to mind as perfect candidates, only for research to show the trio actually joined Liverpool when they were still 29 years of age. The same goes for Maxi Rodriguez.
So what about those who did qualify for selection but still didn't make the final cut?
Sotirios Kyrgiakos was a committed defender best remembered for his flowing locks rather than his form on the field. As for Mauricio Pellegrino, it was just a hair-raising experience watching him play for the Reds.
Christian Poulsen was another member of the old guard who struggled to cope with the transition to the Premier League, while Rickie Lambert's dream move to his boyhood club failed to pan out.
Ragnar Klavan was not considered as he's still in his first season with Liverpool. Even so, it's hard to see who he squeezes out to make the top five.
And do you remember Paul Jones? The veteran Welsh goalkeeper was signed on loan from Southampton during an injury crisis, becoming the oldest player to make his debut for the Reds since World War II, per Liverpool's website.
5. Karl-Heinz Riedle
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Karl-Heinz Riedle arrived at Liverpool in the summer of 1997 having scored twice for Borussia Dortmund in their UEFA Champions League final win over Juventus a few months earlier.
The 32-year-old, who cost £1.8 million, was expected to partner Robbie Fowler up front.
However, Reds boss Roy Evans had warned the new boy there was a talented youngster waiting in the wings, as Riedle explained to Glenn Price of Liverpool's official website.
"From the first minute we [Evans and I] understood each other and it was brilliant.
Roy told me straight away that Robbie Fowler was a fixed player and then he said 'I have a really young player who is good', this was Michael Owen!
On the first day I said to him 'Roy, you should have told me he's not a good player, he's a massive player!'
"
Owen's rapid rise meant Riedle was often the odd man out up front. Still, he scored 15 goals in 76 appearances in two years with the Reds before dropping down a division to join Fulham.
A World Cup winner with West Germany in 1990, the experienced striker served a purpose for Liverpool without ever setting the world alight.
4. Craig Bellamy
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Craig Bellamy's first spell at Liverpool didn't really go to plan.
The Reds triggered a release clause to sign the forward from Blackburn Rovers in 2006, but the Welshman failed to fully live up to the £6 million fee during an eventful debut season.
Bellamy did score nine goals in 42 appearances, including a crucial strike in a 2-1 win at Barcelona as Liverpool made it through to the UEFA Champions League final.
His "highlight" of the year, though, was an incident involving a golf club and team-mate John Arne Riise during a team trip to Portugal that led to the famous fake-swing celebration after scoring at the Camp Nou.
Shipped out to West Ham United in the summer of 2007, Bellamy had moved on to Manchester City by the time Kenny Dalglish made the surprising decision to re-sign the player at the age of 32 in August 2011.
"I've grown up with Kenny Dalglish, now to be signed by him is a massive honour," he said, per BBC Sport.
While past his physical peak, Bellamy proved to be a worthwhile acquisition (particularly as he cost nothing).
He scored a further nine goals for the Reds and also lifted the Carling Cup—beating hometown team Cardiff City in the final—as he once again stuck around for just one season.
3. Kolo Toure
4 of 6Kolo Toure was signed to be a supporting cast member, yet occasionally he stole the show.
The experienced defender—a title winner with both Arsenal and Manchester City—signed a two-year deal in the summer of 2013 to help fill the sizeable void left by the retirement of Jamie Carragher.
While he turned like the QE2, and occasionally dropped so deep you wondered if he'd bought a ticket for the front row of the Kop, Toure's commitment to the cause made him popular with fans and team-mates alike.
The centre-back appeared set to leave after just one season with the Reds, only to turn down a transfer to Turkish club Trabzonspor.
His decision to stay put proved a wise one. Toure made 21 appearances in the 2014/15 campaign, leading to manager Brendan Rodgers offering the model professional a 12-month extension.
The player ended up staying around longer than the boss who kept him on, even becoming a key part of the team that—under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp—reached the UEFA Europa League final last year.
Toure made 71 appearances for Liverpool, going from stopgap to starter.
He smiled his way throughout his time on Merseyside and by agreeing to be involved in a video feature produced by the club (see above), confirmed his status as the nicest man in football.
2. Robbie Fowler
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"I'm chuffed to bits. I mean, I can't really believe it's happened again so I'm ecstatic to be honest."
Robbie Fowler wasn't alone in struggling to come to terms with his return to Liverpool in January 2006.
The man nicknamed God was left brokenhearted when Gerard Houllier sold him to Leeds United in 2001, yet Rafael Benitez answered the forward's prayers just over four years on from his initial departure.
While still only 30 at the time of his comeback, Fowler wasn't expected to be the prolific scorer of old. Injuries had taken their toll, although his finishing skills were still there.
Initially signed from Manchester City for the remainder of the 2005/06 season, Benitez saw enough to keep the England international around for another year.
Fowler—a boyhood Everton fan nicknamed the Toxteth Terror early in his career—scored 12 goals in his second coming at Anfield, taking his overall tally to 183 in 369 appearances.
Denied a farewell appearance in his first stint, he captained the side in the final game of the 2006/07 campaign knowing it would be his final (competitive) game in the famous shirt.
"It was really good for a legend like him to say goodbye in front of the supporters. It was important to give him this opportunity," Benitez said after the 2-2 draw with Charlton Athletic, per Mandeep Sanghera of BBC Sport.
Fowler wasn't fantastic second time around, but he at least got some closure. Red definitely looked the right colour on him.
1. Gary McAllister
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Gary McAllister and Liverpool came together in a perfect footballing relationship—it's just a shame the midfielder didn't arrive at Anfield until the closing stages of his career.
Signed on a Bosman free transfer from Coventry City in 2000, the Scotsman was 35 when he made the switch to Anfield.
Plenty were shocked by the move, not least McAllister himself. "This is fairytale stuff for someone at my stage of life," he said at the time, per BBC Sport.
However, the veteran turned out to be an inspirational addition.
Adding some much-needed experience to Houllier's squad, McAllister made crucial contributions towards the end of a debut season that finished with Liverpool winning three trophies.
It was his penalty that saw off Barcelona in the semi-final of the UEFA Cup, while the former Leeds United player also scored from the spot as the Reds edged out Alaves in a nine-goal thriller to lift the trophy.
Yet if McAllister is remembered for just one moment more than any other during his two-year stay, it has to be his free-kick winner in the closing stages of the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in April 2001.
After one false start, he stepped up and fooled Everton goalkeeper Paul Gerrard with a direct attempt from well over 40 yards out. The goal clinched a 3-2 win as Liverpool went on to finish third in the Premier League.
"Everything he touched sort of turned to gold in the short time that he was here," Steven Gerrard recalled to the club's official website in July 2015. "But that was a credit to how well he looked after himself, how hard he trained and the sacrifices he made while he was here—I thought he was fantastic."
All statistics used in the article are from LFC History unless otherwise stated.
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