Liverpool FC Club Records That Every Fan Should Know

We all know that Liverpool FC are one of England's most successful clubs after being founded in 1892, but do you know which players and managers hold the club records?

As we enter into today's game against Manchester United, we're hoping to achieve a new record of being the first team they've lost four away games in a row to. A pretty impressive feat if we pull it off.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the more interesting facts and figures relating to the mighty Reds. Some are a little more well known than others, but you may be surprised!

All Time Appearance Holder

The record for all time first team appearances belongs to the legendary Hall of Famer Ian Callaghan, who racked up an incredible 857 appearances for the club.

Compare that figure to current cult hero Jamie Carragher's 676 appearances and you have to be impressed!

Callaghan won almost every trophy there was in his heyday, and was even awarded a 1966 World Cup winners medal in 2009, after then Prime Minister Gordon Brown changed the ruling which previously stated only players that featured in the final received a medal.

Callaghan also holds the record for most league appearances with 640, and most FA Cup appearances with 79.

Callaghan is now the official president of the Liverpool FC fan club.

Most Capped Player

Liverpool's most capped player of all time is current captain Steven Gerrard, who holds 78 caps with England to date. I would expect that number to rise over the next season or two, as long as Gerrard stays relatively injury free.

Gerrard scored his first international goal in England's famous 5-1 trouncing of Germany in 2002, but injury cut short his tournament prematurely. He is currently the leading record holder for European goals with 34, and was awarded the MBE by the Queen in 2007.

Look for Gerrard to put himself back in Fabio Cappello's thoughts with a comeback performance against Manchester United today.

Most Medals

Phil Neal is Liverpool's leading medal collector, with an impressive haul of 20 over the course of his career (just think how much they'd be worth now considering the price of gold!)

Neal is also the only player to feature in the first five of Liverpool's European Cup finals, winning four of them in the process. His only defeat came in the now infamous Heysel stadium disaster, in which 39 Juventus fans died after rioting took place between both sets of fans.

Neal also holds the record for most European Cup final appearances, most consecutive appearances with 417, and most seasons as an ever present with nine.

Longest Run Without Conceding a goal

This is a record held by current goalkeeper Pepe Reina, who impressively kept goal for 11 matches without conceding between October to December 2005.

I'm sure this record has gone a long way in making Reina one of the clubs most popular players of all time, and is a feat that even Ray Clemence couldn't achieve.

Now considered one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, Reina still is not a first choice goalkeeper for Spain. All I can say is that Iker Casillas must be one hell of a player!

Leading Goal Scorer

Ian Rush is Liverpool FC's all time leading goalscorer, after notching up an impressive 346 first team goals.

The former hitman was famed for his thick dark moustache and an amusing British advert for milk in which he never actually made an appearance. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxHN2FaiTy0 

Once asked what it was like to play in Italy for Juventus, Rush replied "I couldn't settle in Italy—it was like living in another country!"—media spotlight was not his forte it seems!

Also holding the record for league cup goals at 48, FA Cup goals at 39, most goals in a game with five and most goals in a season at 47, Rush's legendary status on Merseyside is assured as a Hall of Famer. He now works with LFC as a Soccer Schools Ambassador.

Longest Serving Manager

Hardly surprising is that Bill Shankly is the longest serving manager by games, after taking the helm for 783 matches.

The widely respected manager is part of Liverpool folklore, and his statue can be found outside the Liverpool Club shop near Shankly Gates.

Shankly took Liverpool from the bottom of the second division and won three league championships, two FA Cups and a UEFA Cup during his 15 year spell.

Shankly was famed for his rousing quotes as much as his managerial capabilities. His words adorn the walls at Anfield, and there's one particular which always stirs emotion. It goes a little something like this:-

"Above all, I would like to be remembered as a man who was selfless, who strove and worried so that others could share the glory, and who built up a family of people who could hold their heads up high and say WE ARE LIVERPOOL"

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