Liverpool F.C.

Liverpool F.C. is a British soccer team currently playing in the English Premier League. It is based in Anfield stadium, although is expected to relocate to Stanley Park in 2011. It is considered one of the Big Four of British football, along with Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United, however, the club has become the most successful club in English league history, winning eighteen League titles as well as five European cups. The current manager is Rafael Benitez and is sponsored by Carlsberg. The Club's most bitter rivalries are with Everton, Manchester United and Chelsea.

History

The club was founded in 1892 after a dispute between the owner of the Anfield Road ground, John Houlding, and the team that was the tenant, Everton F.C.. Everton built and occupied their own ground, Goodison Park, leaving Houlding with an unproductive and vacant Anfield. Houlding began Liverpool F.C. to utilise his asset. The Club's first ever manager was an Irishman, John McKenna. McKenna brought in a lot of players to the club, many of them from Scotland. Under his supervision it was promoted twice: first from the Lancaster League to the Second Division, and then to First Divisions. He also worked with Houlding to develop Anfield and expand its capacity. The club won its first League title in 1900-01.

Roster

Goalkeepers

• 1 Diego Cavalieri
• 25 Pepe Reina
• 30 Charles Itandje
• 41 Martin Hansen
• 42 Peter Gulacsi

Defenders

• 2 Andrea Dossena
• 4 Sami Hyypia
• 5 Daniel Agger
• 12 Fabio Aurelio
• 17 Alvaro Arbeloa
• 22 Emiliano Insua
• 23 Jamie Carragher
• 27 Philipp Degen
• 32 Stephen Darby
• 34 Martin Kelly
• 36 Steven Irwin
• 37 Martin Skrtel

Midfielders

• 8 Steven Gerrard
• 11 Albert Riera
• 14 Xabi Alonso
• 15 Yossi Benayoun
• 16 Jermaine Pennant
• 19 Ryan Babel
• 20 Javier Mascherano
• 21 Lucas Leiva
• 26 Jay Spearing
• 28 Damien Plessis
• 35 Ryan Flynn

Strikers

• 9 Fernando Torres
• 10 Andriy Voronin
• 18 Dirk Kuyt
• 24 David Ngog
• 29 Krisztian Nemeth
• 31 Nabil El Zhar
• 38 Craig Lindfield
• 39 Nathan Eccleston

Notable Former Players

• ST Michael Owen

Honors

League Champions - 18 : 1900-01 1905-06 1921-22 1922-23 1946-47 1963-64 1965-66 1972-73 1975-76 1976-77 1978-79 1979-80 1981-82 1982-83 1983-84 1985-86 1987-88 1989-90

Football Association Cup Winners - 7 : 1964-65 1973-74 1985-86 1988-89 1991-92 2000-01 2005-06

League Cup Winners - 7 : 1980-81 1981-82 1982-83 1983-84 1994-95 2000-01 2002-03

Football Association Charity Shield Winners - 15 : 1964* 1965* 1966 1974 1976 1977* 1979 1980 1982 1986* 1988 1989 1990* 2001 2006
(* shared)

European Cup Winners - 5 : 1976-77 1977-78 1980-81 1983-84 2004-05

UEFA Cup Winners - 3 : 1972-73 1975-76 2000-01

European Super Cup Winners - 3  : 1977 2001 2005

Super Cup Winners - 1 : 1985-86'