Liverpool’s club history is grand and fascinating, filled with ups and downs cementing themselves as one of the most successful English football clubs. Founded in 1892 by local businessman John Houlding, they now play in the Premier League and are the second-most dominant team with 19 top-flight titles won.
Club name
Houlding founded Liverpool after breaking from Everton in 1892 having served as the club’s president. The local businessman owned the ground on which Anfield still sits and took the club’s name from their city. While Liverpool’s nickname, The Reds, stemmed from their iconic red strips.
Liverpool badge
Liverpool have one of the most recognisable badges in the history of the game. The club last made permanent alterations to its design in 2002 yet also introduced a throwback design from 2012 for use on the kits. But in both designs, the Liverbird takes a prominent position in the badge’s design.
The Liverbird has been integral to the design of Liverpool’s badge throughout the club’s history. It presently sits on a shield also featuring the year in which Houlding established the Reds. The club’s badge has also featured ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ since their 100th-anniversary edition in 1992.
Kit history
Liverpool’s kit is synonymous with the club having remained a constant almost entirely throughout their history in red. But the Merseyside outfit actually started off playing in a blue and white jersey before switching to red in 1896. Since then, only the shade of red and smaller details have changed.
League history
Liverpool have spent more than 100 years in the top tier of the professional game in England during their storied history. The Reds play in the top-flight today having joined the Premier League from its inaugural season in 1992/93. They last competed outside of the top-flight during the 1961/62 term.
Legendary Reds manager Bill Shankly guided Liverpool out of the old English Football League, Second Division as champions in 1961/62. The Anfield natives would go on to become one of the dominant forces of the English game since. Only Manchester United (20) have lifted more top-flight titles (19).
Liverpool trophies
The trophy cabinet at Anfield is filled to the brim with titles from the domestic and European game. Liverpool are the second-most successful top-flight team in England with their 19 crowns, including one Premier League title. Jurgen Klopp ended a 30-year wait by lifting the title in the 2019/20 term.
Only Arsenal (14) and Manchester United (12) have also won the FA Cup more often than Liverpool. The Reds have won the oldest national football competition in the world eight times to date. While Liverpool are also the third-most dominant outfit in Europe with six European Cups to their name.
Anfield stars have also lifted the English Football League Cup on nine occasions and the Community Shield 16 times. While in Europe, the Reds have won UEFA’s secondary club competition, currently named the Europa League, three times. They last won the competition in 2000/01 as the UEFA Cup.
Players and managers
Legends and Liverpool go hand-in-hand with the Reds enjoying an array of icons on the pitch and in the dugout. Klopp is writing his own history in charge of Liverpool today with titles in the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup. While Shankly’s legend as Liverpool boss is everlasting.
Shankly transformed Liverpool into a footballing dynasty during his 14-and-a-half-year tenure at the club. The Scot turned not only a sleeping giant into a winning machine but made a club stuck in the wilderness believe again. His efforts would yield three top-flight titles, two FA Cups and a UEFA Cup.
While on the pitch, legends have graced Anfield throughout Liverpool’s history – no less so than Phil Neal. The full-back is the most-decorated player in Liverpool’s history after helping them lift 22 titles across all competitions. While fans passionately remember Kenny Dalglish as King Kenny for his exploits.
Dalglish is arguably Liverpool’s greatest-ever player after guiding the club to six top-flight titles over his years as a striker. While Steven Gerrard is the club’s modern-day great after captaining Liverpool back to European glory with the Champions League in 2005 after graduating from their academy.