54 Facts About Billy Liddell

William Beveridge Liddell was a Scottish footballer, who played his entire professional career with Liverpool.

Billy Liddell signed with the club as a teenager in 1938 and retired in 1961, having scored 228 goals in 534 appearances.

Billy Liddell represented Scotland at international level on 29 occasions.

Primarily a left winger, Billy Liddell's versatility enabled him to play comfortably on the opposite wing and as a striker, at centre and inside forward.

Billy Liddell became noted for his strong physique, acceleration, powerful shot, professionalism, and good conduct on the pitch.

Billy Liddell was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in November 2008.

Billy Liddell's parents became determined that he would not become a miner and helped him to decide a future career.

Billy Liddell did not originally consider football as a viable profession, eventually choosing accountancy in preference to the civil service and church.

Billy Liddell became a reluctant rugby player, under the guidance of retired Welsh international Ronnie Boon, while playing football for local teams and Scotland Schoolboys.

When Busby queried him about his absence and Billy Liddell, Herd told him that a contract had not been agreed because limited resources prevented Hamilton from offering Billy Liddell the assurances his parents insisted upon.

Negotiations between his parents and the club guaranteed, as a pre-requisite to acceptance, that Liverpool would permit Billy Liddell to continue his accountancy studies, be housed in suitable accommodation, and be employed part-time an accountant at a company in the club's city.

Billy Liddell entered the youth team on his arrival in 1938.

Billy Liddell had struck his knee against concrete near the corner flag after being challenged while running with the ball.

Billy Liddell remained in Blackburn for two weeks, living in the family home of a colleague, before returning to Liverpool to continue his recovery.

Until the cessation of hostilities in 1945, Billy Liddell guested for various domestic sides when unavailable for Liverpool and represented select teams, including a Football Association XI and Scottish Services XI.

Billy Liddell volunteered for the Royal Air Force and, despite wanting to qualify as a pilot, was trained as a navigator because of his proficiency at mathematics.

Billy Liddell broke his leg in a friendly kickabout while stationed in Bridgnorth, which required admission to the RAF Remedial Centre at Blackpool.

Billy Liddell was recalled to Moncton, New Brunswick, before the final.

Billy Liddell subsequently moved to Northern Ireland for further training, where he declined an offer from former Liverpool goalkeeper Elisha Scott to guest for Belfast Celtic because of a prior agreement to play for Linfield.

Billy Liddell was big, strong, speedy and he played it hard but fair.

Billy Liddell put his heart and soul into the game.

Billy Liddell started in the first leg against Chester City on 5 January 1946 and scored in the 30th minute.

Billy Liddell accompanied the club when it embarked on its second exhibition tour of North America.

Billy Liddell scored ten goals in seven of those matches, including three braces.

Billy Liddell had played in all seven matches during the club's progression, scoring critical goals against Blackpool and Everton.

Billy Liddell recalled being inundated with requests from friends, family, and Liverpudlians in general.

Billy Liddell, who had scored 20 goals in all competitions, returned to Liverpool with his club after a trip to Brighton, to be greeted by thousands of supporters.

In 1950, Billy Liddell became one of many players to be offered a transfer to Colombia by agents representing Independiente Santa Fe and Club Deportivo Los Millonarios.

Billy Liddell later recalled that the proposal had been tempting, acknowledging that the decision would have been more challenging had it not been for the births.

Baron passed it to Billy Liddell, who struck the ball with such force, after a momentary pause, that the shot surprised the Huddersfield defence and goalkeeper Harry Mills, and silenced spectators.

Still played as a winger, Billy Liddell finished the season with 19 goals in 40 league appearances.

Billy Liddell moved to centre forward, scoring 30 goals in 40 league appearances, one more than teammate John Evans.

Billy Liddell scored 32 goals in the league and cup, including a hat-trick against Nottingham Forest.

In recalling the match against Notts County, which it transpired only equalled the record, Billy Liddell confessed to having felt self-conscious because of the attention that he received, while appreciative of the respect shown to his achievement, especially from his opponents, managed by friend Tommy Lawton.

Billy Liddell sought to mitigate his declining pace by adopting a deeper approach, with a "more thoughtful passing game".

Billy Liddell was fast, powerful, shot with either foot and his headers were like blasts from a gun.

Billy Liddell had numerous chances to complete a hat-trick, including two disallowed goals and a penalty taken by Jimmy Melia which the crowd had urged Liddell to take.

Billy Liddell received a standing ovation at the end of the match and ultimately broke Liddell's appearances record.

Billy Liddell ended his career in the reserves and made his final appearance on 29 April 1961, scoring one of his side's five goals against Blackburn.

Billy Liddell's influence gained the club the nickname "Liddellpool", but a retired Liddell insisted that he had never carried the team.

Billy Liddell returned as an outside left and scored one of Scotland's three goals against Portugal on 4 May 1955.

Billy Liddell gained two additional caps representing a Great Britain XI against the Rest of Europe in 1947 and 1955.

Billy Liddell became one of only two players to twice be selected.

Billy Liddell sustained a pulled muscle, which severely impaired his movement on the pitch and forced him out of two domestic matches.

Billy Liddell settled in Liverpool with Phyllis and their twin sons, residing in Merseyside until his death.

When his father died in January 1951, Billy Liddell arranged for his mother, sister, and younger brothers to relocate to the city, concentrating his family in the region.

Billy Liddell became occupied with voluntary work, which entailed him being an occasional disc jockey for the Women's Voluntary Service at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, working for local youth clubs, and teaching at a Sunday school.

Billy Liddell continued to play football for a magistrates' team until he decided to focus on tennis after breaking a cheek bone.

Billy Liddell later became chairman of Littlewoods' Spot the Ball panel and president of the Liverpool FC Supporters Club.

Billy Liddell's wife had first noticed atypical behaviour on a visit to Anfield following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, when he did not appear able to register what had happened in Sheffield.

When his condition worsened, Billy Liddell moved to a nursing home in Mossley Hill.

Billy Liddell died on 3 July 2001, within a week of the deaths of former Liverpool manager Joe Fagan and director Tom Saunders.

Billy Liddell had acquired it from trainer Albert Shelley on leaving for Chester in 1953.

Billy Liddell's village renamed its sports complex in his honour and completed a memorial garden, with cairn, in May 2010.