50 Facts About Ian Rush

1.

Ian James Rush was born on 20 October 1961 and is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a forward.

2.

Ian Rush is the club's all-time leading goalscorer, having scored a total of 346 goals in all competitions at the club.

3.

At international level, Ian Rush made 73 appearances for the Wales national football team and remained the record goalscorer for his country until 2018, with 28 goals between 1980 and 1996.

4.

Ian Rush came 3rd among Liverpool players in an official Liverpool fan poll, 100 Players Who Shook The Kop.

5.

Since retiring as a player in 2000, Ian Rush has had a stint as manager of Chester City, and has worked as a television football pundit.

6.

Ian Rush was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1996 New Year Honours for services to association football.

7.

Ian Rush was managed throughout his time at Chester by Alan Oakes, although much of the credit for his development is given to youth manager Cliff Sear.

8.

Ian Rush made his international debut, in May 1980, just before he officially became a Liverpool player.

9.

Ian Rush was standing in for his future strike-partner, Kenny Dalglish, and wore his No 7 shirt.

10.

Ian Rush managed eight goals in the League Cup and three in the FA Cup campaign which ended in a fifth round defeat by Chelsea.

11.

Ian Rush ended the season as the club's top scorer, scoring 30 times in 49 appearances in all competitions, a ratio of 1 goal every 1.6 games.

12.

Ian Rush scored a goal to help Liverpool win the 1982 Football League Cup Final against Tottenham Hotspur.

13.

Ian Rush scored 24 League goals as Liverpool finished 11 points clear of runners-up Watford.

14.

Ian Rush was voted PFA Player of the Year and BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year in 1984 as Liverpool retained both the League and the League Cup and won the European Cup.

15.

Ian Rush scored 47 goals in 65 games, a goal every 1.4 matches, as Liverpool finished three points clear of closest rivals Southampton in the League.

16.

Ian Rush added the Man of the Match award to his winner's medal.

17.

Since Dalglish's appointment as player-manager in the 1985 close season, Ian Rush had often found himself partnered with Paul Walsh in the Liverpool first team as Dalglish selected himself as a player less frequently.

18.

On his return to Anfield, Ian Rush had serious competition for a place in the new-look Liverpool attack, with John Aldridge having arrived at the club just before Ian Rush's move to Juventus and Peter Beardsley having arrived shortly afterwards.

19.

Ian Rush came off the bench to replace Aldridge, who had opened the scoring for Liverpool in the fourth minute of the game.

20.

Everton midfielder Stuart McCall then brought the scores level for a second time, but Ian Rush scored again in the 103rd minute to win the Cup for Liverpool.

21.

Ian Rush featured in the 1989 League title decider against Arsenal at Anfield.

22.

Ian Rush was injured during the first half of the game and had to be replaced by Peter Beardsley.

23.

Ian Rush was replaced by Graeme Souness but the change of manager was not enough to prevent the league title from slipping away from Anfield.

24.

Ian Rush began the season as Liverpool's first choice striker alongside Collymore, only to be replaced by Robbie Fowler as Collymore's regular partner after a few games.

25.

In late February 1996, it was announced that Ian Rush would be leaving Anfield on a free transfer when his contract expired on 1 June.

26.

Ian Rush had been brought to Elland Road by manager Howard Wilkinson, who was sacked only a month into the season to be replaced by George Graham.

27.

Ian Rush then linked up with Kenny Dalglish at Newcastle United on a one-year contract but lost his place in the side after Christmas, when Alan Shearer returned from a long-term injury.

28.

Ian Rush scored one other goal for Newcastle in a League Cup tie with Hull City.

29.

Ian Rush went on loan to Sheffield United later in the season, before leaving St James's Park in the summer of the year 1998 to sign, amid much fanfare, for Wrexham.

30.

The 37-year-old less athletic Ian Rush failed to score in 17 Division Two starts for the North Wales club, and was moved into midfield near the end of the season.

31.

Ian Rush made a brief playing comeback with Sydney Olympic in Australia, scoring one goal in three games, before finally retiring, aged 38, in 2000 ending an illustrious career.

32.

Ian Rush played regularly for the Welsh national team for more than 15 years, scoring 28 goals in 73 games.

33.

Ian Rush scored in a friendly against Italy in Brescia on 4 June 1988, the only goal in a shock win.

34.

Ian Rush was Wales' record goalscorer until 2018 when his record of 28 goals was surpassed by Gareth Bale.

35.

Chester had made a dreadful start to their first season back in the Football League and Ian Rush had a hard time at the helm.

36.

Ian Rush seemed to be answering his critics, including former Liverpool teammate Mark Lawrenson, who doubted whether his tactical and coaching abilities could match his striking history.

37.

Several heavy defeats were inflicted and Ian Rush was criticised for long-ball tactics his managerial team opted to use.

38.

Ian Rush's spell in charge saw youngsters such as Robbie Booth, Michael Walsh and Shaun Whalley all given their Football League debuts, while players including Michael Brown, George Elokobi and Robbie Foy all spent time on loan at the club.

39.

In 2005, at the age of 43, Ian Rush considered coming out of retirement to play for TNS, after the Welsh side were drawn against Liverpool for their opening round Champions League qualifying match, but later decided against this.

40.

Since November 2005, Ian Rush has been involved in media work within the game, including a stint as an analyst with ESPN.

41.

Ian Rush appears as a pundit and reporter for Sky Sports and Sky Sports News.

42.

On 27 April 2006, Ian Rush was involved in the Marina Dalglish charity match, which pitted the 1986 FA Cup final teams of Liverpool and Everton against each other in aid of Breast Cancer Research, as Kenny Dalglish's wife Marina had been suffering from breast cancer and the proceeds from the match were being donated to the charity.

43.

Ian Rush was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2006 due to his achievements in the game.

44.

On 7 September 2007 it was announced that Ian Rush had been appointed Elite Performance Director for the Welsh Football Trust, a part-time role in which he would help develop the next generation of players for Wales' national teams.

45.

Ian Rush released his autobiography on 21 August 2008, Ian Rush: The Autobiography, through Ebury Press.

46.

On 26 April 2010, it was announced that Ian Rush had returned to work with Liverpool FC, becoming the Club's new Soccer Schools Ambassador and it was announced he would work with the Club's commercial team to help develop and support partnerships with other global sponsors and brands.

47.

Ian Rush was the ninth of ten children born to Francis and Doris Rush, who lived in Flint, North Wales.

48.

Francis Ian Rush, who worked in the steel industry for many years, died in July 2003 at the age of 78.

49.

Doris Ian Rush died almost seven years later at the age of 82.

50.

Ian Rush is the great-uncle of footballer Owen Beck, who made his debut for Liverpool in 2021 and is currently on loan at Bolton Wanderers.