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The 19-time English top-flight champions and five-time Champions League winners — Liverpool — are arguably the most decorated club in English football. The Reds have had the privilege of fielding some of the most decorated names in the business and have been aptly rewarded with a rich history.
The Merseyside club have always had a firm belief in the club’s youth system and have tried their best to give the club graduates a fair shot at the senior team. The nurturing atmosphere, the loyal fans, and the pride of wearing the royal crest of Liverpool have brought back many former Reds. And today, we are taking a look at five of the stars who returned. Without further ado, let us check out these players.
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5 top stars who had the privilege of re-signing for Liverpool
#5 John Aldridge
John Aldridge was destined to play for the Anfield side since the start of his career. However, he had to wait 13 long years to play for the Liverpool senior team. Ignored by Liverpool as a teen, Aldridge had to become an established striker at Newport County and Oxford United to get the callback he deserved long back.
Signed as a replacement for outgoing Liverpool legend Ian Rush, Aldridge was meant to be the team’s primary goal scorer and the former Oxford man did not disappoint. He had excellent offensive output and was a menacing presence inside the opposition box, which massively helped Liverpool during his two-and-a-half-year stay at the club. The club favorite scored 63 goals in 104 games and won the league title and an FA Cup.
#4 Robbie Fowler
The "God" of Liverpool, Robbie Fowler, is more than worthy of the title the Kop bestowed upon him. He was known for his thunderous shots and clever runs behind the opposition. Robbie Fowler rose through Liverpool’s famed youth system and made his senior team debut in 1993.
Although he was an Everton fan, Fowler did no harm to Liverpool’s shining legacy. He was an ardent follower of Liverpool legend Ian Rush and managed to reach the 100-goal milestone even quicker than his idol. His most successful spell came in 2001, when his scoring run helped Liverpool to the League Cup, FA Cup, and UEFA Cup treble.
Following his departure and spells at Leeds United and Manchester City, Fowler returned to the club in 2006. He scored 12 goals in his second spell, taking his overall goal tally to 183 in 369 fixtures.
#3 Alan Hansen
Liverpool have had no shortage of fine attackers. Alan Hansen is arguably the only defender who can give the club’s attacker-favoring history some much-needed balance. Hansen is currently hailed as one of the club's best centre-half players. However, he was one of the rejected youngsters when he came to audition for the Liverpool academy when he was 15 years old.
Hansen did not let the rejection get to him, of course, as he saw it as an opportunity to improve his game. He first played for Scottish side Partick Thistle, showing the world his intelligence, astute sense of positioning and versatility. Liverpool finally recognized his skillset and signed him up for £100,000 in 1977.
Not only did Hansen prove to be an excellent addition to the team, but he was also the leader Liverpool needed at the time. Over the next 13 seasons, Hansen served as an exemplary leader, delivering impressive performances day in and day out. He retired at Liverpool in 1991, having won eight Premier Leagues and three European Cups amongst other honors.
#2 Kenny Dalglish
Liverpool’s legacy cannot be defined without dedicating a sizable chapter to the great Sir Kenny Dalglish. Funnily enough, Dalglish, too, was once rejected by Liverpool. It happened back when he was only 15 years old, which led to his legendary spell with Celtic.
Dalglish spent nine years at Celtic between 1968 and 1977, honing his skills in the Scottish first division. As a forward, Dalglish was sharp and intuitive. He knew how to look for space and convert half chances. Having won nine major honours with Celtic, he joined Liverpool in 1977.
Over the next 13 years, he rewrote the record book at Liverpool and became a messiah for the club. He won six league titles and three European cups amongst other major honors and later went on to become one of the club's best managers.
#1 Ian Rush
Liverpool forward Ian Rush is the only player on this list who has enjoyed two prolific spells at Anfield. The lanky forward was signed from Chester City in 1980, with Liverpool paying a record £300,000 fee for a teenager at the time. Rush was standing in for Kenny Dalglish at the time and spent most of his time with the reserve team. Eventually he shone through and Liverpool made him a first-team regular.
Having won plenty of silverware in his first spell, Rush moved to Juventus in 1986. However, the allure of Liverpool was too much for him to resist and he returned to Anfield permanently in 1988. He shattered more records, created new ones, and cemented his place as Liverpool’s greatest scorer by the time he left Liverpool in 1996.
Rush, who is the current top scorer of Liverpool, scored 346 goals across all competitions and won 19 major honours. His haul included five league titles, three FA Cups, and two European Cups amongst others.
