Liverpool Football Club is one of the most famous and popular football clubs in the world and the most successful club in the history of English football. Liverpool have won 18 English championships, seven FA Cups and five European Cups.

Liverpool FC owe their existence to their city rivals Everton. John Houlding was the owner of Anfield Road Stadium and when he increased the annual rent Everton, who were tenants, decided to move to Goodison Park and Houlding founded Liverpool FC in 1891 to play at Anfield instead.

The new club was promoted to the First Division in 1895 and won their first English championship in 1901. Back-to back League titles followed in 1922 and 1923 before the club suffered their longest trophy-less spell that lasted until 1947 when the League was won again.

Bill Shankly
A pivotal moment in the club’s history was the appointment of the Scottish manager Bill Shankly in 1959. By the time of his appointment Liverpool were languishing in the Second Division but after a radical rebuilding of the team they won promotion in 1962. Under the popular and outspoken Shankly, Liverpool won the League in 1964, 1966 and 1973. In 1973 they also got their first taste of European glory, winning the UEFA Cup.

When Bill Shankly retired in 1974 his assistant Bob Paisley took charge and was to become even more successful. Six league titles and even more importantly three European Cups (in 1977, 1978 and 1981) were all won during his watch. Throughout the reigns of Shankly, Paisley and Joe Fagan, who oversaw one European Cup and First Division titles of 1984, the Liverpool style was characterised by quick pass and move football and a strong work ethic.

Heysel Stadium
The next few years were the darkest in the club’s history as Liverpool were involved in two of the worst disasters in the history of football. Before the European Cup final against Juventus in 1985 at the Heysel Stadium in Belgium Liverpool supporters clashed with Italian fans and a wall collapsed, killing 39 fans. Liverpool lost the final 1-0 and English clubs were banned from European competitions for five years.

Four years later another tragedy struck at the semi-final of the FA Cup against Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough in Sheffield. 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death against the perimeter fence due to inadequate crowd control and the fact that too many fans had been allowed into the Liverpool end.

Between 1985 and 1991, the managerial reins were held by former player Kenny Dalglish, and on the field Liverpool enjoyed further success with three League championships and two FA Cup wins. Liverpool won their last league title in 1990 and have since fallen short in their efforts on that front.

Cup ‘Treble’ in 2001
However, success in cup competitions have been plentiful. Especially memorable was the Cup ‘Treble’ in 2001 when Liverpool won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup. And their 2005 Champions League win, thanks to an incredible comeback against AC Milan, is one of the finest finals the competition has ever seen.

Many legendary players have played for the Reds over the decades, among them Roger Hunt, Ron Yeats, Alan Hansen, Kenny Dalglish, Kevin Keegan, Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler, John Barnes, Michael Owen and currently Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

Liverpool’s main domestic rivals are Everton and Manchester United.

Tradition plays a big part at Liverpool and the heritage and the emotion that the club evokes are never more in evidence than when The Kop sings the anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone before and at the end of matches.