NewsLiverpool's Greatest - No.18: Phil Neal
Years: 1974-1985
Appearances: 650
Goals: 59
Trophies: First Division (1975-76, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1985-86), UEFA Cup (1976), European Cup (1977, 1978, 1981, 1984), UEFA Super Cup (1977), League Cup (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
No Liverpool player in history has won more trophies than Phil Neal, who collected 18 major medals across a stellar Anfield career.
The hugely consistent full-back contributed to eight league title successes and lifted four European Cups – scoring in two of the finals – during a stay of more than 10 years at the club.
Neal crammed 650 appearances into his tenure with the Reds, placing him seventh on that all-time list.
It would have been difficult to predict such historic achievements when he was recruited from Fourth Division outfit Northampton Town in October 1974, becoming one of Bob Paisley’s first signings since taking over the managerial reins from Bill Shankly.
After a debut in the demanding circumstances of a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, Neal spent around 18 months at left-back before nailing down the right-back spot for the long term.
Incredibly, the Englishman produced a record run of 365 consecutive league appearances for Liverpool from December 1974 to September 1983.
“I didn’t miss a day’s training in all those years I was there,” said Neal. “I wouldn’t ring in for a cold. Every day I had a smile on my face.”
A calm and reliable figure who read the game astutely, ‘Zico’ – the nickname assigned to him by fans due to his ability to contribute at the other end too – also hit the net 59 times for the Reds.
One of those strikes came from the penalty spot in the 1977 European Cup final as Liverpool claimed the trophy for the first time by beating Borussia Monchengladbach 3-1 in Rome.
Having been part of the subsequent glories in the same competition in 1978 and 1981, Neal again scored in the 1984 showpiece – and during the decisive shootout – to help Joe Fagan’s side overcome AS Roma at their own stadium.
“When you think of players who played for say AC Milan and stuff like that, we go, ‘He’s won the European Cup four or five times’, we go, ‘Wow, [Real] Madrid and Barça players’,” said Jamie Carragher. “Phil Neal won four European Cups, it’s unbelievable that.”
Neal was appointed Liverpool captain ahead of the 1984-85 campaign, which would prove to be his last full term at Anfield.
He pulled on the shirt for the last occasion in November 1985 and departed a month later, though having featured 13 times in the league, which the Reds went on to win – his eighth championship involvement.
Neal’s trophy haul may never be beaten.
Teammate Phil Thompson encapsulated him thus: “People said it was tougher back then, and maybe we were tougher players, but you look at Nealy and go, ‘Wow!’ He deserves all the accolades he gets, he was a proper player.”
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