NewsLiverpool's Greatest - No.6: Graeme Souness
Years: 1978-1984
Appearances: 359
Goals: 55
Trophies: European Cup (1978, 1981, 1984), First Division (1978-79, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84), League Cup (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Tough as nails and brilliant with the ball, Graeme Souness ran games for a Liverpool team that conquered all of Europe.
The Scot was the epitome of a ‘hard man’ but such a tag should not overshadow his qualities as a central midfielder.
“Nobody got the better of Souness,” teammate Alan Kennedy once said.
Pressure was something Souness relished and it was present at the beginning of his Reds career, arriving from Middlesbrough in January 1978 after a record transfer fee between English clubs had been agreed.
How did he handle it? By scoring a rocket against Manchester United on just his fourth appearance.
His debut half-season ended with him assisting Kenny Dalglish’s winner in the European Cup final with Club Brugge at Wembley.
“He was an exceptional footballer, a leader on the park and a guy who wanted to win at all costs,” effused Dalglish.
Indeed, Souness was a permanent fixture in the middle of the pitch and serial trophy-lifter for the next six campaigns.
Averaging 57 appearances in all competitions per season, he won the league championship in five of the six full terms he had at Anfield.
He was installed as captain by Bob Paisley in early 1982 and went on to lead Liverpool to three of those First Division titles with the armband on.
“Very rarely do you see a midfield player with that steel but also with that style,” recalled Jamie Carragher.
“His steel alone would have been enough to make him one of the top midfield players of his generation. His passing ability alone would have made him one of the best midfield players of his generation.
“But when you put the two of them together, I think you have the best central midfield player this country’s ever seen.”
The enforcer saved arguably his best season in red for the end of his Anfield career, helping deliver an historic treble in 1983-84.
Souness appeared 61 times and scored 12 goals, one of which was the decider in the League Cup final replay versus Everton.
His final act as a Liverpool player was hoisting the European Cup aloft for the third time – this one as skipper – having dispatched a penalty in the eventual shootout victory the Reds secured over AS Roma at their own Stadio Olimpico.
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Watch on YouTube“Winning trophies was just a habit we had at the time and it became natural,” said Souness.
“Every pre-season when we posed for a new team photo there was always at least one trophy with us, so we expected to win things.
“We were a really good team, a strong team – a hard team to play against. We had two special guys up front for us in Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush who would win games for us even if we hadn’t played well.
“They were great days.”
The top five players on the Liverpool's Greatest list will be revealed in a special live show across club channels on Sunday (July 5)