Former Liverpool stalwart Ian Callaghan came on a short visit to Malta after accepting the invitation of the Liverpool Supporters’ Club. The Reds fans on our island had the opportunity to meet Callaghan, now 71, during a social activity at Universal Sport the evening of 12th April 2013.

Callaghan’s name is synonymous with Liverpool. He joined the English giants as an apprentice in 1960 and became a regular in the team from 1961 onwards. Callaghan holds the record for most first-team appearances as a Liverpool player and is second only to Jamie Carragher for number of matches played in Europe. During his successful career, Callaghan, who was capped four times by England, won almost all honours possible, including the European Cup (twice with Liverpool) and the World Cup in 1966.

When Billy Liddell was retiring he was asked if Liverpool had in their ranks a worthy successor. Liddell didn’t harbour any doubts: “There is a 17-year-old called Ian Callaghan who looks like taking over from me. I played with him twice, watched his progress and I believe he’ll be a credit to his club, the game and his country,” he stated at the time. Callaghan played his first game only six days after his eighteenth birthday replacing his boyhood hero Liddell. Liverpool beat Bristol Rovers 4-0 but Callaghan’s performance captured the imagination. When the final whistle went 27,000 spectators gave him a standing ovation along with both sets of players as well as the referee! The headline in the Daily Post read: “A Callaghan debut to remember.” In the Daily Express Graham Fisher wrote: “For Liverpool right-winger Ian Callaghan, a veteran of four Central League games, he just ended the most accomplished League debut I’ve had the pleasure to witness.”

Shankly did not though want to rely on such a young man so soon and bought Kevin Lewis before the start of the 1960/61 season. Lewis scored 22 goals in 36 games and Callaghan had to bide his time. Liverpool got promoted in 1961/62 and from November that season he was finally a regular and stayed that way for the next 15 years! During the first part of his career, Callaghan played on the right wing with Peter Thompson on the left. They were a dangerous duo and created a number of goals for Roger Hunt and Ian St John. Callaghan only stood 5 ft. 7 in. (170 cm.), but he was blessed with great speed. “I used to take the full-back on and get to the byline. That was my strength.” When Dixie Dean was asked if he could have repeated his record of scoring 60 League goals in one season in modern football he answered: “If I could play between Ian Callaghan and Peter Thompson I’d still get my 60 goals a season.” 

No one can forget when Callaghan created St John’s winning goal in the FA Cup final 1965. The game stood at 1-1 in extra-time after goals from Roger Hunt and Billy Bremner. Callaghan crossed from the right and St John headed into the net. Liverpool’s first FA Cup trophy win is Callaghan’s favourite memory: “First has to be Wembley ‘65 and Liverpool lifting the FA Cup for the first time. It was also my first appearance at the stadium and I had a hand, or rather a foot, in the winning goal.” This historic FA Cup win came between two Championships in 1964 and 1966. This was the golden age of Bill Shankly’s 60’s side. “Ian Callaghan is everything good that a man can be. No praise is too high for him,” Shankly said. “He is a model professional, and a model human being. If there were 11 Callaghans at Anfield there would never be any need to put up a team sheet. You could stake your life on Ian. Words cannot do justice to the amount he has contributed to the game. Ian Callaghan will go down as one of the game’s truly great players.”