For most Liverpool fans, the mention of Welsh players would immediately see most of them remember the legendary Ian Rush. The former Welsh forward is widely seen as the club's greatest ever player, and holds the legendary distinction of being Liverpool's all-time top goalscorer. We will be looking at another fellow Welshman in this article though, who was also an instrumental player in the Red's history.
The star in reference is none other than John Toshack, who is yet another Welsh star that made history with the club. The former striker had a glorious 8 year stint at Liverpool, which lasted from 1970 till 1978. Let us now rewind his glory days at Anfield.
Club-record move and early heartbreaks
It was on 11th November 1970 that Liverpool manager Bill Shankly paid a then club-record £111,000 to Cardiff City for John Toshack. He went on to make his debut just 3 days later as well, in a 0-0 league draw against Coventry City. It didn't take much time for the Welshman to score his debut goal for Liverpool, as it came a week later in a Merseyside derby that saw the Reds make an epic 3-2 comeback.
Toshack's first season at Anfield was a fine one, with the striker scoring 7 in all competitions and his aerial ability brilliantly complementing Liverpool's style of play at the time. The following year saw Liverpool sign Kevin Keegan from Scunthorpe United, with whom he formed a successful partnership. Despite all those positive developments, Toshack's early years at Liverpool were filled with heartbreak as he suffered an FA Cup final defeat in 1971 and missing out on the league title by a single point in 1972.
The golden period
It didn't take long for the Welshman to finally win a major trophy with the Reds, as the year of 1973 saw Toshack win the league with Liverpool. It was a close title race that stretched till the final day between Arsenal and Liverpool, which ended with Liverpool on top. It was an unforgettable moment for Toshack, as the league victory was a major morale boost to the striker whose season largely overshadowed due to injuries.
This was the beginning of a great period for both the player and Liverpool. Toshack went on to play a key role in helping Liverpool clinch the 1972–73 UEFA Cup and 1974 FA Cup.
Despite this success, the following season was a tough one for the player. He was eventually replaced from the starting eleven by Ray Kennedy, who was signed from Arsenal. This led to Toshack on the verge of leaving the Reds for Leicester City, but the deal collapsed. To make matters worse, Toshack was told by specialist doctors that he only had around twelve months left to play due to mounting injuries.
Toshack reacted to the devastating news in the most heroic way, as he worked hard and got back into the starting lineup. However, his training time was restricted in an effort to prolong his playing career.
Final years
Toshack arguably had his best Liverpool campaign in 1976, which saw him win a league and UEFA Cup double. It was also his best individual season that saw him end the campaign with 26 goals. He ended his medal haul with a further league title in 1977. Liverpool had also won the European Cup that year, but Toshak was unable to take part in the final due to an injury.
Increasing injury concerns however limited his appearances and even saw transfer to Anderlecht break down due to medical reasons. Toshack eventually negotiated his release from his contract at Liverpool in order to move into management.
The Welshman scored a total of 96 goals in 247 appearances in all competitions, and left as one of the fines to have played for them.
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