Liverpool FC Forum

[kazza]

Sadly I just heard the Liverpool Legend Emlyn Hughes has died at age 56. May he Rest In Peace. He was a major factor in Me being a Liverpool Fan.  A Sad Day...

[LFC #1]

never saw him play live as I am too young, but I am aware of who he was and the legend he was at the club, lifting the European Cup in Rome in '77.

R.I.P 'crazy horse'.

[lakes10]

sorry did not see your post

this is a sad day he was one of the best and a great loss to the football world , i wish all his family the best

[Leonmc0708]

Tragic, a super servant to this club.

My thoughts go out to his family and close friends.

RIP

[lakes10]

Emlyn Hughes will be remembered as somebody who did everything to the maximum.
Whether it was as a swashbuckling player whose style earned him the nickname Crazy Horse, or as a television quiz show captain who literally rubbed shoulders with royalty, Emlyn Hughes never did things by half.

Emlyn Hughes was born in Barrow in August 1947, into a sporting family.

His father Fred was a Great Britain rugby league international, as was an uncle, while one of his aunts was a hockey international.

He signed for Blackpool but his all-action style soon brought him to the attention of Liverpool boss Bill Shankly.

The astute Shankly saw enough in Hughes to splash out the then huge sum of £65,000 for a 19-year-old who had made just 31 appearances for the Tangerines.

Hughes was an archetypal Shankly player, who allied skill with boundless reserves of drive, enthusiasm and battling qualities
The versatile Hughes could slot in anywhere along the back line, or take his combative, all-action style into midfield.

Wherever he played, Hughes' performances were characterised by powerful, surging runs which earned him his nickname of Crazy Horse.

Having built his team around Hughes, Shankly handed the legacy on to successors Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan.

Hughes was the body and spirit of the all-conquering Liverpool side of the mid to late 1970s, and his reputation grew as his and Liverpool's trophy cabinets bulged.

He became the first Liverpool captain to get his hands on the European Cup when he lifted the trophy in Rome in 1977 after the 3-1 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach
He took possession of the trophy again a year later following the 1-0 win over Bruges at Wembley, and he also led Liverpool to the European Super Cup.

Hughes was also able to boast five League Championship medal, two Uefa Cup winnners medals, and an FA Cup winner's gong.

Inevitably, the qualities that made him a success at Liverpool were coveted by a similarly driven man, England boss Sir Alf Ramsay.

Hughes won the first of his 62 England caps against Holland in 1969, and captained his country 23 times.

After making 665 first-team appearances for Liverpool, Hughes extended his career when he joined Wolves in 1979 for £79,000.

Hughes' leadership qualities were still intact, and he led Wolves to a League Cup triumph in 1980, filling the gap in his trophy cabinet with the only domestic honour he had never captured at Liverpool
He was awarded an OBE in 1980 for his services to football and after his playing days ended, tried his hand at management.

Like many great players, he was unable to transfer his success to management and lasted 20 months as manager of Rotherham.

After his dabble with management, he carved out a career for himself in the media, where his face became known to non-football fans as a long-serving captain in the BBC's Question of Sport.

Hughes' wide grin and infectious laugh became one of the show's trademarks and he propelled the show into national notoriety when he put his arm round the shoulder of team member Princess Anne when she appeared on the show.

It was typical of Hughes, who would not let protocol be a barrier to what he percieved to be a piece of bonding of team spirit.

After leaving Question of Sport, Hughes continued to be one of the most eagerly sought after-dinner speakers, and was also in demand as a motivational speaker
EMLYN HUGHES' HONOURS
2 European Cups
2 Uefa Cups
5 League Championships
1 FA Cup
1 League Cup
1 European Super Cup
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS
63 England Caps
Captained England 23 times
1st cap v Holland 1969

[Leonmc0708]

Fitting tribute:

Think of Emlyn Hughes in a Liverpool shirt and memories of the glory- laden seventies come flooding back. Wembley '74, Molineux '76 and Rome '77. Shanks and Paisley. Keegan and Dalglish. Titles and trophies. 
With his heart on his sleeve and a beaming smile on his face Emlyn played the game how it should be played and was an iconic figure of a glorious era.
 
At Anfield he'll forever be remembered as one of our greatest ever players, not to mention most successful captains, and the sad news that old Crazy Horse has passed away will touch the heart of every Liverpudlian.
 
Those lucky enough to see him play will recall his boundless enthusiasm, one hundred per cent commitment to the cause and unrelenting passion for the club whenever he had the Liver Bird close to his chest.
 
Then there was his wild galloping forays into opposition territory and, on occasions, frantic goal celebrations after one of his exocets had crashed into the back of the net. Who can forget his double strike at Goodison in '73?
 
Younger fans will know him more as a captain on the long-running BBC quiz show 'A Question of Sport'. With his V-neck woollen jumpers and squeaky voice he became a national institution.
 
But it was as skipper of the Redmen and his heroic deeds in a Liverpool shirt for which he'll always be best remembered.
 
Signed as a 19-year old from Blackpool in February 1967, after making just 31 appearances for the Seasiders, Emlyn was destined for the top from day one.
 
Legend has it that on driving his new £65,000 signing back to Liverpool after completing negotiations with Blackpool Bill Shankly told a policeman: "Don't you know who is in this car? There sits the future captain of England!"
 
Laugh, some might have done, but Shanks was right and Hughes went on to skipper both club and country with distinction.
 
"I knew he was a winner," the Reds boss said of Hughes in later years. "There are some players you go to watch and you really think they canplay, but you're not too sure. I knew with Emlyn Hughes there was no risk."
 
It could have all turned out differently however if young Emlyn had followed in the footsteps of his father, a former Rugby League professional. Thankfully, Hughes junior took more of a liking to the round ball rather than the oval one and after starring for Barrow schoolboys began his career in the youth ranks of his hometown club Barrow.
 
There followed a move to Bloomfield Road and before long his vast potential was attracting scouts from a host of top clubs. Shanks was in attendance when young Emlyn made his debut in the famous tangerine shirt and so impressed was he with the exciting potential of the raw youngster he immediately tabled a bid of £25,000 for his services.
 
That initial offer was rebuffed but the Reds boss was determined to land his man and ten months later in the wake of Ron Stuart's dismissal as Blackpool manager Shankly swooped.
 
Bought initially as a replacement for the ageing Willie Stevenson, the fresh-faced youngster was plunged immediately into the first team at left-back for the home game against Stoke. The Reds triumphed 2-1 and what would be a glorious Anfield career was born.
 
In August that year he netted his first goal for the club in a 6-0 home rout of Newcastle and his energetic performances quickly endeared him to the fans on the Kop who christened him 'Crazy Horse', a moniker bestowed on him following a wild rugby style tackle on Geordie winger Albert Bennett.
 
As Shankly began to slowly dismantle his first great Liverpool team, Hughes established himself as a first team regular. Now operating in midfield his dynamic performances brought him England recognition, while Leeds made a cheeky attempt to lure him away from Anfield by offering the Reds Peter Lorimer in a part-exchange deal.
 
Whether it was at left-back, in midfield or at the heart of defence, where he eventually settled, Hughes could be relied upon to run through brick walls for theLiverpool cause.
 
A born winner who took defeat personally, the pain etched on his face when sitting slumped in the dressing room at Highbury after Liverpool had narrowly missed out on the championship in 1972 said more than words ever could.
 
Equally so, did the grin on his face when holding aloft the many trophies that would soon come his and Liverpool's way.
 
A virtual ever-present during the memorable 1972/73 season, in which an unprecedented Championship and UEFA Cup double was won, Hughes was handed a huge personal accolade on the eve of the following campaign when he was named club captain in succession to Tommy Smith.
 
It was a move that was to signal the beginning of a long-running feud between Smith and Hughes. It's no secret that the two never saw eye to eye but it was testimony to their professionalism that they never let it affect their relationship on the pitch.
 
Hughes says of Smith: "He is the greatest captain I have ever played under. Although I never got along with him as a man, I had nothing but admiration and respect for him as a captain on the pitch."
 
While, Smith said of Hughes: "Football-wise he's alright. They call him Crazy Horse because he's got bags of energy. He is part of Liverpool and you can't take that away from him."
 
Together, Hughes and Smith were to enjoy many great moments in the famous red shirt and those who watched them play would never have detected the animosity.
 
Also during this time Hughes moved into the centre of defence on a permanent basis as Shanks made an inspired tactical change to Liverpool's style. Gone were the days of the old defensive stopper and the Reds now began to play football from the back. It was a switch that was to reap rich dividends.
 
Emlyn capped his first full season as skipper by proudly holding aloft the FA Cup at Wembley and another League/UEFA Cup double followed two seasons later. The inspirational Shanks had gone but with Hughes revelling in his new found responsibility greater glory lay on the horizon.
1977 was to be Emlyn's finest year and for a self-confessed royalist it was fitting that it should come in the year of the Queen's jubilee.
 
Another championship medal came his way, as did the personal accolade of Footballer of the Year, but all that was topped on a balmy night in Rome when the European Cup was won by Liverpool for the first time.
 
As captain Hughes had the honour of lifting the greatest prize in club football on the Reds' behalf and twelve months later he found himself creating more history when doing exactly the same again as Liverpool became the first British side to retain the trophy following a 1-0 victory over Bruges at Wembley.
 
His loyalty at Anfield was rewarded with a testimonial in 1979 but a knee injury, coupled with the emergence of a young centre back by the name of Alan Hansen, contrived to bring the curtain down on one of the most illustrious Liverpool careers.
 
He played the last of his 665 games for the Reds in the forgettable FA Cup semi-final replay defeat against Manchester United at Goodison and a £90,000 transfer to Wolves soon followed.
 
At Molineux he finally got his hands on the one trophy that eluded him on Merseyside, the League Cup, before entering management.
 
He always spoke of his dream to one day return to Anfield as manager but after failing to set the world alight in the managerial hot-seats of Rotherham, Hull, Mansfield and Swansea he forgot about that particular ambition and pursued a career in television, after-dinner speaking and public relations.
 
In recent years little has been seen or heard of Emlyn apart from the odd TV appearance or newspaper interview when he'd been asked to pass comment on his beloved Reds.
 
The news that he had been diagnosed with brain cancer last year came as a massive shock. For someone who always seemed so fit and full of life it was hard to digest.
 
But like he'd done throughout his football career, Emlyn refused to be beaten and vowed to fight on.
 
Not long after undergoing surgery he was bravely back in Liverpool to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the club's second European Cup triumph.
 
Displaying a determination to be treated no differently than any of his former team-mates and an undiminished passion for the Reds he revelled in returning to the city where he made his name.
 
Sadly though, this was to ultimately prove one battle Emlyn Hughes couldn't win and a dark cloud was cast over Anfield when it was announced that one of its true legends had finally passed away.
 
The world will be a much duller place without him that's for sure and as Reds fans across the world mourn his passing let's remember the good times once again. With Emlyn there were so many.
 
Reunited once again with Bill and Bob, he'll no doubt be doing the same as he looks down from the big Kop in the sky!
 
Emlyn Hughes RIP. You'll Never Walk Alone. 


Tribute

[JBG]

[Paul C]

Such sad news, I love Emilyn as he was one of my mums fav players, really nice guy

RIP Crazyhorse

[JohnBull]

I was working in The White City Dog Track in Lower Breck Road in the late 60s and early 70s and Yozza was a regular there.
Always had time to talk to the lads at the track, always looked after us with tickets and never even charged us, was happy to talk about the game even when his dogs were running a real proper guy.
Went a bit loopy supporting Maggie Thatcher and Buckingham Palace, Shanks must have been spinning,but he's got a big place in the history of the greatest club side this country will ever see.
RIP Lad

[Ciggy]

awwww what a shame only young aswell.
R.I.P. emilyn thanx for being one of the best players our club ever seen. Youll always be a liverpool legend up there with the best.

[Redrider]

[Redtribe]

R.I.P Emlyn you was and always will be a star of LFC!
God Bless

YNWA

[Roger Red Hat]

RIP Emlyn

[112-1077774096]

very sad news, i was lucky to see emlyn play for years and i never saw less than 100%. i know he had his critics but this is a sad loss.

Emlyn RIP

you will never walk alone

[Bruno Zidane!]

Some crackin tributes there and what a career emlyn had,
nothin else to say other than the reds have lost another legend

R.I.P Emlyn

YNWA