Players - Alan Hansen

Alan Hansen
Birthdate: 13 June 1955
Birthplace: Sauchie, Scotland
Other clubs: Partick Thistle
Signed from: Partick Thistle
Signed for LFC: £100,000, 05.05.1977
International debut: 19.05.1979 vs. Wales
International caps: 26/0 - 18.02.1987
Liverpool debut: 24.09.1977
Last appearance: 28.04.1990
Debut goal: 19.10.1977
Last goal: 15.09.1987
Contract expiry: 01.03.1991
Win ratio: 58.87% W:365 D:149 L:106
Honours: League Championship 1978/79, 1979/80, 1981/82, 1982/83, 1983/84, 1985/86, 1987/88, 1989/90; FA Cup 1986, 1989; League Cup 1981, 1983, 1984; European Cup 1978, 1981, 1984; European Super Cup 1977
League games / goals / assists: 434 / 8 / 11
Total games / goals / assists: 620 / 14 / 19

Player Profile

Alan Hansen was not just an accomplished footballer. He was good enough to represent his country at junior level in golf, volleyball and squash. Two years after watching a Partick Thistle team that included his brother John beat firm favourites Glasgow Celtic in a Scottish League Cup final at Hampden Park, Alan was playing for Partick himself and would make over a century of League appearances for The Jags, including helping them win promotion to the Scottish Premier League in 1976. Hansen was one of the triumvirate of Scottish players, the other two being Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness, signed by Bob Paisley within a 12-month period that would help to ensure that Liverpool's domination of the domestic and European scene in the mid-1970s would continue. An article in Shoot! shortly after his arrival said: "Hansen faces a tough battle for a first-team spot with the established Anfield back-four men. But whoever he replaces, Liverpool fans can look forward with confidence to seeing one of the soccer's most talented young men in action. The big occasion brings out the best in Hansen and he says: "I'm really looking forward to life as a Liverpool player and I'm determined not to let them down.' It's unlikely he will do so..."

Hansen made his first-team debut for Liverpool against Derby County at Anfield towards the end of September 1977 prompting journalist Don Evans to note: "The man of the match, the lad who made his debut for Liverpool and came off a new Spion Kop hero, was the young Scot, Alan Hansen," giving him a nine out of ten. With the central-defensive pairing of Phil Thompson and Emlyn Hughes already established, Hansen's opportunities were limited during his first full season on Merseyside. But he still appeared in nearly half the League matches, 18, as well as a number of cup-ties. If disappointed to miss out on the League Cup final team narrowly defeated by Nottingham Forest after a replay, his consolation came in being picked in the starting line-up that would successfully defend the European Cup at Wembley against Bruges in the last match of the 1977/78 campaign. Hansen played left-back in that final but replaced Hughes in the centre of defence early in the 1978/79 season and after Emlyn left for Wolves in 1979 he started to make the position his own on a permanent basis. 1979 also saw the first of Hansen's eight Football League championship medals.

The Scotsman's teammates often remarked how calm he seemed before games that reflected in his cool and calculated play on the field. Hansen admits he suffered terribly from pre-match nerves but once he got on the field he was in his element. Hansen became known for dribbling the ball out of defence with style rather than hoof it upfield prompting Paisley to remark: 'He has given me more heart attacks than any player I have ever known.' Problems with his knees curtailed that aspect of his game from the 1985/86 season onwards being forced to subject himself to cortisone injections to be able to play. Hansen scored 14 goals for Liverpool but he only got once on the scoresheet in his last six years at the club as he was less inclined to attack. Hansen was hardly a battering ram of a central defender his vision allowing him to stay on his feet instead of crashing into attackers as he himself noted: "There are no prizes for guessing I was never sent off and hardly ever booked - most managers would say that this is a ridiculous record for a central defender."

Much cup success would come his way too as Liverpool again twice won the European Cup in 1981 and 1984 and domestically lifted the Football League cup four years in a row 1981-1984, although Hansen missed the second of those successes in 1982 through injury after scoring the winner in the previous season's final against West Ham. Hansen had to wait longer to be part of a successful team in the FA Cup. In 1986, he lifted the cup as player-manager Kenny Dalglish's new club captain. By then he had a new partner in central defence, Mark Lawrenson, who had replaced Phil Thompson in the 1982/83 season. Lawrenson and Hansen complemented each other perfectly but Hansen says of the three central defenders he played with at Liverpool, the third being Gary Gillespie, he and Thompson had the best understanding. Pundits might joke they were hardly a conventional central pair as it was perceived that neither of them could tackle but their superior ability in reading the game made their communication almost telepathic. Hansen feels Lawrenson lacked positional sense whereas that was Thompson's greatest strength as well as being a great header of the ball.

Hansen played in the infamous 1985 European Cup Final against Juventus in Brussels and was also involved in the greatest tragedy of all at Hillsborough. Out with a knee injury for most of the 1988/89 season and having watched Ronnie Whelan take over the captaincy of the team in his absence, Hansen was dramatically recalled for the semi-final in Sheffield that ended in such tragic circumstances that it defies belief. He played in the re-arranged match against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford three weeks later; and also in the emotional Wembley final against Merseyside rivals Everton, although it was Whelan who was given the honour of collecting the trophy after Liverpool's 3-2 extra-time success.

Hansen was 34 years old by the time a new season started and remained relatively injury-free to captain the club to yet another League championship title in 1990. The wear and tear of his knees didn't allow him to make a single first-team appearance in 1990/91. He played five reserve games from October to December 1990 but if he wanted to be able to walk properly in the future he was advised to pack it in. Hansen was offered a coaching position at Liverpool which he tried out for a couple of months but he didn't feel comfortable as a coach and told Liverpool he wanted a clean break from the game. He announced his retirement as a player shortly after Dalglish stood down as manager in March 1991. Hansen was tipped by many to take over the manager's job at Anfield but despite his enormous affection for Liverpool Football Club, he has no interest in returning to the sport. "Dalglish and Souness live and breathe football in a way that I never have, there again, in my last season as captain, I wasn't getting any sleep at night, worrying about three points here and three points there," he says. "And at 2.15 on a Saturday, I used to go back and forth to the toilet 45 times. So I knew management wasn't for me." What he has done though is to emerge as a knowledgeable football analyst, principally for the BBC as part of their regular "Match Of The Day" team.

Hansen ought to have received far more than the 26 senior caps he was given by Scotland. He went to the 1982 World Cup in Spain but despite being at or close to his peak as a player was left out of the Scottish squad that went to Mexico four years later. It is doubtful if he has too many regrets at his lack of international opportunities. As a club player, he was one of the most accomplished and decorated footballers of his generation. You don't play over six hundred competitive matches for one club without being good at your job! Alan Hansen was one of the best defenders to ever play in the English League and his impact and influence on the club's phenomenal success during the thirteen seasons he represented Liverpool can never be understated.
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 434 58 68 46 14 620
1977-1978 18 1 3 4 0 26
1978-1979 34 6 0 2 0 42
1979-1980 38 8 5 1 1 53
1980-1981 36 0 8 9 1 54
1981-1982 35 3 8 5 1 52
1982-1983 34 3 8 6 1 52
1983-1984 42 2 13 9 1 67
1984-1985 41 7 2 10 2 62
1985-1986 41 8 7 0 4 60
1986-1987 39 3 9 0 2 53
1987-1988 39 7 3 0 0 49
1988-1989 6 2 0 0 0 8
1989-1990 31 8 2 0 1 42
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
33 3030 Everton
32 2970 Arsenal
28 2513 Nottingham Forest
28 2506 Manchester United
26 2340 Tottenham
24 2190 Southampton
23 2070 Coventry City
21 1890 Aston Villa
21 1890 Ipswich Town
21 1890 Norwich City
20 1766 QPR
20 1713 West Ham United
18 1620 Manchester City
16 1365 Chelsea
15 1380 Luton Town
15 1350 Stoke City
14 1244 WBA
13 1200 Watford
13 1170 Birmingham City
10 900 Wolves
10 900 Brighton & Hove Albion
10 900 Sunderland
10 900 Leicester City
10 856 Sheffield Wednesday
9 810 Newcastle United
9 810 Middlesbrough
9 810 Derby
8 720 Wimbledon
7 660 Crystal Palace
7 630 Leeds United
6 540 Oxford United
5 510 Fulham
5 450 Swansea City
5 450 Notts County
5 412 Benfica
4 390 York City
4 360 Oulun Palloseura
4 360 Bristol City
4 360 Charlton Athletic
4 360 Bolton Wanderers
4 360 Blackburn Rovers
3 270 Portsmouth
3 270 CSKA Sofia
3 270 Barnsley
2 180 Odense BK
2 180 Aberdeen
2 180 HJK Helsinki
2 180 Widzew Lodz
2 180 Millwall
2 180 Southend
2 180 Din. Bucharest
2 180 Dyn. Dresden
2 180 Brentford
2 180 Dundalk
2 180 Bayern Munich
2 180 Athletic Bilbao
2 180 Juventus
2 180 Anderlecht
2 180 Walsall
2 180 Burnley
2 180 AZ Alkmaar
2 180 Lech Poznan
2 180 Austria Vienna
2 180 Panathinaikos
2 180 Wigan Athletic
2 180 Bradford City
2 136 Oldham Athletic
2 136 Exeter City
1 120 Roma
1 90 Grimsby Town
1 90 Real Madrid
1 90 Dinamo Tbilisi
1 90 Stockport County
1 90 Club Brugge
1 90 Swindon Town
1 90 Wrexham
1 90 Rotherham United
1 90 Bury
1 90 Independiente
1 90 Flamengo
1 71 Tranmere Rovers
Total Started/substitutions
618 Started
9 On the bench
2 Substitute
10 Substituted
Total Venue
294 Away
291 Home
35 Neutral
Total Competition
434 League
68 League Cup
58 FA Cup
43 European Cup
7 Charity Shield
5 Screen Sport Super Cup
3 European Super Cup
2 World Club Championship
Total W D L Win % Manager
279 164 62 53 58.8% Bob Paisley
212 131 52 29 61.8% Kenny Dalglish
129 70 35 24 54.3% Joe Fagan
Goals per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 8 2 1 3 0 14
1977-1978 0 0 0 1 0 1
1978-1979 1 1 0 0 0 2
1979-1980 4 0 0 0 0 4
1980-1981 1 0 1 1 0 3
1981-1982 0 1 0 1 0 2
1982-1983 0 0 0 0 0 0
1983-1984 1 0 0 0 0 1
1984-1985 0 0 0 0 0 0
1985-1986 0 0 0 0 0 0
1986-1987 0 0 0 0 0 0
1987-1988 1 0 0 0 0 1
1988-1989 0 0 0 0 0 0
1989-1990 0 0 0 0 0 0
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Assists per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 11 2 4 0 2 19
1977-1978 0 0 0 0 0 0
1978-1979 2 1 0 0 0 3
1979-1980 1 1 0 0 1 3
1980-1981 0 0 0 0 0 0
1981-1982 0 0 1 0 0 1
1982-1983 2 0 1 0 0 3
1983-1984 0 0 0 0 0 0
1984-1985 1 0 0 0 0 1
1985-1986 1 0 1 0 1 3
1986-1987 3 0 1 0 0 4
1987-1988 1 0 0 0 0 1
1988-1989 0 0 0 0 0 0
1989-1990 0 0 0 0 0 0
A more detailed look at the player's assists
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 24.09.1977 Derby Anfield League
50 06.03.1979 Coventry City Highfield Road League
100 19.02.1980 Nottingham Forest Anfield League
150 29.11.1980 Sunderland Roker Park League
200 02.01.1982 Swansea City Vetch Field FA Cup
250 28.12.1982 Sunderland Roker Park League
300 12.11.1983 Tottenham White Hart Lane League
350 01.09.1984 QPR Anfield League
400 27.04.1985 Ipswich Town Portman Road League
450 18.02.1986 York City Anfield FA Cup
500 24.01.1987 Newcastle United Anfield League
550 23.01.1988 Charlton Athletic Selhurst Park League
600 09.01.1990 Swansea City Anfield FA Cup
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 14 19.10.1977 Dyn. Dresden Anfield Europe
Related Articles
The elegance of Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson, Liverpool’s finest defensive pairing

Published 29 August 2018.

Alan Hansen Shoot! Focus

A classic 1981 focus on Scotland's finest.

Unknown Scot Alan Hansen

An unknown Scot arrived at Liverpool in May 1977.

Hansen's tribute to Ablett

Alan Hansen has spoken of his sadness following the death of former Liverpool defender Gary Ablett.

Related Quotes

"Alan Hansen is the defender with the pedigree of an international striker. He is quite simply the most skilful centre-half I have ever seen in the British game. He is a joy to watch. Alan has always been an excellent footballer, a beautifully balanced player who carries the ball with control and grace.

He has a very measured, long stride and is much faster than he looks. I can't think more than a couple of players who could beat him over 100 metres. He has both the ability and the patience to launch attacks from deep positions."

Bob Paisley on Alan Hansen

"There are no prizes for guessing I was never sent off and hardly ever booked - most managers would say that this is a ridiculous record for a central defender."

Alan Hansen

"Carragher is 10 times a better defender than I could ever be. He is a completely different player. He is a great defender whereas I was not. My strengths were on the ball, positional sense and recovery pace. The way he held Chelsea at bay was unbelievable. I'm sitting there in awe of how many times he intercepted, blocked and covered. I think if we look at Liverpool greats over the years - and there have been a lot of them - Carragher is up there with the best of them."

Alan Hansen in May 2005

"Benitez appears to have too many considerations in his mind when he picks his team. He thinks about who Liverpool are playing next week, if his players are tired, how they played last week and how their opponents play.

But the guys that I played under at Liverpool would simply have picked their best team and Benitez needs to do that for the next five or six games and hope that his players play themselves out of their poor run. The fact that he has only named one unchanged team in 153 games amazes me, so I guess the chances of him now keeping the same team for six games are pie in the sky.

There is no question that rotation has to happen in the modern game, but my experience is that tiredness doesn't affect players when they are winning, yet if you tell a player he is tired, then he will be. It is all psychological. When I was at Liverpool, we never heard the word 'tired'.

The one trophy that everybody at Liverpool wants more than any other is the Premier League and that is why people will suddenly grasp any belief that this could be the year. And despite the recent poor performances, let's not forget that Liverpool have still not lost a Premier League game this season.

Benitez's ideas about rotation revolve around having his players fit and fresh towards the end of the season, yet when it comes down to it, there is no point having your players fit and flying when there is nothing left to play for."

Alan Hansen's take on Benítez' rotation in October 2007

"He has given me more heart attacks than any player I have ever known."

Bob Paisley on Alan Hansen's tendency to dribble out of defence, more often than not successfully, we might add.

Scrapbook
Alan Hansen and his men preparing for Wimbledon - Shoot! cover14 May 1988
Alan Hansen and his men preparing for Wimbledon - Shoot! cover14 May 1988
Alan Hansen has no weakness - 2 June 1979
Alan Hansen has no weakness - 2 June 1979
Alan Hansen on the cover of Shoot! 1981-1985
Alan Hansen on the cover of Shoot! 1981-1985
Alan's future under wraps - 1988
Alan's future under wraps - 1988
Bob Paisley on Alan Hansen
Bob Paisley on Alan Hansen
Captains line up - 10 May 1986
Captains line up - 10 May 1986
Cover of Liverpool Echo souvenir - 16 August 1986
Cover of Liverpool Echo souvenir - 16 August 1986
Cup final focus on Hansen before the 1987 League Cup final
Cup final focus on Hansen before the 1987 League Cup final
Dalglish's double diamonds!
Dalglish's double diamonds!
Focus on a young Alan Hansen
Focus on a young Alan Hansen
Focus on Alan Hansen
Focus on Alan Hansen
Golf or football for Hansen?
Golf or football for Hansen?
Hansen a £100,000 insurance - 5 May 1977
Hansen a £100,000 insurance - 5 May 1977
Hansen a hero among heroes - 22 April 1981
Hansen a hero among heroes - 22 April 1981
Hansen a snip at £100,000 - 1978
Hansen a snip at £100,000 - 1978
Hansen can rise from the Scotland ashes - 22 November 1983
Hansen can rise from the Scotland ashes - 22 November 1983
Hansen on Jan Mølby
Hansen on Jan Mølby
Hansen on Mike Hooper
Hansen on Mike Hooper
Hansen signs for the Reds
Hansen signs for the Reds
Hansen sparks Kop backlash! - August 1980
Hansen sparks Kop backlash! - August 1980
Hansen will gain international recognition - The Echo on 27 January 1979
Hansen will gain international recognition - The Echo on 27 January 1979
Hat-trick Milk Cup heroes! - 25 March 1984
Hat-trick Milk Cup heroes! - 25 March 1984
Hit-man Hansen! - December 1979
Hit-man Hansen! - December 1979
League Cup glory at last!
League Cup glory at last!
Liverpool reject Hansen!
Liverpool reject Hansen!
Match poster - 1984
Match poster - 1984
Match poster - 1990
Match poster - 1990
Match poster 1984
Match poster 1984
My Secret Agony - 1987-88 season
My Secret Agony - 1987-88 season
Past legend - 1987
Past legend - 1987
Poster boy
Poster boy
Review of match against Blackburn on 30 January 1979
Review of match against Blackburn on 30 January 1979
Send for Hansen! - 1990
Send for Hansen! - 1990
The double - cover of Liverpool Echo 13 May 1986
The double - cover of Liverpool Echo 13 May 1986
The hand that robbed Everton - 25 March 1984
The hand that robbed Everton - 25 March 1984
Unlucky Alan!
Unlucky Alan!
Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Partick Thistle 1973-1974 Scotland Division 1 1 0 2 0
Partick Thistle 1974-1975 Scotland Division 1 29 0 31 0
Partick Thistle 1975-1976 Scotland Division 1 21 2 32 2
Partick Thistle 1976-1977 Scotland Premier Division 35 4 47 8
Total 86 6 112 10