Players - Gordon Milne

Gordon Milne
Birthdate: 29 March 1937
Birthplace: Preston, England
Other clubs: Preston Amateurs, Morecambe, Preston North End (1956-60), Blackpool (1967-70), Wigan Athletic (1970-72)
Signed from: Preston North End
Signed for LFC: £16,000, 30.08.1960
International debut: 08.05.1963 vs. Brazil
International caps: 14/0 - 21.10.1964
Liverpool debut: 31.08.1960
Last appearance: 13.05.1967
Debut goal: 20.09.1961
Last goal: 11.02.1967
Contract expiry: 13.05.1967
Win ratio: 51.06% W:144 D:65 L:73
Honours: League Championship 1963/64, 1965/66; Second Division 1961/62
League games / goals: 236 / 17
Total games / goals: 282 / 18

Player Profile

When Shankly bought Gordon Milne in his first full season as manager he knew the boy pretty well having been his dad's teammate at Preston for a few years. Milne's play was uncomplicated and others prospered around his unselfish and skilful play. He made the transition from Second Division to the First without any problems and he was a vital part on the right side of Shankly's midfield. He only missed a handful of League fixtures in three seasons as Liverpool won the Second Division in 1962, established themselves in the First Division and then won the League Championship in 1964. Milne's greatest disappointment was without a doubt missing out on the 1965 FA Cup final, just as his father, Jimmy, had missed Preston's cup win in 1938. Another League title followed in 1966 but he was two months out through injury which proved a setback to his chances of making the World Cup squad. Milne had played 14 internationals and had hoped to be one of Liverpool's four players with England in the 1966 World Cup, but he wasn't chosen for the final group. 

Despite being a regular in the previous season 30-year-old Milne was sold to second division Blackpool in May 1967. Three years later he took on the role of player-manager at non-league Wigan Athletic. He was the England youth team manager for nearly 12 months before eight years as manager of Coventry City. After a four-year spell as manager of Leicester City, he moved abroad to coach Turkish club Besiktas and enjoyed great success with them, helping them to a hat-trick of championship wins in 1990, 1991 and 1992. Following a spell with Grampus Eight in Japan Milne became the Chief Executive of the League Manager's Association in 1995 before returning to management in Turkey. He took over as Director of Football at Newcastle United in 1999 working alongside Sir Bobby Robson until 2004 when he was appointed to the same post at Besiktas where he stayed until his retirement in 2007.
Appearances per season
Please note

Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 236 28 0 16 2 282
1960-1961 16 1 0 0 0 17
1961-1962 42 5 0 0 0 47
1962-1963 41 6 0 0 0 47
1963-1964 42 5 0 0 0 47
1964-1965 34 6 0 7 1 48
1965-1966 28 1 0 6 1 36
1966-1967 33 4 0 3 0 40
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
13 1146 Leicester City
12 1080 West Ham United
10 900 Arsenal
10 890 Blackpool
10 856 Everton
10 844 Tottenham
9 840 Burnley
9 810 WBA
9 810 Fulham
9 810 Chelsea
9 810 Stoke City
9 785 Sunderland
8 720 Aston Villa
8 720 Manchester United
8 720 Sheffield United
8 720 Leeds United
8 720 Nottingham Forest
8 720 Sheffield Wednesday
7 630 Blackburn Rovers
6 540 Ipswich Town
6 540 Leyton Orient
5 480 Preston North End
5 450 Wolves
5 450 Southampton
5 450 Derby
4 360 Scunthorpe United
4 360 Brighton & Hove Albion
4 360 Luton Town
4 360 Bolton Wanderers
4 360 Manchester City
4 360 Birmingham City
3 300 Cologne
3 270 Newcastle United
3 270 Swansea City
3 270 Rotherham United
2 210 Port Vale
2 180 Anderlecht
2 180 KR Reykjavík
2 180 Stockport County
2 180 Honved
2 180 Celtic
2 180 Petrolul Ploiesti
2 180 Watford
2 180 Bristol Rovers
2 180 Charlton Athletic
2 180 Huddersfield Town
2 180 Middlesbrough
2 180 Plymouth Argyle
2 180 Bury
2 180 Walsall
2 180 Norwich City
1 120 Borussia Dortmund
1 90 Ajax
1 90 Northampton Town
1 90 Standard Liege
1 90 Wrexham
1 90 Oldham Athletic
1 90 Portsmouth
1 90 Lincoln City
Total Started/substitutions
280 Started
5 On the bench
2 Substitute
3 Substituted
Total Venue
139 Home
137 Away
6 Neutral
Total Competition
236 League
28 FA Cup
10 European Cup
6 European Cup Winners Cup
2 Charity Shield
Total W D L Win % Manager
282 144 65 73 51.1% Bill Shankly
Goals per season
Please note

Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 17 1 0 0 0 18
1960-1961 0 0 0 0 0 0
1961-1962 2 0 0 0 0 2
1962-1963 0 0 0 0 0 0
1963-1964 2 0 0 0 0 2
1964-1965 5 1 0 0 0 6
1965-1966 7 0 0 0 0 7
1966-1967 1 0 0 0 0 1
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 31.08.1960 Southampton Anfield League
50 24.02.1962 Middlesbrough Anfield League
100 08.04.1963 Everton Anfield League
150 27.03.1964 Tottenham White Hart Lane League
200 27.03.1965 Chelsea Villa Park FA Cup
250 17.09.1966 Southampton The Dell League
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 10 20.09.1961 Newcastle United St James' Park League
Related Articles
Shankly on the Kop

16 months after leaving the managerial seat at Liverpool, Shankly returned to watch his beloved Liverpool on the Kop among the Reds faithful on 22 November 1975.

The first European night at Anfield

Forty years ago Liverpool played their first European game at Anfield Road.

European debut in Iceland

Forty years ago today Liverpool played their first European game in Iceland of all places.

Related Quotes

"It's impossible not to be aware of the changes that have taken place since those days. As I was living in Preston I borrowed an old green van from my father-in-law to travel to Melwood and it was the only vehicle in the car park. And the Kop didn't sing in those days. They just roared."

Gordon Milne reflecting on his playing days

Scrapbook
30 August 1960
30 August 1960
England debuts for Liverpool trio - June 1963
England debuts for Liverpool trio - June 1963
Golden Greats line up in 15 years' anniversary of 1965 FA Cup final
Golden Greats line up in 15 years' anniversary of 1965 FA Cup final
Gordon Milne on the cover of Football Monthly July 1962
Gordon Milne on the cover of Football Monthly July 1962
Gordon Milne on the cover of the Liverpool Echo on 9 December 1961
Gordon Milne on the cover of the Liverpool Echo on 9 December 1961
It's a gay Gordon - 19 October 1963
It's a gay Gordon - 19 October 1963
Joe Fagan on Gordon Milne in 1983
Joe Fagan on Gordon Milne in 1983
No place like Liverpool! - Football Monthly 1964
No place like Liverpool! - Football Monthly 1964
Poster of Gordon Milne - Football Monthly
Poster of Gordon Milne - Football Monthly
Stars of Liverpool - Cover of Football Monthly June 1964
Stars of Liverpool - Cover of Football Monthly June 1964
The little giant who gives England punch - October 1963
The little giant who gives England punch - October 1963
Where are they now? - Liverpool club magazine
Where are they now? - Liverpool club magazine
Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Preston Amateurs N/A N/A N/A N/A
Morecambe Lancashire Combination Division 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A
Preston North End 1956-1957 England First Division 5 0 5 0
Preston North End 1957-1958 England First Division 5 0 5 0
Preston North End 1958-1959 England First Division 30 1 33 1
Preston North End 1959-1960 England First Division 38 2 44 2
Preston North End 1960-1961 England First Division 3 0 3 0
Blackpool 1967-1968 England Second Division 34 2 39 2
Blackpool 1968-1969 England Second Division 21 2 23 2
Blackpool 1969-1970 England Second Division 8 1 10 1
Wigan Athletic 1970-1972 Northern Premier League 73 4 73 4
Total 217 12 235 12