Players - Ron Yeats

Ron Yeats
Birthdate: 15 November 1937
Birthplace: Aberdeen, Scotland
Other clubs: Dundee United (1957-61), Tranmere Rovers (1971-74), Stalybridge Celtic (1975-76), Los Angeles Skyhawks (1976), Barrow (1976), Santa Barbara Condors (1977), Formby (1977-78)
Signed from: Dundee United
Signed for LFC: £22,000, 22.07.1961
International debut: 03.10.1964 vs. Wales
International caps: 2/0 - 07.12.1965
Liverpool debut: 19.08.1961
Last appearance: 28.04.1971
Debut goal: 23.11.1963
Last goal: 17.10.1970
Contract expiry: 30.12.1971
Win ratio: 54.19% W:246 D:106 L:102
Honours: League Championship 1963/64, 1965/66; Second Division 1961/62; FA Cup 1965
League games / goals: 358 / 13
Total games / goals: 454 / 16

Player Profile

Rowdy Yeats served his role as captain of Liverpool Football Club with distinction from seasons 1961/62 to 1969/70. His father was a butcher and it was fitting the boy would grow up strong as an ox. Yeats was an apprentice slaughterman at 15-years-old in Aberdeen. He started working at three o'clock in the morning and finished about seven hours later. He captained Dundee United at a young age and also the British Army side during his national service. When Shankly was manager of Huddersfield he had wanted to buy Yeats, but the Board couldn't finance the deal. Now the time was right. Shankly told Liverpool that with Yeats in defence, the club would be promoted within a few years and win the FA Cup! Shankly met Yeats and the board of Dundee United at a hotel in Edinburgh in July. Shankly took a walk around Yeats and uttered words that now have become legend: 'Jesus, you must be seven feet tall, son?' Yeats said: 'No I am only six feet tall.' 'Well, that’s near enough seven feet for me.' Yeats wasn’t quite sure where Liverpool was on the map and asked Shankly where Liverpool was situated. Shankly answered: 'Liverpool is in First Division.' Yeats replied hesitantly that he thought Liverpool was still in Second Division. 'With you, in the side, we will soon be in the First Division,' Shankly responded. If Yeats harboured any doubts about moving south they evaporated at this meeting. Shankly famously paraded him in front of the press at Anfield and invited them to walk around the giant centre-half. 

Ian St. John, who had arrived two months earlier, and Ron Yeats were the last pieces in the puzzle for Liverpool to succeed in Second Division. Shanks later reminisced: "They were the greatest signings and they were the beginning of Liverpool." After only half a season in the side, Shankly gave the 24-year-old the captain’s armband on Boxing Day, being his eyes and ears on the field. Shankly's prediction soon came true as with Yeats in the side Liverpool clinched their place in the First Division on 21 April 1962. Two goals from Kevin Lewis gave Liverpool a 2-0 win against Southampton at rainy Anfield. But conditions didn´t prevent a party amongst the Liverpool supporters. "Just after the final whistle, everyone was going berserk and amid the celebrations, I got thrown into the boys' pen!", Yeats remembers fondly. The Liverpool fans didn't want to let go of Yeats and it took him about fifteen minutes to return to the dressing room. Bill was very relieved to see his captain again and said: 'Jesus Christ, son, I thought we´d lost you forever!'" Yeats always led by example and after heading in the winner against Manchester United at Old Trafford on 23 November 1963, which was his first goal for Liverpool, Shankly announced in his typically understated manner that 'Yeats is the greatest centre-half in the world today'! Yeats' most glorious moment came in 1965 when he had the honour of lifting the FA Cup trophy for the first time in Liverpool's 73-year history after the 2-1 Leeds win in 1965. "It was an emotional time getting the cup from the Queen. In fact, I just wanted to throw it into the crowd, to the Liverpool supporters," Yeats said. "We won it now. Let's share it between us." Liverpool repeated their 1964 League Championship success in 1966 and reached a European final for the first time. Liverpool played Borussia Dortmund in Glasgow with the European Cup Winners' Cup at stake. The game went into extra-time after both sides had scored one goal after 90 minutes. In the 107th minute disaster struck. Reinhard Libuda tried his luck from all but 30 yards and the ball seemed to head straight into Liverpool’s goal. Yeats chased back to prevent the goal, but unfortunately, the ball hit the post and Yeats couldn´t get out of the way and the ball went off his thigh into the net. Dortmund celebrated victory. 

Joe Royle, Manchester City’s centre forward and later manager, once said that Yeats was his most difficult opponent. "Ron Yeats just ran in straight lines and you had to make sure to get out of his way. Even when the ball was out of play, you just kept on moving to avoid him." When asked by LFChistory.net about this comment Yeats replied: "I was 6 feet, 2½ inches and 14½ stone, so when I tackled someone he must have felt it. I wasn’t dirty as far as dirty is concerned. I used to make sure I was there or thereabouts. At that time we had these big centre forwards to play against. I always knew if there was going to be a battle I would win the battle. I wouldn’t come second to nobody. I used to enjoy it. It was the small wiry striker I used to hate. He would come at you. You had just to play against anybody who was there. I never kicked anybody for kicking’s sake, I must admit. I went for the ball all the time." At the heart of Liverpool's defence for so many years, Yeats had a perfect partner in Tommy Smith, a formidable pairing if there ever was one! "We let the ball go past us, but never the ball and the man. Tommy was hard as nails, but a great player as well. He had a bit of Sami in him, he used the ball very well, a lot better than I did," Yeats told LFChistory.net. "I was a tackler, a header of the ball and read the game well. I got the ball and gave it to someone who could pass it. I knew my limitations. I was very left-footed. I would be lying if I said I would be comfortable on my right side. I had a left foot I could fish up legs with and balls. He was my right foot and I was his left. That’s how we worked."

We have the greatest skipper
Any manager could employ
Let’s drink six crates to Big Ron Yeats
Bill Shankly’s pride and joy

Despite his success with Liverpool Yeats only played two international games for Scotland in his career, which is surprisingly little, but the fact was that home-based players were preferred for the national team. Yeats’ last season as a regular was the 1969/70 season. He had constant backaches and Shankly had found a replacement in Larry Lloyd. In his last season in 1970/71, he played 16 games as left-back and scored one goal with a bullet header in front of the Kop in a 2-0 victory over Burnley in October 1970. His last game in Liverpool’s shirt was at Maine Road on 26 April 1971. Yeats was close to making the side that faced Arsenal in the FA cup final but Larry Lloyd was declared fit to play only two days prior to the game. Yeats moved to neighbours Tranmere Rovers and played around 100 matches there and managed the team for three years. It was a total nightmare. "That was the worst decision I had ever made in my life. Nice people except one guy who was the Chairman at the time. He made my life a misery," Yeats said. "Three of our youngsters were playing in the first team and he sold every one of them within 18 months for pittance of money. He sold Steve Coppell to United for £40,000. He was worth over £100,000. I thought, ‘What am I doing here?’ He could do that without even asking me. I was glad when everything came to halt after two and a half years. It were the worst years of my life." Three years later Yeats also had an unhappy stint as player-manager in California. Yeats returned home when it became apparent that the owner couldn't pay his players any wages. In 1986 Yeats asked Graeme Souness, then manager at Glasgow Rangers, about a job because he wanted to get back into football. In the meantime, Kenny Dalglish called Yeats and offered him the role of chief scout at his beloved Anfield. Yeats couldn't resist returning to his former club. Yeats went on to serve in the same role for Souness after Dalglish left, then Roy Evans, Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benítez.

"Big Ronny is the best centre-half I have ever seen," goalscoring legend, Roger Hunt, said in 1974. "With him in the team and at his best, we used to think we were unbeatable. In the air he was great. Some people used to think he was weak on the ground, but I never saw anybody give him a chasing. He was the right man for captain."

Yeats was awarded the Bill Shankly Memorial Award in 2002 for his fantastic service to Liverpool. He retired in 2006 following Liverpool's FA Cup victory at the Millennium Stadium, a competition so close to his heart since 41 years earlier. "I started with a win and ended with a win. I retired as a scout on cup final day in May 2006," Yeats said. "I was never at home. I’ve never been so happy... after retiring."
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 358 50 7 36 3 454
1961-1962 41 5 0 0 0 46
1962-1963 38 6 0 0 0 44
1963-1964 36 5 0 0 0 41
1964-1965 35 8 0 9 1 53
1965-1966 42 1 0 9 1 53
1966-1967 40 4 0 5 1 50
1967-1968 38 9 2 6 0 55
1968-1969 39 4 3 2 0 48
1969-1970 37 6 2 3 0 48
1970-1971 12 2 0 2 0 16
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
20 1800 Leicester City
20 1748 Arsenal
19 1710 Everton
18 1650 Burnley
18 1620 Manchester United
17 1560 WBA
17 1530 Tottenham
16 1440 Chelsea
16 1440 Nottingham Forest
15 1380 Leeds United
15 1350 Stoke City
15 1350 West Ham United
15 1350 Sheffield Wednesday
14 1260 Sunderland
13 1170 Wolves
12 1080 Sheffield United
11 990 Aston Villa
11 990 Southampton
11 990 Newcastle United
11 990 Fulham
10 900 Manchester City
10 831 Blackpool
8 720 Blackburn Rovers
8 720 Coventry City
8 720 Ipswich Town
6 540 Bolton Wanderers
5 480 Preston North End
5 450 Swansea City
4 360 Derby
4 360 Walsall
4 360 Birmingham City
4 360 Watford
3 300 Cologne
3 270 Petrolul Ploiesti
3 270 Leyton Orient
2 210 Port Vale
2 180 Anderlecht
2 180 KR Reykjavík
2 180 Stockport County
2 180 Inter Milan
2 180 Juventus
2 180 Northampton Town
2 180 Standard Liege
2 180 Honved
2 180 Celtic
2 180 Wrexham
2 180 Vitoria Setubal
2 180 Malmo
2 180 Ajax
2 180 TSV Munich
2 180 Ferencvaros
2 180 Bournemouth
2 180 Athletic Bilbao
2 180 Crystal Palace
2 180 Huddersfield Town
2 180 Plymouth Argyle
2 180 Scunthorpe United
2 180 Brighton & Hove Albion
2 180 Bristol Rovers
2 180 Charlton Athletic
2 180 Luton Town
2 180 Norwich City
2 180 Bury
2 180 Rotherham United
1 120 Borussia Dortmund
1 90 Din. Bucharest
1 90 Dundalk
1 90 Doncaster Rovers
1 90 QPR
1 90 Oldham Athletic
1 90 Middlesbrough
Total Started/substitutions
453 Started
7 On the bench
1 Substitute
0 Substituted
Total Venue
226 Home
220 Away
8 Neutral
Total Competition
358 League
50 FA Cup
14 European Cup
13 European Fairs Cup
9 European Cup Winners Cup
7 League Cup
3 Charity Shield
Total W D L Win % Manager
454 246 106 102 54.2% Bill Shankly
Goals per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 13 0 0 2 1 16
1961-1962 0 0 0 0 0 0
1962-1963 0 0 0 0 0 0
1963-1964 1 0 0 0 0 1
1964-1965 0 0 0 1 0 1
1965-1966 2 0 0 0 1 3
1966-1967 2 0 0 0 0 2
1967-1968 2 0 0 1 0 3
1968-1969 2 0 0 0 0 2
1969-1970 3 0 0 0 0 3
1970-1971 1 0 0 0 0 1
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Total Started/substitutions
16 Started
0 Substitute
Total Competition
13 League
1 Charity Shield
1 European Cup
1 European Fairs Cup
Total Goal minute period
4 1-15 minutes
1 16-30 minutes
3 31-45 minutes
2 46-60 minutes
2 61-75 minutes
4 76-90 minutes
Total Goal origin
16 Open play
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 19.08.1961 Bristol Rovers Eastville St. League
50 29.08.1962 Manchester City Anfield League
100 28.09.1963 Everton Anfield League
150 25.11.1964 Anderlecht Anfield Europe
200 23.10.1965 WBA The Hawthorns League
250 08.10.1966 Fulham Anfield League
300 30.09.1967 Stoke City Anfield League
350 04.09.1968 Sheffield United Anfield League Cup
400 09.09.1969 Sunderland Anfield League
450 27.02.1971 Wolves Molineux League
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 75 23.11.1963 Manchester United Old Trafford League
Related Articles
The Sauna guru

By Fran Kearney at Toffeeweb.

Tribute plan for Anfield legend Ron Yeats

Article by Philip Kirkbride, Liverpool Echo, published on Apr 23 2009.

Memo to Boy fans: Keep off the pitch says Ron Yeats

Ron Yeats' column in the Liverpool Echo on 31 August 1963.

Ian St John - Raging Bull

LFChistory.net had the great pleasure of interviewing the Saint. I was a bit unprepared for our talk, but considering the circumstances coped pretty well.

Ron Yeats' reunion with Liverpool's first Euro opponents

The Icelandic Liverpool supporters' club recently invited Ron Yeats as honourary guest at its annual festival in Reykjavik, Iceland's capital.

Ron Yeats and Tommy Smith in a gunfight!

Tommy Smith and Rowdy Yeats had a bit of an adventure when on tour with Liverpool in 1966.

Ron Yeats - Unbeatable at the back

LFChistory's second one-on-one with former Liverpool captain, Ron Yeats.

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.

Ron Yeats - Chief scout and Shankly's captain

lfchistory was lucky enough to interview Ron Yeats exclusively at Melwood and the big man didn't disappoint. The interview was published online in February 2004.

Related Quotes

Liverpool legend Ron Yeats was awarded the Bill Shankly Memorial Award for 2002

"I'm incredibly proud to receive this award. I loved Bill Shankly. I just wish he was here to hand me this award himself. He made me feel I could do anything. I never felt I was the greatest centre half, or most skilful player, but I would always give everything for him and the team.

It's been a pleasure for me as both a player for 11 years, and chief scout for the last 17, to be able to go to work, no matter what's been happening on the field."

Ron Yeats, February 2003

"Technically, I thought Gerard was brilliant. Melwood, the training ground, is like a five-star hotel and it is all due to him. He said 'I want this there, that there, I want the swimming pool'. We've got the lot there but tactically, I just don't know. I went to a lot of the games at home and I wasn't too pleased at what I saw and obviously something had to happen."

Yeats' post-Houllier analysis

"He was the best centre-half in Britain. I think we had a good understanding although we had our arguements. Even this year he was the best centre-half in the third division. He must have the longest left leg in the world and the shortest right."

Tommy Lawrence in May 1974 on Ron Yeats

"A great captain and a great centre-half. He was virtually unbeatable. He would have been an outstanding player today. I don’t think there is a centre-half like him now. He has telescopic legs. Many opponents thought they had him beaten, but Big Ronny was rarely beaten."

Geoff Strong in May 1974 on Ron Yeats

"Big Ronny is the best centre-half I have ever seen. With him in the team and at his best, we used to think we were unbeatable. In the air he was great. Some people used to think he was weak on the ground, but I never saw anybody give him a chasing. He was the right man for captain."

Roger Hunt in May 1974 on Ron Yeats

"In his first season here I made him captain at Rotherham. He broke a bone in his hand that day. He was a natural to be a captain; a big man who commanded respect and his position in the centre of defence meant that he could see everything going on in front of him. A captain should be like a puppeteer, with the other players on his strings all the time."

Bill Shankly in May 1974 on Ron Yeats

"The ball had a lace in it and if you headed the lace you had prints all over your head. Nobody could kick the ball that hard. When you hit it your toes were sore."

Ron Yeats talking to LFCHistory.net on the ball used in his heyday as captain of Liverpool

Scrapbook
14-day ban on Yeats - March 1964
14-day ban on Yeats - March 1964
17 February 1962
17 February 1962
A gambler who proved himself so right - April 1964
A gambler who proved himself so right - April 1964
An ex-killer to whom they all turn - 2 October 1963
An ex-killer to whom they all turn - 2 October 1963
Big Ron on the cover of Soccerstar - 30 April 1965
Big Ron on the cover of Soccerstar - 30 April 1965
Captain fantastic- Football Monthly 1969
Captain fantastic- Football Monthly 1969
Do you have barriers at Anfield, dad? -No, son, just Ron Yeats - Cartoon 20 November 1963
Do you have barriers at Anfield, dad? -No, son, just Ron Yeats - Cartoon 20 November 1963
Dundee United Supporters Foundation Article
Dundee United Supporters Foundation Article
Fond memories of old enemies
Fond memories of old enemies
Give us the title, Yeats wanted it bad - May 1964
Give us the title, Yeats wanted it bad - May 1964
In the Liverpool FC version of the Beatles in Ked Dodds' 1964 Christmas show
In the Liverpool FC version of the Beatles in Ked Dodds' 1964 Christmas show
It's got to be Liverpool, says Rowdy on the 1974 FA Cup final
It's got to be Liverpool, says Rowdy on the 1974 FA Cup final
Larry Lloyd - the natural successor to Yeats
Larry Lloyd - the natural successor to Yeats
Liddell rewards team for good season
Liddell rewards team for good season
Look at Yeats, Shankly demands
Look at Yeats, Shankly demands
Merseyside rules the roost - 8 March 1967
Merseyside rules the roost - 8 March 1967
No fun to sit, train and watch - March 1964
No fun to sit, train and watch - March 1964
November 1961
November 1961
Official Matchday Magazine interview 2000/01
Official Matchday Magazine interview 2000/01
On top of the world - 8 May 1964
On top of the world - 8 May 1964
Pep talk proved to be decisive - May 1964
Pep talk proved to be decisive - May 1964
Poster of Ron Yeats -  Goal magazine late 60s
Poster of Ron Yeats - Goal magazine late 60s
Poster of Yeats - Football Monthly October 1962
Poster of Yeats - Football Monthly October 1962
Q&A with Ron Yeats - Football Monthly June1964
Q&A with Ron Yeats - Football Monthly June1964
Ron celebrates the promotion to first division in 1962
Ron celebrates the promotion to first division in 1962
Ron with the 1966 league title on the cover of the Kop magazine
Ron with the 1966 league title on the cover of the Kop magazine
Ron Yeats and Alex Young in traditional dress in the 60s
Ron Yeats and Alex Young in traditional dress in the 60s
Ron Yeats and Roger Hunt on the cover of Football Monthly November 1966
Ron Yeats and Roger Hunt on the cover of Football Monthly November 1966
Salute to Liverpool FC - Liverpool Echo souvenir in 1962
Salute to Liverpool FC - Liverpool Echo souvenir in 1962
Secret dash to sign Yeats
Secret dash to sign Yeats
Shankly won our respect -1974
Shankly won our respect -1974
Shankly's psychology works wonders
Shankly's psychology works wonders
Sketch from the Echo - 16 November 1963
Sketch from the Echo - 16 November 1963
Stars of Liverpool - Cover of Football Monthly May 1963
Stars of Liverpool - Cover of Football Monthly May 1963
The captain leads out Liverpool - Football Monthly 1962
The captain leads out Liverpool - Football Monthly 1962
The game I remember - 12 April 1963
The game I remember - 12 April 1963
The game I remember - 5 October 1963
The game I remember - 5 October 1963
The lonely agony of big Yeats - February 1964
The lonely agony of big Yeats - February 1964
The return of Rowdy! - 17 October 1970
The return of Rowdy! - 17 October 1970
Welcome for Alec - 14 March 1969
Welcome for Alec - 14 March 1969
What a bargain - 24 March 1965
What a bargain - 24 March 1965
Yeats best centre-half in the world! - 20 November 1963
Yeats best centre-half in the world! - 20 November 1963
Yeats can still do a job - from the 1971/72 season
Yeats can still do a job - from the 1971/72 season
Yeats flying high with Liverpool at the start of the 1969/70 season
Yeats flying high with Liverpool at the start of the 1969/70 season
Yeats leads out reserves with St John and Lawrence - 15 August 1970
Yeats leads out reserves with St John and Lawrence - 15 August 1970
Yeats off! - 1 February 1964
Yeats off! - 1 February 1964
Yeats on the cover of Soccer Star 15 September 1967
Yeats on the cover of Soccer Star 15 September 1967
Yeats on the cover of the Liverpool Echo on 9 September 1961
Yeats on the cover of the Liverpool Echo on 9 September 1961
Yeats rules Ian Ure
Yeats rules Ian Ure
Yeats Says Farewell - February 1972
Yeats Says Farewell - February 1972
Yeats signs
Yeats signs
Yeats Tranmere boss
Yeats Tranmere boss
Yeats' header against Leicester on 10 March 1965
Yeats' header against Leicester on 10 March 1965
You can't buy club loyalty, says Shankly prior to the 1971 FA Cup final
You can't buy club loyalty, says Shankly prior to the 1971 FA Cup final
You have to be keen, says Ron Yeats - Football Monthly October 1962
You have to be keen, says Ron Yeats - Football Monthly October 1962
Ron Yeats' testimonal brochure
Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Dundee United 1957-1958 Scotland Division 2 15 0 17 0
Dundee United 1958-1959 Scotland Division 2 19 0 26 0
Dundee United 1959-1960 Scotland Division 2 33 1 40 1
Dundee United 1960-1961 Scotland Division 1 28 0 35 0
Tranmere Rovers 1971-1972 England Third Division 19 2 23 3
Tranmere Rovers 1972-1973 England Third Division 42 1 45 1
Tranmere Rovers 1973-1974 England Third Division 36 2 42 2
Stalybridge Celtic 1975-1976 Cheshire County League N/A N/A N/A N/A
Los Angeles Skyhawks 1976-1977 American Soccer League 21 0 24 0
Barrow 1976-1977 Northern Premier League 35 0 46 1
Santa Barbara Condors 1977-1978 American Soccer League N/A N/A N/A N/A
Formby 1977-1978 Cheshire County League N/A N/A N/A N/A
Total 248 6 298 8