Players - Russell Crossley

Russell Crossley
Birthdate: 25 June 1927
Birthplace: Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, England
Date of death: 2 July 2018
Other clubs: Shrewsbury Town (1954-59), Kettering Town (1959-61)
Signed from: Army football
Signed for LFC: June 1947
Liverpool debut: 21.10.1950
Last appearance: 13.02.1954
Contract expiry: 05.07.1954
Win ratio: 28.77% W:21 D:16 L:36
League games / goals: 68 / 0
Total games / goals: 73 / 0
League clean sheets: 10
Total clean sheets: 11

Player Profile

Russell Crossley has the worst average of all goalkeepers in Liverpool’s history having conceded 138 goals in 73 matches or 1.89 goals a game! He has also the fewest amounts of clean sheets, only 11. The number of goals a ‘keeper concedes is of course not totally down to him but the team as a whole and keep in mind the Reds were relegated to the Second Division for the first time in 49 years in his final season at the club. Cyril Sidlow started the 1950/51 season as Liverpool’s main ‘keeper but Crossley had taken his place by late October. The irony was Sidlow himself had alerted Liverpool to Crossley who had been the Welshman’s stand-in in his Army team during the War. Charlie Ashcroft finished the season in goal after Crossley conceded four goals against Huddersfield on 31 March 1951. Crossley didn’t reclaim the goalkeeper’s jersey until the middle of December and kept hold of it until early February 1952. Crossley featured in 36 league games in the following two seasons with Liverpool finally being relegated. Crossley was transfer-listed and joined Shrewsbury in the summer with his teammate Joe Maloney.
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 68 5 0 0 0 73
1950-1951 24 1 0 0 0 25
1951-1952 8 2 0 0 0 10
1952-1953 18 1 0 0 0 19
1953-1954 18 1 0 0 0 19
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
6 540 Blackpool
6 540 Wolves
5 450 Charlton Athletic
4 360 Portsmouth
4 360 Sunderland
4 360 Huddersfield Town
4 360 Chelsea
3 270 Sheffield Wednesday
3 270 Bolton Wanderers
3 270 WBA
3 270 Burnley
3 270 Arsenal
3 270 Aston Villa
3 270 Cardiff City
3 270 Middlesbrough
3 270 Derby
2 180 Stoke City
2 180 Newcastle United
2 180 Manchester City
1 90 Everton
1 90 Fulham
1 90 Sheffield United
1 90 Norwich City
1 90 Tottenham
1 90 Workington
1 90 Gateshead
Total Venue
38 Away
35 Home
Total Competition
68 League
5 FA Cup
Total W D L Win % Manager
51 13 11 27 25.5% Don Welsh
15 4 3 8 26.7% George Kay
7 4 2 1 57.1% Caretaker Manager
Clean sheets per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 10 1 0 0 0 11
1950-1951 5 0 0 0 0 5
1951-1952 0 1 0 0 0 1
1952-1953 3 0 0 0 0 3
1953-1954 2 0 0 0 0 2
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 21.10.1950 Middlesbrough Anfield League
50 23.03.1953 Chelsea Stamford Bridge League
Related Articles
Is Reina the best keeper in Liverpool's history?

Tom Mallows puts the spotlight on our fantastically consistent number one.

Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Shrewsbury Town 1954-1955 England Third Division South 24 0 25 0
Shrewsbury Town 1955-1956 England Third Division South 37 0 41 0
Shrewsbury Town 1956-1957 England Third Division South 21 0 21 0
Shrewsbury Town 1957-1958 England Third Division South 46 0 47 0
Shrewsbury Town 1958-1959 England Fourth Division 44 0 49 0
Shrewsbury Town 1959 England Third Division 1 0 1 0
Kettering Town 1959-1961 Southern League 36 0 36 0
Total 209 0 220 0