Players - Emlyn Hughes

Emlyn Hughes
Birthdate: 28 August 1947
Birthplace: Barrow-in-Furness, England
Date of death: 9 November 2004
Other clubs: Blackpool (1964-67), Wolverhampton Wanderers (1979-81), Rotherham United (1981-83), Hull City (1983), Mansfield Town (1983), Swansea City (1983)
Signed from: Blackpool
Signed for LFC: £65,000, 27.02.1967
International debut: 05.11.1969 vs. Netherlands
International caps: 62/1 (59/1 at LFC) - 24.05.1980
Liverpool debut: 04.03.1967
Last appearance: 04.04.1979
Debut goal: 26.08.1967
Last goal: 19.12.1978
Contract expiry: 01.08.1979
Win ratio: 53.08% W:353 D:179 L:133
Games/assists ratio: 16.22
Honours: League Championship 1972/73, 1975/76, 1976/77, 1978/79; FA Cup 1974; European Cup 1977, 1978; UEFA Cup 1973, 1976; FWA Footballer of the Year 1977; European Super Cup 1977
Total games/goals opposite LFC: 6 / 1
League games / goals / assists: 474 / 35 / 28
Total games / goals / assists: 665 / 49 / 41

Player Profile

Hughes was one of the most enthusiastic players ever to pull on a Liverpool jersey, fiercely strong and with immense stamina. Shanks saw Hughes play in one of his first games for Blackpool and offered £25,000 for him immediately. Blackpool were not keen on selling him but manager Ron Suart promised Liverpool first refusal if Hughes ever became available. Shankly phoned Hughes every Sunday morning to tell him he'd be a Liverpool player soon. "I'd be just about to make short work of a plate of eggs, bacon and black pudding when the phone would ring. It would be Shanks," Hughes said. 'Hey, Emlyn, son, don't eat that stuff you've got on your plate there. I'll be signing you shortly. I want you lean and hungry, son. Lean and hungry!' Today, thirty years later, I still associate the smell of bacon frying with the telephone ringing at 8.30 sharp on a Sunday morning." Legendary Blackpool player and journalist Jimmy Armfield interviewed the young Emlyn when he had been a professional footballer for 12 months and was very impressed by his dedication. "This boy, Emlyn Hughes, is a first-class example of how all young lads should set about learning the game at professional level. He knows that there is a big difference between being a schoolboy star and playing professionally and is willing to learn from every source of advice open to him. He really lives for football and doesn't complain about the rigid self-discipline he has had to impose upon himself in his private life away from the ground. All the best players have started like that, and, most important, have kept it up all their playing days. To get to the top you cannot do the job half-heartedly."

When Suart was sacked in February 1967 Liverpool knew they had to react quickly. Suart wasted no time in serving as an intermediary between Shankly and Hughes contacting his former player the day after his sacking to advise him to join Liverpool. Shankly finally got his man but for a considerably higher fee of £65,000. Hughes recalls the most important day of his career in an interview with Shankly.com in 1999: "We had to get to Lytham St Anne's to complete the signing so I could play straight away in Liverpool's next match and Shanks drove us both down there. It's only about ten minutes from Bloomfield Road, but he was the worst driver in the world. He had this old brown Corsair and just as we left the ground he half went through a set of lights and a woman shunted into the back of us and smashed all the lights in. Next thing, a police car flags us down and the young officer comes up to the car and Shanks winds down the window. 'What is it, officer?' he asked, 'I'm sorry sir you can't continue the journey in that car as you've got no lights.' said the policeman. 'Do you know who's in this car?,' said Shanks, and I thought he was doing the old 'do you know who I am routine.' 'No', said the officer, 'I don't recognise you.' 'No not me you fool,' he said, 'I've got the future captain of England alongside me.'"

Shanks threw Hughes straight into the side and he played ten first division games before the end of that 1966/67 season, mostly at left-back. The Kop took him quickly to their hearts and he got the nickname "Crazy Horse" after he rugby-tackled Newcastle's forward Albert Bennett, who was slipping through his grasp, in his fifth game for Liverpool. Hughes revealed in his autobiography that Shanks had inspired him to do something special in this game: "Shanks took me to one side and said, 'The crowd are looking for a new name to take to. They need a new hero after the sixties side. They want someone to take over as their own. Go out and give them something to remember you by." Hughes duly obliged! Hughes took over Willie Stevenson's left-half position in the following season and was not only a hit with the Anfield crowd but also with the girls as he was voted the most attractive Football League player at the end of the 1968/69 season, polling 5,000 more votes than second place, receiving 36,000 votes in total. Hughes' strong runs from midfield made numerous openings for his colleagues, although he possessed a venomous shot which brought him nearly 50 goals as a Liverpool player. His goal celebrations were usually a sight to behold as he ran the length of the field like a wild man, displaying his great love for the game.

Hughes' Liverpool career started alongside most of the names that had brought the club so much success in the mid-'60s like Ian St John, Ron Yeats and Roger Hunt but he was never going to be one of the casualties in Shankly's 70's clearout. Shankly knew what a gem he had found and his was one of the first names on the teamsheet. The 1972/73 season was the big breakthrough for Hughes and Liverpool. After narrowly missing out on honours the previous two seasons, beaten by Arsenal in the cup final and being deprived of the League Championship again by Arsenal in the final fixture of 1971/72, the Reds gained ample compensation by winning the title after a seven-year absence and also collecting their first European trophy, the UEFA Cup. Hughes played in an astonishing 65 competitive games for Liverpool that season but never openly displayed any signs of real tiredness. In fact, Hughes' enthusiasm knew no bounds. "I have played at Spurs on a Saturday afternoon, caught the train to Liverpool and then driven north to Barrow late on Saturday night in order to turn out for a Sunday League team," Hughes said in this book "Crazy Horse". "I did that run when I was a current England international. If the authorities would have found out I would have been in terrible trouble, but I had so much extra energy that after those Sunday morning matches I was looking for a game of tennis in the afternoon."

Hughes played in midfield until 1973/74 when he moved to centre-half alongside Phil Thompson. They formed an innovative partnership, building Liverpool's attacks from the back by passing to the midfield instead of hoofing the ball upfield. Hughes was made captain instead of Tommy Smith, a fact that Smith resented. "It was my club. I'd been there a damn sight longer than him," Smith told the Telegraph. "Everything in my life was football, especially Liverpool, so why should I let this two-faced little so-and-so spoil my football life? But I did not entertain him, or speak to him off the pitch. Never." Bob Paisley didn't seem too fond of Hughes either but obviously rated him as a player: "Emlyn always struck me as a player who could have been an even better one if he had been a slightly different personality. He always liked to be King of the Roost," Paisley said in "My 50 Golden Reds". "They called him Crazy Horse on The Kop. But that was one of the more complimentary nicknames that Emlyn Hughes won for himself during his time at Anfield. I’m not giving away any great secrets of the Boot Room when I say he wasn’t – and still isn’t the most popular former player to have left Liverpool. Some of his teammates weren’t that fond of him and one of them, Tommy Smith, absolutely hated him. Smithy and Hughes never spoke to each other. I had to speak to them both when all the trouble was brewing up but it never mattered to me if players got on like a house on fire or if they couldn’t stand the sight of each other, as long as they didn’t let their personal feelings spill over onto the pitch."

The honours kept coming: the FA Cup in 1974, another League / UEFA Cup 'double' in 1976 and then finally in 1977 the biggest prize of all, the European Cup won in Rome and collected - as so aptly put by commentator Barry Davies at the time - by the man wearing 'the smile of the season'. He was also honoured by the sportswriters as their Footballer of the Year. Hughes was a versatile player equally at home in a full-back position, where he was often used by England, as a central defender or maybe his best years at Anfield were when he was surging through from his midfield position? Hughes was still skipper when the European Cup was retained at Wembley in 1978 but as his thirtieth birthday approached he could no longer be sure of his place in the side. Alan Hansen had taken his place, but Hughes could also feature at left-back in Alan Kennedy's absence. In August 1979, after twelve and a half wonderful years as a Liverpool player, he made the decision to move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, receiving a rapturous welcome when he returned to Anfield with his new club and also finishing his first season at Molineux by receiving the Football League Cup, just about the only trophy he hadn't won as a Liverpool player.

Hughes moved on to Rotherham as player-manager and proudly brought his team over to Anfield for a League Cup tie in November 1982, which the Reds only won thanks to Craig Johnston's late strike. He also had brief spells with Hull City, Mansfield Town and Swansea City but never approached the success as a manager that he had enjoyed as a player. As he passed his fiftieth birthday, Hughes was working as hard as ever with his business interests but always talked with enormous affection about his time on Merseyside. Very few men ever reached the heights that Emlyn Hughes did as a footballer and there is no doubt that he deserves to be in any "Hall of Fame" for what he achieved for the club he served so loyally and for so long. One of Liverpool's greatest players, his glorious career for the Reds boasted 665 games, 49 goals, four League titles, the FA Cup, two UEFA Cups and two European Cups. Hughes passed away on 9 November 2004, at the age of 57 from a brain tumour.
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 474 62 46 79 4 665
1966-1967 10 0 0 0 0 10
1967-1968 39 9 2 6 0 56
1968-1969 40 4 3 2 0 49
1969-1970 41 6 2 4 0 53
1970-1971 39 7 3 10 0 59
1971-1972 42 3 3 4 1 53
1972-1973 41 4 8 12 0 65
1973-1974 42 9 6 4 0 61
1974-1975 42 2 4 4 1 53
1975-1976 41 2 3 11 0 57
1976-1977 42 8 2 9 1 62
1977-1978 39 1 9 9 1 59
1978-1979 16 7 1 4 0 28
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
30 2591 Tottenham
29 2610 Leeds United
28 2520 Coventry City
26 2400 WBA
26 2353 Arsenal
26 2340 Everton
26 2340 West Ham United
25 2250 Manchester City
25 2250 Ipswich Town
25 2250 Leicester City
24 2160 Manchester United
24 2160 Newcastle United
21 1890 Wolves
21 1890 Burnley
20 1800 Stoke City
20 1756 Derby
19 1710 Chelsea
17 1530 Southampton
15 1350 Sheffield United
15 1350 Nottingham Forest
13 1170 Birmingham City
13 1170 QPR
10 900 Crystal Palace
10 900 Norwich City
9 810 Middlesbrough
9 810 Sunderland
7 630 Bristol City
7 630 Carlisle United
6 540 Ferencvaros
6 540 Aston Villa
6 540 Sheffield Wednesday
6 540 Dyn. Dresden
5 450 Gladbach
4 360 Hibernian
4 360 Bayern Munich
4 360 Huddersfield Town
3 270 Hull City
3 270 Blackpool
3 270 Doncaster Rovers
3 270 Club Brugge
2 210 Mansfield Town
2 180 Dundalk
2 180 Vitoria Setubal
2 180 Servette
2 180 Bournemouth
2 180 Athletic Bilbao
2 180 Anderlecht
2 180 Watford
2 180 Malmo
2 180 TSV Munich
2 180 Frankfurt
2 180 Dynamo Berlin
2 180 Red Star Belgrade
2 180 Strømsgodset
2 180 Southend
2 180 Din. Bucharest
2 180 Slask Wroclaw
2 180 Barcelona
2 180 Crusaders
2 180 Trabzonspor
2 180 Saint-Étienne
2 180 Zurich
2 180 Wrexham
2 180 Fulham
2 180 Bolton Wanderers
2 180 Luton Town
2 180 Walsall
2 180 Swansea City
2 180 Hamburg SV
2 180 Benfica
2 180 Jeunesse d'Esch
2 149 AEK Athens
1 90 York City
1 90 Aldershot
1 90 Swindon Town
1 90 Oxford United
1 90 Oldham Athletic
1 90 Blackburn Rovers
1 90 Brentford
1 90 Real Sociedad
Total Started/substitutions
665 Started
0 On the bench
0 Substitute
5 Substituted
Total Venue
330 Home
317 Away
18 Neutral
Total Competition
474 League
62 FA Cup
46 League Cup
23 UEFA Cup
22 European Fairs Cup
22 European Cup
8 European Cup Winners Cup
4 Charity Shield
4 European Super Cup
Total W D L Win % Manager
406 209 113 84 51.5% Bill Shankly
259 144 66 49 55.6% Bob Paisley
Goals per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 35 1 3 10 0 49
1966-1967 0 0 0 0 0 0
1967-1968 2 0 0 0 0 2
1968-1969 3 1 0 1 0 5
1969-1970 7 0 0 0 0 7
1970-1971 2 0 1 2 0 5
1971-1972 8 0 0 1 0 9
1972-1973 7 0 2 3 0 12
1973-1974 2 0 0 0 0 2
1974-1975 1 0 0 1 0 2
1975-1976 2 0 0 0 0 2
1976-1977 1 0 0 0 0 1
1977-1978 0 0 0 1 0 1
1978-1979 0 0 0 1 0 1
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Assists per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 28 1 2 10 0 41
1966-1967 0 0 0 0 0 0
1967-1968 2 1 0 1 0 4
1968-1969 2 0 1 1 0 4
1969-1970 5 0 0 4 0 9
1970-1971 2 0 0 1 0 3
1971-1972 3 0 0 0 0 3
1972-1973 6 0 1 1 0 8
1973-1974 1 0 0 0 0 1
1974-1975 3 0 0 0 0 3
1975-1976 0 0 0 1 0 1
1976-1977 2 0 0 0 0 2
1977-1978 2 0 0 0 0 2
1978-1979 0 0 0 1 0 1
A more detailed look at the player's assists
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 04.03.1967 Stoke City Anfield League
50 19.02.1968 Walsall Anfield FA Cup
100 18.01.1969 Chelsea Stamford Bridge League
150 17.01.1970 WBA Anfield League
200 02.01.1971 Aldershot Anfield FA Cup
250 03.11.1971 Bayern Munich Grunwalder Strasse Europe
300 21.10.1972 Stoke City Anfield League
350 08.09.1973 Chelsea Anfield League
400 13.04.1974 Ipswich Town Portman Road League
450 15.03.1975 Sheffield United Anfield League
500 28.02.1976 Derby Baseball Ground League
550 22.01.1977 Norwich City Carrow Road League
600 03.12.1977 West Ham United Anfield League
650 10.01.1979 Southend Roots Hall FA Cup
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 30 26.08.1967 Newcastle United Anfield League
Related Articles
Emlyn Hughes' widow on brain tumour which killed him

The Daily Mirror on 17 May 2014.

Emlyn Hughes - Crazy horse

Two days before the epic Euro 2000 first leg encounter between Scotland and England at Hampden Park, Shankly.com met an upbeat Emlyn Hughes to discuss England's chances and, of course, recall memories of a certain Bill Shankly.

An inspirational leader at Liverpool

Bob Paisley profiles the Crazy Horse.

Liverpool crash as Hughes is marched

Coventry Evening Telegraph report on Birmingham City 2 - 1 Liverpool on 7 April 1973.

Great matches: Liverpool could have scored six!

The FA Cup final in 1974 was a one-sided affair for Liverpool vs. Alan Kennedy's and Terry McDermott's Newcastle.

RIP Emlyn Hughes

Brian Glanville remembers Crazy Horse in The Guardian on 10th November 2004.

1964 interview with future Liverpool star Emlyn Hughes

A classic interview from 1964 between Blackpool and England star and journalist Jimmy Armfield and a 17 year old full back, who has just completed his first year as a professional footballer with Blackpool. His name, a certain Emlyn Hughes.

Related Quotes

"We had to get to Lytham St Anne's to complete the signing so I could play straight away in Liverpool's next match and Shanks drove us both down there. It's only about 10 minutes from Bloomfield Road, but he was the worst driver in the world. He had this old brown Corsair and just as we left the ground he half went through a set of lights and a woman shunted into the back of us and smashed all the lights in. Next thing, a police car flags us down and the young officer comes up to the car and Shanks winds down the window. 'What is it officer?', he asked, 'I'm sorry sir you can't continue the journey in that car as you've got no lights'. said the policeman. 'Do you know who's in this car ?', said Shanks, and I thought he was doing the old do you know who I am routine. 'No' said the officer, 'I don't recognise you.' 'No not me you fool', he said, 'I've got the future captain of England alongside me.'"

Emlyn Hughes in an interview on Shankly.com

"The players aren't good enough for Liverpool Football Club. Gerard's been at the club a long time and Liverpool are nowhere near winning the title. I thought last year's Premiership was the worst - but this year is.

Houllier has to buy players who will die for Liverpool Football Club, not people kissing the badge because they get a corner. He needs good players who know how to play. This is not a bitter, twisted former defender moaning about how much money they have compared to when I played - it's just that I care deeply about Liverpool. I want a team that's 12 points IN FRONT of Manchester United, not 12 points behind."

Emlyn Hughes speaks out in October 2003

"He was an absolute legend. When I went to Liverpool he was the main man. He was a wonderful player and a fantastic example to everyone. He was the best person to learn from and a larger than life character."

Graeme Souness on the mighty Emlyn Hughes

"He absolutely adored playing football. He would just give 110%. They called him Crazy Horse and that's exactly what he was. He never stopped, he was up and down the pitch, cajoling everyone. He'll not be forgotten."

Terry McDermott on Emlyn Hughes

"In my time at the club there were perhaps three players who, through their consistency, epitomised the Liverpool Way more than anyone. Ian Callaghan, Kevin Keegan, and of course, Emlyn Hughes."

John Toshack on the mighty Emlyn

Scrapbook
2 August 1980
2 August 1980
22 May 1971
22 May 1971
A Christmas cover 1987
A Christmas cover 1987
A find of the decade - from 1970
A find of the decade - from 1970
A poster of Emlyn Hughes - Football Monthly May 1971
A poster of Emlyn Hughes - Football Monthly May 1971
A Private Life - 1987
A Private Life - 1987
Cup of glory as Liverpool turn on the style - May 1974
Cup of glory as Liverpool turn on the style - May 1974
Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs
Do not retire, Shanks! say Liverpool players
Do not retire, Shanks! say Liverpool players
Eager for the game - from 1971
Eager for the game - from 1971
Emlyn at White Hart Lane 1969
Emlyn at White Hart Lane 1969
Emlyn Footballer of the year 1977
Emlyn Footballer of the year 1977
Emlyn hits great winner - 12 March 1977
Emlyn hits great winner - 12 March 1977
Emlyn Hughes and Heighway Goal poster
Emlyn Hughes and Heighway Goal poster
Emlyn Hughes in action! - 6 March 1976
Emlyn Hughes in action! - 6 March 1976
Emlyn Hughes keen on rally - LFC match programme September 1975
Emlyn Hughes keen on rally - LFC match programme September 1975
Emlyn Hughes on cover of Goal - Jan 1970
Emlyn Hughes on cover of Goal - Jan 1970
Emlyn Hughes on cover of Shoot - August 1970
Emlyn Hughes on cover of Shoot - August 1970
Emlyn Hughes on the cover of Shoot! 1971-1978
Emlyn Hughes on the cover of Shoot! 1971-1978
Emlyn Hughes on the cover of Shoot! as a Wolves player
Emlyn Hughes on the cover of Shoot! as a Wolves player
Emlyn in full stride a joy to watch - Liverpool vs Newcastle on 16 February 1970
Emlyn in full stride a joy to watch - Liverpool vs Newcastle on 16 February 1970
Emlyn in Shoot! 4 April 1970
Emlyn in Shoot! 4 April 1970
Emlyn on his rival, Bob McNab, in the 1971 FA Cup final
Emlyn on his rival, Bob McNab, in the 1971 FA Cup final
Emlyn on the cover of Goal - 10 August 1968
Emlyn on the cover of Goal - 10 August 1968
Emlyn says hello - From The Kop on 4 March 1967
Emlyn says hello - From The Kop on 4 March 1967
Emlyn to the rescue - 4 December 1972
Emlyn to the rescue - 4 December 1972
Emlyn's blockbuster gave Liverpool victory
Emlyn's blockbuster gave Liverpool victory
Emlyn's derby double on 3 March 1973
Emlyn's derby double on 3 March 1973
Emlyn's explosion kills West Ham - 26 August 1972
Emlyn's explosion kills West Ham - 26 August 1972
Emlyn's first ever double
Emlyn's first ever double
Emlyn's ratings for cup final - 10 May 1986
Emlyn's ratings for cup final - 10 May 1986
England man
England man
Focus on Emlyn Hughes from December 1969
Focus on Emlyn Hughes from December 1969
Football star
Football star
From gloom to glory - article from 1969
From gloom to glory - article from 1969
He's the perfect Liverpool type - Football Monthly July 1973
He's the perfect Liverpool type - Football Monthly July 1973
Hero Hughes ends chapter of misses - 12 September 1972
Hero Hughes ends chapter of misses - 12 September 1972
How lucky can a 21-year-old be? - Football Monthly 1968
How lucky can a 21-year-old be? - Football Monthly 1968
Hughes double versus Southampton on 1 May 1971
Hughes double versus Southampton on 1 May 1971
Hughes has right remedy - 3 March 1973
Hughes has right remedy - 3 March 1973
Hughes is Reds' top scorer - 27 November 1971
Hughes is Reds' top scorer - 27 November 1971
Hughes swoop cheers the Kop - 12 September 1972
Hughes swoop cheers the Kop - 12 September 1972
Hughes the hero - 7 November 1972
Hughes the hero - 7 November 1972
Hughes the hero! - 19 August 1972
Hughes the hero! - 19 August 1972
Interview with Emlyn in the LFC Magazine
Interview with Emlyn in the LFC Magazine
It's Emlyn the great as Reds end Greek resistance - 7 November 1972
It's Emlyn the great as Reds end Greek resistance - 7 November 1972
Keegan pays his tribute to great Emlyn - 21 October 1972
Keegan pays his tribute to great Emlyn - 21 October 1972
LFC Official Matchday Magazine interview 2000/01
LFC Official Matchday Magazine interview 2000/01
Me and my shadow - Emlyn stayed close to Dalglish - 3 May 1980
Me and my shadow - Emlyn stayed close to Dalglish - 3 May 1980
Mersey memories
Mersey memories
Mighty Em - 1978
Mighty Em - 1978
Mighty goal for Emlyn - 27 November 1971
Mighty goal for Emlyn - 27 November 1971
Mr 100 per cent! - September 1972
Mr 100 per cent! - September 1972
Players of the year - LFC Official Matchday Magazine
Players of the year - LFC Official Matchday Magazine
Poster of Emlyn Hughes - 1968
Poster of Emlyn Hughes - 1968
Poster of Emlyn Hughes - Echo May  1978
Poster of Emlyn Hughes - Echo May 1978
Put yourself in Emlyn's shoes
Put yourself in Emlyn's shoes
Shoot! 28 July 1973
Shoot! 28 July 1973
Spotlight on Emlyn Hughes before the 1971 FA Cup final
Spotlight on Emlyn Hughes before the 1971 FA Cup final
Stephen Done's column in Liverpool's match programme
Stephen Done's column in Liverpool's match programme
Storybook career for Reds' skipper - March 1979
Storybook career for Reds' skipper - March 1979
Super Reds of the Seventies - Liverpool Echo souvenir
Super Reds of the Seventies - Liverpool Echo souvenir
The awakening by Emlyn Hughes - 3 April 1974
The awakening by Emlyn Hughes - 3 April 1974
The cover of the Liverpool Echo on 9 November 2004
The cover of the Liverpool Echo on 9 November 2004
The great talent
The great talent
The nightmare - 8 May 1972
The nightmare - 8 May 1972
The pride of England - 12 April 1978
The pride of England - 12 April 1978
We must keep Emlyn in midfield
We must keep Emlyn in midfield
We scare the opposition - 17 September 1977
We scare the opposition - 17 September 1977
What makes Liverpool run - 23 April 1977
What makes Liverpool run - 23 April 1977
Wolverine - 1980
Wolverine - 1980
Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Blackpool 1965-1966 England First Division 1 0 1 0
Blackpool 1966-1967 England First Division 27 0 33 0
Wolves 1979-1980 England First Division 35 0 48 0
Wolves 1980-1981 England First Division 23 2 29 2
Rotherham United 1981-1982 England Second Division 24 2 25 2
Rotherham United 1982-1983 England Second Division 32 4 36 4
Hull City 1983 England Fourth Division 9 0 9 0
Mansfield Town 1983 England Fourth Division 0 0 0 0
Swansea City 1983-1984 England Second Division 7 0 9 0
Total 158 8 190 8