Donald McKinlay

Few came tougher than Donald McKinlay who was Liverpool's captain from 1922-1928. He certainly enjoyed his two decades at the Reds: "If I had 20 years to go again, I would go back to them," he said in 1955. McKinlay made his debut for Liverpool 19 years of age on 20 April 1910 when Liverpool defeated Nottingham Forest 7-3 with Jack Parkinson grabbing four. He only made two appearances as left-half the following season and featured on the right and left of the half-back line at the close of 1911/12. McKinlay was slowly making a name for himself but the question was what was his best position. He played in five different positions in the 1912/13 season mostly as an inside-right where he was said to be "as nippy and quick as a jack-in-the-box." He had quite a magnificent shot in his arsenal and he scored six goals in 23 matches that campaign. He was moved back and forth as well in the following season and after only featuring in two out of the last 11 games he was given the enormous responsibility of playing as left-half in place of injured captain Harry Lowe in the 1914 FA Cup final which Liverpool lost 1-0 to Burnley. McKinlay appeared regularly for Liverpool during World War I and made 136 appearances and scored 24 goals. Once the League resumed in 1919/20, McKinlay was a firm fixture in the side and formed probably the best full-back pairing ever in the history of Liverpool with him on the left and Ephraim Longworth on the right. After sharing the captaincy with Longworth in the 1919/20 season he was made sole captain in January 1922 at thirty years of age and held on to this honour until he left Liverpool seven years later.

McKinlay was the proud general of the Liverpool side that won successive League Championship titles in 1922 and 1923 and had the leadership qualities necessary for such a demanding role. McKinlay's shooting prowess gave him a return of 34 goals for Liverpool, of which only four came from the penalty spot. One goal possibly more memorable than the rest came on 16 January 1926 in the fifteenth minute of a 2-1 league win against West Ham. McKinlay was a full ten yards inside his own half when he unleashed a shot that hit the back of the Hammers' net. In honour of his 19 years of service for the club, McKinlay received his fourth benefit from Liverpool in the last game of the 1928/29 season against Manchester City at Anfield. He received a cheque for a total of £468. McKinlay stayed in the Merseyside area to play non-league football for a while with Prescot Cables and later became a publican in the city of Liverpool. Amongst the premises he ran was the Greyhound on East Prescot Road, where he was listed in the government compiled register of 1939. He was a keen golfer and enjoyed playing the drums! McKinlay died aged 69 at Broadgreen Hospital in 1959. Not surprisingly Donald McKinlay is a member of Liverpool FC's Hall of Fame.