Kenny Dalglish
Hail King Kenny of the Kop
| Full name: | Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: | March 4, 1961 |
| Clubs played for: | Celtic, Liverpool |
| Clubs managed: | Liverpool, Blackburn, Newcastle, Celtic |
Club Career
A hero at Parkhead became a legend at Anfield after Bob Paisley decided to splash out a then record £440,000 for Kenny Dalglish's services to replace the Germany-bound Kevin Keegan in 1977. It would prove money well spent as the Scottish striker spearheaded Liverpool's decade of dominance, combining vision, subtlety and football intelligence with a fierce desire to win and an unmatched eye for goal. Countless personal and team honours characterised his 13-year stay with the club before he left in February 1991. Dalglish returned to Anfield in 2009 as a club ambassador.
International Career
Dalglish was the first man to win 100 caps for Scotland and played in two World Cups – Argentina '78 and Spain '82. With 30 goals, he holds the scoring record for his country jointly with Denis Law.
International Career Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-86 | Scotland | 102 | 30 |
Managerial Career
Dalglish was appointed as Liverpool's first player-manager in the summer of 1985. He had the task of rebuilding the club in the aftermath of the Heysel disaster, but did it with characteristic style and dignity, leading them to the Double in his first season. In total, he led the Reds to three titles and two FA Cups, and was a guiding light through the weeks and months after Hillsborough, but the stresses of the job eventually told and he stood down in 1991. In 1995, he led Blackburn to the Premier League title, before heading for Newcastle for a less successful spell.
Key Games
Hamilton 2-4 Celtic (Scottish League Cup quarter-final, September 25, 1968)
Celtic fans got their first glimpse of a 17-year-old Dalglish in this, his first competitive outing for the Bhoys. Coming on as a sub, he contributed to a 4-2 away victory and, although it would take another three seasons for him to become a first-team regular, Dalglish's performance here suggested that he was a special player in the making.
Scotland 2-0 Denmark (World Cup qualifier, November 15, 1972)
A year after his international debut, Dalglish scored his first goal for the Scots in this 2-0 qualifying win over the Danes. He would become an important member of the 1974 World Cup squad in West Germany but, although Scotland remained undefeated, they were still eliminated at the end of the group stages.
Liverpool 1-0 FC Bruges (European Cup final, May 10, 1978)
Dalglish was an immediate hit in his debut season at Liverpool, playing 62 times and scoring 31 goals – and none more important than the winner in the 1978 European Cup final. A torpid affair was settled on 65 minutes when he latched onto a through ball from fellow Scot Graeme Souness and calmly chipped the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.
Honours
| Club | Competition | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Celtic | Scottish Premier Division | 1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74, 1976-77 |
| Scottish Cup | 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977 | |
| Scottish League Cup | 1977 | |
| Liverpool | First Division Championship | 1978-79, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84 |
| European Cup | 1978, 1981, 1984 | |
| League Cup | 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 | |
| PFA Player of the Year | 1983 | |
| Football Writers' Footballer of the Year | 1979, 1983 | |
| Liverpool (as manager) | First Division Championship | 1985-86, 1987-88, 1989-90 |
| FA Cup | 1986, 1989 | |
| Blackburn (as manager) | Premier League | 1994-95 |
| Celtic (as caretaker manager) | Scottish League Cup | 2000 |
Did You Know...?
Dalglish grew up supporting Rangers and when Celtic assistant boss Sean Fallon visited the family home to try to sign him, Dalglish had to rush to his bedroom to tear down his Gers posters.
Dalglish was the first player to score 100 goals in both the English and Scottish First Divisions.
He and his wife Marina – who herself battled breast cancer – formed the Marina Dalglish Appeal in 2004. Established to raise money for breast cancer funding, the initiative was responsible for the opening of the £1.5m Centre for Oncology at University Hospital, Aintree.
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