Past playersBill Lacey

After impressing in Ireland, Everton spotted him and he joined the Blues in February 1909, though he only played 37 league games and scored 11 goals in three years.

Liverpool made one of their shrewdest transfer deals ever when they swapped Harold Uren for Lacey and Tom Gracie in late February 1912.

Lacey immediately went into the Reds team, playing in the last 11 fixtures of that season, claiming one goal, against Tottenham Hotspur on March 16, 1912.

He was never a renowned goalscorer – he got just 29 from more than 200 league and cup appearances for the Reds – but his tricky wing play set up numerous chances for his colleagues.

After making only 20 league appearances in 1912-13, Lacey established himself firmly in the side the following year and helped Liverpool reach their first major cup final, but it was Burnley who took the FA Cup home with them after their 1-0 victory at the old Crystal Palace ground.

Lacey averaged more than 30 league games a season for the next five years of competitive football, effectively a full decade because of the First World War, and was an important part of the side that won the First Division championship two years running in the early 1920s.

The popular player was only selected nine times during 1924-25, by which time he was approaching his mid-30s, and it was no real surprise that he was allowed to leave Liverpool to move across the Mersey and join the New Brighton club.

He moved back to his native Ireland in 1925 and retired from the game in 1931 at 42 years of age.