Past playersGordon Hodgson

The Reds were alerted to the forward's prowess and potential when Hodgson smashed a hat-trick past them for a South African touring side during the mid-1920s; before the end of 1925, he switched to Anfield.

A sportsman of the highest quality - Hodgson also excelled at cricket and baseball - the striker made his debut against Manchester City in February 1926 and scored his first goals for the club a fortnight later with a brace at Manchester United.

Following back-to-back championship triumphs earlier in the decade, the Liverpool side Hodgson joined could not achieve similar feats; luckily for the Kop, they could roar on perhaps the best No.9 in the business.

In his opening three full campaigns with the club, he plundered 73 goals in all competitions, developing a reputation throughout the country as a player to fear when the Reds rolled into town.

The 1926-27 season, for example, included two of the South African's famous trebles - one of which, at home to Derby County, arrived in a matter of 22 minutes. There seemed to be no stopping Hodgson, or those around him he inspired.

A rare dip during 1929-30 - just the 14 goals that year - was ruthlessly followed the next season with a massive 36-strike haul, a club record that stood until the era of the equally prolific Roger Hunt.

Just for good measure, the consistent Hodgson racked up the following goal totals in the next four campaigns - 27, 24, 25, 29. His statistics rival any striker who has pulled on the Liverpool jersey.

With 10 years of phenomenal service to the club and more than 200 goals behind him, the forward left to join Aston Villa in January 1936 safe in the knowledge that his records will forever rank highly at Anfield.