Past playersIan Rush
Years: 1980-1987/1988-1996
Appearances: 660
Goals: 346
Honours: League title (1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1985-86, 1989-90), European Cup (1981, 1984), FA Cup (1986, 1989, 1992), League Cup (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1995)
When writing an introductory paragraph on the astonishing Liverpool career of striker extraordinaire Ian Rush, there is only one sentence to possibly choose: simply the greatest goalscorer in Anfield history.
Ever since the club was founded, Kopites have been privileged to watch a succession of predators ply their lethal trade – but Rush surpassed them all with his statistics of 346 goals in 660 appearances. It's a record that could stand for eternity.
Quick, agile, incredibly fit and hard-working, the No.9 converted strikes from every scenario imaginable during his 16 years with the Reds; although his speciality was lurking inside the penalty box, Rush was adept with his head and capable of the spectacular.
The Welshman's intuitive partnership with Kenny Dalglish will go down as arguably the finest Liverpool supporters have witnessed. If that is not enough, he was also the team's first line of defence as they dominated English and European football throughout the 1980s, pressing and harrying opponents into mistakes with his ceaseless running.
Bob Paisley brought Rush to the club in 1980, parting with £300,000 to secure a transfer from Chester. The forward's debut campaign did not pan out as he hoped, however, with just nine games and no goals. He was unhappy but Paisley was uninterested in the idea of selling the striker.
The decision proved a shrewd one for both parties. Promoted into the first team, Rush blasted 30 goals from 49 appearances in all competitions during 1981-82 and collected a championship medal and the League Cup.
From there he was just unstoppable. The Kop still sings about the day, in November 1982, when he found the back of the net four times at Goodison Park in an historic 5-0 rout of the Blues. That haul allowed Rush to go one better by the conclusion of 1982-83, ending the season with a tally of 31 and two more trophies.
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Watch on YouTubeBut those numbers paled into insignificance the next year, as the forward struck 47 times – his personal best for a single season with Liverpool – to help the Reds complete a treble: First Division, League Cup and European Cup.
Consistently Everton's nemesis in Merseyside derbies, a Rush brace downed the Blues in the 1986 FA Cup final and handed the Reds their maiden double.
But a shock was around the corner – he agreed a switch to Italian giants Juventus. To say goodbye, he notched 40 goals in 1986-87, although Kopites were understandably heartbroken.
A year later, though, the fans' idol returned; Rush's failure to settle abroad was to Liverpool's gain and the striker picked up the baton exactly where he left it. Everton suffered most, with another double from him winning one more all-Merseyside FA Cup showpiece in 1989.
Rush claimed his fifth championship honour in 1990 and, two years later, added his name to the scoresheet in yet another FA Cup final. Sunderland were the victims on this occasion as the Welshman increased his tally to five in a 2-0 triumph.
In converting against Manchester United at Old Trafford in October 1992, Rush made history – he leapfrogged World Cup winner Roger Hunt as the man with the most goals for Liverpool. It's a position he has not come close to surrendering ever since.
The iconic No.9 was subsequently handed the captain's armband by manager Graeme Souness and enjoyed the honour of ascending the Wembley steps to collect the 1995 League Cup – his fifth taste of success in that competition and his final trophy with Liverpool.
Having played a crucial role in the education and development of his successor, Robbie Fowler, Rush struck his 346th and last goal for the club past Manchester City in May 1996. He left Anfield for Leeds United knowing that his exploits in front of goal may never be beaten.
