# 1959–60 Liverpool F.C. season

The 1959–60 season was the 68th season in Liverpool F.C.'s existence, and was their sixth consecutive year in the Second Division.

## Pre-season

On 12 June, having spent three years at Liverpool and missing only six matches, 29-year-old goalkeeper Tommy Younger was allowed to leave to take on a player-manager role at Scottish Second Division side Falkirk. In exchange, Liverpool signed Falkirk's 23-year-old goalkeeper Bert Slater. Slater had made 134 appearances for Falkirk, winning a Scottish Cup winners medal in the process, before the club were relegated at the end of the 1958-59 season. Slater was small for a goalkeeper standing at just 5 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1.740 m) and was nicknamed 'Shorty' but he was immediately put into the Liverpool goal upon his arrival.
There were promotions to the first-team for local-born 22-year-old defender John Nicholson and 18-year-old inside forward Willie Carlin - the latter a promising youngster who had represented his country at schoolboy and youth levels; 19-year-old full back Alan Jones, a Welsh schoolboy international who had signed professional forms for Liverpool two years earlier; Wrexham-born forward Reginald Blore who had risen through the junior ranks at Anfield; 17-year-old midfielder Ian Callaghan from Toxteth, considered by Liverpool legend Billy Liddell to be his successor; and 20-year-old striker Roger Hunt, signed a year earlier by Phil Taylor when he was brought to his attention playing for Stockton Heath.

## Season Summary

The early stages of the campaign saw Liverpool struggle for consistency, putting manager Phil Taylor under increasing pressure after his previous three seasons in charge had all resulted in narrow failures to achieve promotion. The situation further deteriorated when Liverpool failed to win a single match in October, and while a victory over Aston Villa at the start of November gave hope that the club might have turned the corner, it was followed by a humiliating 4-2 loss to strugglers Lincoln City. This proved the end of the road for Taylor, who resigned three days later with the team stuck in 11th place. First team trainer Bob Paisley stepped in as caretaker manager for the next two matches, which saw a 4-3 win over Leyton Orient, and then a 1-0 loss to Huddersfield Town. As it turned out, it would be the Yorkshire side who would provide Liverpool with their next manager, as Bill Shankly accepted the offer to take over at Anfield shortly after the match.
Liverpool's form picked up under Shankly, leaving a promotion challenge suddenly looking feasible after all. In the end, their mediocre early-season form and then another poor spell of form around Easter would leave promotion out of their hands, though a third-place finish still represented an improvement of one place on the previous season.

## Squad
### Goalkeepers

* Doug Rudham
* Bert Slater

### Defenders

* Gerry Byrne
* Alan Jones
* John Molyneux
* Ronnie Moran
* John Nicholson
* Geoff Twentyman
* Dick White

### Midfielders

* Alan A'Court
* Reginald Blore
* Ian Callaghan
* Bobby Campbell
* Jimmy Harrower
* Tommy Leishman
* Billy Liddell
* Jimmy Melia
* Fred Morris
* Johnny Morrissey
* Johnny Wheeler
* Barry Wilkinson

### Forwards

* Alan Arnell
* Alan Banks
* Louis Bimpson
* Willie Carlin
* Dave Hickson
* Roger Hunt
* Bobby Murdoch

## Squad statistics
### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Division 2 | Division 2 | FA Cup | FA Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | MF | ENG | Alan A'Court | 44 | 8 | 42 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Alan Arnell | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Louis Bimpson | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | WAL | Reginald Blore | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Gerry Byrne | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Ian Callaghan | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Bobby Campbell | 13 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Willie Carlin | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Jimmy Harrower | 28 | 5 | 26 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Dave Hickson | 29 | 21 | 27 | 21 | 2 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Roger Hunt | 38 | 23 | 36 | 21 | 2 | 2 |
| | DF | WAL | Allan Jones | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Tommy Leishman | 17 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Billy Liddell | 17 | 5 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Jimmy Melia | 36 | 14 | 34 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | John Molyneux | 40 | 1 | 38 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Ronnie Moran | 44 | 5 | 42 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Fred Morris | 7 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Johnny Morrissey | 9 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | John Nicholson | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | GK | RSA | Doug Rudham | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | GK | SCO | Bert Slater | 30 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Geoff Twentyman | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Johnny Wheeler | 31 | 3 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| | DF | ENG | Dick White | 43 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Barry Wilkinson | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Results
### Second Division

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Aston Villa (C, P) | 42 | 25 | 9 | 8 | 89 | 43 | 2.070 | 59 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 2 | Cardiff City (P) | 42 | 23 | 12 | 7 | 90 | 62 | 1.452 | 58 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 3 | Liverpool | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 90 | 66 | 1.364 | 50 | |
| 4 | Sheffield United | 42 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 68 | 51 | 1.333 | 50 | |
| 5 | Middlesbrough | 42 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 90 | 64 | 1.406 | 48 | |
| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
| 22-Aug-59 | Cardiff City | A | 2–3 | Own Goal 38', 42' | 34,000 | Report | Report |
| 26-Aug-59 | Bristol City | H | 4–2 | Liddell 4', 30' Melia 53 pen' A'Court 65' | 33,071 | Report | Report |
| 29-Aug-59 | Hull City | H | 5–3 | Harrower 52' Melia 58' Moran 65' A'Court 80' Liddell 85' | 35,520 | Report | Report |
| 01-Sep-59 | Bristol City | A | 0–1 | | 22,528 | Report | Report |
| 05-Sep-59 | Sheffield United | A | 1–2 | Morrissey 62' | 25,073 | Report | Report |
| 09-Sep-59 | Scunthorpe United | H | 2–0 | Melia 25' Hunt 64' | 31,713 | Report | Report |
| 12-Sep-59 | Middlesbrough | H | 1–2 | Liddell 7' | 39,000 | Report | Report |
| 17-Sep-59 | Scunthorpe United | A | 1–1 | Melia 21' | 18,851 | Report | Report |
| 19-Sep-59 | Derby County | A | 2–1 | A'Court 30' Hunt 58' | 11,822 | Report | Report |
| 26-Sep-59 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 4–1 | Melia 12' A'Court 43' Hunt 56' Moran 78' | 29,278 | Report | Report |
| 03-Oct-59 | Swansea Town | A | 4–5 | Own Goal 8' Melia pen 28' Hunt 32' Moran 70' | 16,500 | Report | Report |
| 10-Oct-59 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 2–2 | A'Court 20' Melia 39' | 30,366 | Report | Report |
| 17-Oct-59 | Stoke City | A | 1–1 | Harrower 53' | 17,000 | Report | Report |
| 24-Oct-59 | Portsmouth | H | 1–1 | Moran 5' | 21,075 | Report | Report |
| 31-Oct-59 | Sunderland | A | 1–1 | Hunt 80' | 30,208 | Report | Report |
| 07-Nov-59 | Aston Villa | H | 2–1 | Hickson 54', 82' | 49,981 | Report | Report |
| 14-Nov-59 | Lincoln City | A | 2–4 | Hickson 28' Hunt 84' | 10,801 | Report | Report |
| 21-Nov-59 | Leyton Orient | H | 4–3 | Morris 15', 81' Melia 32' Hickson 50' | 34,321 | Report | Report |
| 28-Nov-59 | Huddersfield Town | A | 0–1 | | 16,185 | Report | Report |
| 05-Dec-59 | Ipswich Town | H | 3–1 | Hunt 33', 39' Hickson 44' | 24,843 | Report | Report |
| 12-Dec-59 | Bristol Rovers | A | 2–0 | Melia 9', 85' | 15,615 | Report | Report |
| 19-Dec-59 | Cardiff City | H | 0–4 | | 27,291 | Report | Report |
| 26-Dec-59 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–3 | | 15,491 | Report | Report |
| 28-Dec-59 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2–0 | A'Court 58' Hunt 63' | 25,658 | Report | Report |
| 02-Jan-60 | Hull City | A | 1–0 | Melia 31' | 18,681 | Report | Report |
| 16-Jan-60 | Sheffield United | H | 3–0 | Melia 9' Hunt 15', 68' | 33,297 | Report | Report |
| 23-Jan-60 | Middlesbrough | A | 3–3 | Own goal 10' Hickson 35' Hunt 40' | 28,550 | Report | Report |
| 13-Feb-60 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–1 | Hickson 32' | 16,996 | Report | Report |
| 20-Feb-60 | Swansea Town | H | 4–1 | Hickson 11', 44' Hunt 58', 89' | 31,663 | Report | Report |
| 27-Feb-60 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 2–1 | Hickson 40', 60' | 21,118 | Report | Report |
| 05-Mar-60 | Stoke City | H | 5–1 | Hunt 14' Harrower 19', 58' Liddell 39' Hickson 51' | 35,101 | Report | Report |
| 12-Mar-60 | Portsmouth | A | 1–2 | Harrower 13' | 14,622 | Report | Report |
| 19-Mar-60 | Huddersfield Town | H | 2–2 | Hickson 13' Wheeler 16' | 30,009 | Report | Report |
| 30-Mar-60 | Aston Villa | A | 4–4 | Hunt 20' Hickson 25', 60' Molyneux 44' | 27,000 | Report | Report |
| 02-Apr-60 | Lincoln City | H | 1–3 | Moran pen 30' | 24,081 | Report | Report |
| 06-Apr-60 | Derby County | H | 4–1 | Hunt 59' A'Court 63' Wheeler 68' Hickson 75' | 19,411 | Report | Report |
| 09-Apr-60 | Leyton Orient | A | 0–2 | | 13,007 | Report | Report |
| 16-Apr-60 | Bristol Rovers | H | 4–0 | Melia 21' A'Court 56' Campbell 59' Hunt 67' | 27,317 | Report | Report |
| 18-Apr-60 | Rotherham United | H | 3–0 | Hunt 35' Hickson 65', 82' | 26,776 | Report | Report |
| 19-Apr-60 | Rotherham United | A | 2–2 | Hickson 51' Hunt 73' | 10,123 | Report | Report |
| 23-Apr-60 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–0 | Hickson 5' | 12,048 | Report | Report |
| 30-Apr-60 | Sunderland | H | 3–0 | Hickson 8' Hunt 47' Melia 85' | 25,916 | Report | Report |

### FA Cup

| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
| 09-Jan-60 | Leyton Orient | H | 2–1 | Hunt 1', 90' | 40,343 | Report | Report |
| 30-Jan-60 | Manchester United | H | 1–3 | Wheeler 36' | 56,736 | Report | Report |