[lfc-news] How the Crazy Horse won a place in history - Echo

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Liverpool Echo, 9 Nov 2004
How the Crazy Horse won a place in history
Chris Bascombe looks back at the life of LFC legend Emlyn Hughes, who has
lost his long battle against cancer

YOU know who I've got in the back of this car, son? The future Liverpool
and England captain.'

Bill Shankly's now infamous quip to a policeman in 1967, hours after
signing 19-year-old Emlyn Hughes, could have been another example of his
comic exaggeration.

Instead, it proved to be the legendary Scot's most accurate prophecy.

From the moment he saw Hughes, Shankly knew he'd bought a Kop idol. The
Scot's excitement was matched by the fans when Hughes made his Liverpool
debut against Stoke on March 4 1967.

No player could have embodied Shankly's footballing philosophy more than
the enthusiastic Lancastrian, signed from Blackpool for a paltry £65,000.

Yet it's not beyond the realms of possibility Hughes could have ended up
skippering Wales, not at football, but Rugby League.

Emlyn's father, Fred, made his name as a master of the oval ball and only
left the valleys towards the end of his career.

He moved his family to Barrow-in-Furness where Emlyn was born on August 28
1947.

From an early age, it became obvious it was football, not rugby, which
would be Emlyn's passion.

He signed apprentice terms for Blackpool as a schoolboy and played just a
handful of first team games when Shankly made his first bid, which was
rejected. Shankly refused to give up and eventually got his man.

Whatever Hughes' reputation since he left Anfield - and it's fair to say he
developed a love him or loathe image in latter years - Emlyn the player
never let the club down.

Four league titles, two European Cups, an FA Cup and two UEFA Cups made him
one of the most decorated players in English history.

He completed the set of domestic honours by winning the League Cup with
Wolves in 1980, an honour which eluded him at Anfield.

Perhaps the biggest tribute to his ability came when he was named the
Football Writers player of the year in 1977, when Liverpool only missed out
on the treble by losing the FA Cup final.

Think of the greats in that first European Cup winning side. Kevin Keegan,
Tommy Smith, Ian Callaghan and Ray Clemence. Hughes was an inspiration.

His ecstasy, so visible in that broad smile as he lifted the giant trophy
in Rome in 1977, perfectly embodied the feelings of thousands of Kopites.

In an age when stars are criticised for not giving 100%, this was one flaw
Hughes never possessed during his 665 games for Liverpool.

His nickname 'Crazy Horse' aptly described his style.

"You ain't seen nothin' like the Mighty Emlyn," The Kop would sing.

Shankly had to tell his rookie defender to calm down, fearing he'd burn too
much energy in his relentless pursuit of the ball.

Finding the right role for this jack-in-the-box was Shankly's first task.
Left back and midfield were his favoured positions in the early years. He
could play anywhere, in many respects one of those rare 'complete'
footballers..

Eventually, he settled down as an elegant centre-half. The era of Alan
Hansen and Mark Lawrenson is often considered as the beginning of Anfield's
cultured play from the back.

Hughes and Phil Thompson could argue otherwise as they showed defenders
could pass as much as tackle.

Hughes was an extraordinarily successful skipper, scoring 48 goals during
his time on Merseyside and winning 59 England caps while at Anfield, a
Liverpool record matched only recently by Michael Owen.

He won 62 caps in all and was awarded an OBE in 1980.

Soon after he left Liverpool in 1979, Hughes' achievements on the field
started to become overshadowed by public spats with his former team mates.

Tommy Smith and Hughes never got on when they were at the club, and the war
of words continued for two decades.

Hughes notoriously sang an anti-Everton song during Liverpool's European
Cup celebrations in 1977, something which embarrassed team mates.

And after he'd left Anfield, a newspaper column in which he was quoted
saying Brian Clough was a better manager than Bob Paisley further inflamed
tensions between Hughes and those who once loved him on The Kop.

Perhaps Emlyn was misquoted or misinterpreted. Maybe he was misguided. But
at public functions his ferocious passion quickly won back the respect of
the Liverpool fans who'd been annoyed at some of his less favourable remarks.

After leaving Anfield for Molineux, a stint as player-manager at Rotherham
never worked out, but he settled in Yorkshire after he quit football.

Later generations knew Hughes more as an outspoken pundit and regular
captain on the BBC's 'Question of Sport'.

Sadly, he wasn't such a regular visitor to Anfield in latter years, even
though his contribution to the Liverpool success story stands alongside any
legendary figure.

Perhaps Emlyn was too outspoken for his own good, but as he said at last
year's ECHO tribute dinner in honour of the 1977 European Cup winners, he
would never stop loving Liverpool.

That's why, even though he was seriously ill, he was determined to join
celebrations.

Great Liverpudlians are judged on their actions rather than words, and
Emlyn's performances will never be forgotten by those who witnessed them.

As the man who lifted the European Cup for Liverpool for the first time,
his place within Anfield's Hall of Fame is well preserved.

Just as Shankly had predicted.


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