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Larry Lloyd had already won four England amateur international caps by the age of 17. He was bought by Shankly to replace Ron Yeats, after only one season as a player with lower league Bristol Rovers.

Although lacking pace and skill he was dominant in the air, strong in the tackle, and had the qualities of a leader. Lloyd played in two consecutive League games in the Autumn of 1969 but was selected for the last six First Division matches of that 1969-70 season in the aftermath of the humbling FA Cup defeat at Watford, although he had actually made his first-team debut in a European Fairs cup tie at Dundalk the previous September.

Yeats filled in occasionally at left-back in the 1970-71 season, leaving the tall Bristolian free to establish himself at the heart of Liverpool's defence.

He only missed two League fixtures that year and helped his young side reach the FA Cup final, where they were beaten in extra-time by Arsenal.

More disappointment followed a year later when a disallowed 'goal' a few minutes from the end of the final League game cost them the championship.

But in 1972-73 those near misses were forgotten as Liverpool captured a championship and UEFA cup double, with Larry playing in every single one of the 66 competitive matches the club played during that draining season and also scoring the winning goal in the European final against Monchengladbach.

Lloyd was still very much first-choice at the start of the next season and played in 27 consecutive First Division games up to and including the home fixture with Norwich City on February 2, 1974.

He was substituted by Peter Cormack on that day and the Scot scored the last-minute winner to keep Liverpool just about in touch with Leeds at the top of the table.

With Cormack establishing himself in the side in midfield fellow midfielder Phil Thompson was moved to centre-half in place of Lloyd and played for the rest of his Liverpool career in this position.

Shankly wanted to build more from the back and the partnership of Hughes and Thompson fitted the bill, Lloyd didn't. The club were prepared to listen for offers for a man who was still only 25-years-old and had several good years ahead of him.

Coventry City were prepared to pay what was for the time a very high fee, even considering the player's age, and Lloyd left Anfield for Highfield Road in August 1974.

He stayed at Coventry for two seasons before moving on to Nottingham Forest, where he achieved even greater success than he had on Merseyside, twice being a member of a European Cup winning side and winning another League Championship medal.

He moved to Wigan as player-manager in March 1981 and although he took the Lancashire club into the Third Division a year later, he was dismissed the following season.

Lloyd also had a short spell in charge of Notts County before retiring from the game and concentrating on his new life as a publican in the Nottingham area.

Other clubs:
Bristol Rovers, Coventry, Nottm For, Wigan