About kjellhanssen.com
For more than 10 years I have collected newspaper articles related to the history of Liverpool Football Club. This blog is a presentation of the history, according to me, of the greatest football team ever, told by the media. Most books about Liverpool F.C. is full of errors about what happened in the old days. LFC deserve more than a non important past.
Among all the articles I will also try to bring back the daily life of the people who lived in the city and the area. Little would our founder John Houlding, our great ambassador John McKenna or our first great manager Tom Watson know of the legacy they left behind. This is first and foremost a tribune to all those who either shared, or still share, the red passion inside. YNWA with Liverpool F.C.
If you are writing a book, or an article about Liverpool F.C. or a former player, you are much welcome to use information presented on these pages. All I ask in return is a mention under “sources.”
You can contact me on dickysams AT gmail.com
The heart of the website is the section called SEASON UPDATES which you will find a few scrolls down on the right. These updates run year-on-year from 1892 until 1979. Under the SEASON UPDATES you will find thousands of newspaper articles, and other written media about Liverpool F.C., and some articles about the city, the people of Liverpool, and a few more about football in general. This is meant to spice up your understanding of the time and the era.
What I want to achieve is to try to bring back what the people saw and talked about “back then,” what colours hid behind the black and white photos, and what the impressions were behind the stories that was left behind for us to pick up in our time and age.
It is not my aim to make money on this website. You will not find advertisement here, and everything here is free for you to view, and use for yourself. No-one is sponsoring my blog either. I have paid for the website myself, and I chose WordPress, probably because I am too “old,” and not very technical, and, not the least, I felt it easy to use.
Now, my income is all the happy memories Liverpool have given me through my time. It is a passion, and both the club and the city, with its funny characters, have a special place in my heart. I love to talk and write about football history, so are you of the same kind, club colour a apart, please start chatting. All football clubs have souls, some just have more trophies. Our interest is common either you are red, white or blue.
Everything is added with references, and I hope that you will enjoy the content and spend many hours, days and maybe years searching through
these archives. You are always welcome back!
To help you navigate the website you have a few options. Besides the SEASON UPDATES, you can also use the SEARCH field on the right hand side, or see if you can find what you are looking for under the RED TAG CLOUD. Tags are keywords linked to an article, and I have tried my best to tag as good as possible. Now all the names shown under the RED TAG CLOUD is sorted, so the bigger the word the more times it appears. When all my content is finally added the RED TAG CLOUD will actually show you the most important features in our club’s history. So, for example you click on “financial” under the RED TAG CLOUD you will find all the articles I have added that I mean touches the “financial” area, for example, annual general meetings, erection of new stands etc, etc.
You can SUBSCRIBE to the blog. What that mean is that every time I add a new article you will receive an email telling you what article I have added to the website. If you at a point wants to unsubscribe you can easily do this.
You can also comment on the content, actually to every article here, and I really hope you will contribute in the comment field. Remember, the papers might have got the story wrong, your expert input can sort the history straight with a few lines. Please comment, it will make the website even better!
Thanks for reading,
Kjell H.
Hello Kjell,
What a brilliant website you have created. I am interested in the early decades of LFC, so to me it is like finding a treasure chest. Congratulations.
Jeff Gaydish
July 11, 2012 at 12:18 am
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for the kind words. We share the same interest. There has always been something mysterious about the early years. Keep looking in – I have more info between 1892 and 1897 than any other years to be added.
Kjell
kjehan
July 11, 2012 at 12:28 am
Hi Kjell,
Jeff Gaydish brought your website to my attention – what a wealth of information!
I am interested in players from Newtown, Powys who played for Liverpool in the late 1800s and early 1900s – Richard ‘Dickie’ Morris, George Latham and Harry Beadles in particular.
Ken Davies
August 19, 2012 at 7:54 pm
Hi Ken,
Thanks for the kind words, and welcome to the website. I believe you will find a few nice articles about Morris and Latham. If they are not on yet, I will publish them as soon as I can. I will also look for some info about Beadles.
Interesting to see the Newtown, Powys connection. LFC played Newtown a few times in the first season, and about that friendly match in 1893 I received a copy of the match report from the library in Newtown.
Regards,
Kjell
kjehan
August 19, 2012 at 8:41 pm
Hi Kjell
First of all, along with others must congratulate you on a first class site.
Was advised by Afs Veritas of AFS re the corrections for the Bury game in October 1915. I am an avid Reds supporter for 45 years with a Kop season ticket and try and maintain the Liverpool stats in AFS along with Afs Veritas. I add my thanks for the info.
Picking up on that Bury game for the player’s mentioned, there will be other amendments to be made so over a period of time they will get done.
Kind Regards
Brian
Brian Drever
October 26, 2012 at 2:11 pm
Hi Brian,
Thanks for the kind words! I have had all this information laying around for so long so needed to do something with it all. The site is still pretty much under construction. 1550 articles has been added, but I reckon when al is complete from my part it will be around 200 articles pr year, so in total between 15 and 20,000 articles. That is the aim.
Regarding the line ups etc, feel free to look around and compare with other sources. I know there is a lot of different oppinion to who played on that day etc. At least we can add sources to the different line ups.
Kjell
kjehan
October 26, 2012 at 2:23 pm
Hi Kjell,
Thanks for this great site. My grand-father Ernie Blenkinsop played for Liverpool in the 1930′s, and it’s provided some interesting new information for me as I research his life and career. Many thanks, Bob
Bob Blenkinsop
November 17, 2012 at 3:35 pm
Hi Bob,
I am happy you found the website and information you were looking for. There is much more to be added in times ahead so keep checking back if new articles has been added about Ernie.
Regards,
Kjell
kjehan
November 17, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Hi Kjell,
Good job.
Gerald
Gerald Jensen
December 5, 2012 at 7:10 pm
Hi Gerald. Thanks for the nice words. I hope you find many interesting articles here!
Kjell
kjehan
December 5, 2012 at 7:12 pm
This is my brother, Gerald Jensen, Kjell. He sees a little of Tom Watson in our brother Jack (John ) Jensen.
Thank you for your good work.
Sincerely,
Mercy Jensen Michalski
mercyanne
May 19, 2013 at 1:33 am
Hi Kjell
Nice site. My great grandfather, Tommy Cunliffe, played for Liverpool between 1916-1917. In October 1917 he received a lifetime ban for betting on matches he played in (you’ve got an article about it on your blog). I’ve enjoyed reading the many match reports you have in which he played.
If you or anyone else has any information about Tommy, I’d love to hear from you.
Thanks again
Ed
Ed Thomas
March 9, 2013 at 10:00 pm
Hi Ed. Thanks for coming by my website. I will have to check my archive to see what else I have on Tommy, and I promise to come back to you as soon as possible.
Regards,
Kjell
kjehan
March 9, 2013 at 10:39 pm
Thanks Kjell. I appreciate your help and look forward to seeing anything you can find.
Keep up the good work.
Regards
Ed
Ed Thomase
March 10, 2013 at 2:02 pm
Hi Kjell. I appreciate your help and look forward to seeing anything you can find on Tommy>
Keep up the good work.
Regards
Ed
Ed Thomas
March 10, 2013 at 2:04 pm
I am researching the history of LFC and have provided some information to Gudmundur Magnusson (LFC history website) and Graeme Riley (book author).
I’ve read some interesting articles on your website and found thereupon some minor errors in the history books and websites regarding the war years. Would you agree with me, that there were two Ashcroft players in the 1916/17 season, the mentioned goalkeeper Jimmy and a young player from Little Sutton, the latter should have played as a forward two games in the principal tournament.
In the same season Owen Williams played one game, but the Williams who played two games in season 1915/16 should be David “Dai” Williams.
In season 1918/19 all the Miller games and goals should be credited to Jack Miller. His brother Tom was in the Army until December and also banned by the FA until summer 1919.
If I’m right, we could report this information to Gudmundur.
Best regards
Torsten
Torsten Probst
March 16, 2013 at 1:22 pm
Hi Torsten,
Welcome to the website, and always good to know that there are a few of us with this passion for the club`s history. I have only completed the 1915-16 season on my own statistic sheet so can only for certain comment on that. Dai Williams is as I understand it correct.
I know I have noted down Ashcroft with a question mark. I am still not 100% convinced the goalkeeper is the old one, but will keep you updated if I find any conclusive facts. I think you are correct with Jack Miller as well, but I have not gone through Echo yet so will wait and see what I can find there. Echo was usually good at presenting players that suddenly appeared a day or two before the matches during WW1.
Also feel free to share with lfchistory.
Regards,
Kjell
kjehan
March 16, 2013 at 4:29 pm
Hello Kjell,
Great reading your website regarding the history of LFC. Nice to see the inclusion of my Grandfather Robert Waine. I have tried very hard to research him with LFC. Many years ago I heard many comments from people who saw him play, quoting his speed and trickery, and “could do anything with a football”, and most of all his size. He was only 5’3″ tall! He was known as Bobby Waine, the player who ran down the Anfield wing with his little legs and big heart. This was in a cutting from I think the Liverpool Echo, I remember the writer being Adam or Bob Lythgo. As a child I remember a scrap-book of photos and newspaper cuttings about him, but sadly this got mis-placed. There was a team photo in it that included him of a team that played in front of King George 5th. I can share a few stories about him if your interested. He never missed a cup final I played in when I was in my early 20′s. Always gave me help and advice. I wish I was as good as him!!
Keep up the good work
Best regards
Jeff
Jeff Waine
March 24, 2013 at 6:06 pm
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for the kind words and welcome to this football blog. I would love to hear histories you have of Bobby, and also please tell some about yourself as well. Unfortunately I do not have any images of Bobby. If you have one I would love to add it to one of the stories I have with him.
Best regards,
Kjell
kjehan
March 24, 2013 at 6:38 pm
Hi Kjell,
Thank you for your response. I am at the moment trying to research my Grandfathers footballing career, mainly to share with my children and grandchildren. For info I am 66 years old and as I said earlier my Grandfather never missed watching me in cup finals I played in. I played for a local team in Prescot/Whiston who played in an amateur Liverpool League. A couple of stories my grandfather told me was he remembered playing in a match watched by 70,000 plus crowd (Unrecorded) I am not sure whether this was the match watched by King George the 5th or not. I believe the King did travel to watch football matches at Manchester City around this time. I mentioned this to the LFC guide when visiting the club tour last year. He said that there was a match played around this time with a huge crowd but that was at Maine Road Manchester and not Anfield. Whether it was a exhibition match or competitive match I don’t know. What my grandfather did say was that the terracing collapsed and many supporters suffered broken limbs and were tended to on the touchline while the match carried on. I’m sure he wouldn’t have made that up, so more research is required on this one.
I posted a reply regarding Pivate Robert Waine, I’m sure there may have been a mix up there. Please see my reply. Applolgies to all if I am wrong.
Another story my Grandfather told me was how his career ended with Liverpool, again how accurate this is I don’t know, I wish I had taken more notice of the stories at the time.I believe when the football league was postponed during the first world war, teams from the north formed a Northern League I think called the Northern Merit League and teams from the South formed a league called the Southern Merit League. Liverpool played Tottenham at Anfield whether this was a “final” or not I don’t know. Tottenham were winning 1-0, Tottenham had a corner, the ball was cleared to my Grandfather who went the full length of the pitch, centred the ball and the Centre forward headed the equaliser!! Roy of the Rovers Stuff!! Unfotunately on centering the ball my granfather went down and couldn’t get up – both knees suffered Cartlidge damage. That was the end of that!! Again, obviously more research required on this story.
I don’t know much else about his playing career apart from he said he went to Port Vale. Records show a R Waine playing one game in 1918 for them.
In 1926 he emigrated to the USA with his wife and 3 sons. His wife (my Grandma) came from a farming family and my dad always told me they lived on a ranch in Pasadena Calafornia and Grandad used to train “Soccer” to the American children. This is what I am researching now. In the Census of Los Angelus of 1930 shows the family to be living in an apartment block with my grandfathers occupation as a farmer. I can’t see that but am waiting for a request for information from a Pasadena historian. If he replies I will let you know.
Due to the recession of the 1930′s the family returned home to Thatto Heath St Helens.
Grandad did have a roll as a Scout for New Brighton FC, then working in a Cable factory in Prescot Nr Liverpool until his retirement.
The only photo I have of him was at my wedding in 1968 when he was 74. I will try and post it via email to you, The medal on his chain was a gold medal won with liverpool, sadly missing but from memory was a runners up medal,it may be of interest to you to see the photo then you can see how tall he really was. On his left is Grandma who was only 5′ 6″
Hence, running down the Anfield wing with his little legs and big heart.
Happy researching
All the best
Jeff
Jeff Waine
March 26, 2013 at 6:16 pm
Hi Jeff,
I will need some time to check upon the stories. I don’t think Liverpool played Tottenham during WW1. It was restrictions in terms of how far a club could travel. You are correct about the King George and Manchester City. I will see if I can find any match linking Robert to such an event.
Before making his debut for Liverpool in December, 1915 – Robert played for a club named St. Helens Alexandra. He played 5 League gamaes and 2 friendly matches I believe that season. During the 1916/17 season he only played 1 match for Liverpool, and the reason for this was that he played matches for a team called “South Liverpool.” Now, South Liverpool acted almost as a feeder club for Liverpool, and since no player could be professional during the war, amateur status reigning, a player could play for which ever team he wanted.
In 1917/18 Robert was back with Liverpool and played 28 matches.
I have also seen articles about Robert participating in sprinting, and he he could run 70 yards in 7 seconds.
I will keep you posted on new findings.
By the way, there is a note in Liverpool Echo for November 3, 1916 about a Waine family were two brothers had been killed in action. Their names being: Herbert Waine (19 years) and Thomas Waine (36 years old). Thomas was killed earlier in the war. They were sons of Mr. and Mrs. Waine, living in 34, Noel Street. Do you know if they were related to Robert?
kjehan
March 26, 2013 at 7:10 pm
Hi Kjell, Many thanks for your extremely valuable information on my Grandad. It is appreciated so much. South Liverpool FC now play in the West Cheshire League. The interesting thing about them it was disbanded in 1921 then merged with New Brighton FC in the same year. So Grandad and Robert Junior still had ties with both clubs. My son has just found a photo of King George V being introduced to players in Circa 1920 at Hyde Road Manchester City’s ground prior to Maine Road, the crowd looks enormous. The match was Manchester City v Liverpool. Unfortunately Bobby Waine is not one of the players in view. I will send the photo on. Maybe this could be the match my grandfather talked about, but it is likely to be a later match. We have researched the two brothers and they seem to be no relation to Robert, but could have been a distant relative. The family originated from Manchester then moved to Noel street Toxteth Liverpool. Grandfathers family have always been associated with St. Helens. Best regards Jeff
mireli@talk21.com
March 26, 2013 at 7:59 pm
Hi Jeff
Have you seen this website, which outlines a player called Waine’s appearances with Liverpool:
http://www.11v11.com/players/waine-236919/
Small world. My great grandfather Tommy Cunliffe played for the ‘pool between 1916-17.
Regards
Ed
Ed Thomas
March 27, 2013 at 8:29 pm
Hi Ed and Jeff,
I have put together an excel sheet for all the matches Liverpool played during the 1915/16 season. I will have similar excel sheets for all seasons in the future, but this one is the first I have focused on. All statistics etc are from match reports from local newspapers, and some of the names of the players are more correct than from older books etc. This excel sheet contain even half time scores, what minute the goals were scored in and they name of the referee for each match.. I can send you both a copy of this excel sheet, if you want.
Drop me an email on “kjellhanssen@hotmail.com” and I will reply as fast as I can with a copy..
Regards,
Kjell
kjehan
March 27, 2013 at 10:20 pm
Hi Kjell,
If you have a copy of the above book, Liverpool a complete record 1892-1986 by Brian Pead, it gives you team sheets of every game played, shirt numbers, times of goals, scorers and attendances, attendance 28,000 v Everton 1917-18!! If you have not got the book, I will try and get one for you. Please let me know.
Best regards
Jeff
Jeff Waine
March 27, 2013 at 10:32 pm
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for the kind offer. It is already in my book collection, but I have found so many errors in it that I simply do not trust it, specially the years up until 1939.
By the way, when finding the first articles about Robert Waine more than a year ago I posted some questions for help about him in a football forum. I just found that posting again now. If you want to have a look, it is at, http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/soccerdatauk/message/1301
In regards to books about Liverpool I believe that a book called “Red men” by John William is the best together with the new “A complete record” by the guys behind lfchistory.net – http://www.lfchistory.net/Articles/Article/3216 that came out last year. Also there is a new series out now called “Liverpool Match by match” which is my kind of book, http://www.soccer.mistral.co.uk/books/liv2.htm.
The problems with football books, specially those that contain statistics is that more recent books blindly copies the information in older books. Take for example Jack Waine, and he is not the only one. I have most likely found a match in 1894 where the wrong goalkeeper is in the line up, and the poor lad, who probably played, has never got his solitary game in LFC history.
Regards and a Happy Easter,
Kjell
kjehan
March 29, 2013 at 11:57 am
Hi Kjell,
Many thanks for the links, I find them facinating. I am so disappointed my grandfathers scrap book went missing. I’m sure there would have been lot of interesting items/players names in it of interest to you. But you are doing a fantastic job. Keep up the good work! I am still trying to find out if the stories were true about my grandfather having a soccer training job in California around 1926-32. Not having much success though.
Take care
Happy Easter
Jeff
Jeff Waine
March 29, 2013 at 4:44 pm
Hi, Kjell.
The photo of ‘Fred Geary’ in the quiz is actully a shot of Edgar Chadwick.
All the best,
Cris freddi
Cris Freddi
May 5, 2013 at 1:46 am
Hi Cris,
Welcome to the website, and thanks for correcting me on that one. They absolutely do not look the same so bad on me.
Regards,
kjell
kjehan
May 5, 2013 at 3:14 am
Not a ‘bad’ mistake at all, Kjell. You should see some of the errors I’ve made!
Great website, of course.
All the best,
Cris
Cris Freddi
May 5, 2013 at 9:13 pm