|
|
 |
| Nickname:
|
| Date
of Birth: 18/09/1958 |
| Squad
number: |
| With the Reds:
1987 - 1990 |
| Height: |
| Weighh |
| Debut: 21st
February 1987 as a sub in a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa (Aged: 26) |
| 1st team
games: 104 |
| 1st team
goals: 63 |
| International
caps with Liverpool: 69 Republic of Ireland |
| International
goals with Liverpool: |
| Characteristics:
|
| Former
clubs: South Liverpool, Newport County, Oxford United, Real Sociedad, Tranmere
Rovers (as player then manager) |
| Birth
Place: Liverpool |
| Honours:
1 Division One Champions 1987-88, 1 FA Cup 1988-89, 1 Charity Shield 1988 |
| Personal Honours: |
| Fact: |
| Website: |
|
|
|
|
League |
FA Cup |
FL Cup |
Total |
| Seasons |
App |
Gls |
App |
Gls |
App |
Gls |
App |
Gls |
| Newport Co |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1979-90 |
30 |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1980-81 |
27 |
7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1981-82 |
36 |
11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1982-83 |
41 |
17 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1983-84 |
28 |
20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Oxford Utd |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1983-84 |
8 |
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1984-85 |
42 |
30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1985-86 |
39 |
23 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1986-87 |
25 |
15 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1986-87 |
2/8 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1987-88 |
36 |
26 |
6 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
| 1988-89 |
31/4 |
21 |
6 |
6 |
4/1 |
2 |
|
|
| 1989-90 |
0/1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Total |
69/13 |
50 |
12 |
8 |
7/1 |
3 |
88/14 |
61 |
|
Transferred from Newport Co on 21/3/1984 for 78,000
pounds
Transferred from Oxford Utd to Liverpool on 27/1/1987 for 750,000
pounds
Transferred from Liverpool to Real Sociedad on 19901.1 million
pounds
Transferred to Tranmere Rovers from Real Sociedad in July 1991 for
250,000 pounds
PROFILE
 One
of British football's all-time great goalscorers, former Kop fan Aldridge bore an uncanny
resemblance to Ian Rush and, after his 750,000 pounds signing from Oxford in January 1987,
he took over the great Welsh star's role when Rush moved to Juventus at the end of that
season.
He made his Liverpool debut at Villa Park as a substitute in a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa
in February 1987. Then in true Roy of the Rovers style Aldridge marked his Anfield debut
with a goal, his fantastic header flying past Southampton's Peter Shilton at the Anfield
Road end.
'Aldo', as he was nicknamed, proved a huge success, linking up with other new captures
John Barnes and Peter Beardsley in Kenny Dalglish's re-shaped team for the 1987-88 season.
He scored in every one of the first nine games of that unforgettable campaign and his 26
goals in 36 outings fuelled Liverpool's drive to the title and a record equalling
29-matches unbeaten from the start of the season.
But Aldridge and Liverpool missed out on the double when Wimbledon's Dave Beasant saved
his FA Cup Final penalty. However, the Merseyside-born Republic of Ireland striker, who
launched his career with South Liverpool and Newport, resumed normal scoring business the
following season, even though Rush had by now returned after only one season in Italy.
Aldridge returned to Wembley to collect a FA Cup winners medal in 1989 and scored the
first goal in a 3-2 win over Everton. The next season Aldo prepared to leave Anfield in a
1.1 million pounds move to Spanish club Real Sociedad, but before he packed his bags for
Spain there was the matter of leaving Anfield with a goal.
In true Aldo style he bid his adoring fans a fond farewell, coming off the bench to score
a penalty in front of the Kop in the 9-0 destruction of Crystal Palace in September 1989.
At the final whistle an emotional Aldridge repaid the supporters for their support by
throwing his boots and shirt into the crowd.
After a successful time in Spain, where he became a big favourite with the Sociedad fans,
the lure of home and Merseyside proved too irresistible to turn down. He joined Tranmere
Rovers for 250,000 pounds in 1991 and equalled the club scoring record by hitting 40 goals
in his first season, becoming player boss five years later.
Aldridge finally hung up his boots in 1998, shortly before his 40th birthday. In a club
and country career spanning 882 appearances and 474 goals, he overtook Jimmy Greaves' as
British Football's record goalscorer and was honoured with a benefit match against the
Liverpool side of 1987-88.
As manager at Prenton Park he guided Tranmere to Wembley in the 2000 Worthington Cup Final
and his team gave an excellent account of themselves before narrowly losing 2-1 to
Leicester City.
The following season with Tranmere struggling at the bottom of Division One, Aldridge
resigned as manager of the Wirral club and is presently working in a variety of media
roles, and plays for the Liverpool old boys team in the Masters series.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
1987 v Scotland, Bulgaria, Belgium, Brazil, Luxembourg; 1988 v Bulgaria, Poland, Norway,
England, USSR, Holland; 1989 v Northern Ireland, Tunisia, Spain, France, Hungary, Malta
(sub), Hungary, West Germany (19) |
