Please be informed that a former footballer from Liverpool has just passed away today. 😔

There is a certain generation of Liverpool supporters who would not even be familiar with the name Larry Lloyd, but for many of them, he was an essential component of a squad that was going through a transformation at Anfield.

The fact that Bill Shankly once spent six seasons without winning a trophy for the Reds and that Lloyd was a member of his final team that was set to become Bob Paisley’s juggernaut is so astounding that it seems almost unbelievable to even try to explain it.

In light of the arduous challenge of having to replace Ron Yeats at the heart of defense, it was the generation of a fearless and tough-tackling center-back, and these were attributes that the enforcer, who was born in Bristol, most certainly possessed.Geoff Twentyman, the head scout, was struck with the tall defender’s overwhelming dominance and leadership, and he pushed for a contract to be finalized with Bristol Rovers.

Although the towering defender was not the quickest or the most technically talented player, he was impressive nonetheless.

During his conversation with his new player, the famed Scottish manager made the following statement: “Larry, I have arrived at the conclusion that you would kick your grandmother for a fiver!”The response that he gave, which was, “I would actually kick her for half of that!”, demonstrated to everyone what characteristics the new man possessed.

However, starting in the final six games of the 1969–1970 season demonstrated to everyone what the future was going to be like. Appearances were difficult to come by throughout the first season of the season.

During the following season, Lloyd established himself as a mainstay, and he missed only two league matches.This occurred during a year in which the Reds achieved a fifth-place finish in the First Division and Alun Evans scored 15 goals, which was a club high.

These results demonstrated that the Reds were not the same as their impenetrable past personalities.

For Liverpool fans and players, the 1971 FA Cup final was a chance for redemption; however, Charlie George’s extra-time winner left them broken.

It wasn’t until Shankly stood on the steps of St. George’s Hall and picked the red half of the city back up that they were able to find their ground again.

When the Reds were unable to win the Charity Shield, it laid the stage for another season of despair; yet, they were able to replenish their batteries and mount an improbable assault on the title of First Division champions once more.
A finish in third place did not tell the whole tale, as on the final day of the season, when a victory over Arsenal would have resulted in league success, a questionable goal that was disallowed meant that the game finished in a scoreless draw, and Derby won the championship.