 ALBERT STUBBINS Born: 17/7/1919
Other clubs: Newcastle United, Ashington.
Liverpool appearances: 180.
Goals: 83.
Honours: First Division Championship 1946/47. IT'S an honour that transcends football. Albert Stubbins is the only footballer to take pride of place on the cover of The Beatles' Sergeant Pepper album, giving him almost iconic status. Growing up in post-war Liverpool, Lennon and McCartney would have been all too aware of the fans' fondness for the giant Geordie. Stubbins' prolific goals tally at Newcastle convinced Liverpool to stump up a then club record £13,000 to bring him south in 1946. Interestingly, it was while he was at the cinema that he learned of the Reds' interest. A message was flashed onto the screen asking him to report to St James' Park. He arrived to find representatives of Liverpool and Everton keen to sign him. The story goes that it was on the toss of a coin that Stubbins opted for Anfield rather than Goodison. The Blues' loss was very much Liverpool's gain. His arrival in a team that included Billy Liddell and Bob Paisley sparked a 12-match unbeaten run that took the club to the top of the league and gave them the First Division title. That season both Stubbins and strike partner Jack Balmer claimed 24 league goals each. Stubbins' goal exploits with the Reds included a debut strike against Bolton and a memorable diving header on a frozen pitch during an FA Cup tie against Birmingham. He also claimed all four in a hammering of Huddersfield. But after the early success his Anfield career was to take a turn for the worse. Stubbins had failed to settle on Mersey-side and yearned for a return to his native North East. Liverpool refused to let him go and the two sides fell out. For two months, Stubbins refused to sign a new contract, but he finally relented and committed his future to the Reds. However, his problems were only just beginning. A long string of injuries meant he was unable to recapture his early form - he reached double figures in the scoring charts just once more in his career. Stubbins retired in 1954 and after a spell on the club's scouting staff he briefly became the coach of the USA national team before returning to Britain to try his hand at journalism. He died last December aged 83. | 
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