Cohorts of the Kop - Steve Heighway

In this first of a brand new series, LFC Online's Chris Maddox delves into the annals of Liverpool's illustrious history and recalls some of the club's all-time great players. Footballing thoroughbreds who have graced the Anfield stage – true Cohorts of the Kop.

In the summer of 2005, Rafael Benitez focused his attention on giving the youth team a helping hand, bolstering the ranks by bringing in a number of promising youngsters from these shores and Europe. That team has since gelled impressively under the guidance of academy director Steve Heighway and with that side proudly in the FA Youth Cup final for the first time in a decade, there's perhaps no better way to start this series than with ‘Pool's former wing wizard.

Heighway was born in Dublin on 25/11/1947, and was playing for Lancashire non-league outfit Skelmersdale United when he was earmarked as a potential Liverpool target.

His speed and proficient ball control was seen as something Liverpool could harness and the 22-year-old was promptly snapped up by Bill Shankly in May 1970. The Scottish manager was slowly rebuilding a once aging Liverpool squad, piece by piece.

The young Heighway made his debut on August 29th, 1970 against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns, with the match ending 1-1. The Midland's side, a hardworking but unspectacular outfit, had languished near the bottom half of the table all season, eventually finishing 17th from 22. Yet during this season Albion still managed to take an impressive four points off Shanks' Redmen.

Heighway had a lot to live up to, he was stepping into a prodigious royal line of Anfield wingers, a list that included such esteemed names as Billy Liddell, Ian Callaghan and Peter Thompson. You could have certainly excused the lad if he had felt slightly nervous.

Heighway's slight of foot, accomplished crossing, speed and knack of scoring goals, quickly endeared the young Irishman to the Anfield faithful. His constant running up and down the wings would regularly have the crowd in raptures.

Heighway finished his debut season with a solid collection of 7 goals, placing him in joint-second with fellow newcomer, John Toshack who himself had been the beneficiary of some of Heighway's crossing on more than one occasion.

In that first season Heighway even scored in the FA Cup final against Arsenal, but in front of a capacity crowd of 100,000 at Wembley, it wasn't enough to stop the Reds losing 2-1.

For Liverpool, it was another 5th placed finish in the league, mirroring the season before, (it had now been five years since the club had last been crowned champions of England). Liverpool finished 14 points behind champions and double-winners Arsenal and, although disappointing because of the FA Cup final defeat, the season was very much seen as another step in the progress of Shankly's evolving side.

In total, Steve Heighway's 10-year stay at Liverpool saw him play a total of 475 games, scoring 76 goals before leaving for the USA to play out the twilight of his career for Minnesota Kicks in 1981.

In all, Heighway picked up nine pieces of silverware, these included: European Cup – 1977, 1978; First Division title – 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979; FA Cup – 1974; UEFA Cup – 1973, 1976.

Now, Heighway draws on his successes and experiences as a player to the benefit of Liverpool's fledgling youngsters, guiding them in the moral code of the Liverpool way, helping them develop so that one day they might just become a Cohort of the Kop.