10 of the best photos as Jordan Henderson hits a decade at Liverpool

Jordan Henderson has now been at Liverpool Football Club for 10 years, a rollercoaster ride that went from exit suggestions to a title-winning captain.

The day June 9, 2011, saw a fresh-faced Henderson arrive at Melwood as the first signing of Kenny Dalglish‘s second spell as Liverpool manager, moving from boyhood club Sunderland for £16 million.

What would follow would be far from smooth sailing, with the No. 14 having to defy his critics season upon season – but his quality as a player and a person was always going to shine through.

Henderson’s story is one of fierce determination, and here we’ve picked out our 10 favourite pictures that document his Liverpool journey throughout each season.

 

The arrival

The debut season in 2011/12 saw Henderson play a prominent role for Dalglish, featuring 48 times across three different competitions.

His debut would come against his former team in Sunderland and his debut goal just two weeks later against Bolton. And he would end the campaign with his first trophy in the form of the League Cup.

 

The struggle

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 2, 2013: Liverpool's Jordan Henderson rues a missed chance against Sunderland during the Premiership match at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Just a season later and Henderson’s Anfield future hit a rocky road as Brendan Rodgers arrived and told him he was free to join Fulham as part of an exchange for Clint Dempsey.

The answer would be no and the rest, as they say, is history. Henderson proved Rodgers wrong and by the end of 2012/13, where he made 44 appearances, his importance to the side was made known.

 

The barometer

LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, December 15, 2013: Liverpool's Jordan Henderson celebrates scoring the second goal against Tottenham Hotspur during the Premiership match at White Hart Lane. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The metronome of the enthralling 2013/14 title race, Henderson shot into prominence with his unrelenting performances as Liverpool aimed to do the unlikely – also aided by his four goals and seven assists.

He’d start 35 of the 38 league games that season, where his three-game suspension would prove decisive in the destination of the title.

 

The mainstay

LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 10, 2015: Liverpool's captain Steven Gerrard hands the captain's armband on to Jordan Henderson during the Premier League match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The 2014/15 campaign remains the No. 14’s most productive in all of his 10 years at Anfield having amassed 54 outings – six more than his second-best of 48 in his debut year.

Liverpool as a collective could not reach their previous highs, however, but the season did see a number of memorable goals – including three in a row against Man City, Burnley and Swansea.

 

The captain

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Boxing Day, Saturday, December 26, 2015: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp celebrates the 1-0 victory over Leicester City with captain Jordan Henderson during the Premier League match at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

A significant step in his Liverpool career saw Steven Gerrard hand over the captain’s armband to Henderson, hurdles would come as a result but Henderson would ultimately forge his own path.

And that would mostly come under the tutelage of Jurgen Klopp, with the German arriving just two months into a season – a League Cup final defeat would be coupled with injury ensuring he would play no part in the Europa League final loss.

 

The heart

LONDON, ENGLAND - Friday, September 16, 2016: Liverpool's captain Jordan Henderson celebrates scoring the second goal against Chelsea with team-mate Dejan Lovren during the FA Premier League match at Stamford Bridge. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

A switch to a deep-lying midfield role would then open the doors to praise for the captain as he showed off a different set of skills.

The stunner at Stamford Bridge, his only goal of the season, would be a key highlight before a foot injury saw his year come to an early close in February.

 

The oh so close

KIEV, UKRAINE - Saturday, May 26, 2018: Liverpool's captain Jordan Henderson looks dejected as his side lose during the UEFA Champions League Final match between Real Madrid CF and Liverpool FC at the NSC Olimpiyskiy. Real Madrid won 3-1. (Pic by Peter Powell/Propaganda)

Henderson would then return to a team with Champions League football beckoning, where he led his side with distinction on their wild and enjoyable ride to the final.

It would end in heartbreak but the Reds would be back without delay.

 

The European Cup-winning captain

MADRID, SPAIN - SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2019: Liverpool's captain Jordan Henderson lifts the trophy after the UEFA Champions League Final match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at the Estadio Metropolitano. Liverpool won 2-0 tp win their sixth European Cup. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

A Premier League and Champions League season to remember, the first would end without the desired result but the latter would cement Henderson’s name into an illustrious list of five.

The skipper was spellbinding in his pursuit of glory for his club and his move back into an attacking midfield role offered a new lease on life and he would celebrate with a European Cup.

 

The wait is over

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, July 22, 2020: Liverpool's captain Jordan Henderson (C) celebrate with Virgil van Dijk and the Premier League trophy as the Reds are crowned Champions after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield. The game was played behind closed doors due to the UK government’s social distancing laws during the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

We then got to see the Henderson shuffle a further three times in 2019/20, with the Super Cup, Club World Cup and Premier League title all following in what was a display of supremacy from Klopp’s men.

A season like no other would end without the presence of fans as the pandemic hit, but the moment hit all the same as Henderson became the first Red to lift a league title in 30 years.

 

The decade

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, December 27, 2020: Liverpool's captain Jordan Henderson during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and West Bromwich Albion FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Another string to his bow was showed off in 2020/21 as he was asked to play at centre-back amid an injury crisis before he too would succumb to end his campaign prematurely once more.

But while his time on the pitch was limited, his influence and presence remained everpresent as he fought and continues to fight for change off the field.

Now, what’s next for our skipper?