When Liverpool’s top all-time goalscorer won a trophy in just his second game

June 24, 2022
Joanna Durkan

As dream starts at a club go, Ian Rush enjoyed a particularly exceptional one at Liverpool having seen a winner’s medal adorn his neck after just his second game in 1981.

A player is always eager to make an impression from the off, lay down a marker and settle into the side with a solid foundation under their feet.

Liverpool have seen plenty do just that, Luis Diaz the latest after his barnstorming start to life at Anfield that returned two trophies in 24 appearances.

And while his first, the League Cup, after just six games was impressive, Rush has his number having lifted that very same trophy after what was just his second game for Liverpool.

Rush arrived in 1980 after Bob Paisley agreed to part with £300,000 to Chester for the 19-year-old, a deal that was the start of the forward’s Liverpool legend.

But his first season was a little more understated than what would follow, but in April 1981, Rush would be turned to by Paisley for Liverpool’s League Cup final replay against West Ham, after a 1-1 draw in the initial match.

It was only his second appearance and the second start for the Reds, lining up alongside Sir Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen, Ray Kennedy, Phil Thompson and Ray Clemence.

He would not etch his name on the scoresheet in the 2-1 win, Dalglish and Hansen had that honour, but that day Rush would lift the first of his 15 major honours for Liverpool.

“I played two games and had a winner’s medal,” Rush recalled with the EFL.

The first trophy from his first of 78 League Cup outings, which would end with a further four triumphs in the competition and a total of 48 goals – a competition record that is yet to be broken.

“To be the record goal-scorer for this Cup, along with Sir Geoff Hurst, is something special. Records are there to be broken but I’m proud that I’ve still got this one so far,” Rush said.

“We won it four times running and that’s how much we wanted to win it.

“We wanted to win that, we wanted to win the European Cup and the FA Cup; we wanted to win everything.”

And that they did, and it continued with Rush going on to also lift the European Cup in his debut season, making up a Liverpool career that spanned 660 games and a jaw-dropping 346 goals.