Full Time Player
Moran was born in Crosby, Liverpool, and began his footballing career at Liverpool as an apprentice electrician playing with the 'C' team. Originally a left back, Moran signed professional terms for manager Don Welsh in January 1952 and subsequently made his debut in a 3-2 defeat at Derby County on 22 November 1952, at the age of 18 years old.
It was in season 1955-56 that Moran established himself as Liverpool's first choice number three. The Reds were languishing in the Second Division at this time but Moran, a good marker who was rarely beaten by a winger for pace and was also something of a penalty expert, proved himself a consistent performer missing only six games between 1955 and 1959. Unfortunately he always hit his penalties low and to the goalkeepers' right and nearer the end of his playing career he became 'known' for this and had a number saved by the goalies .
He was rewarded for his sterling service towards the latter part of the decade when he was handed the club captaincy. In 1961-62, after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, he played sixteen games as the Reds finally regained their top-flight status and two seasons later was part of the Division One Championship winning side missing only seven games all season.
Injury problems then began to set in and he missed out to Gerry Byrne for the left back slot in the 1965 FA Cup Final win over Leeds United. He did, however, play in the famous Anfield victory over Internazionale three days later before playing his last competitive game for the Reds in the awesome setting of the San Siro stadium when Liverpool were controversially beaten in the second leg of the European Cup semi-final.
Read more about this topic: Ronnie Moran
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