Tommy Lawrence - Life and Playing Career

Life and Playing Career

Born Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland, The Lawrence family moved to the north-west of England when Tommy was a child. He Had 1 Brother And 1 sister. He worked in a wire factory and played for Warrington Town F.C. as an amateur until Liverpool manager Phil Taylor offered him a professional contract in 1957 at the age of 17.

It would be another 5 years before he finally made his first team debut under manager Bill Shankly. His chance came when Shankly chose him to play against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on 27 October 1962. W.B.A spoilt the day for Lawrence by beating the Reds 1-0. His first clean-sheet came a month later on 17 November when fellow promotion hopefuls Leyton Orient visited Anfield. The result was a 5-0 victory for Liverpool with Roger Hunt scoring a hat-trick.

Tommy went on to retain the No.1 jersey that season making 35 appearances including 6 ties in Liverpool's run to the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough. Leicester City were their opponents and prevented the Reds from reaching the Wembley showdown by winning the game 1-0.

Liverpool had finished in a very respectable 8th place in their first season back in the 1st Division. However, this achievement was tempered by the fact that their Merseyside rivals Everton won the 1962-63 league championship. Shankly's ambition was to make Liverpool into the best side in England, but first he would have to conquer their city rivals.

The following season Lawrence was a major part of Shankly's plan for footballing dominance and he played 40 times out of a possible 42. He also played in 5 cup ties as Liverpool got the better of their local rivals. They also won the 1963-64 league championship, 5 points clear of the Toffees who could only finish 3rd behind the Reds and 1 point adrift of Liverpool's bitter rivals Manchester United.

In the 1964-65 season Lawrence and Liverpool were unable to repeat the previous season's achievements, finishing in 7th place and a full 17 points behind winners Manchester United. However, Liverpool's run in the F.A Cup took them to Wembley for the first time since their 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in 1950. The Anfield club had never won the prestigious trophy so the final to be held on 1 May 1965 assumed great importance, especially for their fans.

On their way to Wembley the Reds overcame West Brom 2-1 away; this after losing 3-0 in the corresponding league fixture 2 months earlier. They then faced Stockport County and drew 1-1 at home winning 2-0 at Edgeley Park. Bolton Wanderers were next and another clean-sheet for Lawrence followed after a 1-0 victory. Liverpool's semi-final conquerors of the previous season followed, Lawrence's goal remained intact as the Reds gained a 0-0 draw with Leicester at Filbert Street, another clean-sheet followed and Liverpool went through by a goal to nil.

The Semi-final draw was mouth-watering with Man United, Chelsea and Leeds United joining Liverpool in the last 4. Leeds drew Manchester United and Liverpool faced Chelsea with the tie to be played at Villa Park on 27 April. Leeds and United drew 0-0 at Hillsborough so after Lawrence had kept yet another clean-sheet and Liverpool had beat the Stamford Bridge club 2-0 they had to wait to find out who they would face in the final. Former red Matt Busby's Man United and Don Revie's Leeds went head-to-head once more, this time at the City Ground home of Nottingham Forest, the champions elect could not prevent the runners-up getting the better of them as Leeds won the tight affair 1-0.

Leeds had conceded just 2 goals during their run to the final but so had Lawrence so a tight game was predicted, this turned out to be the case with Tommy keeping a clean-sheet during the 90 minutes of normal time, unfortunately the Reds frontmen couldn't break through Gary Sprake's net so the 1965 FA Cup Final went into extra-time. After 3 minutes of the extra period Hunt opened the scoring for Liverpool but the lead lasted just 2 minutes as Lawrence's goal was breached as Billy Bremner scored the equaliser, the score remained 1-1 and the game looked to be heading for a replay until the 113th minute when Ian St John headed home past a tiring Leeds defence. Liverpool held on to the final whistle and the F.A Cup was heading to Anfield for the very first time with Shankly, Lawrence and the rest of the Liverpool team writing their name down as Liverpool legends forever more.

Lawrence was to enjoy more success the following season as the Reds found their league form once more, winning the 1965/66 title by 6 clear points over a Leeds side that were surely beginning to hate the site of, Shankly must have been overjoyed at the fact that Everton finished a full 20 points adrift of his beloved Liverpool.

Such was his form, consistency and luck (he was rarely injured) that he missed only a handful of games for eight years thereafter. A firm fan favourite he earned the affectionate nickname The Flying Pig because of his ability to dive around the penalty area despite weighing more than 14 stone (89 kg).

Lawrence held off the challenge of precocious teenage keeper Ray Clemence when the youngster arrived from Scunthorpe United in 1967 but Liverpool were already going through a slump as the team aged. Though Lawrence was not the eldest and as a goalkeeper was considered the sort of player who could carry on for longer than most, he was suddenly removed from the team in favour of Clemence after the notorious 1-0 6th round FA Cup defeat at Watford in 1970 He played for Liverpool only once again (against Manchester City in a 2-2 draw at Maine Road on 26 April 1971.

During his time at Liverpool, he won 3 caps for Scotland, his debut came on 3 June 1963 in a friendly international at Dalymount Park, Dublin, Unfortunately for Lawrence the Republic of Ireland won the match 1-0. Tommy never managed to keep a clean-sheet at national level, his 2 other appearances, both 6 years later in 1969, being a 1-1 draw with West Germany in a World Cup qualifier and a 5-3 victory over Wales in a British Home Championship match, during his last international appearance, against Wales, Lawrence collided with the crossbar thus having to be carried off.

After 390 appearances in the Liverpool goal Lawrence joined Tranmere Rovers on 10 November 1971, he then drifted back into the non-league game with Chorley before retiring. Upon retirement, Lawrence went to work as a quality controller back at the same wire factory he had briefly worked during his youth.