Brian Hall

Liverpool

After his move to study in Liverpool a friend of his arranged a trial for Liverpool. He signed at Anfield as an amateur in 1965. Three years later he turned professional after completing his degree. Hall made his debut in a 0-0 league draw with Stoke City at the Victoria Ground on 7 April 1969. After two further substitute appearances he broke into the first team in autumn of the 1970/71 season. He replaced the injured Ian Callaghan on the right wing. Shankly was sufficiently impressed to move Callaghan on his return into a central midfield role to accommodate them both. His first goal was in the semi-final of the FA Cup against Merseyside rivals Everton at Old Trafford on 27 March 1971 with a dramatic 75th minute volley to clinch a 2-1 comeback. Hall played in the 1971 FA Cup Final and was one of Liverpool's brighter performers on the day. Arsenal came back to win the game 2-1 after extra time. Two years later, he was part of the team which won both the 1972–73 Football League and 1972–73 UEFA Cup. Hall started the home first leg of that 1973 UEFA Cup Final against Borussia Mönchengladbach, but the game was abandoned after 27 minutes due to a downpour. Shankly in watching those 27 minutes before the game was abandoned felt the German defence was suspect in the air. He changed his starting line up for the re-arranged game the following evening. Shankly brought in tall forward John Toshack to the starting line up instead demoting Hall to appearing only as an…

The profile of Hall on the Liverpool FC website says, "He was an industrious player who always gave his all for Liverpool. Hall was small in stature, but clever and a very efficient footballer. Bill Shankly liked those attributes. He became a vital part of the team Shankly rebuilt in the early 70s." In his obituary in The Independent he is described, "Hall tended to be an unobtrusive performer not often given to spectacular interventions, although his adroitly hooked volley which beat Everton in an FA Cup semi-final at Old Trafford in 1971 was a glorious exception. His forte was foraging ceaselessly for the ball then passing it with the minimum of fuss to the nearest red shirt in time-honoured Liverpool fashion. He kept moves flowing and could invariably be relied on to support the man in possession, embodying the messianic Shankly's devotion to the creed of the collective." The same obituary further described him as, "skilful, wirily resilient... making light of a slight deficiency in pace by his ceaseless industry.

Liverpool

Football League First Division: 1972–73, 1975–76 FA Cup: 1973–74; runner-up: 1970–71 FA Charity Shield: 1974 UEFA Cup: 1972–73, 1975–76