Ian Rush is a Welsh former professional footballer who played for Liverpool Football Club. He was a striker for them from 1980 until 1987 when he then joined Italian club Juventus for a fee of £3.2m. He only spent one season in Italy before he returned back to Liverpool for £2.7m in August 1988 where he then stayed until the summer of 1996.
Whilst at Liverpool he made 660 appearances for them and he currently remains their all-time leading goal scorer with a total of 346 goals in all competitions. During his time at the club he helped them win 5 League Division One Titles, 3 FA Cups, 5 League Cups, 4 Charity Shields, 2 European Cups and the Football League Super Cup.
MY IDOL
Ian Rush was my idol during my teen years and I always tried to emulate him whenever I played football with my friends. I had to have the same Nike football boots as him and I remember wearing a curbed gold chain around my neck because he wore one too.
For the majority of his time at Liverpool he wore the number 9 jersey and so whenever I got the latest replica Liverpool kit I'd save my pocket money so that I could get a number 9 put onto the back of my jersey top.
I can remember being devastated when I learnt that he was leaving Liverpool for Juventus and I recall writing a letter to him via Liverpool FC to ask for his top after he'd played his last game for the club.
God knows how many other teenage lads my age wrote to ask for the same thing. In fairness Liverpool did reply to my letter and I received the autographs of a few Liverpool players including Ian Rush's on a piece of glossy paper.
Imagine my delight when he returned back to Liverpool a season later after an unsuccessful spell in Italy.
Ian Rush playing for Juventus
1986 FA CUP FINAL
The highlight of my time being a Liverpool supporter and avid Ian Rush fan as a teen was the 1986 FA Cup Final against Everton at Wembley Stadium. I can remember the build up to the game that day as it was televised and we got to see the players on the team coach as it made it's way to the stadium.
There were red or blue team flags draped over the windows of most houses in my local area and everyone was looking forward to the game that afternoon because they were either Liverpool or Everton supporters. By kickoff time all streets were deserted and everyone was sat in front of the television to watch the game.
The game kicked off at 3pm that day and Liverpool went a goal behind after 27 minutes when Gary Lineker opened the scoring. It was an exciting first half but Liverpool failed to equalize and went into the half time interval trailing. The second half was much better and 11 minutes after the break my idol "Rushie" equalised for Liverpool Then in the 62nd minute Craig Johnston scored a second for Liverpool putting them into the lead and then Ian Rush sealed the victory with a thunderbolt strike in the 83rd minute.
What a match and what a win!
Scoring against Everton in the 1986 FA Cup Final
Liverpool celebrating their FA Cup win
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