Tommy Lawrence

Tommy Lawrence (born Ayrshire, Scotland, 14th May 1940) was the goalkeeper in the first great Liverpool team under legendary manager Bill Shankly.

Related Topics:
Ayrshire - Scotland - 14th May - 1940 - Goalkeeper - Liverpool - Bill Shankly

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Lawrence arrived at Anfield as an amateur in 1956, having moved to the north-west of England as a child with his family. He worked in a wire factory until he was offered a professional contract at the age of 17.

Related Topics:
Anfield - 1956 - England

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He made his first team debut in 1962 and such was his form and consistency (and luck - he was rarely injured) that he missed only a handful of games for eight years thereafter. He was between the posts when Liverpool won the League championship in 1964 and 1966 and the club's first FA Cup in 1965. The fans nicknamed him The Flying Pig because of his ability to dive around the penalty area despite weighing more than 14 stone (89 kg).

Related Topics:
1962 - League championship - 1964 - 1966 - FA Cup - 1965 - Nickname - Stone

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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 a notorious FA Cup defeat in 1970 and never played for Liverpool again. He joined Tranmere Rovers in 1971 and then drifted into the non-league game before retiring. During his time at Liverpool, he also won three caps for Scotland.

Related Topics:
Ray Clemence - Scunthorpe United - 1967 - 1970 - Tranmere Rovers - 1971 - Scotland

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On retirement, Lawrence went to work as a quality controller back at the same wire factory where he'd briefly worked in his youth.

Related Topics:
Quality control - Wire

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