David Fairclough
Encyclopedia
David Fairclough is a retired English
footballer, most famous for playing for Liverpool
as a striker during the 1970s and 80s.
Fairclough was born in inner city Liverpool and as a child moved to the new Cantril Farm housing estate in the 1960s
due to slum clearances. He rose through the Liverpool ranks as a boy and made his debut for the club on the 1 November 1975 in the 1–0 league win over Middlesbrough
at Ayresome Park
. As the season progressed, Fairclough scored seven crucial goals in just 14 appearances to land Liverpool the League championship
– nine of these appearances were as substitute. David's first goal for the club came 3 days after his debut on the 4 November 1975, it came during the 6–0 hammering of Spanish
side Real Sociedad
at Anfield
in a UEFA Cup
2nd round 2nd leg tie.
The pecking order of strikers at the club saw Fairclough trailing behind the dream duo of Kevin Keegan
and John Toshack
, as well as England
centre forward David Johnson. As the next season got underway, Fairclough found himself rising up to third in the ranks due to a succession of injuries to Toshack, meaning he was substitute more than ever.
His most famous Liverpool goal came at Anfield
as a substitute in a crucial European Cup
quarter final against the French side St Etienne
. Liverpool had been a goal adrift from the first leg in France
, and 2–1 up in the home return. The aggregate score was level therefore at 2–2 but St Etienne were still in command due to their away goal. Liverpool therefore needed to score again to win the tie but time was running out.
Manager Bob Paisley
sent Fairclough on in the last 20 minutes of the game and the red-haired striker, only just 20 years old, responded in style. Only six minutes remained when Fairclough ran on to a long ball upfield and held off two St Etienne defenders. He prodded the ball home at the famous Kop end and Anfield
had one of its greatest ever footballing nights. As the roar of the Kop screamed, Anfield folklore says that the roar could be heard 3 miles away. ITV
commentator Gerald Sinstadt
famously bellowed: "Supersub strikes again!"
Liverpool won the League title again and also reached the FA Cup
final at Wembley, as well as the European Cup final in Rome
. Fairclough was not picked at all for the Wembley match as Paisley went for veteran winger Ian Callaghan
on the bench (in this era, domestic football teams were permitted just one substitute). Liverpool lost to Manchester United
. However, he was a substitute for the night in Rome (European fixtures allowed five substitutes) which Liverpool won 3–1. He then scored a goal in each leg as Liverpool overcame Kevin Keegan's Hamburg in the 1977 UEFA Super Cup
Final.
However, the following year Liverpool reached the European Cup final again and this time Fairclough started the match. A 1–0 victory over Club Brugge
retained the trophy for Liverpool. He managed 29 league appearances that season, scoring 10 goals, but the Reds were beaten to both the league title and the Football League Cup
by a newly promoted Nottingham Forest
side who came out of nowhere to be a dominant force under manager Brian Clough
.
In 1978–79
, Liverpool regained their league championship crown but Fairclough did not play enough games to seal another title medal, as he had played just four times in the league (scoring twice).
Fairclough's scored his one and only Liverpool hat-trick
on the 9 February 1980 during the thrilling 5–3 league victory over Norwich City
at Carrow Road
, the goals came in the 4th, 18th and 75th minutes, Kenny Dalglish
(88th) and Jimmy Case
(89th) guaranteed a late win for the Reds. However, his league chances were still restricted that season, as he played just 14 league games and scored five goals.
Fairclough spent another five years at Anfield in what was a golden era for the club, he was mostly out of the first team. He was a prolific scorer in the reserves, but the phenomenal partnership of Dalglish and emerging goalscorer Ian Rush
rendered him surplus to first team requirements – the two main strikers also rarely were injured – by the 1982–83 season
, when he scored three times in eight league games but failed to play enough games to merit a title medal. He had also failed to make the squad for the League Cup victories of the previous two seasons, and in the 1981–82
(when the Reds won another league title as well as the League Cup) he did not play a single first team game.
The supersub tag ultimately shrouded his number of first team starts with Liverpool – of his 153 appearances, only 61 were from the bench. He scored 55 goals (34 of them in the league), averaging a goal every 2¾ games.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=39838
David left Liverpool on the 4 July 1983 joining NASL
side Toronto Blizzard
, he then moved on to Swiss
side FC Lucerne
before returning to England
to have spells with Norwich
and Oldham Athletic
. He plied his trade abroad once more at Belgium
club Beveren
returning to home shores for stints with Rochdale, Tranmere Rovers
and Wigan Athletic
, he ended his playing days at non-league Knowsley.
David is still a firm favourite amongst the Anfield faithful and was voted in at No.18 on the 2006 poll 100 Players Who Shook The Kop. The poll was conducted by the Reds official web-site, 110,000 supporters worldwide took part listing their favourite 10 Liverpool players of all-time.
Ironically, David's 18th place was higher than John Toshack's 34th and David Johnson's 77th positions, two of the players that prevented David from gaining more Liverpool appearances.
David was married to Jan Fairclough who died on April 9, 2011. Jan collapsed suddenly on the morning of April 6th of a brain hemorrhage and died 3 days later. A minute of silence was held for Jan (as well as the 96 Hillsborough victims and Mark Burgan, a soldier from Liverpool) at Anfield before a Liverpool vs. Manchester City match on April 11, 2011. David and Jan have two children, Tom and Sophie.
David suffered a minor heart attack on 3 October 2010, at the age of 53, but is expected to make a full recovery.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer, most famous for playing for Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
as a striker during the 1970s and 80s.
Life and playing career
Known affectionately as supersub because he was a talented goalscorer who rarely started matches for Liverpool in comparison with other players, but frequently came into the match as a substitute in order to make an impact.Fairclough was born in inner city Liverpool and as a child moved to the new Cantril Farm housing estate in the 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
due to slum clearances. He rose through the Liverpool ranks as a boy and made his debut for the club on the 1 November 1975 in the 1–0 league win over Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
at Ayresome Park
Ayresome Park
-External links:**-References:...
. As the season progressed, Fairclough scored seven crucial goals in just 14 appearances to land Liverpool the League championship
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
– nine of these appearances were as substitute. David's first goal for the club came 3 days after his debut on the 4 November 1975, it came during the 6–0 hammering of Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
side Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in the city of San Sebastián, Basque Country, founded on 7 September 1909...
at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
in a UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
2nd round 2nd leg tie.
The pecking order of strikers at the club saw Fairclough trailing behind the dream duo of Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
and John Toshack
John Toshack
John Benjamin Toshack OBE is a Welsh former footballer and manager. He is currently the manager of Macedonia. He has also managed several others clubs including Swansea City, who he took from the Fourth Division to the First in four seasons.As a player, he is remembered for being part of the...
, as well as England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
centre forward David Johnson. As the next season got underway, Fairclough found himself rising up to third in the ranks due to a succession of injuries to Toshack, meaning he was substitute more than ever.
His most famous Liverpool goal came at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
as a substitute in a crucial European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
quarter final against the French side St Etienne
AS Saint-Étienne
Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city...
. Liverpool had been a goal adrift from the first leg in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and 2–1 up in the home return. The aggregate score was level therefore at 2–2 but St Etienne were still in command due to their away goal. Liverpool therefore needed to score again to win the tie but time was running out.
Manager Bob Paisley
Bob Paisley
Robert "Bob" Paisley OBE was an English football half back turned manager. His association with Liverpool was to span nearly half a century including his contribution to the club, first as a player, then as a physiotherapist and coach, and finally as manager.In nine years as manager between 1974...
sent Fairclough on in the last 20 minutes of the game and the red-haired striker, only just 20 years old, responded in style. Only six minutes remained when Fairclough ran on to a long ball upfield and held off two St Etienne defenders. He prodded the ball home at the famous Kop end and Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
had one of its greatest ever footballing nights. As the roar of the Kop screamed, Anfield folklore says that the roar could be heard 3 miles away. ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
commentator Gerald Sinstadt
Gerald Sinstadt
Gerald Sinstadt is a British commentator and broadcaster, usually on football.-Broadcasting career:Born in Folkestone, Kent, Sinstadt attended the Harvey Grammar School, and began broadcasting on the British Forces Broadcasting Service in October 1949 and BBC Radio in the 1950s and 1960s - where...
famously bellowed: "Supersub strikes again!"
Liverpool won the League title again and also reached the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
final at Wembley, as well as the European Cup final in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Fairclough was not picked at all for the Wembley match as Paisley went for veteran winger Ian Callaghan
Ian Callaghan
Ian Robert Callaghan MBE is a former Liverpool footballer who holds the record for most appearances for the club.-Life and playing career:...
on the bench (in this era, domestic football teams were permitted just one substitute). Liverpool lost to Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. However, he was a substitute for the night in Rome (European fixtures allowed five substitutes) which Liverpool won 3–1. He then scored a goal in each leg as Liverpool overcame Kevin Keegan's Hamburg in the 1977 UEFA Super Cup
1977 UEFA Super Cup
The 1977 UEFA Super Cup was contested between Liverpool and Hamburg. Liverpool won the two-legged final 7–1 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second leg:-External links:* from UEFA* from RSSSF...
Final.
However, the following year Liverpool reached the European Cup final again and this time Fairclough started the match. A 1–0 victory over Club Brugge
Club Brugge
Club Brugge Koninklijke Voetbalvereniging is a football club from Bruges in Belgium. It was founded in 1891 and is one of the top clubs in Belgium. Its home ground is the Jan Breydel Stadium, which has a capacity of 29,472....
retained the trophy for Liverpool. He managed 29 league appearances that season, scoring 10 goals, but the Reds were beaten to both the league title and the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
by a newly promoted Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
side who came out of nowhere to be a dominant force under manager Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
.
In 1978–79
1978-79 in English football
-FA Cup:Manchester United had seemingly pulled off a remarkable comeback against Arsenal in the 1979 FA Cup Final to make the score 2–2 after being two goals down, but a last-minute goal from Alan Sunderland saw Arsenal lift the trophy with a 3–2 scoreline...
, Liverpool regained their league championship crown but Fairclough did not play enough games to seal another title medal, as he had played just four times in the league (scoring twice).
Fairclough's scored his one and only Liverpool hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
on the 9 February 1980 during the thrilling 5–3 league victory over Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
at Carrow Road
Carrow Road
Carrow Road is a football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located toward the easterly end of the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....
, the goals came in the 4th, 18th and 75th minutes, Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
(88th) and Jimmy Case
Jimmy Case
James Robert Case is a retired English football player who shot to fame with the all-conquering Liverpool side of the 1970s and became known as a player with one of the hardest shots in the game.-Early life:...
(89th) guaranteed a late win for the Reds. However, his league chances were still restricted that season, as he played just 14 league games and scored five goals.
Fairclough spent another five years at Anfield in what was a golden era for the club, he was mostly out of the first team. He was a prolific scorer in the reserves, but the phenomenal partnership of Dalglish and emerging goalscorer Ian Rush
Ian Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
rendered him surplus to first team requirements – the two main strikers also rarely were injured – by the 1982–83 season
1982-83 in English football
The 1982–83 season was the 103rd season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Bob Paisley's last season as Liverpool manager ended on a high as they topped the First Division with a comfortable lead. Bob Paisley retired as Liverpool manager with a record 21 prizes in nine years. His...
, when he scored three times in eight league games but failed to play enough games to merit a title medal. He had also failed to make the squad for the League Cup victories of the previous two seasons, and in the 1981–82
1981-82 in English football
The 1981–82 season was the 102nd season of competitive football in England.It was also the first season that the Three points for a win system was introduced.- First Division :Three points for a win was introduced for the first time in England...
(when the Reds won another league title as well as the League Cup) he did not play a single first team game.
The supersub tag ultimately shrouded his number of first team starts with Liverpool – of his 153 appearances, only 61 were from the bench. He scored 55 goals (34 of them in the league), averaging a goal every 2¾ games.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=39838
David left Liverpool on the 4 July 1983 joining NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
side Toronto Blizzard
Toronto Blizzard (NASL)
The Toronto Blizzard were a professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that played in the North American Soccer League.-History:The Toronto Metros joined the NASL in 1971. Their home field was Varsity Stadium....
, he then moved on to Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
side FC Lucerne
FC Lucerne
FC Luzern is a Swiss football club, founded in 1901. The club colors are blue and white, derived from the Canton of Lucerne and the City of Lucerne coats of arms.- History :...
before returning to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to have spells with Norwich
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
and Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
. He plied his trade abroad once more at Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
club Beveren
Beveren
Beveren is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Beveren proper, Doel, Haasdonk, Kallo, Kieldrecht, Melsele, Verrebroek and Vrasene....
returning to home shores for stints with Rochdale, Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
and Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
, he ended his playing days at non-league Knowsley.
Later life and legacy
David now works as a pundit and also on the after-dinner circuit, he also writes a weekly column on the official Liverpool Football Club web-site.David is still a firm favourite amongst the Anfield faithful and was voted in at No.18 on the 2006 poll 100 Players Who Shook The Kop. The poll was conducted by the Reds official web-site, 110,000 supporters worldwide took part listing their favourite 10 Liverpool players of all-time.
Ironically, David's 18th place was higher than John Toshack's 34th and David Johnson's 77th positions, two of the players that prevented David from gaining more Liverpool appearances.
David was married to Jan Fairclough who died on April 9, 2011. Jan collapsed suddenly on the morning of April 6th of a brain hemorrhage and died 3 days later. A minute of silence was held for Jan (as well as the 96 Hillsborough victims and Mark Burgan, a soldier from Liverpool) at Anfield before a Liverpool vs. Manchester City match on April 11, 2011. David and Jan have two children, Tom and Sophie.
David suffered a minor heart attack on 3 October 2010, at the age of 53, but is expected to make a full recovery.
Honours
(All with Liverpool)- League titleFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
: 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983 - Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
: 1981, 1982, 1983 - Charity Shield: 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982
- European CupUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: 1977, 1978, 1981 - UEFA CupUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
: 1976 - European Super CupEuropean Super CupThe UEFA Super Cup is an annual football game between the reigning champions of the two cup competitions organized by UEFA: the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League...
: 1977