Liverpool FC 12 days of Christmas - John Barnes: Number 10

As the festive season approaches, we have put together a special online 12 days of Christmas with a Liverpool FC twist. A new installment will be online at www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/lfc and www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/lfc each day up to the 25thAny Liverpool fan would admit there has been a paucity of genuine, top quality wingers at Anfield in recent years. Since the mid 1990s, perhaps only Steve McManaman has hit the heights expected by Reds from their widemen.While this is partly due to a few misguided signings and a few recruits who couldn't settle in the Premier League, it also has something to do with the standards set by a certain left-footed genius who gave LFC a decade of fantastic service between 1987-1997. John Barnes caught the eye of the top brass at Liverpool during a very successful few years at Watford. The Jamaican-born star helped his side gain promotion to the top flight in 1981/82 and guided them to second place - behind Liverpool - the following season. Watford and Barnes would lose out to Everton in the 1984 FA Cup Final, but John would get his revenge.The Reds came calling and Kenny Dalglish secured Barnes' sevices for £900,000. Arriving at the same time as Peter Beardsley and with John Aldridge ready to start firing, Barnes took no time to settle into a blistering rhythm. Liverpool won the title and Barnes scored 15 league goals, although the FA Cup once again proved elusive as Wimbledon shocked the Reds in the final.At the end of the following campaign Barnes finally got his hands on the FA Cup, playing a key role in the 3-2 victory over Everton, but the title slipped away from the Reds in the last game of the season in that infamous encounter against Arsenal at Anfield.

Source: Liverpool_Echo