Mersey Hard Men: Gerry Byrne played through pain barrier to help Liverpool FC win their first FA Cup

Gerry Byrne 250IT is one of football's ultimate tales of bravery and courage.Quite simply, it wouldn't happen today.In an era when an increasing number of players spend as much time on their backs as on their feet, the thought of playing with a broken fingernail would be enough to give the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Didier Drogba a hernia.A meeting with Gerry Byrne might straighten them out.The Liverpool-born full-back played more than 300 games for the Reds between 1957 and 1969.Of all of them, one stands head and shoulders above the rest - or head and collar bone, to be specific.The 1965 FA Cup final is remembered by most for being the first time Liverpool lifted the famous trophy.It was also the game when Byrne remarkably played through the pain barrier after breaking his collar bone in the opening minutes at Wembley.A collision with Leeds United's Bobby Collins as early as the third minute should have ended Byrne's involvement there and then. But at a time when there were no substitutes, he knew that any hope of Liverpool winning the Cup would have gone with him.A quiet man, Byrne didn't want any fuss and decided to soldier on, despite Bob Paisley realising the severity of his injury almost immediately.'I knew as soon as Gerry went down that something was seriously wrong,' recalled Paisley years later.

Source: Liverpool_Echo