Alan Waddle scored once in 22 games for Liverpool, and that goal won a Merseyside derby. On 8 December 1973, aged 19 and with John Toshack and Steve Heighway both missing, he scored the only goal of the game against Everton at Goodison Park.
He spent four years at Anfield as Toshack’s understudy, and he was on the bench in Rome on the night Liverpool won the European Cup for the first time.
From Wallsend to Anfield
Waddle was born in Wallsend on 9 June 1954 and came through Wallsend Boys Club. He is a cousin of Chris Waddle, the former Newcastle, Tottenham and England winger. He started his professional career at Halifax Town, and in June 1973 Bill Shankly brought him to Liverpool as cover for Toshack, in what turned out to be Shankly’s last season as manager.
Three games in eight days
His first game came on 27 November 1973, a League Cup fourth-round tie at Hull City’s Boothferry Park that finished 0-0. Four days later he made his league debut against West Ham at Anfield, where he had an effort disallowed and Peter Cormack’s goal won the game 1-0. He kept his place for the replay against Hull at Anfield on 4 December, when Ian Callaghan scored all three goals in a 3-1 win.
The derby at Goodison
Four days after the replay, Liverpool went to Goodison Park. With Toshack and Heighway out of the side, Waddle led the line alongside Phil Boersma. Kevin Keegan went off just before half-time, with Brian Hall taking his place, and it was goalless at the break.
Midway through the second half, Callaghan crossed and Waddle, closely marked by Mike Lyons, turned the ball in. It was the only goal of the game, in front of 56,098, and the win kept Liverpool second in the First Division. It turned out to be the only goal he ever scored for the club.
Toshack’s understudy
Waddle played 16 times in that first season. Chances became scarce after Shankly retired in 1974, and under Bob Paisley he made five appearances in 1974-75 and none at all the following season.
From Zürich to Rome
His last game for Liverpool came on 20 April 1977, in the European Cup semi-final second leg against FC Zürich at Anfield. Liverpool had won the first leg 3-1, and Waddle came off the bench as they won 3-0 to reach the final.
Five weeks later, on 25 May 1977, he was one of the substitutes in Rome as Liverpool beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-1 to win the European Cup for the first time. He didn’t get on, but he was there, and he came home with a winner’s medal. That September he joined Leicester City.
Back with Toshack at Swansea
After a year at Leicester, Waddle moved to Swansea City in 1978. The player-manager was John Toshack, the man he had understudied at Anfield, and Tommy Smith and Ian Callaghan also joined Swansea from Liverpool.
Waddle finished his first season as Swansea’s top scorer with 19 goals. On the last day of that season, Chesterfield took an early lead at the Vetch Field, but Waddle equalised before half-time and Toshack came off the bench to head the winner. The 2-1 win took Swansea back into the Second Division after 14 years.
In December 1980 he joined Newport County for £80,000, a club record fee. He had already left by the time Swansea reached the First Division at the end of that season.
Hong Kong, Qatar and Wales
After Newport he played for several English clubs and for Happy Valley in Hong Kong, and in 1985 he returned to Swansea. At 32 he moved to Qatar to play for Al Wakrah, and he finished his playing days in Welsh football, with Barry Town and Llanelli among his clubs. He also went back to Swansea as the club’s commercial manager, later moved to Australia, and in 2012 became head coach of the amateur side Demon Knights.
Once a Red
Waddle scored only once for Liverpool, but it was the winner in a derby at Goodison Park in Shankly’s last season. Four years later he was on the bench in Rome when Liverpool first became champions of Europe.
