Because of the packed fixture lists in the modern game, a list of footballers with the most appearances for a club is usually top-heavy with recent players. However, as you can see below, this is not the case with Liverpool because some of these names really did play for many seasons. It’s a testimony to just how long they were at the very top of their game.
1. Ian Callaghan – 1959-1978 – 857 games, 69 goals
2. Jamie Carragher – 1996-2013 – 737 games, 5 goals
3. Steven Gerrard – 2000-2015 – 710 games, 186 goals
=4. Emlyn Hughes – 1966-1979 – 665 games, 49 goals
=4. Ray Clemence – 1968-1981 – 665 games, 0 goals
5. Ian Rush – 1980-1996 – 660 games, 346 goals
Ian Callaghan: The local midfielder holds a record that many believe will never be broken. He transitioned from a winger under Bill Shankly to a central midfielder under Bob Paisley, winning five league titles and two European Cups.
Jamie Carragher: A one-club man who leads the way for the club in European appearances (150). He was a cornerstone of the defence for over 16 years.
Steven Gerrard: Often cited as the club’s greatest ever player, Gerrard is the only person to appear in the top five for both appearances and goals (186 goals).
Ray Clemence & Emlyn Hughes: These two legends of the 1970s era finished their Liverpool careers with the exact same number of games. Clemence is widely regarded as the club’s finest goalkeeper, while “Crazy Horse” Hughes captained the side to their first two European Cups.
Ian Rush: While fifth on this list, the Welshman remains the club’s all-time leading goalscorer with 346 goals.
