Averaging 57 appearances in all competitions per season, he won the league championship in five of the six full terms he had at Anfield.
He was installed as captain by Bob Paisley in early 1982 and went on to lead Liverpool to three of those First Division titles with the armband on.
“Very rarely do you see a midfield player with that steel but also with that style,” recalled Jamie Carragher.
“His steel alone would have been enough to make him one of the top midfield players of his generation. His passing ability alone would have made him one of the best midfield players of his generation.
“But when you put the two of them together, I think you have the best central midfield player this country’s ever seen.”
The enforcer saved arguably his best season in red for the end of his Anfield career, helping deliver an historic treble in 1983-84.
Souness appeared 61 times and scored 12 goals, one of which was the decider in the League Cup final replay versus Everton.
His final act as a Liverpool player was hoisting the European Cup aloft for the third time – this one as skipper – having dispatched a penalty in the eventual shootout victory the Reds secured over AS Roma at their own Stadio Olimpico.