Embed from Getty Images
NASL became a home for many of the Liverpool players being in and around Anfield at that time. Regulars in the team during that 1972-73 league winning season such as Alec Lindsay, Steve Heighway, Ian Callaghan, Chris Lawler, Peter Cormack, Chris Lawler and Tommy Smith. They all had their share in the first league win since 1965-66.
Seven of these regulars all had a life in NASL or US/Canadian pro soccer, with different clubs in their careers.
Ian Callaghan had a short spell with Fort Lauderdale Strikers, playing alongside George Best, Keith Weller, Gordon Banks. This was in 1978, Callaghan playing 20 NASL games for The Strikers.
Alec Lindsay moved over the pond in 1978. His first club in NASL was Oakland Stompers. He played 28 games for The Stompers in his one season, before moving to Toronto Blizzard in 1979. He turned out in just 4 games for The Blizzard.
Tommy Smith had played 467 league games for Liverpool. He played on loan at Tampa Bay Rowdies in 1976. He moved to Los Angeles Aztecs in 1978, becoming a player manager at one time.
Ian Callaghan and Tommy Smith were both playing alongside George Best. Smith at The Aztecs, Callaghan with The Strikers.
Steve Heighway became a huge hit when he moved over the pond to play for Minnesota Kicks. He played one NASL season with The Kicks. His goalscoring was astonishing, hitting 19 in just 26 games. He played alongside legendary South African gem, Ace Ntsoelengoe. One of the grand top goalscorers in NASL all time, Alan Willey.
Peter Cormack turned out for Toronto City. This was back in 1967, taking Hibernian over the pond to represent this team in Canada. Cormack played 11 games. He scored 5 goals during his adventure. This took place a few years prior to his days at Anfield with Liverpool.
Looking up the files and finding treasures is always a thrill. Back then the first eleven among those top teams were often a settled unit, seldom giving squad players much attention. In the 1972-73 season Liverpool had players such as John McLoughlin, Roy Evans and John Webb. Others names in the squad at Anfield that season were Derek Brownbill and Kevin Kewley.
For a proper Liverpool fan these names are familier, for others, few recognize them. They all shared the career path having NASL or US pro soccer as part of their careers.
John McLoughlin was a defender at Liverpool from 1970 to 1976. He played a total of 40 league games, scoring 3 goals. He played on loan in the NASL with Philadelphia Atoms (1975) and Dallas Tornado (1976).
Roy Evans played on loan for Philadelphia Atoms in the 1973 season. He was later a coach and manager at Liverpool. His time as a player at Anfield was cut short due to injuries. Evans managed a modest tally of 9 league appearances for Liverpool.
John Webb never appeared in a league game during his time at Liverpool. But he managed to build a good career in NASL. Marsh played for Chicago Sting and Edmonton Drillers. He also had spells in Belgium and Holland during his playing days. On the books at Liverpool from 1969 to 1975.
David Brownbill joined Cleveland Cobras in 1978. Cobras competed in ASL, another less known pro soccer league in US at the time. Brownbill featured in one league game during his four years at Anfield from 1970 to 1974.
Kevin Kewley was also a promising Liverpool prospect. He had a long relation with The Reds, being at the club from 1970 to 1976. As Brownbill being involved only once in league action for Liverpool. Kewley played for Dallas Tornado from 1975 to 1979, becoming a player of prominence in NASL. A total of 95 league games, scoring 15 goals. He later moved to Wichita Wings to play in the US pro indoor soccer league MISL, representing Wichita Wings. He had a 10 year relation to The Wings, both as a coach and player. A total of 360 games, scoring 113 goals.
This is a bit of a hidden story of those great footballers who represented Liverpool over that special 1972-73 season. Six of the regulars in the team later or earlier went on to have a life in US soccer. Additionally, five fringe men represented clubs across the pond.