EX LFC star Gordon has it off to a tee

Apr 7 2008 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL FC’s first European goalscorer has started his reign as captain of a city golf club by breaking with tradition.

New club captains are supposed drive a ball from the first tee down the fairway to mark the start of their year at the reins.

Gordon Wallace decided he would mark the start of his captaincy at West Derby Golf Club with the kick of a football to mark his former career, dressed in Liverpool kit – later teeing off with a golf ball.

Wallace, 63, has been made captain of the Yew Tree Lane club in recognition of his 33 years’ mem-bership.

Last night, the 13-handicap player, who lives a mile away with wife Susan, 63, said he was “honoured to have the privilege” of being captain.

But he already has his place in the sporting history books.

In 1964, he scored Liverpool FC’s first goal in Europe, in the European Cup away at Reykjavik in August 1964. Liverpool won 5-0 and Wallace scored twice.

Two days earlier, he had also scored twice in Liverpool’s 2-2 Charity Shield match with West Ham.

It was an eight-day burst that would culminate in Wallace hogging the limelight in TV's first Match of the Day when he scored twice – including an 87th-minute winner – in a 3-2 win over Arsenal at Anfield.

Bill Shankly described him as the nearest thing to Tom Finney since the war when he broke into the first team in the 1962/63 season. Wallace and Shankly met briefly at Huddersfield Town when he was 15.

He had only recently started a trial at Huddersfield Town before the manager moved to Liverpool.

Shankly held the young forward in such high regard that within a week of his move to manage Liverpool he had brought him to Anfield.

And with form like that shown in his eight-day six-goal spurt in 1964 he might have established himself.

But it was not to be, as brittle bones saw him struck down with a series of broken limbs.

He suffered a barren spell in his only extended run before a cruel succession of injuries ended his Anfield ambitions, and he joined Crewe.

Nowadays he gets to Anfield about half a dozen times a season, getting tickets through a draw.

He said: “I’m hoping to get one for Tuesday’s match against Arsenal.”

He is also looking forward to a summer of golf.

“It is a nice honour to have been asked to put my name forward, and to be representing the club in Capital of Culture year.”

He admitted his ball skills in his tee-off – or kick-off – were not as good as when playing.

“But it was a bit of fun and everybody took it in good spirits.”

GOLF NORTH WEST: TOMORROW.

davidbartlett