Mark Lawrenson

Mark Lawrenson is a former Liverpool FC defender who is now also famous for his work as a media pundit. He was initially signed by Liverpool from Brighton and Hove Albion in 1981 after he made his name at home-town club Preston North End. Lawrenson was to form a formidable central defensive partnership with Alan Hansen after Phil Thompson suffered an injury, although he was also used frequently at full back or in midfield. Lawrenson helped Liverpool to win League Championship and the League Cup in his first season at Anfield, before retaining both for another two seasons, becoming only the third club in history to win three titles in a row and Lawrenson also contributed to the club's fourth European Cup in 1984. He earned a fifth and final title medal when the 1987/88 season ended, but Lawrenson suffered an Achilles tendon injury which prematurely ended his career. After fairly unsuccessful managerial spells at Oxford and Peterborough, Lawrenson turned his hand to media punditry, chiefly for the BBC, and Lawrenson is now a regular pundit on Match of the Day, Football Focus, Radio Five Live and also writes a regular column for the Liverpool Daily Post.