Ian Rush discusses the highs of his playing career and tells us about taking on some of the best.
With 346 goals, Ian Rush is the top scorer in Liverpool's history. It has earned him legendary status as goalscoring royalty.
Not only that but the Kop idol has also scored the most FA Cup goals (39) and the most League Cup goals (48) ever by an Anfield player as well as finding the back of the net more times in a single season after netting on 47 occasions in all competitions in 1983/84.
Few could have envisaged what was in store for the Welsh teenager when he first moved to Merseyside in 1980 but five league titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups, and two European Cups - including scoring in the penalty shootout to beat Roma in Italy in 1984 - in 660 appearances speaks for itself.
Rush's time at Liverpool was divided in two by a season at Juventus in 1987/88 but his finest days were undoubtedly in red before he left as a player for a final time in 1996 to go on to Leeds United and Newcastle United among others.
Here, Rush, who was making a surprise delivery to the latest Magners £1k-a-day promotion winner, talks Sky Sports through the highs of his career and tells us about taking on some of the best defenders in the business.
Finest Hour - 1986 FA Cup final - Liverpool 3 Everton 1
"It is a difficult choice but it was my dream to score the winning goal in the FA Cup final and my dream came true that year in 1986. It was great in 1984 to win the European Cup final but, from a kid, winning the FA Cup was a dream."
Favourite Goal - Too many to choose
"My job was to score goals. It did not matter if they were from one yard or 30 yards, I still got the same enjoyment. The only goal I would say was different would be the penalty shootout in Rome in 1984. I was not used to taking penalties. When you are playing football, it is instinct. But penalties are a little bit different."
Toughest Opponent - Franco Baresi and Paul McGrath
"They were two completely different types of player but they will go down as the hardest I have played against. Paul, when he was at Manchester United, was very quick. He never said a word on the pitch but the timing of his tackling was very good. Baresi, when he was at AC Milan and I was at Juventus, was the best reader of the game. I used to think I had a chance with my pace when I was playing against him but he put himself in the position where I never had the chance."
Football Hero - Bob Latchford
"I supported Everton when I was a kid and he scored 30 goals for them in the 1977/78 season I watched them. He became my hero and, funnily enough, I was the next player after Bob to score 30 goals in a league season in 1983/84."
Best Mate In Football - Ronnie Whelan
"We got in the Liverpool team together, we are the same age and we roomed together. The older generation of Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness and Alan Hansen were there as the more experienced players when I came in to Liverpool. I was in awe of them. When I first joined as an 18-year-old, I sat next to Hansen and Ray Clemence in the dressing room. They were world superstars but were normal people. It took me three months to get to grips with the fact I was in the same room as them!
"We also had great characters, like Bruce Grobbelaar, Steve Nicol, Steve McMahon, Whelan and Craig Johnson. But one thing the older players kept was the team spirit. You win nothing as individuals and you only win things as a team. We had the best team spirit."
Ian Rush made a surprise home-delivery to Liverpool fan, Deborah Keenan, after she scooped £1,000 as part of the Magners £1k-a-day promotion. Now is a good time to pick up your Magners Original or Pear multi-pack at your local supermarket for your chance of an instant win! #WinAGrandADay
