IAN ST JOHN, the former Liverpool and Scotland striker, has sadly passed away at the age of 82.
The stocky attack leader was a key man in the great Anfield team assembled in the sixties by the legendary Bill Shankly which rose from the Second Division to win two English league titles and an FA Cup in 1965, in which he scored the winning goal against Leeds United in the Final.
He made 21 international appearances for his nation, scoring nine goals.
WEMBLEY JOY…Ian St John celebrates a Denis Law goal past England keeper Gordon Banks in the 2-2 draw in 1965.
In a statement, his family said: “It is with a heavy heart that we have to inform you that after a long illness we have lost a husband, father and grandfather.
“He passed away peacefully with his family at his bedside. We would like to thank all the staff at Arrowe Park Hospital for their hard work and dedication during these very difficult times.
“The family would be grateful for privacy at this extremely sad time.”
TWIN THREAT…Ian St John and Denis Law put the pressure on England keeper Gordon Banks.
St John made the breakthrough with Mothrwell, the team he supported as a boy, with 80 goals in 113 league games which brought him international recognition and attracted the interest of big-money clubs across the border.
It was Liverpool who won the race to sign the player for a club record fee of £37,500 in June 1961. The prolific forward for a player who would go on to give them a decade of service and score 118 goals in 424 appearances.
After being almost ever-present in the Merseyside outfit for eight seasons, St John left the club in August 1971 and played briefly for Hellenic in Cape Town, South Africa and Coventry City before retiring in 1973.
He also managed Motherwell and Portsmouth and then became well known as a pundit alongside another former player, Jimmy Greaves, on the hugely popular Saturday football television show Saint and Greavsie from 1985 to 1992.
Former Anfield midfielder Steven Gerrard, the Rangers boss, said: “Ian St John is an iconic figure at Liverpool. I’m devastated to hear this news and would like to send my condolences to all of his family.”
