Former Liverpool captain Ron Yeats has died at the age of 86.
The defender made 454 appearances in 10 years at the club between 1961 and 1971, the 22nd-most of any player in LFC history. He wore the armband for more than 400 of those, with only Steven Gerrard skippering the Reds more often (liverpoolfc.com).
The Scotman’s place in Anfield legend was forever secured when he captained Liverpool to their first-ever FA Cup triumph in 1965, when they defeated Leeds in the final after extra time.
The official LFC website confirmed this morning that Yeats – affectionately known as ‘Rowdy’ by Kopites – passed away on Friday night, having suffered with Alzheimer’s in recent years.
When Bill Shankly signed the defender in 1961, the Reds were still languishing in the Second Division, but they won promotion at the end of his first season on Merseyside and claimed the top-flight title just two years later.
He was named captain within a few short months of joining Liverpool, his stature summed up by our legendary former manager, who at the player’s unveiling advised members of the press to ‘walk around him’.
After he’d called time in his playing career, Yeats returned to Anfield in 1986 as the Reds’ chief scout, a position he held for two decades, with Sami Hyypia a standout among the talents that he’d identified.
An exceptional servant to the club for 30 years on and off the pitch, the Aberdeen native was a colossal figure in more than one sense of the word. His status as a Liverpool legend is beyond dispute, and his role as our first FA Cup-winning captain forever ensures him a special place in LFC’s proud history.
The thoughts of everyone at Empire of the Kop are with Ron’s family and friends at this sad time.
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