Farewell and good luck to true Red Sammy

Sammy's decision to leave the club he loves will have been one of the toughest he's ever had to make.

The former Liverpool player and coach is as die-hard a Red as you're ever likely to meet and it will be with a heavy heart that he bids Anfield an emotional farewell.

A boyhood Liverpudlian, who idolised the great Bill Shankly sides of the sixties and early seventies, Sammy fulfilled a dream when he joined the club as an apprentice in 1976.

Tom Saunders and Bob Paisley spotted him when playing in a junior cup final at Melwood and it's fair to say he never looked back.

Small in size he may have been but in terms of stature he was a giant.

This pocket dynamo style midfielder made rapid progress through the youth ranks and was soon earning rave reviews for his outstanding performances in Roy Evans' all-conquering Central League side.

Paisley was a huge admirer and once described him as a 'young Billy Bremner'. He kept a close eye on his development and had no hesitation in promoting him to the first team squad for the European Cup semi-final against FC Zurich in 1977, even though he was just 17 at the time.

It was not until the following year, however, that he made his senior bow. It came against Leicester City at Anfield and he celebrated the occasion by scoring in front of the Kop, the terrace where just a few years earlier he stood and cheered on his heroes.

Another two years passed by before he eventually displaced Jimmy Case on the right side of midfield permanently and made the number eight shirt his own.

Sammy's infectious enthusiasm rubbed off on all of those around him and his unquestionable commitment to the Liverpool cause made him a firm favourite of the crowd in those early days.

In April 1981 he turned in arguably his finest performance for the club when he successfully man-marked the legendary Bayern Munich midfielder Paul Brietner in a tense European Cup semi-final.

Never one to shirk a tackle, Sammy possessed a fine range of passing and would also chip in with the odd spectacular goal. Just ask former Man City keeper Joe Corrigan, who had the pleasure of picking a long-range Sammy thunderbolt from the back of his net at Maine Road in April 1982.

As an almost ever-present in Liverpool triumph's at home and abroad during the early eighties it came as no surprise when international recognition came his way.

He'd already proved himself a successful captain of the England under-21 side when Bobby Robson handed him his first full cap in a World Cup qualifier against Greece in 1982. And just like he did on his debut for the Reds he marked the occasion with a goal.

But while he shone on the international stage he was always more at home representing his club and it was clearly evident that the pride of leading Liverpool to victory meant so much to him.

In an eight-year playing career at Anfield Sammy amassed a glittering array of honours that included three League Championship's, two European Cup's and four League/Milk Cup's.

Sadly, injury and loss of form resulted in certain sections of the crowd disgracefully turning on him and he was eventually forced to move on in 1986 when he could no longer command a regular first team place.

Spells with QPR, Osasuna, Southampton and Bolton followed but Sammy's love for Liverpool never died and when he was invited back to Anfield, by then manager Graeme Souness, in 1993 he didn't need to be asked twice.

As reserve team coach he quickly earned the respect of everyone at the club and in 1999 he was promoted to head coach of the first team under Gerard Houllier.

Unfortunately for Liverpool, his coaching potential did not go unnoticed by those at the Football Association and for the past few years he has been a part-time member of the England set-up.

Sammy's decision to now take up a full-time role with the FA is one that will disappoint Liverpool fans worldwide but he goes with the best wishes of everyone connected with the club.

Sammy Lee may have swapped Liverpool for England but for a born and bred Liverpudlian like him, the Liver Bird will always be closer to his heart than the three lions.