Gordon Wallace (footballer, born 1944)
Quick Facts
Biography
Gordon Wallace (born 13 June 1944 in Lanark) is a Scottish former footballer, who played for Liverpool during the 1960s.
Wallace's main claims to fame were scoring twice in the very first BBC "Match of the Day" and being Liverpool's first ever European Champions' Cup goal scorer, with the first goal in an away tie against Reykjavík, both occurring in August 1964.
Despite such a promising start his first team opportunities were limited by the consistency, fitness and excellent disciplinary records of Liverpool's twin strike force, Roger Hunt and Ian St John, respectively England and Scotland internationals. Wallace played for Liverpool Reserves between 1965 and 1967. When Tony Hateley joined Liverpool in 1967, Wallace left on a free transfer, joining Crewe Alexandra. Wallace scored 20 goals in 94 league appearances for Crewe in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
He shone at Crewe and was an important element of the team that won promotion to Division 3 in the 1967–68 season. His form the following season began to attract interest from higher league sides until a home game v Watford on September 28th 1968, when a tackle from behind broke his leg. It took him 13 months to return to first team football, but he never managed to regain the form of old. He played his final game for Crewe away at Colchester on 17 September 1972.
Honours
- Liverpool
Winner
- 1964–65 Charity Shield (Shared)
- with Crewe Alexandra
- Football League Fourth Division fourth-place promotion: 1967–68