However, Sheedy made the call much earlier than most. Sheedy was a self-taught, street footballer – or at least as much His first dabble in the team-game came in a local six-a-side team, not much older than 10, where he agreed with the older kids to be goalie - “anything, just to be able to play” was his approach. At Everton he won 2 league titles, an FA Cup, a European Cup Winners Cup, 4 Charity Shields, and became one of the most deadliest free-kick and dead-ball specialists in Europe. They gave him an “irresistible offer” to leave Everton, something he claims happened very amicably - although many media reports in Merseyside suggested otherwise. Sheedy scored the fifth that day, his first of nine goals for Ireland. Sheedy signed for the reigning European champions in July 1978, but had to wait until February 1981 to make his debut for Liverpool.In all, the tricky winger with a supreme left foot managed just five appearances for the Reds before braving the short trip across Stanley Park, where he was a revelation.The Republic of Ireland hero is considered by many as the best left-footer in Everton history, playing 223 games and scoring 62 goals. An accolade best illustrated in a game against Ipswich where he tucked a 20 yard free kick into one corner of the net, only for it to be called back by the referee. He cites one of the real disappointments of his career not making the team to play England in Euro ’88 – Jack giving Tony Galvin the nod ahead of him – but it’s his position on the bench that day that unearths a story that allows him to look back fondly on the moment:Playing cards with Tony Cascarino and John Aldridge (“Aldo”) prior to the game, Jack – who Sheedy remembers being “tight… unbelievably tight” – joined in. 18 min: Liverpool continue to be first to most things at the moment. Reproduced under licence from Football DataCo Limited. The son of an Ennis football-man, who also dabbled with GAA. But, whatever the case, Sheedy’s career took off from the moment he swapped the red for blue, and in doing so (he would argue), “given a chance”. Souness detailed the battle Whelan faced to get into the Liverpool team from Kevin Sheedy, the Ireland winger who made just three appearances with the club before going on … Sheedy was born in Wales but also qualified to play for the Republic of Ireland, which he did with distinction from 1983-1993. Sheedy was amongst a long list of players in the 80’s, particularly under Jack Charlton, that were foreign born and eligible to also play through parents or grandparents. Sheedy joined Everton who stole him from our bitter rivals Liverpool for a mere £100,000 in 1982. With his opportunities at Anfield limited particularly to Ronnie Whelan's emergence, Sheedy decided to make the short trip across Stanley Park to join Everton and became a regular in their side for several seasons, scoring regularly from his midfield position and winning championship and cup medals along the way. At 16, when still at Hereford United, he received a letter from the FAI saying he’d been selected in the youth team. Match Statistics supplied by Opta Sports Data Limited.
The game was “Hearts”, and there were a few coppers on the line. David Johnson and Phil Neal scored the Liverpool goals. Johnny Morrissey doing the same 20 years earlier. To this day, I still don’t know what made me do it”. Liverpool: 5 games, 2 goals. “When you had players of the quality of Denis Irwin, Chris Hughton and Steve Staunton, it was a long ball His insight into Jack’s philosophy is possibly most colourful when he talks about our date with destiny against the Italians at the quarter finals of Italia ’90, and how he found himself on the back of an unlikely verbal attack from Charlton after the infamous Schillaci goal:Cutting of Jack. It’s hard to put that sort of mentality into perspective in today’s world, but perhaps it’s like Seani Maguire turning down a move to Real Madrid!Sheedy was really in it for the love of playing. We begin our countdown with Kevin Sheedy, a man the Blues consider to have one of the best left pegs ever seen in top-flight football. For a guy who has battled, and overcame cancer, alone, he points to his inner toughness being the key attribute that got him through.