David Fairclough

David Fairclough

Fairclough in 2008
Personal information
Date of birth	(1957-01-05) 5 January 1957
Place of birth	Liverpool, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
1973–1975	Liverpool
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1975–1983	Liverpool	98	(34)
1982	→ Toronto Blizzard	20	(4)
1983–1985	Luzern	40	(8)
1985	Norwich City	2	(0)
1985–1986	Oldham Athletic	17	(1)
1986–1989	Beveren	70	(14)
1989–1990	Tranmere Rovers	14	(1)
1990–1991	Wigan Athletic	7	(1)
Total		268	(63)
International career
1976	England U-21	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

David Fairclough (born Liverpool, 5 January 1957) is an English retired footballer, most famous for playing for Liverpool as a striker during the 1970s and 1980s.

Life and playing career

Known affectionately as Supersub (because he was a talented goalscorer who, in comparison with other players, rarely started matches for Liverpool - but frequently came into the match as a substitute to make an impact), Fairclough was born in inner city Liverpool and as a child moved to the new Cantril Farm housing estate in the 1960s due to slum clearances. He rose through the Liverpool ranks as a teenager and made his debut for the club on 1 November 1975 in the 1–0 league win over Middlesbrough at Ayresome Park. As the season progressed, Fairclough scored seven crucial goals in just 14 appearances to land Liverpool the League championship. Nine of these appearances were as substitute. David's first goal for the club came three days after his debut on 4 November 1975, during the 6–0 defeat of Spanish side Real Sociedad at Anfield in a UEFA Cup 2nd round 2nd leg tie.

The pecking order of strikers at the club saw Fairclough trailing behind the 'dream duo' of Kevin Keegan and John Toshack, as well as England centre forward David Johnson. As the 1976-77 season got underway, Fairclough rose to third in the ranks due to a succession of injuries to Toshack, meaning that he was substitute more than ever.

His most famous Liverpool goal came at Anfield as a substitute in a crucial European Cup quarter final against the French side St Etienne. Liverpool had been a goal adrift from the first leg in France, and 2–1 up in the home return. The aggregate score was level at 2–2 but St Etienne were still in command because of their away goal. Liverpool therefore needed to score again to win the tie - but time was running out. Manager Bob Paisley sent Fairclough on in the last 20 minutes of the game and the red-haired striker, only 20 years old, responded in style. Only six minutes remained when Fairclough ran on to a long ball upfield and held off two St Etienne defenders. He prodded the ball home at the famous Kop end and Anfield had one of its greatest ever footballing nights. As the roar of the Kop screamed, Anfield folklore says that the roar could be heard three miles away. ITV commentator Gerald Sinstadt famously bellowed: "Supersub strikes again!"

Liverpool won the League title again and also reached the FA Cup final at Wembley, as well as the European Cup final in Rome. Fairclough was not picked at all for the Wembley match as Paisley went for veteran winger Ian Callaghan on the bench (in this era, domestic football teams were permitted just one substitute). Liverpool lost to Manchester United. However, he was a substitute for the night in Rome (European fixtures allowed five substitutes) which Liverpool won 3–1. He then scored a goal in each leg as Liverpool overcame Kevin Keegan's Hamburg in the 1977 UEFA Super Cup Final.

The following year, Liverpool reached the European Cup final again and this time Fairclough started the match. A 1–0 victory over Club Brugge retained the trophy for Liverpool. He managed 29 league appearances that season, scoring 10 goals, but the Reds were beaten to both the league title and the Football League Cup by a newly promoted Nottingham Forest side who emerged from nowhere to be a dominant force under manager Brian Clough.

In 1978–79, Liverpool regained their league championship crown but Fairclough did not play enough games to seal another title medal, as he had played just four times in the league (scoring twice).

Fairclough scored his only Liverpool hat-trick on 9 February 1980 during the thrilling 5–3 league victory over Norwich City at Carrow Road. His goals came in the 4th, 18th and 75th minutes, with Kenny Dalglish (88th) and Jimmy Case (89th) scoring to guarantee a late win for the Reds. However, Fairclough's league chances were still restricted that season, as he played just 14 league games and scored five goals. Fairclough came on as substitute in the League Cup semi final second leg against bitter rivals Nottingham Forest four days after his hat trick at Norwich, and scored a late equaliser to preserve Liverpool's long two year unbeaten run at Anfield. Even though Liverpool went out on aggregate to Forest, David's goal helped create an English record of eighty five unbeaten matches in succession at home, which stands to this present day and will most likely never be beaten. Thanks once again to Supersub this proud record is just one of many the Anfield club hold. Had he been picked from the start against Forest after scoring a hat trick in his previous game, Liverpool could and probably gone on to beat Forest and progress to the final. It is probably one of the few mistakes Paisley made as manager, the other leaving Fairclough out of the FA cup final in 1977 - a decision that may have ultimately cost Liverpool the chance of the Treble.

Fairclough spent another five years at Anfield, although in what was a golden era for the club, he was rarely in the first team. He was a prolific scorer in the reserves, but the phenomenal partnership - of Dalglish and emerging goalscorer Ian Rush - both of whom remained largely free from injuries - rendered him surplus to first team requirements. In the 1982–83 season he scored three times in eight league appearances but failed to play enough games to merit a title medal. He had also failed to make the squad for the League Cup victories of the previous two seasons, and in the 1981–82 season, when the Reds won another league title as well as the League Cup, he did not play a single first team game.

The supersub tag ultimately shrouded Fairclough's number of first team starts with Liverpool; of his 153 appearances, only 61 were from the bench. He scored 55 goals (34 of them in the league), averaging a goal every 2.8 games.

Fairclough left Liverpool on 4 July 1983 joining NASL side Toronto Blizzard on loan. He then moved on to Swiss side FC Lucerne before returning to England to have spells with Norwich and Oldham Athletic. He moved overseas once more to Belgium club K.S.K. Beveren for three seasons before returning home for stints with Rochdale, Tranmere Rovers and Wigan Athletic. He ended his playing days at non-league Knowsley F.C.

Later life and legacy

David now works as a pundit and also on the after-dinner circuit, he also writes a weekly column on the official Liverpool Football Club web-site.

David is still a firm favourite amongst the Anfield faithful and was voted in at No.18 on the 2006 poll 100 Players Who Shook The Kop. The poll was conducted by the Reds official web-site, 110,000 supporters worldwide took part listing their favourite 10 Liverpool players of all-time.

David's 18th place was higher than John Toshack's 34th and David Johnson's 77th positions, two of the players that prevented David from gaining more Liverpool appearances.

David was married to Jan Fairclough who died on 9 April 2011. Jan collapsed suddenly on the morning of 6 April of a brain haemorrhage and died 3 days later. A minute of silence was held for Jan (as well as the 96 Hillsborough victims and Mark Burgan, a soldier from Liverpool) at Anfield before a Liverpool vs. Manchester City match on 11 April 2011. David and Jan have two children, Tom and Sophie.

David suffered a minor heart attack on 3 October 2010, at the age of 53, but made a full recovery.

Honours

Liverpool

• Football League First Division (3): 1975–76, 1976–77, 1979–80
• League Cup (1): 1982–83
• FA Charity Shield (4): 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980
• European Cup (2): 1976–77, 1977–78
• UEFA Cup (1): 1975–76
• UEFA Super Cup (1): 1977

External links

• LiverpoolFC profile
• Profile on LFChistory.net
• Sporting-Heroes profile
• Ex-Norwich players at ex-canaries.co.uk
• NASL stats