One of Liverpool's worst defeats was to Worcester City

Liverpool are having a good time with managers of late. For a variety of reasons, in particular his match-win record, bringing with it a trough of trophies, the recently-retired Jurgen Klopp is guaranteed a special place in the Anfield annals.

The one who has come in for the German, Arne Slot, is making a good impression in his first season. His side tops the league table, easily negotiated their FA Cup opener over the weekend, and though beaten by Spurs in controversial circumstances in last Wednesday night’s semi-final first leg, remain favourites to lift the Carabao Cup.

Prior to Klopp taking over, Liverpool weren’t, for a time, so lucky with their appointments. Brendan Rodgers’ achievements were nothing to compare with his record before and since with Celtic – and though one of the most likeable in football, it all proved too much for one of the oldest to fill the post, Roy Hodgson.

It wouldn’t have pleased supporters more had Roy Evans been a success; but while this veteran of many great wins with the Reds in his playing career, having to live in the shadow of Ferguson’s Man United left him with only a League Cup to celebrate

It moves in cycles. The first great era of Liverpool managers, the one overseen by, in turn, Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Kenny Dalglish, was preceded by one of some misery on the red half of Merseyside.

We are back in the 1950s. George Kay, who had led the team to league success in 1947 and runner-up spot in the 1950 FA Cup, had to retire through ill-health.

Don Welsh took over, and though presiding over ‘Pool being relegated to the Second Division for the first time in over half a century – and remaining there throughout his term in charge – Welsh stayed in place until 1956.

Phil Taylor was next to take over. There were signs Liverpool mightn’t have long to wait for promotion, with two successive third place league finishes raising hopes. But come the 1959 FA Cup and there was a result that more or less signalled the end of Taylor’s reign.

Liverpool were out against Worcester City – then, and still, a non-League club, but including Roy Paul, who had captained Man City to an FA Cup win in 1956.

The third round match was played on a wet St George’s Lane pitch covered in more mud the grass, and looking on was a record 15,000-plus, the vast majority hoping for a shock result.

They got it. After going two up, Worcester had a disputed penalty awarded against them and Geoff Twentyman converted it.

But it made no difference to the outcome; Worcester City were now fully paid-up members of the Giant-killing club, their famous win coming on this day, January 15th, seventy-six years ago.

Taylor somehow survived as manager, but not for long. The 1960/’61 season still had pace to gather when he was ousted.

In appointing Bob Shankly as Taylor’s replacement, the Liverpool board couldn’t have envisaged what was to come. Within a season, the Scot had his charges back in the First Division, and inauspicious as this achievement may have been, it is now seen as the door-opener to one of the great eras in Liverpool’s history.

After the Scot came Paisley and then Dalglish, with Ronnie Moran at all times playing more than a bit part.