John Aldridge is a Liverpudlian by birth and education. Born in 1958 and starting out in non-league levels of football, John understood that he wanted to reach the highest peaks of the game. His road was uneven and certainly not in the traditional guise.
Unlike many other talents that prove to be dynamite teenagers that turn into world-class athletes, or who fizzle out really quickly, John took quite a long time to reach his peak. He was the definition of a late bloomer, but that doesn’t mean that he didn’t get to prove his worth on the highest stages of English football.
His humble professional beginnings were with South Liverpool, the non-league club on his resume, followed by Newport County, a South Wales outfit in the 4th Division. He played with them for 5 seasons, climbing to the third tier before making a move to Oxford United in 1983.
This was where he played his first top-flight football. Initially, the Oxfordshire club was in the Third Division, climbing to the Second, and reaching the First Division in 1985. He played with them until the middle of the 1986/87 season.
His big break was with Liverpool, his beloved hometown club, scoring 63 official goals and winning the League. Brought in by Kenny Dalglish as a replacement for an outgoing Ian Rush, he was superb for them, having reached his career’s peak. His second break was with Real Sociedad, having served as the only non-Basque in decades.
After leaving Spain, he played and coached Tranmere Rovers, but never climbed higher than the second flight. He ended his professional career with over 400 goals, having enjoyed great longevity.
Despite being born an Englishman, John Aldridge represented Ireland due to the Granny Rule. His grandmother was Irish, and he represented the Boys in Green 69 times, scoring 19 goals and participating in both the EURO and World Cup final tournaments.
After moving into punditry, John has been keenly assessing Liverpool, and now joins BetBrain as an honored contributor.
