Sir Kenny Dalglish’s tribute to Tommy Smith

Smith, who made 638 appearances during a trophy-laden 18-year spell with his boyhood club in the 1960s and 70s, died at the age of 74 on Friday.

Dalglish counted Smith as a teammate for the first season of his own Liverpool career and spoke warmly of the Scouser affectionately known as the ‘Anfield Iron’ ahead of the Seán Cox charity match in Dublin.

“[It’s] Very sad. Tommy Smith was a fantastic servant to Liverpool Football Club,” Dalglish said.

“[He was] in the first team at the age of 18 and I think he left just after I came. When I came down in ’77 he was an integral part of the dressing room and him and Souey looked after my wife Marina and I, helped us settle in and took us round about…