Liverpool legend Alan Hansen is currently “seriously ill in hospital,” with his former club expressing their “thoughts and support” for him during this difficult time.
The 68-year-old Scotsman, who donned the Liverpool jersey 620 times from 1977 to 1991, also earned 26 caps for the Scottish national team. Hansen was a linchpin in Liverpool’s dominant squads of the 1970s and 1980s, securing eight First Division titles, three European Cups, and two FA Cups.
After hanging up his boots, Hansen transitioned to a media career, establishing himself as a respected pundit, particularly on defensive play. He was a staple on BBC’s Match of the Day for 22 years, from 1992 until his retirement in 2014.
READ MORE: Sunak hopes for forgiveness over D-Day remarks
Liverpool paid tribute to Hansen, describing him as a “defender of the utmost elegance.” A club spokesperson elaborated on his illustrious career, noting his significant achievements, including eight league titles, three European Cups, two FA Cups, and three League Cups during his 14-year tenure with the Reds. Nicknamed ‘Jocky’ by his teammates, Hansen ranks in the top 10 for all-time appearances for Liverpool and served as the club’s captain for four seasons.
The spokesperson added, “The club is in contact with Alan’s family to provide our support at this difficult time, and our thoughts, wishes, and hopes are with Alan and all of the Hansen family. We will provide any further updates as we receive them and request that the Hansen family’s privacy is respected.”
Gary Lineker, Hansen’s former Match of the Day co-host, tweeted: “Horrendous news. Thoughts are with Alan, Janet, and all the family.” Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard also sent his support via Instagram, sharing a picture of Hansen along with a prayer emoji. Sky Sports host and former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher responded to the news with a tweet featuring a fingers crossed emoji and a heart emoji.
Fans across social media expressed their well wishes for Hansen. One fan wrote, “Prayers and thoughts for the legend, Alan Hansen. May he recover.” Another added, “Damn. Thoughts are with him and his family. Hoping he pulls through.” A third commented, “So sorry to read this, he was an outstanding player in his day. Thoughts very much with him and those close to him.”
Hansen began his football journey in Scotland, playing 86 times for Partick Thistle between 1973 and 1977 before joining Liverpool.
As a pundit, Hansen is perhaps best remembered for his infamous “You can’t win anything with kids” remark following Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa on the opening day of the 1995/96 season. Despite this, he carved out a successful punditry career until his retirement after the 2014 World Cup, citing increasing pre-broadcast nerves as the reason for stepping down.
Reflecting on his career in 2017, Hansen admitted, “I was getting more nervous and I’d say: ‘What are you doing?’ The BBC were terrific, I loved the people and Match Of The Day but I didn’t enjoy the nerves.”
He continued, “When I played I didn’t like pundits. When I was a pundit I didn’t like the other pundits because I was scared they might be better than me. Honestly, I thought they were all better than me. It was my insecurity. On the pitch I had tremendous belief in my own ability. I never thought I wasn’t good enough to play for Liverpool when the game started but, before the match, before a programme… I never found out why. It is the way it is.”
ALAN HANSEN’S PUNDITRY CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
- 1991: Retires from football and begins working for Sky TV as a pundit.
- 1992: Joins the BBC, initially for Radio 5 Live before moving to Match of the Day.
- 1994: Criticized for saying a player “deserves shooting” after a poor performance, a day after Colombian defender Andres Escobar was shot dead for an own goal.
- 1995: Famously declares “you can’t win anything with kids” as Manchester United loses to Aston Villa. United goes on to win the Double that season.
- 2011: Faces backlash for comments about Theo Walcott and using the term “coloured” to refer to black players, for which he later apologizes.
- 2011: Controversy over his £40,000 per appearance fee from the BBC.
- 2012: Agrees to a £500,000 pay cut amid BBC’s budget cuts.
- 2014: Retires after the World Cup.
READ MORE: Tributes pour in for beloved TV doctor Michael Mosley
