Ron Yeats, former Liverpool captain, dies at 86

Yeats, the former Liverpool captain who helped to rebuild the club’s fortunes under Bill Shankly in the 1960s, has died at the age of 86.

Liverpool announced on Friday evening that Yeats, who had an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, had passed away.

“We are mourning the passing of our legendary former captain Ron Yeats,” a club statement on X read. “The thoughts of everyone at Liverpool Football Club are with Ron’s family and friends.”

Yeats joined Liverpool from Dundee United in 1961 for about £20,000, and was immediately made captain by Shankly.

The defender became his manager’s “colossus,” helping the club win the Second Division title in 1962, followed by two Football League titles, their first FA Cup, and three Charity Shields.

“Shankly made me feel like a million dollars,” Yeats would recall.

“We were coming down the M6, with vice-chairman Sidney Reakes, who had a Rolls-Royce at the time, and me and Bill in the back. I was only 23 and didn’t know what to say.

Bill just turned around and said: ‘‘Ron, I want you to captain the side. You will be my eyes, my ears, and my voice on that pitch’, I thought to myself: ‘Bloody hell’. I did that for him, captain Liverpool, for 10 years. It was the best 10 years of my career and my life.”

During the 1965 FA Cup final at Wembley, Liverpool defeated Leeds United, and Yeats famously told the Queen at the trophy presentation that the energy-sapping 2-1 victory in extra time had left him “knackered.”

Yeats, who earned two Scotland caps, played 454 games for Liverpool, more than 400 of those appearances as captain—a tally surpassed only by Steven Gerrard.

After leaving Liverpool in 1971, Yeats took over as Tranmere’s player-manager, a role he held for three years, followed by a brief spell in the United States in his late 30s.

During his time at Prenton Park, Yeats guided Rovers to a memorable win over Arsenal at Highbury in the 1973 League Cup.