John Aldridge

John Aldridge is known as one of the most prolific Irish strikers of all time. A legend of 80s football. He will have left his mark on Liverpool and Real Sociedad fans.

Trophies

441

Goals

841

Games

1979/84 Newport County (WAL) 213 games, 89 goals

(England Premier League: 132 games, 56 goals)

(England Premier League: 38 games, 14 goals)

(England Cup: 13 games, 5 goals)

(Wales Cup: 7 games, 3 goals)

(EFL Trophy: 8 games, 4 goals)

(England League Cup: 11 games, 5 goals)

(England Cup Winners' Cup: 4 games, 2 goals)

1984/87 Oxford United (ENG) 132 games, 90 goals

(England Premier League: 64 games, 38 goals)

(England Premier League: 42 games, 30 goals)

English Premier League: 8 games, 4 goals)

(English Cup: 5 games, 2 goals)

(English League Cup: 18 games, 14 goals)

(Full Members Cup: 5 games, 2 goals)

1987/89 Liverpool (ENG) 104 games, 63 goals

(English Premier League: 83 games, 50 goals)

(English Cup: 12 games, 8 goals)

(English League Cup: 8 games, 3 goals)

(Charity Shield: 1 game, 2 goals)

1989/91 Real Sociedad (ESP) 75 games, 40 goals

(Spanish Premier League: 63 games, 33 goals)

(Spanish Cup: 8 games, 6 goals)

(UEFA Cup: 4 games, 1 goal)

1991/98 Tranmere Rovers (ENG) 248 games, 140 goals

(English Premier League: 200 games, 116 goals)

(English Premier League: 43 games, 22 goals)

(English Cup: 1 game)

(English League Cup: 4 games, 2 goals)

With the National Team :

69 caps, 19 goals

(Friendly matches: 19 caps, 2 goals)

(World Cup qualifiers: 18 caps, 8 goals)

(World Cup: 8 caps, 1 goal)

(Euro qualifiers: 19 caps, 8 goals)

(Euro: 3 caps)

(USP Cup: 2 caps)

1st cap: March 26, 1986 against Wales (0-1)

Last cap: October 9, 1996 against Macedonia (3-0)

John William Aldridge

Born September 18, 1958 in Liverpool (ENG)

English/Irish, Striker, 1m81

Nickname: "Aldo"

His beginnings in the lower echelons of English football

John Aldridge was born on September 18, 1958 in Liverpool, England, but he will eventually play for Ireland, his great-grandmother was from Athlone. Playing in the youth categories of South Liverpool, he joined Newport County, a club in Wales, in 1979, where he made his debut in the English 4th division, far from the heights of English football.

For his first club, he will have played a total of 213 matches for 89 goals. Honorable statistics without being impressive at this level of English football. However, with his small club, he participated in the Cup Winners' Cup where he reached the quarter-finals during his second season at the club.

The years of revelation to the general English public

In his final season, 1983/84, Aldridge continued to progress and was spotted by Oxford United, where he played in the third, second and then first divisions. With his club, he experienced a crazy rise in English football. In his first season in the English second division, he scored 34 league goals, becoming the first second division player to score more than 30 goals in 19 years.

Then in the English Premier Division, the 27-year-old Irish striker discovered the very high level. For his first season in the elite, he had a completely crazy season with 23 goals scored, then the following season, he scored 17 goals, placing himself 3rd then 7th best scorer in the championship. For his 2 seasons, the striker allowed his team to historically stay in the Premier Division. In total, he scored 90 goals in 132 games, crazy statistics.

Consecration at the highest level

Aged 29, the striker will finally experience the peak of his career, joining Liverpool FC. He then joins the legendary English club for £750,000. And during the 1987/88 season, he has the best season of his career with 26 league goals, finishing top scorer.

A formidable finisher, he will have scored 63 goals in 104 games with this club in a downward period of the club. However, he wins 4 trophies during this period including 1 English championship. He is then at the top of his game.

Passage through Spain then return to England

Then in 1989, Liverpool changes tactics and Aldridge is sold to Real Sociedad for £1 million. Within the Basque team, the striker will score a total of 40 goals in 75 games and establish himself as one of the best strikers in the Spanish championship. However, some supporters of the Basque club refused his presence in the team and he was forced to leave the club in 1991.

He then returned to England to Tranmere Rovers where he played until 1998 either in the English first or second division. He then added 140 goals scored and 248 matches played to his tally. He then retired at the age of 39. A legend of English football, he also played 69 matches for Ireland, scoring 19 goals.