Tributes paid to Liverpool star St John
JIMMY Greaves led the tributes to great friend Ian St John after the former Liverpool and Scotland striker’s death at the age of 82 following a long illness.
St John made more than 400 appearances for Liverpool, helping them claim two league titles while he scored the winning goal in the 1965 FA Cup final as the Reds got their hands on the famous trophy for the first time.
He won a new generation of fans after his playing retirement, presenting the popular Saturday afternoon football show Saint and Greavsie alongside former Tottenham and England forward Greaves.
And Greaves paid homage to his on-screen partner after Liverpool confirmed St John had died on Monday evening.
“We are very sad to hear the Saint has passed away,” a statement on Greaves’ official Twitter account read.
“Ian St John and I had great fun working on the Saint and Greavsie He was a lovely man & will be sadly missed by many many people. we must also remember he was a great footballer for Bill Shankly’s Liverpool and beyond.” Ex-Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard heard the news during his Rangers press conference and said: “That’s a shock and a surprise to me. I’m really disappointed to hear that. He’s an iconic figure at Liverpool Football Club.
“He’s someone I’ve met on numerous occasions. A fantastic guy. Really insightful in terms of his career and experience at Liverpool and trying to pass on a lot of knowledge and expertise. “So I’m really devastated to hear that news, so I’d like to pass on my condolences to all his family and everyone close to the Saint. He’s a legend and an iconic figure at the club and someone I’ve got incredible respect for.”