Career context
English footballer (born 1954)
Age 71
Alan Waddle is an English former footballer who played as a striker. Waddle began his career with Halifax Town, signing professional forms in October 1971. He made 22 League appearances and scored the crucial goal in the last match of the 1972–73 season at Walsall enabling Halifax Town to avoid relegation from the old Third Division. In June 1973 Waddle was signed by Liverpool manager Bill Shankly and netted his only goal for the Reds in a 1–0 win over rivals Everton in December 1973. Waddle made 22 appearances for the club but he lost his place in 1975, and only played one game in his remaining two years, although he did play in the home leg of the team's victory over FC Zürich in the 1977 European Cup semi-final, and made it onto the bench for the 1977 European Cup Final, before leaving that summer. He spent a year at Leicester City before moving on to Swansea City, where he had his most productive spell, working under manager John Toshack, the player he had understudied at Liverpool. In December 1980 Waddle joined Newport County for a fee of £80,000, a club record for Newport. He went on to have a much-travelled career, which included two returns to Swansea, and spells in Finland, Hong Kong and Qatar. He is a cousin of Chris Waddle, the former Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and England midfielder.