Ronnie Moran dead: Former Liverpool captain and club legend dies, aged 83

Moran made 379 appearances for Liverpool and twice worked as caretaker manager

(Getty)

Former Liverpool captain and coach Ronnie Moran has died, aged 83.

Moran’s son, Paul, confirmed his passing on Wednesday morning after the Anfield legend suffered from a short illness.

Writing on Twitter, Paul Moran said: “I am devastated to tell everyone on behalf of the family that my dad passed away this morning after a short illness.”

Moran was known as one of the Anfield Boot Room originals, a small area located under the Main Stand at Liverpool’s home stadium where Bill Shankly’s coaching staff would gather after training or a match and discuss all things football, along with enjoying a drink together.

The Boot Room became a famous part of Anfield, with subsequent managers Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish choosing to keep it at the ground, along with Moran himself when he took over the role twice in a caretaker capacity in the early 1990s.

Moran made his Liverpool senior debut in 1952, and the left-back went on to make 379 appearances for the club, including more than 340 in the league.

Moran (left) and Roy Evans (right) with Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish in 1990 (Getty)

When Souness required heart surgery in 1992, Moran took over control of the first team (Getty)

The Crosby-born footballer rose through the Liverpool ranks to make his debut against Derby County in November 1952, under the guidance of manager Don Welsh, and three years later he established himself as the first-choice left-back for the Reds, with his excellent fitness record seeing him miss just six matches between 1955 and 1959.

Moran (right) became Liverpool's caretaker manager when Kenny Dalglish (centre) left in 1991 (Getty)

Moran attended a Liverpool training session in 2013 when Brendan Rodgers was still manager (Getty)

Moran was named captain towards the end of the decade, and was part of the side that helped Liverpool to promotion from Division Two in 1061/62, before winning the Division One title two years later. As his playing career wound down, Moran would feature in the famous victory over Internazionale, before his final appearance for the club came in the return leg when they were controversially beaten in the Europan Cup semi-final.

He continued to play beyond 1965 for the reserve team, under Fagan, but was also invited onto Shankly’s coaching staff and took charged of the reserves himself in 1971. He stepped up as caretaker manager when Dalglish announced his sudden resignation in 1991, and did so again when Graeme Souness required heart surgery the following year, and although Souness returned for the 1992 FA Cup final, Moran was given the honour of leading out the side at Wembley.

Moran passed away at the age of 83 (Getty)

He finally left Liverpool in 1998 to enter retirement, having served under nine managers during his time at the club as both player and coach.