30 April 1966

Having won the FA Cup for the first time in 1965, Bill Shankly knew he'd crafted a side capable of scaling the heights of English football.

In fact, so confident was he of mounting a serious title challenge that the only significant signing ahead of the 1965-66 campaign was reserve goalkeeper John Ogston, who went on to play just a single league game for the club.

Instead, Shanks put his trust in his Cup heroes – the likes of Ian St John, Ron Yeats, Ian Callaghan, Roger Hunt, Peter Thompson and Tommy Smith.

It all began with the Charity Shield, which had to be shared with north-west rivals Man Utd following a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford.

The Reds had Roger Hunt to thanks for their early-season form, with the prolific marksman netting 10 in nine games, including an eight-minute hat-trick against West Ham. Of course, Hunt would end the campaign with a World Cup winner's medal to boot.

One of the highlights of the 1965-66 season came in front of 53,557 spectators at Anfield, who gleefully witnessed a 5-0 demolition of bitter rivals Everton.

The Reds could have been five up within 10 minutes, but it actually took Smith until just after the half-hour mark to open the scores when he headed home an in-swinging free-kick from Thompson.

The floodgates opened only after the break when quickfire lobs from Hunt and Willie Stevenson made it 3-0. Sir Roger made it four prompting a round of 'We want five' from a jubilant Kop. St John duly obliged in the 89^th minute, by which time Everton had all but given up.

At the back, a foursome of Gerry Byrne, Chris Lawler, Ron Yeats and Tommy Smith, not to mention custodian Tommy Lawrence, were proving impregnable. A run of seven consecutive clean sheets in spring is among the best sequences in the club's history.

As a sizeable lead over Leeds United began to open up at the top, it was becoming clear that this would be a special season for Shanks and his loyal men. On top of their league exploits, Liverpool progressed past the likes of Celtic, Juventus and Standard Liege to reach the European Cup Winners' Cup final.

Incredibly, just 15 players were used throughout this momentous campaign, with Byrne, Callaghan, Lawrence, Smith and Yeats all ever-present.

By the time May came around, they were six points clear of their Yorkshire rivals, with a full house present at Anfield to witness a 2-1 victory over Chelsea which sealed the Championship. Not that they expected anything less. Before kick-off, a proud Liverpudlian emerged from the terraces and planted a replica trophy on the centre circle.

With a Hunt brace ultimately securing victory, the day ended with a round of 'Ee-aye-addio, we've won the League' from all sides of the ground.