Legendary Liverpool captain Ron Yeats has died at the age of 86 after suffering with Alzheimer’s.
Yeats captained the Reds more than 400 times, a tally only bettered by Steven Gerrard, and guided the English giants to three major trophies.
The ex-Scotland defender lifted two First Division titles and the FA Cup with Liverpool during the sixties after guiding them out of the Second Division.
He also played for Dundee United and Tranmere Rovers during a 21-year senior career.
In a touching tribute, Liverpool wrote on the official club website: “In the words of Bill Shankly, a ‘colossus’ in club history, the Scot died on Friday night at the age of 86, having sadly suffered with Alzheimer’s in recent years.
“A July 1961 signing from Dundee United, defender Yeats was one of the transformative players of Shankly’s fledgling revolution at the Reds, helping lift the club out of the doldrums of an extended spell stuck in the Second Division.
“’Walk around him,’ the manager told the media when Yeats was unveiled that summer. ‘He’s a colossus.’ As so often, Shankly was right.”
Ex-Liverpool striker John Aldridge was also among those to pay tribute on social media.
He wrote: “Woke up today to the sad news of one of Liverpool football clubs all-time greats as a player and a captain Ron Yeats, what a man!!
“I’m honoured to have met him on many occasions, What Ron and the family I’ve gone through the past eight years with his illness is unbelievably sad!!
“All our thoughts from the ex-Players are with his family! Good night God bless Ron RIP.”
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