Brian Hall

Background

Hall was born in Glasgow and raised in Lancashire. He had trials with each of Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers and Preston North End in his teens. He moved to study for a degree in mathematics at the University of Liverpool, choosing to study in the city because he was, 'a Beatles nut'.

Two years later, he was part of the team which won both the 1972–73 Football League and 1972–73 UEFA Cup. Hall started the home first leg of that 1973 UEFA Cup Final against Borussia Mönchengladbach, but the game was abandoned after 27 minutes due to a downpour. Shankly in watching those 27 minutes before the game was abandoned felt the German defence was suspect in the air. He changed his starting line up for the re-arranged game the following evening. Shankly brought in tall forward John Toshack to the starting line up instead demoting Hall to appearing only as an 83rd-minute substitute for Steve Heighway in a 3–0 win. Hall was unused from the substitutes bench in the 2–0 defeat in the away leg for a 3-2 aggregate win.

Hall worked as a teacher and for Preston Borough Council as its Chief Recreation Officer, before returning to Anfield in 1991 to take on the role of the Liverpool Football in the Community Officer. He retained this public-relations role under several different titles until he retired in 2011 suffering from leukaemia. Hall died in Preston on 16 July 2015. He was married with two daughters and one son. runner-up: 1970–71 FA Charity Shield: 1974 UEFA Cup: 1972–73, 1975–76