Founders - Goalkeepers

Hardy - Sam was one of the first in a long line of distinguished goalkeepers to ply their trade at Anfield. He did enough to impress the club"s legendary secretary-manager of the time Tom Watson and later was signed for a fee of £500 in 1905. Watson"s judgement proved correct as Hardy went on to establish himself as one the finest stoppers in the land. Regarded as an unspectacular keeper, he earned the moniker "Safe and Steady Sam" and made his Reds debut in October that year, replacing Ted Doig. Uncanny anticipation was considered to be one of Hardy"s greatest assets and he showed this in abundance during his first season with the club as Liverpool walked off with the First Division title. 
"Sam Hardy, who kept goal for England on eighteen occasions, has made such good progess towards recovery ... It appears that Hardy had been indisposed from an attack of meningitis, but, taken in its incipient stages, it has, it is hoped, been successfully overcome." - Portsmouth Evening News (1925)
"He was clearly a great goalkeeper because all the contemporary reports talk about this wonderful custodian which was a phrase they like to use. Some old timers at Liverpool used to say they will never have another Sam Hardy. He was different class and he won the championship with Liverpool and played for England so clearly he was quite a goalkeeper."
Hardy was considered the best goalkeeper of his generation. In fact, he would have gone on to win more appearances beyond 1920 if he had not refused to go on FA's tour of South Africa. 

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Wharton - The world's first black professional footballer (who exchanged a regal lifestyle for a career in sport) and perhaps England's best goalkeeper as well as a fine cricketer and the 100 yard dash World record holder. He excelled at everything he tried, even setting a record time for cycling between Preston and Blackburn. It was whilst at college that he began his amazing sporting careers, competing at this stage as a "gentleman amateur", but soon abandoned this in favour of becoming a full-time athlete. His sporting prowess was spotted at Darlington Football Club, where he was selected to play as goalkeeper.  At Darlington he was describes as "magnificent", "invincible" and "superb".
But after retiring Wharton disappeared from public life. He fell into destitution and alcoholism, died penniless in the Springwell Sanitarium in 1930 and was buried in an unmarked grave – and today is still little known. Many say he should have played for England... was it just about ignorance?! Like many other great goalkeepers before and after him, he gained a reputation for being eccentric! Apparently he would wait in a crouching position at the side of the goal before rushing out to save the ball.
Even in his 50"s, an eyewitness reported that "he could catch pigeons".