LIVERPOOL: Legendary former Liverpool captain Ron Yeats, described by Bill Shankly as a “colossus”, has died at 86.

The ex-Scotland defender was part of the Liverpool side that won the Second Division title under manager Shankly in 1962.

Yeats went on to win two top-flight titles, the FA Cup and the Charity Shield three times, helping establish Liverpool as one of the most successful clubs in the country.

He played 454 games before joining Tranmere as player-manager in 1971. More than 400 of those appearances were as captain, a tally bettered only by Steven Gerrard.

In January it was announced he had been living with Alzheimer’s disease.

A club statement said: “Liverpool FC is mourning the passing of legendary former captain Ron Yeats. In the words of Bill Shankly, a ‘colossus’ in club history. The thoughts of everyone at LFC are with Ron’s wife, Ann, all of his family and his friends at this incredibly sad time.”

Flags at Anfield and Liverpool’s training grounds will be lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect.

Yeats, who won only two caps for Scotland in 1964 and 1965, began at Dundee United before joining Liverpool in 1961. He also played for Stalybridge Celtic and Barrow and had a spell in the American Soccer League.

Yeats returned to England for short spells at Formby and Rhyl before retiring from playing in 1977.

In 1986 he rejoined Liverpool as chief scout and remained in the role before retiring in 2006.

When Yeats was unveiled to the media after joining Liverpool in 1961, Shankly invited reporters to go into the dressing room and “take a walk around him – he’s a colossus”.

Yeats became a central pillar to Liverpool’s revival along with compatriot Ian St John, who joined the same year. Shankly described their arrival as “the turning point” as Liverpool rose from the Second Division to become the dominant force in British football.

Such was Yeats’ impact that he was appointed captain months later and would wear the armband for the next eight seasons.

Yeats would later say that the Second Division and FA Cup triumphs were his proudest achievements as a Liverpool player, setting the platform for an era of dominance at home and in Europe.

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