Liverpool legend's memorabilia valued at £500k ahead of auction

A treasure trove of memorabilia from Liverpool and England legend Emlyn Hughes's playing days including match-worn shirts, medals and tracksuits is going under the hammer with an estimated value of £500k.

Hughes, who died in 2004 aged 57, was one of Liverpool's greatest players, appearing 665 times and winning four league titles, the FA Cup and both European trophies twice during his time at the Reds.

The 240 lots, which are being sold by the late star's family, include his 1977 European Cup winners medal, which has a guide price of between £40,000 and £60,000.

His son Emlyn Hughes Jnr and daughter Emma Lynn, who have helped to catalogue the sale, said they were "lucky to say he was our dad".

Nicknamed Crazy Horse to reflect his seemingly endless energy and rampantly exuberant spirit, Hughes was signed for the Reds by their legendary manager Bill Shankly from Blackpool in 1967.

He quickly became a stalwart of Shankly's side and helped the Reds to the First Division title in 1973 as a integral part of a team which also included such stars as Kevin Keegan, Ray Clemence and John Toshack.

The following season, he lifted the FA Cup as captain and went on to lead the side to three more league titles.

He remains the team's only captain to lift the European Cup twice, in 1977 and 1978, and he also in the sides that won the Uefa Cup in 1973 and 1976.

He also won the majority of his 62 England caps while at Liverpool, captaining the national side on 23 occasions and scoring one goal.

He left Liverpool to join Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1979 and would later sign for Rotherham United, Hull City, Mansfield Town and Swansea City.

Away from the pitch, he also built an impressive media career and was a hugely popular team captain on the BBC's A Question of Sport programme, his quick wit and infectious laugh acting a perfect foil for opposition captains Gareth Edwards and Bill Beaumont.

In a poll earlier in 2026, he was voted Liverpool's 17th greatest player of all time by fans, sandwiched between the club's current goalkeeper Alisson and Phil Neal, who holds the honour of winning the most trophies with the Reds.

His children, who have helped to catalogue the sale, said it had been emotional to look through the items.

"To me and Emma, he was Dad," Hughes Jnr said.

"To see all of this and to see how everyone who's seen it so far just being blown away is just great.

"There's some nice memories here.

"I was born in 1976 so I was just a bit too young to remember him playing.

"There are so many iconic shirts and we're lucky to say he was our dad."

Lynn said she had been "really blown away".

"It's been folded up in boxes for many years so to actually see it all laid out is quite incredible," she said.

"I don't think you appreciate it until we got a bit older to really understand what he did achieve."

The collection includes shirts Hughes kept after swapping with fellow legends from around the globe including Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, George Best and Sir Kenny Dalglish.

There are also jerseys from one-off matches in the 1980s and 1990s, along with other items from his playing days which also saw him feature for clubs including Blackpool, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Swansea City.

The live auction will take place at the Hope Street Hotel in Liverpool on 2 November.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.