"Tommy Smith wasn't born, he was quarried," the legendary Liverpool football manager Bill Shankly once said.
Like Shankly, footballer Thomas "Tommy" Smith MBE's long-serving career for the Reds earned him a firm place in the club's history - and the nickname "the Anfield Iron".
Now Tommy is preparing to sell memorabilia and medals from his prestigious career. These include his league title, FA Cup, UEFA Cup and European Cup winners' medals.
All are going under the hammer in the UK, next month. The 75 lots are expected to bring around £120,000 (approximately $190,500).
 Fans turn out at Anfield to |
"I had a wonderful career but the memories I've got are more important to me than the medals and the shirts," Smith told local newspaper the Liverpool Echo.
"I'm getting old and the money is of more use to me now than the medals. This is about me putting my family first."
By all accounts, the auction wasn't an easy decision for 66-year-old Smith who first signed for Shankly's Liverpool while still a schoolboy in 1960.
Known for his tough defensive style, Smith notched-up 638 appearances for the club until 1978. This included four league title wins, two FA Cups, two UEFA Cups and the European Cup.
The good news is that Tommy Smith's medals and other memorabilia will no longer reside in his loft. Instead, they can now find new homes with devoted Liverpool FC collectors.
Liverpool FC's status as one of the world's most prestigious clubs (including winning more European titles than any other English team) makes its collectibles especially coveted.
Examples we've handled here at Paul Fraser Collectibles include a 'Footballer of the Year' autographed menu signed by Tommy Smith's sometime Liverpool teammate Kevin Keegan, alongside legendary players... and gravelly-voiced rock star Rod Stewart.
We still have this menu for sale. It also bears the autograph of Dixie Dean (1907-1980), one of the greatest goal-scorers in English football history - you can find out more about it here.
