Kenny Dalglish, my Granny and a Liverpool pilgrimage to see true hero

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As proved by Asif Kapadia’s latest film.Kenny Dalglish is one of Liverpool's most legendary players. | PADalglish is the latest subject chosen to be profiled by the British director, who has also chronicled such diverse talents as Ayrton Senna, Diego Maradona and Amy Winehouse to great acclaim.It’s another brilliant piece of work even if, like me, the viewer might well spend some of the time thinking, ‘what about this goal, what about that goal?’ For example, it’s wonderful to see the strike against Belgium in a 1982 European Championship qualifier that some contend is the player’s finest of the 30 goals he scored for his country, a record he shares with Denis Law. Mercifully, Dalglish wasn’t incapacitated in any way and scored the winner, the first goal of thousands I have now witnessed with my own eyes, after 71 minutes.Sir Kenny Dalglish and Asif Kapadia attend the "Kenny Dalglish" UK Premiere at Picturehouse Central in London on October 23. | Getty ImagesIn my mind – I have never seen it again anywhere, and it's not included in Kapadia’s film – I recall it coming at the Kop end and was hit from just inside the box in typically stylish Dalglish fashion after turning on a sixpence.It's warming now to know that my fellow Dundonian sportswriter and later great friend Patrick Barclay was sitting not far from me in the press seats recording events for The Guardian.

He had already demonstrated his high moral standards by re-thinking his intention to leave Celtic after hearing about Jock Stein’s car crash in 1965.‘Life is not a rehearsal’“I know it’s strange when you say how much the club means to you but you’ve still left [eventually],” he reflects. Those with this opinion hadn’t reckoned on Kenny Dalglish, who continued Keegan’s work in making 7 the number everyone wanted on the back of their football jerseys, the way it is with 10 now.Liverpool Player/Manager Kenny Dalglish (c) on his final appearance as a player, Ronnie Moran (l) and Roy Evans celebrate the 1989/90 Division One Championship. | Hulton Archive“They’d won the league, they’d won the European Cup, Kevin had left for Hamburg after being tremendously successful and having made a huge contribution to Liverpool’s success,” recalls Dalglish.

So if he’s advising me and he’s employed by the club, I cannae do much about it, can I?‘I did not want to steal Denis’ record’“I had a good ending when we played Romania and Franz Beckenbauer presented me with a lovely trophy [to commemorate his 100th cap],” he continues. “The number of games they have now… If someone beats you, I don’t have a problem.” He stresses he would feel sorrier for Law, whose picture once adorned his own bedroom wall.And with that very Dalglish sentiment, he notes it’s now time to get ready for his own premiere, something he never thought he’d ever hear himself saying.Cheers Kenny, for everything.