14 April 1906

A newly-promoted team winning the League Championship? It would never happen today.

But, more than a century ago, that's exactly what manager Tom Watson achieved by clinching successive Division Two and One titles.

With goal hero Joe Hewitt netting 25 at one end and £340 signing Sam Hardy keeping shots out at the other, Liverpool trampled over English football's aristocracy to bring the Championship back to Anfield for only the second time.

Each week, crowds of about 18,000 watched the Reds dispatch sides such as Wolves, Bury, Notts Forest, Newcastle and Brentford with consummate ease. Middlesbrough suffered most, falling to our sword 5-1 and 6-1.

Not that Watson's men had things all their own way. Incredibly, Liverpool lost their first three games of the campaign, including an embarrassing 5-0 reverse at Villa Park.

Still, the Reds recovered and would eventually top the table four points ahead of north-west rivals Preston.

The season ended with the Sheriff of London Charity Shield at Craven Cottage, in which Liverpool beat Corinthians 5-1.