Brave Crazy Horse loses his last battle

He played the game like he lived his life - with enthusiasm, commitment and selfbelief. His amiable, chatterbox personality earned him a nationwide reputation as a TV celebrity. Even Princess Anne was bowled over by his charm in front of a big TV audience on Question of Sport.

But it was at Anfield where he was most appreciated. You could sense the crowd willing him forward when he went on one of his swirling runs down the left.

He was versatile enough to play at full-back, centreback or in midfield and, although predominantly right-footed, most of his games were at left-back.

The fact that he was right-footed often meant that when he got into attacking positions on the left he had to turn inside onto his stronger right foot to cross the ball. It never worried him, or Liverpool.

Beneath the infectious personality was an ambitious and determined player. A strong tackler and a demanding captain, he played 62 times for England in an 11-year international career.

But his real successes were at club level with Liverpool. He won four League titles, two European Cups, two UEFA Cups and the FA Cup.

Most famously, Hughes was the first Liverpool captain to lift the European Cup. The 3-1 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach in Rome in 1977 kick-started Liverpool's domination of Europe. It was a period of supremacy that was unequalled by any other English club.

Hughes, who was rewarded with the Footballer of the Year award, remained a fixture in Liverpool's first team for two more seasons. In 1979 he moved to Wolves for £90,000 and helped them win the Football League Cup, the one major trophy that had eluded him at Liverpool.

He suffered with knee problems at Wolves and finished his career with Rotherham, Hull and Swansea. He was also briefly manager of Wolves.

His former England and Liverpool team-mate Phil Neal said today: "Emlyn had a will to win that rubbed off on all of us. On a cold, wet day in January he was always full of enthusiasm. I never saw him down."

Despite a long illness he tried to enjoy life to the full and never lost his love of horse racing.

Many years ago before a Scotland-England match at Hampden Park, the players were sharing the same hotel as the media at St Andrews.

Hughes asked me if he could borrow my car to go to Ayr Races with some of the other players. I agreed, somewhat reluctantly. By way of thanks when they returned Emlyn shared his winnings with me.

He was that sort of bloke.