Barring Gerrard, there probably hasn't been a more popular English player to play for Liverpool over the last 20 years than Fowler. Even then some would have him as their number one, without question. The lethal striker achieved great things during his first spell at Anfield between 1993 and 2001, scoring at a frightening rate and endearing himself to the fans with his cheeky personality. Under Houllier, Fowler struggled in comparison to under previous boss Roy Evans, however. They reportedly didn't get along with one another particularly well, and the Frenchman often preferred to partner Owen and Emile Heskey in attack together, leaving out Fowler in the process. By the time the 2001/02 season rolled around, it was clear that Houllier was happy to sell him. He might not have been quite the same player in comparison to four or five years previously, but he still had such a huge amount to offer. He was still only 26, and in late 2001, Leeds United signed Fowler for £12m. It was a sad, sad day for many Reds fanatics who had grown up watching Fowler's brilliance. Although his career never really excelled from that point on- he returned to Liverpool for 18 months or so under Benitez in 2006, but was well past his best- he would have continued to flourish for a long time had he stayed at Anfield.
