Having won La Liga twice and the Uefa Cup with Valencia, Rafael Benitez replaces Gerard Houllier as Liverpool manager in June 2004
The fans will forever be indebted for Benitez's capture of a Spanish striker, first name Fernando. However, it's not Morientes, who struggles to justify a �6.6m fee and leaves having scored only 12 times
Despite questionable transfer dealings, the Reds prosper on the pitch and reach the Champions League final, though trailling 3-0 to AC Milan at half-time hopes of winning the trophy for a fifth time appear slim
The rest, though, is history. A tweak of tactics here, a change of attitude there and Liverpool score three unanswered goals and then win on penalties
Benitez wins another trophy the following season with an FA Cup final victory against West Ham, but perhaps in an omen of things to come the cup slips from his grasp. He does not win another major trophy at Anfield
George Gillett and Tom Hicks complete a protracted takeover in February 2007 and initially the signs are encouraging with money available to Benitez and another European run developing
In 2007, just as two years before, Benitez faces a Champions League semi-final against Jose Mourinho's Chelsea and, as in 2005, he comes out on top again
However this time there is to be no fairytale ending as Liverpool lose 2-1 to an ageing Milan. Benitez asks for transfer funds to be made available in the wake of the defeat
You don't ask, you don't get - Benitez is given a warchest which he uses to sign Andriy Voronin, Ryan Babel and, more successfully, Fernando Torres for �26.5m
Babel flatters to deceive, Voronin falters, but Torres is superb and when he scores in a 4-1 win at Manchester United to help Liverpool finish second a title challenge appears inevitable
Many pundits are tipping Liverpool to end a 20-year title drought, but Benitez sees playmaker Xavi Alonso leave for Real Madrid and injury-hit �20m signing Alberto Aquilani struggle to fill the void
And in a terrible final season, Benitez's side crash out of the Champions League in the group stages, while their league campaign is derailed by poor form and the odd bit of beachball-related ill fortune
Some Liverpool fans protest outside Anfield following Benitez's departure, with the banners making it clear where loyalties lie
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