Joe Gormley compared to iconic Liverpool pair as Magilton rates all-time status

Jim Magilton has compared Joe Gormley's predatory goalscoring talents to iconic Liverpool strikers Ian Rush and John Aldridge.

Magilton started his career at Liverpool and got to work alongside some of the Anfield club's legendary front men.

The former Northern Ireland midfielder described Rush as the "most incredible player", while Aldridge was an "absolute predator in the box".

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When it comes to the technical ability to finish, Magilton rates the former Liverpool pair as two of the best around in their day.

And he believes Irish League legend Gormley is another 'natural' whose ability to find the net is a unique talent not many others possess.

Magilton said: "I was at Liverpool, I watched Liverpool for three or four years, I was around that, and Ian Rush was the most incredible player, watching him from an early age. Then they brought in John Aldridge, who was an absolute predator in the box.

"Matt Le Tissier scored 30-odd goals one season, but he scored more outside the box. It's their football intelligence, it's those moments when they weigh up every situation, and they are the calmest people on the pitch. Time must stand still for them.

"Marcus Stewart was an outstanding finisher. He lacked pace but he just had this incredible knowledge of where the goals were, it was very rarely that he had to look.

"They say the goals don't move so if you're facing one goal, the other's not going to move. They have this incredible ability to weigh everything up and then have the technical ability to finish.

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"Joe is in that category because, no matter how you approach goalscoring, he's brought it to a level that we've all seen in the league. Others will have a better idea of where Joe is in Irish League history."

Gormley is already a Cliftonville legend, having become the North Belfast club's all-time record goalscorer. At 35 years of age he shows no signs of stopping, having plundered an impressive 14 league goals this season to sit top of the NIFL Premiership charts.

Magilton believes Gormley holds a strong argument to go down as one of the best ever strikers in Irish League history.

He added: "I'd say Joe is going to go down as one of the best, definitely top 10, top five, there's an argument there. But we feel very lucky and privileged to have him.

"The club do, the fans do, and long may this continue."

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