Twenty years since two Icelanders launched a popular Liverpool FC website

On 8 September 2003, Arnie Baldursson and Gudmundur Magnusson launched Lfchistory.net . Arnie, short for Arngrímur, is the editor of the site, which fast became very popular among Liverpool fans, sports journalists and others interested in everything Liverpool FC. The website was a popular hub for finding stats, interviews, articles, player info and opposition info among other things. "We work well together, I write and Magnusson is the computer guy and we have also done two books together,” says Arnie.

“It was our ambition to record Liverpool FC's illustrious history on the net that we felt missing from the World Wide Web. We didn't realise at the time what this would lead to.”

"Looking forward to more glorious years"

“On record are 10,331 goals, 5,914 competitive games (numerous friendlies as well), 799 LFC players and over 15,000 opponents since 1892. We have also interviewed over 50 people of which the majority of are legends at the club,” Arnie continues.

“Liverpool FC have recognised our work as the basis for their official stats and we have published three books in our name because of the site's existence. Why two Icelanders who started all of this? Why not? Liverpool FC is global. Weird that 20 years have passed but we're looking forward to more glorious years.”

Lifelong passion
Arnie Baldursson fell in love with Liverpool FC when he got Derek Hodgson's history of Liverpool as a birthday present in 1981. After that there was no turning back and a lifelong passion for Liverpool was kindled and it is still burning bright. He read the book over and over, probably 13-14 times, and he was fascinated by the club’s history and the very special bond that all Liverpool supporters know and love.

Little did he know that 30 years later he would be asked by a British publisher to write another history book of his beloved football club and in 2011 Liverpool: The Complete Record was published. Two years after that Baldursson and Magnusson published a 650-page book, Liverpool FC Encyclopedia, which he says is one of the best books written about the football club. "We worked day and night and it paid off."

The third book Arnie wrote is Mr Liverpool – Ronnie Moran: The Official Life Story, which was published two weeks before Moran died in 2017.

You never walk alone!

Arnie has seen Liverpool play numerous times and he has made friends in the city who know about his contribution to the history of the club. "Often when I meet sports journalists they thank me for the website, because they use its database a lot which makes their work easier."

It might not come as a surprise that Arnie’s sons have inherited the Liverpool gene and are avid supporters as well. With their dad as a fellow fan as well, they will never walk alone!