The Portsmouth hero who knocked Liverpool out of FA Cup - and 20 years later became powerful Anfield figure

Former Pompey favourite Richard Hughes’ rise continues, following his appointment as Liverpool’s sporting director.

The 44-year-old will take up the position at the Premier League giants on June 1, having served as technical director at Bournemouth.

Ironically, the move arrives 20 years after he knocked the Reds out of the FA Cup - with his maiden Pompey goal.

Hughes was never renowned for scoring during nine years at Fratton Park, totalling two goals in 165 appearances in a stay which encompassed the whole of their Premier League adventure.

Yet, memorably, his first goal arrived in a fifth-round replay against his future employers in February 2004.

Hughes told Played Up Pompey Three: ‘That was a big moment - a matchwinner against Liverpool in an FA Cup fifth-round replay. Obviously I’m not famed for my goalscoring.

‘You feel a sense of belonging during a moment like that which, at that stage, was the greatest achievement of my career. I had been an unused substitute in the 1-1 draw at Anfield, when Matty Taylor had levelled Michael Owen’s early opener.

‘For the Fratton Park replay, I was introduced at half-time for Dejan Stefanovic in a containing job on the left-hand side of midfield. Interestingly, there were counter-attacking opportunities, I was free as anything, probably rightly so as Liverpool were hardly going to track back with me.

‘Then, on 72 minutes, Yakubu received the ball from Eyal Berkovic on the edge of the box. I was on the left shouting for it and, despite having his back to me, he did very well to see my position and squared it.

‘I knew I needed to take a touch and, once I did, struck it so sweetly with my left foot that it went under Steve Finnan and Jamie Carragher and into the far corner. What a surreal moment, an out-of-body experience.

‘Believe it or not, I could score, registering nine goals for Bournemouth in the 2000-01 campaign. Even at Pompey there was a 30-yard half-volley against Reading in a goalless draw at the Madejski Stadium in March 2007, one of the cleanest strikes I ever struck, which hit a post.

‘Mind you, I should have scored against Chelsea in the season we were relegated, a simple header missed from two-yards out in a Fratton Park game we lost 5-0. Typically, my first Pompey league goal arrived in my last game in December 2010 against Leeds!’

Hughes, an early Harry Redknapp signing for Pompey in June 2002, was on the fringes of the 2002-03 Division One title-winning squad.

However, he established himself as a reliable midfielder during Premier League years, featuring in the 2006 Great Escape and appearing in both their 2008 and 2010 FA Cup campaigns which resulted in Wembley finals.

He departed Fratton Park in June 2011 at the end of his contract, with the Blues in the Championship, before finishing his playing career at Dean Court.

Now he has reunited with former Pompey analyst Michael Edwards, Liverpool’s new CEO of football.

Hughes told Played Up Pompey Three: ‘Pompey was a club whose size I didn’t realise until arriving in June 2002. A club as big as its support - which in that case is huge.

‘It gives me a lot of pleasure looking back at some of those moments in those Premier League years. I accomplished a lot as a player, but when you’re living it that doesn’t fully sink in.

‘They were the best days of my playing career.’