Former Carshalton Athletic left-back Roy Hodgson has today been named as the new Liverpool manager.

The 62-year-old signed a three-year contract with the Anfield club after spending the last two-and-a-half years with Fulham.

Croydon-born Hodgson succeeds Rafael Benitez, who left Liverpool by mutual consent and is now manager of European champions Inter Milan.

Speaking to the club’s website, Hodgson said: "This is the biggest job in club football and I'm honoured to be taking on Britain's most successful football club."

The former John Ruskin College student cut his teeth with Carshalton Athletic between 1974 and 1976 as a player before taking charge of Swedish club Halmstads BK.

But against all odds, Hodgson transformed Halmstads’ fortunes and they were Swedish champions by the end of his first season, a feat he described as turning “water into wine”.

Hodgson has established a reputation as one of football’s nomads as he has managed 12 clubs in six countries in a 34-year management career, including two spells at Inter Milan.

He has also managed the Finnish and Swiss national teams and was tipped to take over from Fabio Capello after England’s humiliating World Cup exit last Sunday.

Hodgson's exploits with Fulham last season, which included wins over Juventus and Wolfsburg en route to a 2-1 Europa Cup final defeat by Atletico Madrid in Hamburg, earned him the League Managers' Association manager of the year award in May.

Liverpool moved quickly after Hodgson was linked with the England managerial job this week but it is thought that he was always the club's preferred candidate.

However, Hodgson has been promised funds to bring in new players if any players leave Anfield in the coming weeks.

One thing that certainly separates the Croydonite from other English managers is that Hodgson is multilingual, able to speak fluent Norwegian, Swedish and Italian as well as good German, Danish, French, Japanese and Finnish.

Do you remember going to school with the new Liverpool boss or watching him during his time with Carshalton Athletic?

Use the form below to let us know...