Dyche played in front of Kop at 15, angered Klopp and is 'Grealish of managers'

The Reds boasted a group of superstars who heralded a new era of dominance in English football, with Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish helping the club to a combined 11 League titles and four European Cups during the two decades.

He even got to play in front of Kop when he was just 15 at club legend Phil Neal's testimonial - despite never attending a game at Anfield.

"I was a 70s child so everyone was a Liverpool fan but I lived in Kettering so I couldn't get up there all the time, I was a distant Liverpool fan."

For Dyche, Dalglish was the one who put a glint in his eye.

"My first recollection of them was at seven years old, then at about eight or nine when you start zooming in on what it's really about," he told talkSPORT of his love for Liverpool growing up.

"You start getting your favourite players, mine was King Kenny - as a kid why wouldn't he be your favourite player?

"[Graeme] Souness as well," he added, while hailing the character of the late Ray Clemence. "What a fantastic player, no airs and graces.

"That whole Liverpool thing was quite a powerful thing in the 70s."

Dyche has become known as one of the Premier League's 'hard men' - but in truth he's just a football nut.

His passion for the game is so deep he even lives with his long-time assistant Ian Woan, whom he has worked with for thirty years.

The pair split their time family homes to spend a few days a week with each other where they are closer to Burnley's training ground.

And Woan admits the 50-year-old is nothing the brute people perceive him to be.

"He gets a lot of stick because he looks like a nightclub bouncer," he told the Daily Mail last year.

"People think he must be rough but it couldn't be further from the truth. He's well-read, wants to learn and is always asking questions of himself."

Dyche has endeared himself to fans around the country ever since he took charge of the club in 2012.

Just like Jack Grealish became a national treasure during Euro 2020, he appeals to supporters because he is one.

Unlike most managers in the top-flight, you could see yourself sitting down in a pub with Dyche and point out lookalikes over a pint - "it's one of the best bits of fun you can have on a night" - or go for a curry and have a chat about his best moments in the game.

Dyche himself admitted he'd love share a chat with Jurgen Klopp over a beer - or a lager-shandy in his case.

He also once gave a 'team talk' at a friend's wedding in the back of a cab alongside Danny Dyer and Serge from Kasabian.

Did that really happen, though?

"Trust me, I wasn't sure if that really happened, sitting in the back of a cab with Serge and Danny Dyer doing a team talk to a video screen," he told talkSPORT.

His press conferences have been a breath of fresh air, keeping people entertained during a period of lockdown when there wasn't a lot to look forward to.

He gave rave reviews to TV dramas Normal People and Bridgerton, whilst also shedding light on the time he met 'a human version of the man from Up' during a trip to Sunderland with the Clarets.

Dyche may not float everyone's boat in terms of football style, but keeping Burnley in the top division for this long on their limited budget is a remarkable achievement.

It's why people loved seeing him tell Klopp where to go when the Liverpool boss chased him down the tunnel at Anfield during one fiery exchange.

"We are allowed to actually try to win," he said when his opposite number appeared upset at Burnley ending Liverpool's 68-game unbeaten run at Anfield.

He's become engrained in the Premier League furniture - it simply wouldn't be the same without him.

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