Liverpool great Ron Yeats died at the age of 86 from Alzheimer's disease.

Scottish defender was a vital element of Liverpool's success under Bill Shankly in the 1960s.

Ron Yeats, a Liverpool legend and former long-serving captain, died at the age of 86.

The club announced Yeats' death on Saturday morning, after the Scottish veteran defender revealed in January that he had Alzheimer's disease in recent years.

A Reds statement read: "Liverpool FC is saddened by the death of renowned former captain Ron Yeats.

"In the words of Bill Shankly, a 'colossus' in club history, the Scot died on Friday night at the age of 86, having unfortunately suffered from Alzheimer's in recent years.

"Everyone at LFC is thinking about Ron's wife, Ann, as well as his family and friends, during this extremely difficult time.

"Flags across club sites will be lowered to half-mast today as a mark of respect."

Yeats joined Liverpool from Dundee United in 1961 and went on to make 454 appearances for the club as captain over the next decade, scoring 16 goals and becoming the first Reds captain to win the FA Cup in extra time against Leeds at the old Wembley Stadium in 1965.

He was a key member of the club that achieved such success in the 1960s under legendary manager Bill Shankly, leading them to two First Division titles in 1963-64 and 1965-66 after winning the Second Division in 1961-62. He also won the Charity Shield in three consecutive years, 1964, 1965, and 1966.

Yeats, who earned two senior international caps for Scotland during his playing career, worked as a player-manager at Tranmere for three years after leaving Liverpool in 1971. He also spent time at Stalybridge Celtic, Barrow, Formby, and Rhyl after brief stints in the United States with the Los Angeles Skyhawks and Santa Barbara Condors of the American Soccer League.

He returned to Liverpool in 1986, serving as the club's top scout for 20 years before retiring from football in 2006.

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