Liverpool legend and former captain Ron Yeats has passed away at the age of 86 after a struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

The club released a statement saying, “We are mourning the passing of our legendary former captain Ron Yeats. The thoughts of everyone at Liverpool Football Club are with Ron’s family and friends.”

Yeats, who was highly regarded by the iconic Liverpool manager Bill Shankly as a “colossus,” played a pivotal role in the team’s success during the 1960s. The Scotland international was instrumental in Liverpool’s promotion from the Second Division in 1962 and went on to secure the First Division titles in 1964 and 1966. He also helped Liverpool win the FA Cup in 1965 with a 2-1 victory over Leeds at Wembley.

Over his career with Liverpool, Yeats made 454 appearances, 400 of which were as captain—a record only surpassed by Steven Gerrard. Before joining Liverpool in 1961, Yeats was a key player in Dundee United’s promotion to the top flight from the Second Division.

After a decade at Anfield, Yeats spent three years at Tranmere Rovers and had a brief stint in the US with the Los Angeles Skyhawks, where he won the American Soccer League. He retired in 1978 after short periods with Formby and Rhyl.

Reflecting on his career at Liverpool, Yeats once shared, “There have been two highlights. Being the captain who took the club out of the Second Division after eight years was a very, very proud moment. Winning the league by eight or nine points that season and then being the first Liverpool captain to lift the FA Cup are achievements I hold dear. I don’t wear my medals around, but those moments are always special to me.”