Editing Robbie Fowler (section)

==== Liverpool departure ====
Fowler began the [[2001–02 in English football|2001–02 season]] controversially, after being dropped by Houllier from the Liverpool squad for the [[2001 Charity Shield]] match.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/1487707.stm |title=Fowler sweats on Anfield future|access-date=13 September 2008 |date=13 July 2001 |publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> He made an appearance in Liverpool's 3–2 [[European Super Cup]] victory over [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Super Liverpool record cup win |url=http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/supercup/history/season=2001/round=1560/match=68022/index.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712164116/http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/supercup/history/season=2001/round=1560/match=68022/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 July 2012 |publisher=UEFA |date=24 August 2001 |access-date=15 January 2011}}</ref> but starts were intermittent. In October 2001, he scored his first league hat-trick for three years, helping Liverpool beat [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] 4–1, but was dropped for the following league match. Though Fowler had been on a contract extension from 1999 (unlike Steve McManaman – who exercised his [[Bosman ruling|Bosman entitlement]] the very same year), Fowler was linked to [[S.S. Lazio|Lazio]], [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] and [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]], and Liverpool's management as well as fans and the media constantly reported that what happened with McManaman (regarded as a huge financial loss) would never be repeated and thus the club never rejected those bids without consideration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/FOWLER'S+FUTURE+PLAGUED+BY+THE+SHADOW+OF+MACCA%3B+AS+the+speculation+on...-a080361221 |title=FOWLER'S FUTURE PLAGUED BY THE SHADOW OF MACCA|first= Chris|last= Bascombe|publisher=Thefreelibrary.com |access-date=29 December 2010}}</ref> This meant that coupled with Fowler's relationship with Houllier, speculation over Fowler's future persisted for most of Houllier's tenure and became an issue that divided Liverpool fans.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sports_talk/1488513.stm |title=Is Fowler's Anfield future bleak? |access-date=13 September 2008 |date=12 August 2001 |publisher=BBC Sport }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/1490333.stm |title=Fowler divides Liverpool fans |access-date=13 September 2008 |date=14 August 2001 |publisher=BBC Sport }}</ref> His last appearance for Liverpool was against [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]], in which he was substituted at half-time.<ref>Fowler, p. 317.</ref><ref>{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/1671475.stm
|title=Heskey sinks Sunderland
|publisher=BBC
|date=25 November 2001 |access-date=21 March 2010}}</ref>