[33] Arriving at Carlisle, he discovered that the interested club was Preston North End who had offered a transfer fee of 500. The foundations Shankly laid at Melwood manifested in success at Anfield. [67] Shankly insisted in his autobiography that his Grimsby team was:[67]. The Shankly gates at Anfield. [174], Shankly's retirement was officially and surprisingly announced at a press conference called by Liverpool on 12 July 1974. [121], Liverpool began the 196667 season by beating neighbours Everton in the FA Charity Shield match but the team were never really in contention for major honours that season, finishing fifth in the league. Afterwards, Keegan having produced an outstanding performance against the equally outstanding Moore, Shankly told him that Moore had been brilliant that day and Keegan would never play against anyone better. It is sheer honesty. [144] Shankly would try to boost the confidence of his own players by announcing that a key opponent was unfit. [55][56], Shankly declared in his autobiography that he specialised in what he called "the art of tackling", emphasising that it is an art. [146], In 197273, Liverpool won the club's eighth league title and their third under Shankly. [61], Shankly used psychology to motivate his players, for example telling them that the opposition had had a very tiring journey and were not fit to play the match. Shankly made a point of emphasising the importance of fans. [133], The new team began promisingly in 197071 by retaining fifth place in the league and reaching the semi-finals of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup where they lost 01 to Leeds United side. Had Napoleon had that idea he would have conquered the bloody world. [118] Eleven years later, Shankly maintained that two of Inter's goals were illegal. Shankly came from a small Scottish mining community and was one of five brothers who played football professionally. [173] It bears the legend: "He made the people happy". And the board has with extreme reluctance accepted his decision. Beattie resigned in the next season and, on 5 November 1956, Shankly succeeded him as manager. [193] David Peace's biographical novel Red or Dead, published in 2013, is a fictionalised account of Shankly's career as Liverpool manager. [39] In a summary of the 193334 season, a Preston correspondent, Walter Pilkington, wrote:[37]. [156] In the third round of the FA Cup, Liverpool had to score a late equaliser to draw 22 at home against lowly Doncaster Rovers but recovered to win the replay and then go all the way to the final. Apr 20, 2021. [102] At a press conference when Yeats came to Liverpool, Shankly emphasised Yeats' height by inviting the journalists to "go and walk round him; he's a colossus! They had two daughters - Barbara (born 1945) and Jeanette (born 1951) - and eventually went on to have six grandchildren, although their youngest grandchild and only grandson was born several months after Bill Shankly's death. Shankly took charge of Liverpool when they were in the Second Division and rebuilt the team into a major force in English and European football. Considered one of the greatest of all football managers, Shankly was among the inaugural inductees into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2004. Bill Shankly 'would be spinning in his grave' at Super League plans, says grandson. [116], Three days after winning the FA Cup, Liverpool defeated European champions Inter Milan 31 at Anfield in the semi-final first leg with a performance that was saluted by Inter's coach Helenio Herrera. "[210] He admitted to idolising Robert Burns, whose birthplace was only 26 miles from Glenbuck, and he was inspired by many of Burns' philosophical quotations, such as his egalitarian statement that "A Man's A Man for A' That". Shankly did not understand that, by turning up for training at Melwood, he was effectively undermining Bob Paisley's status as manager. [37] He joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) and managed to play in numerous wartime league, cup and exhibition matches for Norwich City, Arsenal, Luton Town, Cardiff City, Lovell's Athletic F.C and Partick Thistle, depending on where he was stationed[37] (winning the Summer Cup with the Glasgow club in 1945). Shankly worked on set pieces such as throw-ins and tried to devise a method of counter-attacking from corners conceded. [7] His brothers were Alec, known as Sandy by the family, who played for Ayr United and Clyde;[11] Jimmy (19021972), who played for various clubs including Sheffield United and Southend United;[12] John (19031960), who played for Portsmouth and Luton Town;[13] and Bob (19101982), who played for Alloa Athletic and Falkirk. After only one match I knew that the team as a whole was not good enough. Rather than just putting a few lines in the match programme, he preferred to speak and explain his team changes and his views about the previous match. [37] Shankly created an early goal to help Preston win 50, earning him praise in a national newspaper for his "clever passing". Otherwise, he did not significantly change the team until the 196970 season when Liverpool finished fifth in the league championship, a long way behind the winners, their local rivals Everton. [177] Shankly contrasted Liverpool's attitude with what he encountered at other clubs, including Liverpool's great rivals Everton and Manchester United, where he was received warmly. Never at all. Chris Carline believes Shankly would be "spinning in his grave . [178], From Liverpool's point of view, the situation was that Shankly had retired and the club had to move on. A post-match report said that Scotland's success was inspired by "the BusbyShankly victory service" when Shankly and his future management rival Matt Busby combined to help Scotland's cause. From coaching his players and arguing with journalists to buttonholing fans in pubs, all Shankly ever wanted to do was talk about football and to be involved in football. [59] In spotting a player, he always applied a basic formula which was that, first and foremost, the player must have both ability and courage. [138] Shankly summarised Keegan as "the inspiration of the new team". [52] He spoke of his "unbelievable pride" when playing for Scotland against England and how, when confronted by the "Auld Enemy", the Scottish players would become William Wallace or Robert the Bruce for 90 minutes after pulling on the blue jersey. In the league they were in, they played football nobody else could play. [54] In January 1973, when Shankly was the subject of This Is Your Life, the goal was shown and Shankly commented that "they all count and we won". Bill Shankly: The man whose vision reshaped Liverpool Football Club Jeff Goulding @ShanklysBoys1 September 2, 2021 On September 2, 1913, in the small mining town of Glenbuck in Ayreshire, a. [51] Shankly was succeeded in the Preston team by Tommy Docherty and Shankly told Docherty that he should just put the number four shirt on and let it run round by itself because it knows where to go. And if they didn't believe me, they believe me now.[168] Commenting on the mood of the crowd, a moved Peter Robinson, club secretary of Liverpool, told a reporter, Bills got such power of oratory that if he told them to march through the Mersey tunnel and pillage Birkenhead theyd do it. He said it was a scandal that he needed to say that about the club he had helped to build. [38] With his wholehearted attitude and commitment to the team, he quickly established himself as a first-team regular and became a crowd favourite. He was considered a promising key young player who was capable of taking Carlisle to greater things. Chairman, John Smith, said in his opening address:[175]. [99], Liverpool's recovery depended on new players being acquired and, in his autobiography, Shankly recalled the struggles he had with the board to make them realise the club's potential and the need to spend money on good players. They support them when they are dead. [86], Liverpool consolidated in 196263, finishing eighth in their first top flight season under Shankly's management. [19], After Shankly left school in 1928, he worked at a local mine alongside his brother Bob. [184] After Shankly's death in 1981, Nessie lived there alone until she died in August 2002. [204] Family holidays were limited to a week in Blackpool, where they always stayed at the Norbreck Hotel. In an age where long, punishing training runs forced players to plod around on the pavement were the norm, Shankly opted to mandate fitness work be done with a ball at the foot of his players. [60] Shankly recalled that Brunton Park was dilapidated, writing that the main stand was falling to pieces and the terraces derelict. [69] The games would last an hour each time. [119] Even today, the Liverpool website describes the match by saying that Liverpool were denied at the semi-final stage by a dishonest referee in Milan. [54] According to the Liverpool website, Shankly's goal was "probably the strangest national goal ever". [25] Although Shankly had less than one full season at Cronberry, he acknowledged his debt to Scottish Junior Football as he learned a lot, mainly by listening to older players and especially his brothers. [86] The Liverpool squad he inherited consisted largely of average players and some promising reserves. [2][3] In 2019, 60 years after Shankly arrived at Liverpool, Tony Evans of The Independent wrote, "Shankly created the idea of Liverpool, transforming the football club by emphasising the importance of the Kop and making supporters feel like participants".[3]. [68] Kelly added that this kind of talk by Shankly could only boost morale at the club. [65], Grimsby made a strong challenge for promotion in 195152 but finished second, three points behind Lincoln City (only one team was promoted from Division Three North, with one from Division Three South). [98] Shankly insisted on suitable cooling-off periods after training (now called "warming down") before the players took a bath and had a meal. [173] Again, what Shankly did not understand was that his relations with the board had often been acrimonious with several resignation threats and a statement made by Shankly that:[173]. Death 19 Oct 1943 (aged 70) [20] In his autobiography, he described the life of a miner at some length and mentioned many of the problems such as the sheer hard work, rats, the difficulties of eating and drinking at the coal face. [85] Shankly described the training ground at Melwood as "a shambles". [10], All five Shankly brothers played professional football and Shankly claimed they could have beaten any five brothers in the world when they were all at their peaks. He was taken ill with a heart attack on Saturday, and went into Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool. A charismatic, iconic figure at the club, his oratory stirred the emotions of the fanbase. Discipline at both home and school was strict but Shankly said it was character-building. [7] As a result, Glenbuck became largely derelict and by the time Shankly's ghost writer John Roberts visited it in 1976, there were only 12 houses left, including a cottage owned by Shankly's sister, Elizabeth, whom Roberts described as "the last of the children of Glenbuck". Shankly's relentless machine continued to rack up the trophies the following season as they won the league title and almost completed a unique double by reaching the Cup Winners' Cup final, only . [188], Liverpool erected the 15-foot high cast-iron Shankly Gates in front of the Anfield Road stand. He spent one season at Carlisle United before spending the rest of his career at Preston North End, with whom he won the FA Cup in 1938. Directors don't come into it. [127] The Liverpool site records that the defeat signalled the end for St John, Hunt, Byrne, Yeats and Lawrence; the incomers included Ray Clemence, Alec Lindsay, Larry Lloyd, John Toshack, Brian Hall and Steve Heighway. . "[104] Liverpool had finished third in both 195960 and 196061 (only the top two clubs were promoted); but the new team gained promotion in the 196162 season by winning the Second Division championship, Hunt scoring 41 goals. [131] Although Shankly sometimes paid large transfer fees he was loath to do so and Twentyman's brief was to find young players so he (Shankly) could mould them into what he wanted. [86], In 196566, Liverpool regained the League Championship title and reached the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup at Hampden Park, where they lost 21 in extra time to Borussia Dortmund. Liverpool played in all-red only for European matches but quickly adopted the colour permanently. [196] Shankly also features in the popular Liverpool chant "Allez, Allez, Allez", which is frequently sung by Liverpool supporters, especially during European matches. I made up my mind that we needed strengthening through the middle, a goalkeeper and a centre half who between them could stop goals, and somebody up front to create goals and score them. The man from Glenbucks biggest impact was metaphysical. Shankly deplored long-distance running on roads and insisted that, apart from warm-up exercises or any special exercises needed to overcome injuries, the players trained on grass using a ball. He wrote that he had his football future worked out in his mind and that, even when working in the pit, he was only "killing time". Yet the silverware tells only a fraction of the story. [29] He was paid four pounds ten shillings a week at Carlisle which he considered a good wage as the top rate at that time was eight pounds. [187] Sir Matt Busby, the former Manchester United manager, was so upset that he refused to take any telephone calls from people asking him for a reaction. In 1997, a seven-foot tall bronze statue of Shankly was unveiled outside the stadium. Take our quiz to find out if you REALLY do", "End of era as Nessie Shankly dies at 82", "Bill Shankly remembered: 11 brilliant quotes from Liverpool's iconic manager", "Three Kings: A tear-jerking tale of how three Scots built Liverpool, Manchester United and Celtic", "England Player Honours Professional Footballers' Association MeritAward", "France Football have ranked the 50 greatest managers of all time", "Royal Mail celebrates 'Great Britons' with launch of latest special stamp collection", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Shankly&oldid=1139230919, *Club domestic league appearances and goals, This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 01:46. [48], Shankly had enormous admiration for Tom Finney and devotes more than three pages of his autobiography to Finney's prowess as a footballer. Anfield stadium's Shankly Gates bear the His schooling was rudimentary, and although he displayed a fierce. [58], Shankly was always noted for his dedication to football and, in his playing days, would do his own training during the summer months. [212], When asked by a TV interviewer how he would like to be remembered, Shankly replied:[213]. Although some club officials like secretary Peter Robinson wanted bygones to be bygones, Tommy Smith summarised the board's view as one of satisfaction that Shankly had gone at last. Bill Shankly, the former Liverpool manager and one of the best-loved and . Childhood & Early Life. Bill's father was a tailor and also a strong trade unionist, which inculcated socialist beliefs in young . Min tanke er at det m vre vigtigere at afslutte denne sson end at starte en ny op. Memorial Transfer Successful. [194] The novel was short-listed for the inaugural Goldsmiths Prize (2013). On Christmas Eve, he gave a first team debut to 16-year-old prospect Denis Law. Photo request sent successfully. [57] His philosophy, therefore, was to play hard but fair with no cheating. [31] Shankly was happy at Carlisle which was close to his home at Glenbuck and he had settled in well with almost a guarantee of first team football. His playing career was interrupted by his service in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. James Corbett, The Guardian. [69] Shankly's record in league football at Grimsby was 62 wins and 35 defeats from 118 matches. [78] On 21 December 1957, Huddersfield lost 7-6 to Charlton Athletic, who played most of the match with ten men, after Huddersfield were leading 51 with just 27 minutes remaining. If ever there was a time to interest the American reading public in a 700-page novel about a real-life British soccer coach, it might just possibly be now, with David Beckham an A . [84] Anfield itself was in disrepair with no means of watering the pitch and Shankly insisted the club spend 3,000 to rectify that. It'd be easy but wrong. [69], Grimsby's ageing team made a bright start in 195253 with five straight wins but eventually slipped and finished in fifth place. At a football club, there's a holy trinity the players, the manager and the supporters. This is possibly why Liverpool are so great. Shankly's biographer Stephen Kelly quotes the "pound for pound" analysis but qualifies it as another of Shankly's slight, though well-meant, exaggerations. [178] About Everton, once his greatest rivals, he wrote that he had been received more warmly by Everton than by Liverpool. One of this season's discoveries, Bill Shankly, played with rare tenacity and uncommonly good ideas for a lad of 20. [41], In 193637, Preston reached the FA Cup Final but were well beaten 31 by Sunderland at Wembley Stadium. [165] In Tommy Smith's view, Shankly was completely in tune with the city of Liverpool; he loved the supporters and they loved him, mainly because they knew he understood them. where is bill shankly buried. Above all, said Twentyman, "he wanted to know if the lad had the heart to play for Liverpool". In his autobiography, Shankly wrote that Preston had more than held their own in the 193435 season and the club was not relegated again until the end of the 194849 season in which he left them. You've got to know how to treat them (and) have them on your side". Everything was measured, planned and perfected and you could not wish to see more entertaining football. [115] Liverpool played in red shirts with white shorts and white socks with red stripes but Shankly and Ian St John had the idea of an all-red kit that would give the impression the players were taller. [37] It was therefore a successful debut season for Shankly who stayed with Preston until he retired in 1949. On one visit to Melwood, a player opined to Shankly that Paisley had made a good start in the job. [6] He died seven years later, aged 68. That concept still runs through the club. Now if everyone thinks along these lines and does all the small jobs to the best of their ability thats honesty, then the world would be better and football will be better. [171], Shankly had considered retirement in previous years. When Keegan was about to play against Bobby Moore for the first time, Shankly told him that Moore had been out at a night club and was hung over. He was especially annoyed that Liverpool did not invite him to attend away matches as the club's guest. [171] Tommy Smith said that Shankly's feelings for Nessie were undoubtedly a major reason for his decision. "[81] Shankly decided to think about the offer as he realised the great potential at Liverpool, who like Huddersfield were in the Second Division at that time. Carlisle in the 194849 season were struggling in the bottom half of the Third Division North and finding it difficult to attract southern-based players because of the town's geographic remoteness in the far north of England. [117] The second leg at the San Siro remains controversial because, according to Shankly, the match was "a war" which Liverpool lost 30 and so were knocked out of the competition 43 on aggregate. He said there were times when he felt like walking out. Pressure is working down the pit. The revolutionary training methods implemented by Shankly at the clubs training ground, Melwood. When the team was travelling to Lincoln City, he saw a sportswear shop in Doncaster and stopped the coach to buy a full set of kit in which the team played at Lincoln. Davie states that, when analysing 'football as if it were a religion', in Liverpool's case, the environment enables fans to hold 'valuable and accurate perceptions about . [181], Soon after Shankly's retirement, Brian Clough who himself had recently been sacked by Leeds United was asked during a David Frost interview whom in football management he respected, to which Clough replied: "Well, the guy who had my total respect finished a few months ago at Liverpool. Another prospect in his team was left back Ray Wilson who went on to become Huddersfield's most capped player before joining Everton. [23], Shankly's village team was called the Glenbuck Cherrypickers, a name probably derived from the 11th Hussars (the "Cherry Pickers"), but he said the club was near extinction when he had a trial and he never actually played for them. The wit and wisdom of Bill Shankly", "Liverpool v Newcastle United, 18 March 1972", "In numbers: How Klopp and Shankly won 21 home games in a row", "Salah and Milner reaction: 'We showed our mentality to win', "The Frost Interview - Brian Clough - 1974", "Bill Shankly's old home goes up for sale", "The Kop commemorates Bill Shankly - 20"x16" Premium Framed Print", "Liverpool reveal 96 Avenue and Paisley Square will form part of new-look Anfield", "Jim Crace makes Goldsmiths Prize shortlist", "Bill Shankly-themed hotel to open in Liverpool", Allez Allez Allez! The club was unrecognisable from the decrepit, rundown place it had been on the eve of the 60s.