Even if you know very little about football, there is an extremely good chance that you will have heard a quote or two from Bill Shankly. The man whose statue can be seen outside Liverpool’s famous Kop at their stadium, Anfield, had a way with words and would use it to get the best out of his players. Perhaps ironically, the quote that he is most famous for is one he didn’t actually say. “Some people say football is a matter of life or death. I’m very disappointed in that attitude: it’s much more important than that.” Still, if you’re going to be remembered for something, then that’s not a bad line to have.
Growing Up in Scotland
One of the things that helped to forge the life and attitude of Bill Shankly was his upbringing in Scotland. Born in the Ayrshire village of Glenbuck on the 2nd of September 1913. It was a small coal mining community where the population at the time was around 700. He was one of ten children had by his parents, John and Barbara, being the ninth child and youngest of five boys. All of his brothers played football, including Bill. Times were hard for the family as he was growing up, leaving school in 1928 in order to work at the local mine alongside one of his brothers.
When the pit closed, Bill, who had often travelled to Glasgow in order to watch both Celtic and Rangers, was soon employed by Carlisle United as a player. He later claimed that he had his football future ‘planned out’ in his mind, believing it was only a matter of time before he’d turn pro. He played for Carlisle for just one season before joining Preston North End, where he would go on to play more than 300 times. He became a tough half-back who was as good as any in the league, reaching the FA Cup final in 1937 but losing 3-1 to Sunderland. They won it a year later, however.
Becoming a Coach
When the Second World War broke out, Bill Shankly was just 26 and in the peak years of his life as a player. Although he played in numerous league and exhibition games during the war, there is little doubt that he missed out on playing during his best time. On the 30th of May 1942, Shankly played in a match for Liverpool against their Merseyside rivals Everton, helping the Reds to a 4-1 win. Having signed up with the Royal Air Force, Shankly managed to display his skill as a boxer when he fought as a middleweight, winning a trophy in the sport at a point he was stationed in Manchester.
When the Football League resumed for the 1946-1947 season, Shankly returned to Preston but was coming towards the end of his time as a player. Now a 33-year-old, he was made the club captain but lost his place in the first team. A qualified masseur, Shankly decided that he wanted to become a coach, retiring as a player in order to take over as a manager at Carlisle United in the March of 1949. Some at Preston North End resented his decision to leave, refusing to hold him a benefit match, which he was accustomed to at the time and felt as though he was entitled to.
Earning a Good Reputation
Bill Shankly joined Carlisle United when they were struggling in the Third Division North, introducing a sterling work ethic that saw them transformed from being a side that finished 15th at the end of the 1949-1950 season into one that came third two seasons later. One of the players that he worked with was Geoff Twentyman, who would be an important part of Shankly’s later success at Liverpool. He would use psychology in order to motivate his players, telling them things such as the opposition had had a long coach journey and would be tired, whilst urging locals to support the team.
He developed a good reputation as a manager, being interviewed by Liverpool for the role at Anfield. They turned him down, but Shankly left Carlisle in order to take over at Grimsby Town. They were in the Third Division, yet he believed that they had the ability to make it. It was whilst there that he developed his love of using five-a-side football for training, making them competitive. He eventually left in order to manage Workington, having enjoyed 62 wins across the 118 matches that he managed whilst in Carlisle. He later moved to Huddersfield Town, where he cemented his reputation.
Becoming Liverpool Manager
On this day in 1959, the great Bill Shankly was appointed manager of the Reds ❤️ pic.twitter.com/vmL3BHLAue
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 1, 2021
Shankly did reasonably well at Huddersfield Town, but when the board continued to sell his best players without bringing in decent replacements, he decided to leave in order to take over at Liverpool. He turned up at Anfield on the 14th of December 1959, the Reds having been in the Second Division for five years. The ground itself was in a state of disrepair, but Shankly had an idea to turn it into a ‘bastion of invincibility’. It was the immediate bond that the Scotsman shared with the club’s supporters that made him feel at home, quickly establishing a good relationship with the coaches.
Those coaches became part of what was known as the Boot Room, with Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett working brilliantly together. He didn’t like the state of the playing squad, putting 24 players on the transfer list and working to improve the state of the club’s training ground, Melwood. Many believe that the success that was to follow was made on the training pitch. He hated long runs, instead saying that, apart from any warm-up exercises, the players needed to train on the pitch with a ball, working in a systematic manner that saw players rotate what they were doing.
Returning Success to Anfield
Liverpool had enjoyed some success in the wake of the club’s formation in 1892, but after half a decade in the Second Division, it was Shankly who helped the club return to the top. Having brought in players like Ron Yeats and Ian St John, the Scot also promoted Tommy Lawrence from the junior team. He believed that he had ‘strength through the middle’, around which he began to build a team capable of success. They gained promotion by winning the Second Division in the 1961-1962 season, thanks in part to the 41 goals scored by new acquisition Roger Hunt.
In their first top-flight season under ‘Shanks’, Liverpool finished eighth. The 1963-1964 campaign saw the Reds beat Arsenal 5-0 on the final day of the season, winning the title for the sixth time in the club’s history. The secret of success for the club was that there were fittest team in the country, but Shankly had a specific aim of his own: to win the FA Cup. It was a trophy that Liverpool had never won before, but they did so in the May of 1965 when St John scored the winning goal in extra-time thanks to a 2-1 win over Leeds United at Wembley Stadium.
Stepping Away from Management
Liverpool played in the European Cup for the first time in the 1964-1965 season, with Shankly deciding to experiment with the kit the players wore ahead of a home game against Anderlecht in the second round. Believing that players wearing all-red would look more imposing, he swapped out the white shorts and white socks for red ones. It was quickly adopted as the club’s permanent colour. They won the first-leg of the semi-final 3-1 against Inter Milan, but lost the second-leg 3-0 in a game that Shankly maintained until his death was only won because the referee had been paid a bribe.
More success followed, with Shankly having established Liverpool as a permanent fixture in the First Division, often challenging for the title. When they lost to Watford in the FA Cup quarter-final in the 1969-1970 season, Shankly decided to wring the changes with his squad. He brought in players like Tommy Smith, Ian Callaghan and Emlyn Hughes, who would go on to form the basis of the second-great Liverpool team of Shankly’s reign. It was Geoff Twentyman, Shankly’s old player from Carlisle United, who became an influential scout for the Scot, recommending a young lad named Kevin Keegan.
One of the longest-standing influences at Liverpool was Shankly’s decision to install a sign saying, “THIS IS ANFIELD” above the players’ tunnel. It was, he said, “to remind our lads who they’re playing for, and to remind the opposition who they’re playing against.” Having won the league for the third time under him and then winning the FA Cup again in 1974, Shankly felt tired. He went to the club’s Secretary, Peter Robinson, and told him of his plans to retire. He had done so previously, but was serious this time. It was officially announced on the 12th of July, to the shock of many.