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The Bill Shankly Story
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The Bill Shankly Story
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"Through the Darkness of Despair" There was a smog so thick hanging over Anfield in 1959 that the roof of the famous Kop could hardly be seen, but in the back seat of a car in Manchester, a Ray of Hope was rising. Mr TV Williams had driven there to meet a certain Mr William Shankly. Bill had applied for the Liverpool job in the early 50’s but had failed to impress the board that he was the man for the job. Luckily for us Mr TV Williams had seen something that the others seem to have missed, “one of the biggest hearts in the game”. In those days the team selected to play had to be approved in the boardroom before it was announced and once this hurdle had been removed Shankly signed on the dotted line. On arrival at Anfield he found a run down ground, where the wind rattled through the corrugated roof of all parts of the ground, but worse was to come. The biggest shock came when Bill inspected the training facilities at Melwood. Nessie recalled Bill saying, 'Oh Nessie have I made a terrible mistake leaving Huddersfield?' He thought that coming to Liverpool was a big mistake because of the conditions at the training ground. The shack that was the changing rooms were worse than that on many parks for Sunday league teams and the pitches were full of bricks, stones and broken glass.
Shankly and Nessie getting married on 29th of June 1944. Together with Paisley, Bennett, Fagan and the groundsman Eli Wass the five men set about their task. They walked abreast and by hand picked up every stone and foreign object from the playing surface. After walking up and down the pitch 12 times, Bill decided that that was enough for the first day's improvements, but would return again and again until it was like a bowling green. Shankly’s thoughts at the time must have been grave, how can anyone expect a club to improve if they couldn’t provide facilities to equal a Sunday league team? But this is what welcomed Bill on his arrival. Bill had also joined a club, where the main star, the incomparable Billy Liddell, was only a part time player and coming to the end of his illustrious career. He would need to sign players and sign them quickly. He approached the board for money to buy a young Jackie Charlton, but was unsuccessful. He approached the board for money to buy the Scottish midfield dynamo Dave MacKay, but was unsuccessful. Shankly had been assured by the board that they were as ambitious as he was to improve the clubs standing, but this was not proving to be true. Bill's first season came to an end with a spirited end of year rally seeing them finish third in Div 2 - not bad considering where they were when he took over in December. Shankly’s first full season saw them finish in exactly the same position, so near but yet so far. Coming third in the second division was a fate so cruel it often brought tears to the eyes of fans, who wondered how long “The Darkness of Despair” would last. Shankly was already showing signs of desperation, he needed a benefactor who would not run away from signing cheques, they didn’t need to fill them out, Bill could do that, all they had to do was SIGN THEM! Fortunately for Bill, that time was not that far away. Eric Sawyer an accountant with Littlewoods Pools had been nominated by John Moores for a place on the board and if Eric had one skill that Liverpool needed, it was his ability to sign his name. The Liverpool boss could now spend the summer of 1961 looking for the ammunition that would fire Liverpool back to the top league, but he would still have to face the shareholders before the new season started, not something our Bill liked doing. The meeting started in the worst possible way. Bill had only been here for 18 months and a part of the shareholders were already after his head. “Solly” the management critic of the day had accused Bill of telling his players to take the foot off the gas when we were a couple of goals to the good and accused players of not trying or not giving their best. Shanks was never a calm man when false criticism was despatched in his direction and so the volcano erupted. “That’s rubbish, I have never heard anything so ridiculous in all my life” screamed Shanks. “The tension is not from the last 18 months its from the last 7 YEARS” Not satisfied by his answer another Lamb stood up for the slaughter, “I blame you for not bringing in the new players we need”. Before Shanks could erupt again TV Williams stood up and defended Bill by informing the sheep that LFC had indeed tried to sign several players, but they had chosen not to come to Liverpool, preferring the bright lights of London. The third Lamb stood up and retorted “Is Goodison in London, cos they don’t seem to struggle signing players” Bills heart sank, what on earth had he let himself in for coming here. “Solly” the leader of the lambs was not content, he again took a snipe at Bill and TV. “The manager and board should have taken steps to prevent the players from stopping to play half way though a game, no employer just lets his workers knock off when they feel like it” This time it was TV’s time to erupt, “You’re talking nonsense and quite frankly how would you know” TV and Bill had been minutes away from a vote of no confidence. One thing Bill was beginning to realise, if his latest signings of Yeats and St John did not pay immediate dividends, he was in trouble. Bill had every faith in the fans, but the board and shareholders were proving to be another matter. The signing of Yeats was going to prove invaluable, but to convince him to sign was going to prove difficult. Enter the Bill we all know and love. Big Ron Yeats asked “whereabouts in England is Liverpool”. Prophetic words indeed, no wonder players believed every word Shankly uttered.
Shankly signing his contract at Liverpool Within months of Yeats' arrival, he was appointed club captain, Shanks’ Red Collosus was to lead his new look team out. Shanks commented “Christ son, you’re so big that when you lead the team out, you’ll frighten the opposition to death”. Shanks was telling everyone who would listen, that this team would win promotion. Liverpool didn’t taste defeat that year until mid October and that was only a hiccup in a season that was to see a new Liverpool. Promotion was achieved on the 21st April, 1962 against Southampton in front of 40,000 ecstatic Liverpudlians, a surprisingly low gate cos that season had seen the crowds swell to over 50,000 earlier in the season. The team that played that day (3-2-5): Furnell Liverpool 2 - 0 Southampton - Lewis (2) My Dad and many other Dads came home bladdered that night, I remember little of the night, but remember me Dad was so out of it, he couldn’t undo his own shoelaces. He fell asleep on the couch dreaming of what was to come. Shanks comment on the day, “I believe Liverpool are on the threshold of greater things”. He also praised the efforts of his back room staff Reuben Bennett, Bob Paisley, Albert Shelley and Joe Fagan who were to form the basis of the coming “BOOT ROOM” philosophy. Not only had the players began to believe his every word, the fans were announcing the arrival of the new messiah, now all Shanks had to do was convince the board & shareholders. The only comment I would like to make at this time, comparing those days with today, was that Bill had a line and a quick retort for every situation that could arise. He had a way about him that made everyone within ear shot beieve he had all the answers. We were not only going to be playing in the first division next season …… Bill had everyone believing we were gonna win it! And as for the missing FA Cup that had never seen the inside of the Liverpool trophy cabinet, Bill was suggesting we better make room for it now. Pride, dignity and faith were becoming the new watch words around the hallowed halls of Anfield, and everyone believed!
Consolidation then Bill's first title "Consolidation but tears in the street" The start of the 62/63 season opened on the 1st August 1962, with Liverpool playing Everton in Condor Close, Garston L19. The line ups included: Snot-Nosed Blues - Gary West, Paul Labone, Mark Vernon, Martin Morrisey and the tricky Ian Three-Dicks The Tricky Reds - Ann Lawrence, Wooly Hunt, Elizabeth Yeats, Angela St John and my fave Lynn Milne. We had won the toss and decided to kick down hill. For all the effort put in Liverpool found themselves 3-0 down after the first half. Ann Lawrence had proved a right disappointment in goal to be honest. When the second half started things went from bad to worse and the final score was 7-0 to the Snot nosed blues. At a post match conference “little Wooly” had explained to the press that losing Elizabeth Yeats at half time (called in for her tea) was a critical turning point in the game. But he had drawn their attention to how proud he was of the effort and workrate of the reduced team (no subs allowed at this time). Meanwhile over at Anfield ..... The 1962/63 season had started badly for the Reds and Shanks put the defeats down to Liverpool showing too much respect for the so called “elite” of Division 1. Shanks was gonna have to start using a bit of psychology, for which he had become famous. The so called elite was about to be brought down to earth with a massive bump. Shankly explained that we should have no fear of teams such as The Drury Lane Fan Dancers, The Southern Softies, and The Playboys (Spurs, Arsenal & The Hammers respectively). It was at this time that Bill used another piece of genius. He used to phone our main rivals manager Don Revie of Leeds to tell him how brilliant each and every one of his Reds side were, one by one and when Revie tried to get a word in like “Bremner” Bill cut him off before the second word saying “aye, not a bad player”. Revie must have got off the phone wondering how Leeds ever won a game with such a mediocre bunch of fairies. The psychology began to work, and the results began to improve. Then came the game that all Reds had waited for since 1954 (The Derby) against Everton at Goodison. The blue noses were awarded a bent penalty in the first half which was converted by Vernon. But before half time a superb piece of individual brilliance by Lewis gave the “Tricky Reds” the equaliser that was justified. A total fluke by the turncoat Morrisey made the score 2-1 to them and the score remained that way until the 90th minute had come and gone. Time was up and the ref was about to blow, when Alan A’Court sent in one last cross. Up went West, up rose Labone (I ain't too sure why cos it was a low cross) but the cross was thumped home by Hunt. The “G” in GOAL started at 4.45, but it was 4.50 by the time the “L” got out. The crowd went wild, well at least the Red bit did. The rest of the season quite frankly was a disappointment, but we did reach the semi final of the FA Cup, where we were beaten by our bogey team, Leicester, who were really all rubbish apart from an up and coming young goalkeeper called Banks (he might make it some day).
"EE-AYE-ADDIO we won the League" The summer of 1963 saw big moves in the transfer market. Ian Three-Dicks had been transferred to Speke Road Gardens and Martin Morrisey had come down with rickets (a just illness for a turncoat). Elizabeth Yeats had also shown her true colours by crossing the park to become Elizabeth Treble-cock. Better news for the Tricky Reds though Elizabeth had been replaced by Neil Powney from Island Road for the princely sum of 1 Jubilee, an Arrow bar and a Match Programme (transfer record at the time) and had become Neil Lawler. Lynn Milne (still me fave) had had medical problems throughout the summer, don’t quote me, but I think she was growing a second bum on her chest. We won the toss for the second year running and decided to kick toward the Home Guard. Neil Lawler proved to be the stuff that dreams are made of, he kicked Paul Labone early in the game and his Mum had took him off to avoid further injury (typical whinging blue nose). From that moment in the game everything went our way, Lawler scored the opener and Wooly Hunt had bagged a brace either side of half time to make it 3-0. But the best was yet to come, just before the full time whistle Lynn Milne (my fave remember) scored a screamer from all of three feet and the goal celebrations that followed made “muffin the mule” look tame. Little Wooly was filling his boots (a proper kiss, on the lips too) but the elations soon turned to anger when Lawler wanted to congratulate Milne. Little Wooly had to put his foot down, this wasn’t the way we celebrated. Lawler was transfer listed the following morning, never to be seen again. Meanwhile over at Anfield ……. Prior to the end of the 62/63 season Shanks had made two crucial signings. A Scot who was playing in a Digereedoo band in Kangaroo land (Willie Stevenson) and our first ever “Real Twisty-Turny” (Peter Thompson). The nickname “The Tricky Reds” was now here to stay. Shankly now had a team which could “Do the Business” and never one to be modest, he decided to announce the fact to all who would listen that “This would be our year” he told the press “I think we are equal or better than all the teams in Division 1 and if we continue to think that way, we will be the best”. At Melwood Shanks had built the infamous “Sweat Box” where players would hone there fitness and strength and “No team would have the same endurance as this Liverpool side” and it proved to be true on many an occasion in the coming season. Now the bad bit, the season started atrociously and after three consecutive home defeats Shanks was in trouble. He had heard that there was a board meeting in progress, so he marched up the stairs, opened the doors, looked down the table where all the directors sat and announced …… “I can assure you Gentlemen, that we will win a game at Anfield this season” he said before turning around and walking out of the room, closing the door behind him. Whatever the directors were going to speak about that day was now a total mystery to all present, they must have been totally gob smacked, cos the story told, is that they all got up and went their own way. The next game was a home game against Wolves midweek. Shanks got all his players together and after discussion, he realised the problem was the players nerves and anxiety about playing in front of the Kop. It's not documented what Shanks actually said that evening to all his players, but it must have been a “pearler” cos Liverpool went out and stuffed Wolves 6-0. Two weeks later we absolutely “Trounced” the blue noses 2-1 with a rare brace from Ian Callaghan, one of which was a screamer even Billy Liddell would have been proud of. (There got him in). Then followed 8 wins out of 9 games. Whatever did Bill say at that meeting? It was the Christmas of 1963 where the Kop first started singing Beatles music. The atmosphere in the ground on Boxing Day needed to be seen to be believed, you could cut it with a knife, football grounds had never seen anything like it before or since (see the famous Panarama documentary for evidence). Christmas 1963 was a very special time for all who went to the “Hallowed Halls of Anfield” and two 6-1 results against Stoke and Sheffield proved to be excellent stocking fillers that year. Then came the time of year when all should show their FAITH. Easter had arrived, on “Good Friday” 1964 when all “Good Catholics” were at mass, Sir Roger had bagged a hat-trick against The Drury Lane Fan Dancers. I always wondered how many “Good Catholics” took holy communion in North London that day? More that most would be my guess cos on the way home (Saturday) we popped into Leicester and put another three past them (two games in two days back then). Sunday as all “Good Catholics” will tell you is the Lords day, a day of rest, so Liverpool put their feet up. When the Lord rose on the third day (Easter Monday) so did Ian St John with a brace and Alf Arrowsmith also chipped in and scored to put yet another three past The Drury Lane Fan Dancers, but this time at Anfield. 3 games in 4 days, 9 goals in 3 games. The Easter prayers had paid up trumps this year or did it have more to do with the new Messiah closer to home? Whatever it was, only days later we humped three past Man U, even with the talents of Best, Charlton & Law, but still the best was yet to come …… On the 18th April 1964 Liverpool played the Southern Softies and walloped them 5-0 and the title was ours!! The team: Lawrence, Byrne, Moran, Milne, Yeats, Stevenson, Callaghan, Hunt, St John, Arrowsmith & Thompson While everyone was heaping praise on Shanks, he called them to a halt. “And these were the last words he said” to coin another phrase. “We are a working class team, playing for working class people, we have no room here for fancy footballers, just workers who have faith and will respond to the demands I lay down”. Mighty powerful words Bill, you convinced me mate, I now, was prepared to believe every word that Bill said. The world was round like a football yer know. Not flat like all them past geniuses told us. The only pity that day was that we had to parade around the ground with a cardboard cut-out of the trophy. You see, the bitter blue noses across the park had refused to hand the trophy over. And you wonder why us oldies call them "bitter and twisted"? FAITH & PRAYERS are the watchwords from this episode, how much faith have you got in our great team? And when was the last time you prayed for a victory?
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