“Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it’s much more important than that.” – Bill Shankly
There’s hardly another quote that is as timeless in the annals of the beautiful game. There most certainly isn’t any other, that in one striking statement, represents how important football is to millions of human beings – be it players, fans or the media, that have found themselves completely absorbed and captivated by the sport across the world.
Bill Shankly was a true representation of the different sets of people enthralled by football. As a former player himself he knew what it was like to be in the thick of the action, he had the raw passion and enthusiasm of the fans and he possessed in spades, the tactical nous needed for a top level coach.
Managerial beginnings
Bill Shankly began his managerial career at Carlisle United, taking charge of a team that languished in the bottom half of the third division. His work ethic immediately transformed the squad though and they finished 9th and 3rd in subsequent seasons.
The Scotsman wasn’t averse to using unusual methods to motivate his players, once telling his team that the opposition were exhausted from a long journey and couldn’t possibly compete with them. He would also use the public address system to talk to the home crowds, explaining the tactics for the match and trying to raise the energy levels in the stadium.
It’s hard to imagine a manager doing that in today’s times but back then, Shankly’s methods were a roaring success. The season ticket sales for the 1950-51 season reached an all-time high.
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Despite his success, Shankly eventually had a falling-out with the club’s board and found himself at Grimsby Town soon after. His spell with that 3rd division club wouldn’t be too fruitful though and the lack of funds available to buy new players didn’t help. He would leave for Workington, with the idea that he would be moving closer to his homeland, Scotland.
Getting a below par squad that was near the bottom of the 3rd division to finish 8th was as much as Shankly could do with Workington before he grew tired of the multitude of roles he was having to perform for a club that was operating on a shoestring budget. He resigned in November 1955 and accepted an offer to become the assistant manager at Huddersfield Town.
At Huddersfield, Shankly grew in his role as reserve team coach, and took over the reigns of the first team in a turbulent spell for the club. His role with the reserve team was of great use here, and he promoted several of the youngsters he had worked with – including the future Manchester United legend Denis Law.
Shankly wouldn’t stay at the club long, though, but Huddersfield would be a key club in his career because it was the club he was at when Liverpool swooped in for him.
Taking charge at Anfield
Liverpool were far from the accomplished and decorated club that we have come to recognise today, when Bill Shankly was appointed manager. The club reeked of mismanagement, had been relegated to the second division and had shambolic training facilities. The rebuilding that the Scotsman had to do was exhaustive. More than 20 players were placed on the transfer market almost instantly and Shankly even had to prod the board to spend money on watering the pitches.
He would also begin to transform the work ethic and attitude of everyone at the club, and it helped that he had three terrific assistants with him at the time. One of these was none other than Bob Paisley, (another legendary Liverpool manager who will feature on our list soon enough) renowned for his tactical insight and the other two, Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett, were also united by a love for the club.
Within five years, Liverpool would get promoted to the top division, consolidate their standing in the apex footballing league in the country and win the league title - a defining achievement in the history books of the Anfield club, and one that would go on to catapult them to a series of trophies.
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Liverpool would win another two league titles under Shankly's stewardship as well as 7 other trophies that included the FA and UEFA Cup’s. He would consolidate the club’s position amongst England’s elite and also establish them as one of the top teams on the continent. Though he wouldn’t manage to win the European Cup, he would only fall narrowly to Helenio Herrera’s famous Inter Milan side in the semi-finals in the 1964-65 season.
His relentless energy and passion came at a cost, though, and at the age of 61, he communicated his decision to retire to the Liverpool board, who tried in vain to change his mind. He had left behind a glorious legacy and the means for Liverpool football club to strive for even greater success than they had achieved under his own stewardship.
It would be fitting to end this tribute with an anecdote from one of Liverpool’s European trips. Shankly was filling a hotel registration form when he wrote ‘Anfield’ in the column marked for the address.
"Sir, you need to fill in where you live,” the receptionist politely reminded him. "Lady," he shot back, "in Liverpool there is only one address that matters and that is where I live.”
