Bill Shankly

William " Bill" Shankly, OBE ( born September 2, 1913 in Glenbuck, East Ayrshire, Scotland, † 29 September 1981 Liverpool, England) was a Scottish football player and coach.

He especially enjoyed as manager of Liverpool FC during the successful era of the 1960s and - 70s widespread popularity.

Playing career

Shankly was born as the youngest of eleven children in the small working-class town Glenbuck in southern Scotland. His career as a footballer, he started at the local club, the Cherry Pickers Glenbuck, which was however resolved before Shankly was able to complete a game with the first team. He came over then Cronberry Eglinton finally to England to Carlisle United. After one season, he moved in 1933 to Preston North End, where he was a combative midfielder made ​​his name and remained up to end of his career as a player in 1949.

Coaching career

Shortly after his retirement Shankly took a job as a coach at his former club Carlisle. Even there, he continued his own philosophy around, rolled up in the Third Division club at fixed completely and reached him in his second season in 3rd place. However, because of disputes with management, he moved to Grimsby Town, which he also left after a short time and with no greater success. As a result, he tried with the province Workington AFC Club ' a new beginning. The respect that the team played its under his direction, Huddersfield Town could pay attention to him out of the Second Division. Initially only entrusted with the juniors, he soon rose to the coach of the first team. However, it came again to disagreements with management, which sold the best players. Therefore, an offer from Liverpool in November 1959 it was just right. With Liverpool came for Shankly finally the great success. In 1962 the team was relegated to the First Division, the then highest division in England, at, only to gain two years later the sixth league title in club history. The following year, Liverpool won the FA Cup and excelled in the following season, when the club not only won the championship, but also surprised at the Europa Cup Winners' Cup and the finals narrowly lost. After winning the title in 1966 was followed by a long dry season. The team was gradually aging, and there were long not buying new players more. Only after a generation change in 1973 they won the Cup and UEFA Cup. Thus Liverpool had risen to the big time in Europe. The following season the Reds in the First Division were indeed expelled from Leeds United to second place, for the FA Cup could decide for themselves. After 43 years in professional football, including 15 years as a coach at Liverpool, Shankly was in July 1974 announced his retirement.

Bill Shankly used its own philosophy, when it came to football. This is his most famous quote: There are people who think football is a matter of life and death. I do not like this setting. I can assure them that there is still much more serious. Shankly saw in football not just a sport, but also a cultural and political issue. Once he said: I am a man of the people - the people alone counts. Therefore, the followers were as important as the players for him. The avowed socialist Shankly saw in his conception of football his political ideal embodies: Under socialism, in whom I believe, everyone works for the other and all get a share of the profits. So I see football, the way I see life. The team stood in the center, so Shankly laid emphasis on the unity of the team and the game with heart. Shankly had a total of not as much success as his successor Bob Paisley, but he went down in history as the coach who shaped the playing in the second division Liverpool to one of the best teams in the world.

Trivia

In honor Shankly built a life-size bronze statue of him in front of the legendary Kop at Anfield. It bears the inscription: He made ​​the people happy - He made the people happy. Shankly's ashes were scattered after his death on the lawn of the stadium at Anfield.

Statistics

Successes as a player

  • FA Cup winner with Preston North End in 1938

Success as a coach

  • Promotion to the First Division in 1962 with Liverpool
  • English Champion with Liverpool in 1964, 1966, 1973
  • UEFA Cup winner with Liverpool in 1973
  • FA Cup winner with Liverpool, 1965, 1974
September 29 Carlisle United F.C. Preston North End F.C. Huddersfield Town F.C. Football League Third Division Football League Second Division Football League First Division Spion Kop (stadiums) Integrated Authority File
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