The beginning of Liverpool FC. 1959-74. The Shankly years.

From the beginning of our existence we’ve had good spells and bad spells with no real consistency during the early years. It’s fair to say the BlueShite were the dominant club in the city during the 50’s and perhaps the early part of the 60’s too, but in 1959 something magical happened that would propel Liverpool FC from a mid table second division team into a dominant European force that we are today, but during this article I’ll focus on the legend himself, the great Bill Shankly.

Shanks was born in Glenbuck on 2nd September 1913. He was actually one of five brothers that played professional football. His footballing career came to a close in 1949. He was also capped 12 times by Scotland.

After managerial spells with Carlisle United, Grimsby Town, Workington and Huddersfield Town he was officially appointed manager of Liverpool FC 1st December 1959. It could so easily have happened eight years earlier because in 1951 he was approached to manage the club then. He would only accept if he had the full running of picking the team and in charge of recruitment. His conditions were turned down. Liverpool dropped into the second division in 1954.

Before taking over the reins from Phil Taylor Liverpool were going nowhere, a sleeping giant if you like. Once Shanks was at the helm from 59 it took a couple of years to turn things around. A few players were signed, such as Sammy Reid from Motherwell on a free 24th February 1960, Kevin Lewis from Sheffield United for £13,000 June 1960, Gordon Milne from Preston for £16,000 in August 1960. Alf Arrowsmith from Ashton United, £1,250 30th August 1960, to name only a few.

The boot room existed before 1959, it was a room to store boots, obviously. But Bill saw the power of a closed space to consult his coaches over a cup of tea to discuss tactics for the next oppositions, past game verbal analysis but also a general chit chat between manager and coaches. The boot room became legendary.

The early years were on the surface not much better than before, until inspiration took over and a few quid to boot. Shanks would often ask the board for this player or that player with the usual response, ” We’re not the BlueShite, Bill” when Shanks wanted to sign an expensive player. To clarify the BlueShite were a fairly rich club back then and they had way more money than we had at the time, but in 1961 Shankly convinced two directors to sign Ian St John for a club record fee of £37,500. A quote from Shanks himself, “I was on the phone straight away and we were in Motherwell on Monday night. I said to Eric Sawyer he’s not just a good centre forward, he’s the only centre forward in the game”. St John was signed.

Not long after that on 22nd July 1961, just over 2 month’s after signing St John Shanks was off back up to Scotland, this time to Dundee to negotiate the signing of Ron Yeats. Shanks was chatting to the Dundee United manager and then big Ron walked in and was introduced. Shanks was like, look at the size of him and told Ron he’d like him to play for Liverpool. Ron asked where is Liverpool and are they in the First Division? Shanks Replied, ” We will be with you in the team, son”.

Yeats was signed for £22,000. Big money for two players back in those days. It paid off because that coming season 61-62 Liverpool would be crowned Champions of the Second Division and reach the top table of English football after an absence of eight years. This was our 70th year in existence.

The lads took a season, sussing out the opposition and finished the season 8th. But we were only just revving the engine. Come the following season Liverpool smashed it, winning the league for the sixth time in our history.

In November 1964 Shanks decided he wanted rid of the white shorts and replaced them with red shorts, believing all red would have a psychological impact, representing danger and power.

The 1964-65 season was another success with a bitter side to it. We won our first FA Cup in injury time. A massive achievement but our previous league campaign was not continued upon as Liverpool finished 7th that season and also lost to Inter Milan in the semi final of the European cup, which is well documented we were fooked over by the ref. Early day bungs for sure.

We regrouped the following season and won the league for the 7th time. There after followed more Barren years.

Shanks knew the team had run it’s cause so decided to go at it again with a new team which he began to build around 1967 with some formidable signings with all kinds of price tags, for example we signed Emlyn Hughes from Blackpool for £65,000 27th February 1967.

Ray Clemence from Scunthorpe for £18,000 24th June 1967,

Toney Hateley from Chavs ( before they were Chavy bastards ) for £96,000, 5th June 1967. On a side note his son Mark actually went to my school n was scouted there. He was a few years older than me.He played for England eventually but he was shite. True story that btw.

Alun Evans from Wolves for £100,000, September 68.

Alec Lindsey from Bury for £67,000 March 1969.

Larry Lloyd from Bristol Rovers, £50,000, April 1969.

This is one that’s Gona get ya…Stevie Heighway from Skelmersdale on a free,1970.

John Toshack, Cardiff, £110,000 11 November 1970.

Kevin Keegan, Scunthorpe, £33,000 10th May 1971.

Jimmy Case £500, yes £500 from South Liverpool 1st May 1973.

Thats not all of his signings, he actually signed someone from the SkipRats in the early 60’s but I’m not going to blot my paper with his name.

Despite the ups and downs of managerial life the great Bill Shankly always had time to give for the supporters. When he wasn’t on the training ground or managing the team during matches he would be at his typewriter personally replying to letters from fans sent into Melwood. He would also call some of the fans on the phone and discuss the previous days match, that’s the kind of fella Shanks was.

In season 66/67 we beat the BlueShite in the Charity shield. That’s about the height of it really. We were terrorised by Cruyff in the second round of the European cup against Ajax and finished 5th in the league. The following season was a slight improvement finishing 3rd.

The following season we finished 2nd but things were again set to change. As the players I posted above were being signed.

In the 1972-73 season Shanks found the answers for more success. Shanks 2.0 was coming of age. After seven years of not winning anything, other than the charity shield against the BlueShite in August 1966 ( I’ve actually got that match day programme, n no I didn’t attend the match coz I was only about 20 months old at the time ) we sure took the league and Europe by storm. Winning both the league and our first ever European trophy, the UEFA cup. After once again finishing second the previous season we won it this year by 3pts from the Arse. That season on 30th December we beat Crystal Palace at the home of football to make it 21 consecutive home wins in the league.

After beating Tottenham in the semi final of the UEFA cup ( who had won it the previous season ) we faced Borusssia Monchengladbach in the final and won 3-2 over two legs. Little did they know at the time we’d beat them again in the big one, but that’s a discussion for my next LFC article.

Shanks had won the league and UEFA cup double and was also crowned Manager of the season.

The emergence of Clemence and Keegan was a game changer for the reds and it also kick-started their international careers.

On to 1973-74.

Little did we know back then that the end of an era would unfold in less than twelve months. It was our 82nd season in existence and 12th consecutive season back in the First Division.

We finished 2nd in the league but gave our greatest moment for the final game of the domestic calender. A thumping victory against Newcastle United sealed a 3-0 win and our 2nd FA cup in our history, both won in the Shankly years. The catalyst for whom we are today.

Shanks was until his passing on 29th September 1981 a man of the people, for the people in Liverpool red. He was passionate about the club and the city too. Legends are spoken of far to often but Bill Shankly is a proper legend. He kick started our club with probably a bit of bullying to the money men, but if he didn’t sign the likes of St John and Big Ronnie Yeats then we would not be where we are today and we for sure would not have the history he begun. Shanks knew his audience and his audience was people like you and I that have inner passion for a club that is Liverpool FC.

To end I’ll post a few famous Shanks quotes, I’ll try and leave the obvious ones out.

“A football team is like a piano. You need eight men to carry it and three who can play the damn tune”.

“Since I came here to Liverpool, and to Anfield, I have drummed into our players time and time again that they are privileged to play for you. And if they didn’t believe me, they believe me now”.

” The trouble with referees is they know the rules, but they do not know the game”.

It’s been a lot of fun writing this and I seriously, like seriously could have gone on and on and…… but it’s probably long enough

I still can’t believe Stevie Heighway was a free and Jimmy Case only cost us £500 back in 73.

After almost 15 years in the job of being the Manager of our great club, Liverpool FC, Shanks decided to call it a day at the young age of 61. It does go to show that even back then the pressure was intense.

He grabbed this club with both hands and dragged it with some directors kicking and screaming back to the top table of English football and left his legacy to set us up for European dominance.

On a personal note, I’ve actually met the man…….well, I say met but it was more of being in the Mainstand carpark after a testimonial match when Shanks hurried into one of the doors in the Mainstand. I said ” Alright Bill” and patted him on the back. That was in 1980 n I was only 15 at the time. Still cherish that memory to this day. He didn’t acknowledge me but that’s okay 😭.

On 12th July 1974, Bill Shankly’s resignation was accepted, after sitting on the Chairman’s desk for five weeks. The board tried to desuade him from resigning but Shanks was exhausted. He was spent, mentally .

And that was an end of an era but the rebirth of the club he loved with so much passion, the rebirth beginning December 1, 1959.

The next installment will be the Paisley years.