William (Bill) Shankly

1913 - 1981

Football manager. Born in the coal-mining village of Glenbuck (East Ayrshire), the son of a tailor. Shankly left school at 14 and found work in the mines, however he soon became a victim of the 'Great Depression' and was laid off. Deciding to exploit his footballing talents, he signed professionally for the English team Carlisle United in 1932, where his maternal uncle was a director. Within two years he had moved to Preston North End. He gained seven caps for Scotland, but his career was interrupted by the Second World War and shortly thereafter he decided to enter football management. Following spells at various northern England clubs, Shankly joined Liverpool in 1959, then an unremarkable team in the second division. He built them into a world-beating side, ensuring success long after his departure. By 1961 they were in the First Division and by 1964 League Champions. In 1973 the club took both the League and European championships.

Shankly was awarded an OBE in 1974, retiring in the same year. He is remembered by monuments in Glenbuck, on Merseyside and by the 'Shankly Gates' to Liverpool's Anfield stadium. He was named as one of the first members of the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.

Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry