How long was Bill Shankly Liverpool manager, which trophies did he win, and when did he die?

THE name of the late, GREAT maverick Bill Shankly will forever be cemented in Liverpool FC folklore as the club’s most revered manager.

Not least for this famous quote:

“Some people think football is a matter of life and death.

“I don’t like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that.”

Well, the fact he transformed the fortunes of a team in decline in the 1950’s into European champions underlines the commitment of a man who came from a small Scottish mining community.

Shankly was a one-off; a master tactician, terrific man-manager and inspirational leader who was never short of a quote or two.

So how long did Bill Shankly manage Liverpool?

Shankly was in charge at Anfield for 15 years between 1959 and 1974, having cut his managerial teeth at Carlisle United, Grimsby Town, Workington Town and Huddersfield Town.

So sub par was the playing staff when he took over that he dismissed 24 of them in his first season.

Shankly led Liverpool into 753 games, winning 393, drawing 185 and losing 175.

What did he change at Anfield?

Shankly started bus rides to the training ground at Melwood to encourage player camaraderie.

He introduced fitness training and diet assessment to keep players on their toes.

After practice he would have players bussed back to Anfield to shower and eat a meal together. This helped the players warm down so less training injuries happened.

Then Shankly and his coaches, including Bob Paisley, Ronnie Moran, Joe Fagan who all succeeded him, would retire to the ‘Boot Room’ to plan tactics.

How long was it before these changes bore fruit?

Shankly’s new regime helped clinch promotion to the old First Division in 1961-62 with help from signing such as centre-half Ron Yeats and striker Ian St. John.

In the 1963-64, just two years from their spell in Division Two, Shankly won Liverpool their sixth top flight trophy.

Overall, what was Shankly’s trophy haul?

First Division Champions (3): 1963–64, 1965–66, 1972–73.

Second Division Champions (1): 1961–62.

FA Cup Winners (2): 1965, 1974.

UEFA Cup Winners (1): 1973.

FA Charity Shield Winners (2): 1966, 1974.

FA Charity Shield Shared (2): 1964, 1965.

When did Bill Shankly die?

Having retired as Liverpool boss aged 60, the “ultimately obessive” Shankly continued to live in the semi-detached house at West Derby, near the Everton training ground, which they bought when they moved to Liverpool in 1959.

He worked for Radio City 96.7, a Liverpool station on which he presented his own chat show, once interviewing prime minister Harold Wilson, and was a pundit on its football coverage.

He briefly took up advisory roles at Wrexham and then at Tranmere Rovers

Shankly kept himself fit and often took part in five-a-side football

In September 1981 he suffered a heart attack and died, aged 68.