If only I'd known then what I know now!

[johnh]

Can't remember if I have already posted this. Apologies if I have. I can't remember what I had for dinner either. In season 1958/59 I was playing for Yorkshire Amateur who, at the time, were one of the top Amateur clubs in the North. I was selected to represent a Leeds and District representative side against Huddersfield Town. The game was a mid-week evening game at Huddersfield and was played under floodlights. The first time I had ever played under 'lights'. I was made captain for the night, for no other reason that in representative games they usually made the centre-half captain as he was located right in the middle of proceedings. I remember that we lost but can't remember the score or much about the game. After the game, Huddersfield had laid on refreshments for the players and after changing, I went into the room where the refreshments were being served. As I walked in, I saw Bill Shankly (who at the time was Huddersfield's manager) talking to one of the Leeds Officials. I recognised Bill Shankly as I had seen him play against Everton on a few occasions. Next to Bill Shankly was a young blond haired lad, who looked about 14 and who I took to be his son. The Leeds Official spotted me and called me over. He introduced me to Bill Shankly and as I shook hands with him he fixed me with a steely look and all he said was 'let me introduce you to a future Scottish International' He pointed to the young lad and I shook hands with him. I can't remember if Shankly ever mentioned the lads name but it wouldn't have meant anything to me anyway. I realised later that the young lad was Denis Law. So there I was, being introduced to one of the greatest managers of all time and one of the greatest British players of all time and I didn't know it. The sequel to this is that about 15 years ago I was at a Sportsmans dinner where Denis Law was guest speaker. I managed to get the opportunity to have a long chat with Denis and told him the above tale. Obviously, he didn't remember it but we had a good laugh about it. I am just sad that I was unable to re-live the memory with Bill Shankly also.

[markjazzbassist]

i have no clue who these people are to be honest, but you are a great story teller john and i love reading them. glad to have you here and you make me proud to be an Evertonian.

Edited July 28, 2014 by markjazzbassist

[rubecula]

i have no clue who these people are to be honest, but you are a great story teller john and i love reading them. glad to have you here and you make me proud to be an Evertonian.

Bill Shankley was manager of our local rivals (Liverpool) and was possibly the greatest football manager ever. Denis Law played for both Manchester clubs and was one of the finest forwards of all time. Look them up on Google.

 

It was Bill Shankley who first said "Some people think football is a matter of life and death...... It is far more important than that" and many other famous quotes

[johnh]

Shankly also said 'Its not true that I took my wife to watch Tranmere Rovers on our Wedding Anniversary - it was Accrington Stanley.'

[verreauxi]

Shankly also said 'Its not true that I took my wife to watch Tranmere Rovers on our Wedding Anniversary - it was Accrington Stanley.'

 

 

Ha! Like this guy's honesty and priorities. Great quote!

[marcus jones]

Shanks was in a hairdresser's once and the barber asked if he wanted anything off the top, to which his reply was ''Aye, Everton''!

[markjazzbassist]

Shanks was in a hairdresser's once and the barber asked if he wanted anything off the top, to which his reply was ''Aye, Everton''!

 

i love that!

[johnh]

He was being interviewed and the interviewer referred to Liverpool as that great football city with two great teams. Bill Shankly said 'yes, Liverpool and Liverpool reserves.'

Edited July 29, 2014 by johnh

[StevO]

I believe he was good friends with Dixie as well wasnt he?

As red as he was, rightly so, he is a legend.

[Cake]

Shankly ended up resenting Liverpool in his retirement as he still turned up at training sessions which Paisley was trying to run and he became a bit of an embarrassment to them as, quite rightly, he wasn't welcome to interfere with what Paisley was trying to do. Shankly knew he had a big reputation - he was a sort of Mourinho or Ferguson of his time with his quips, anecdotes and mind-games about opponents. When Liverpool wouldn't give him a seat on the Board he really chucked his toys and as he lived closer to Bellefield than to Melwood he spent a lot of his time mooching around there, leading him to quote;

 

"I have been received more warmly by Everton than I have by Liverpool. It is a scandal that I must write these words about the club I helped to build"

[StevO]

Bill Shankly on Dixie Dean:

Dixie was the greatest centre forward there will ever be. His record of goalscoring is the most amazing thing under the sun. He belongs in the company of the supremely great like Beethoven, Shakespeare and Rembrandt.