The legendary Bill Shankly is revered for his transformative work at Liverpool and his gift of finding the right words for the right moment was unmatched.
Shankly served Liverpool Football Club for 15 years between 1959 and 1974, dragging the club out of the Second Division and into contention for European honours.
His legacy will forever live on in the fabric of the club, not only for what he did on the pitch with the team but for how he embodied all that Liverpool and its supporters stand for.
The Scot won the league three times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Cup once, leaving an indelible legacy 48 years on from his retirement and 41 years after his passing.
An iconic figure with a long list of quotes that stand the test of time, we’ve picked out 10 of his best.
This one never fails to bring on a smile – and he’s not wrong…
“In my time at Anfield, we always said we had the best two teams on Merseyside – Liverpool and Liverpool Reserves.”
Shankly’s vision for the club was clear and it made for one of his most famous quotes…
“My idea was to build Liverpool into a bastion of invincibility. You know, Napoleon had that idea and he conquered the bloody world.
“And that’s what I want – for Liverpool to be untouchable. My idea was to build Liverpool up, and up, and up. Until eventually, everyone would have to submit, and give in.”
It was Shankly who first coined the idea of the club’s holy trinity, one that has evolved in the face of a global fanbase but remains pertinent to this day…
“At a football club, there’s a holy trinity – the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don’t come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques.”
The ‘This Is Anfield’ sign was first installed by Shankly and he was opposed to the initial wording that said ‘Welcome to Anfield’, for good reason…
“It’s there to remind our lads who they’re playing for and to remind the opposition who they’re playing against!”
Back on the theme of our Merseyside rivals, Shankly doubled down with this brilliant quote…
“If Everton were playing at the bottom of my garden, I’d shut the curtains.”
As for his outlook on life, it was directly in tune with the club he served and it made him the perfect ambassador…
“The socialism I believe in is everyone working for each other, everyone having a share of the rewards. It’s the way I see football, the way I see life.”
As for his demands for players who wore the red shirt, there was no questioning what he needed to see…
“For a player to be good enough to play for Liverpool, he must be prepared to run through a brick wall for me then come out fighting on the other side.”
Now, we’ve all seen and heard this one before…
“Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”
This is one is a great show into his character, words he said to the great Ian St John…
“If you’re not sure what to do with the ball, just pop it in the net and we’ll discuss your options afterwards.”
And this is certainly the best way to sign off…
“Liverpool was made for me and I was made for Liverpool.”
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