In May 2015 I was fortunate enough to be part of an audience at the Epstein Theatre, Liverpool for ‘When Shankly’s Dream Came True‘ – an event put together by broadcaster John Keith to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Liverpool winning the FA Cup for the first time.
Attending with a close friend who had been present at Wembley in 1965 to see Bill Shankly’s team defeat Leeds United 2-1, it was a memorable evening.
Even for a non-Koppite such as myself, listening to the funny, often illuminating recollections of star guests Chris Lawler, Ian St John and Ian Callaghan (each of whom picked up an FA Cup Winners medal in ’65) was a fascinating experience – with many of their observations focusing on the charismatic, inspirational figure of Scottish manager Shankly.
Hearing the reminisces of three illustrious former players while sitting among a crowd containing many of his devotees, was to become fully aware of why Shankly is referred to with such reverence.
With that splendid night still relatively fresh in my mind I sat down with great anticipation to watch the documentary ‘SHANKLY – NATURE’S FIRE’ (director Mike Todd, 128 minutes) earlier in the week.
At the end, however, I felt less exuberance than when leaving the Epstein Theatre. Not because the film is disappointing, on the contrary in many ways it is an admirable piece, but due to his later, regretted departure from Anfield in the summer of 1974 – which would cast shadow over the rest of his life that ended in September 1981.
Lawler and St John are among a host of former Liverpool players, whose careers were shaped by Shankly, that contribute to ‘Nature’s Fire,’ each one speaking in reverential, affectionate terms about a man who Lawler describes as ‘the best thing that ever happened to Liverpool.’
Keith is one of several journalists who provide valuable insight from beyond the inner sanctum of Anfield, the crux of the documentary being Shankly’s fifteen year tenure as Liverpool manager.
It begins, however, in Glenbuck, the pit village where he was born in 1913, a tough upbringing in the Ayrshire coalfields fostering socialist principles of collective strength and unity that stayed with him throughout his life – and were instilled into the teams he managed.
As a young man Shankly was signed as a professional by Carlisle United where he spent only a season before joining Preston North End, proceeding to have a distinguished career at Deepdale that included appearances in the 1937 and 1938 FA Cup Finals (one defeat and one win) and also full caps for Scotland.
The outbreak of World War Two interrupted his playing days and brought a belated start to life as a manager that began back at Carlisle in 1949, with stops at Grimsby Town, Workington Town and Huddersfield Town before landing at Liverpool in December 1959.
Taking over a club languishing in the lower reaches of Division Two, Shankly arrived at Anfield brimming with enthusiasm and ambition, quickly realising there was enormous potential to be unlocked.
Keeping faith with the backroom staff he inherited, including first team trainer Bob Paisley, Shankly also set about forging a close link between club and supporters – a bond that would grow deeper and stronger as the astute signings of fellow Scots Ron Yeats and Ian St John were added to burgeoning home grown talent such as Lawler, Callaghan and prolific goal scorer Roger Hunt.
Just two years after winning Division Two in 1962, Liverpool were Champions of England, something they would repeat in 1966, but sandwiched between came the achievement Shankly was said to be most proud of – leading Liverpool to their first ever FA Cup triumph in 1965.
The two league title wins either side are given less scrutiny than the Wembley win, the recollections of St John and a number of Liverpool supporters a touching reminder of how much esteem was once attached to lifting the FA Cup. Footage of scenes in the city centre when the team return the following day are truly astonishing and move St John to say:
‘When The Beatles came back to Liverpool after a world tour thousands and thousands of people turned out – but not as many as when we came back with the FA Cup.’
As the author Stephen F. Kelly remarks: ‘It was a fantastic time for the city. What with the music and the football it felt the spotlight of the world was on Liverpool.’
At this point the documentary might have benefited from deeper analysis of Shankly the tactician, the assumption being he was the motivator supreme (assessing the opposition was where Paisley excelled).
But for all his undoubted panache in rallying players and supporters to the cause, he found it difficult to be ruthless when the time came to replace many of his 60s stalwarts, some allowed to continue a season or two beyond their effectiveness – but when the rebuilding process began Shankly set about the task with gusto.
After four trophy-less years, a losing FA Cup Final appearance in 1971 and finishing only a point behind champions Derby County a year later suggested he was on the right track – 1973 yielding their first League Championship since 1966.
The barren spell over, 1972-73 also brought success in the UEFA Cup as Liverpool won a European trophy for the first time.
With a new team developing apace, 1974 saw a second FA Cup win, Newcastle United comfortably swept aside as Liverpool cantered to a 3-0 victory – only for the football world to be rocked asunder when Shankly announced his retirement a few weeks later.
Various theories are expressed with regard to the timing of his departure, ranging from he was tired and wanted to spend more time with his family, to an aversion to fighting anymore battles in the boardroom.
On the other hand, leaving on the high of taking the FA Cup to Anfield once more could be looked upon as the perfect moment for Shankly to bow out – had it not been for the fact that several contributors to ‘Nature’s Fire‘ allude to him soon regretting a decision made in haste.
When the initial efforts of the Liverpool board fail to bring a change of mind, they insist on a clean break in order that Bob Paisley, his successor, is not left feeling compromised by the long shadow of Shankly if appointed to another position within the club.
The stance taken by the Liverpool directors is understandable, but it still seems a terrible shame that nobody could come up with a workable solution allowing Shankly to continue his connection with the football force he had created.
Two years later Liverpool won the League title and building unstoppable momentum under Paisley, lifted the European Cup in 1977 with a team largely built by Shankly – who by now had entered a footballing twilight world also inhabited by Sir Alf Ramsey and Bobby Moore.
Like him they were defining figures in the modern game, football content to continue without the experience and knowledge all three had to offer.
The final twenty minutes of the film are a genuinely sad watch as interviews conducted in retirement reveal Shankly lamenting his decision to retire and bereft of an outlet for the passion he still felt for the game. As Keith succinctly comments: ‘Bill was a king without a kingdom.’
The ‘Nature’s Fire‘ documentary is framed by a coach journey from Merseyside to Glenbuck by Shankly relatives and Liverpool supporters. At the village memorial to him they gather and sing his name to tune of ‘Amazing Grace‘ in the manner his beloved Kop have done thousands of times down the years – Shankly evermore the spiritual leader of the club.
The scene is only matched for poignancy right at the end when St John stops at the Shankly statue outside Anfield – the inscription ‘He made the people happy‘ prompting a smile and happy memory.
As all thoughts of Bill Shankly should.
SHANKLY – NATURE’S FIRE is available on DVD and Blu-ray.
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This article was first published on 27/7/2018.
NEIL SAMBROOK is also the author of ‘MONTY’S DOUBLE‘ – an acclaimed thriller now available in paperback and as an Amazon Kindle Book.