Bill Shankly

Scottish footballer and manager (1913-1981)

Bill Shankly (2 September 1913 – 29 September 1981) is a former football player. He has played for Scotland national team.

Bill Shankly
Personal information
Full name William Shankly OBE
Date of birth (1913-09-02)2 September 1913
Place of birth Glenbuck, East Ayrshire, Scotland
Date of death 29 September 1981(1981-09-29) (aged 68)
Place of death Liverpool, England
Position(s) Defender (retired)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1932–1933
1933–1949
Carlisle United
Preston North End
National team
1938–1944 Scotland
Teams managed
1949–1951
1951–1954
1954–1955
1956–1959
1959–1974
Carlisle United
Grimsby Town
Workington
Huddersfield Town
Liverpool
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He was brought up in the mining village of Glenbuck. His dad was a miner, but Bill would not go down the mine so he went to football training instead. Glenbuck Cherrypickers were the start of his playing job. He then went to Scotland for a year (1938–1939). After that he went to Preston North End.


Bill played for Preston until the Second World War started. During the war he served in the army and met his wife Ness. After the war he was manager of Carlisle, Workington and Grimsby. He became assistant manager of Huddersfield Town but left in 1959 to manage Liverpool. He won lots of cups at Anfield. He was much loved by the Liverpool fans. He left in 1974 but afterwards wished he hadn't.