The Bill Shankly Story

[Redwire]

Ex-Liverpool players remember Bill Shankly

 

By Andrew Collomosse

Last Updated: 12:50am GMT 01/03/2008

 

We can only wonder how Bill Shankly would have reacted to the news that three of his Anfield legends will be treading the boards as part of Liverpool's European Capital of Culture year.

 

Shankly, after all, famously chose to mark his wife's birthday by taking her to a night match at Tranmere.

 

If, however, he knew the production was a celebration of his own iconic status in the city, he might have been persuaded to exchange floodlights for footlights.

 

The thespians in question are Ron Yeats, Ian St John and Chris Lawler, who between them played a total of 1,429 games for Liverpool, winning both the title and the FA Cup twice.

 

And today they will assume centre stage at Mountford Hall, taking part in The Bill Shankly Story, a tribute to the man whose reign began almost half a century ago.

 

The play was written in 2006 by John Keith, a journalist, broadcaster and author who has covered the Merseyside sporting scene for over 40 years, to mark the 25th anniversary of Shankly's death.

 

Actor Kenneth Cope, ironically a lifelong Evertonian, is the narrator, guiding the audience through the life of Shankly, played by Keith, from humble Scottish roots to the adulation of Anfield.

 

Yeats, Lawler and St John appear as themselves, recounting personal reminiscences of the man who managed the club from 1959 to 1974.

 

Yeats, Shankly's towering centre-half and captain, sums up the mood when he says: "It means a tremendous amount to us all. He was a lovely, lovely man and Liverpool have an enormous amount to thank him for."

 

Throughout his 12-year career as Liverpool's right-back, Lawler made 241 consecutive league appearances. Even so, his manager was not convinced when, after his wedding, Lawler cried off training with flu.

 

"I'd had trouble with my tonsils," recalls Lawler. "And Shanks said they'd have to come out. Then I went down with the flu so my missus rang up to say I I had tonsillitis!

 

"A little later, there was a knock on the door and Shanks came upstairs, shouting: 'Where's the malingerer?'"

 

Striker St John said: "He re-built the club on and off the field. It was a tatty Anfield when I arrived but Bill had a dream and it came true.."

 

# Tickets, priced £10, are available from The '08 Place, Whitechapel, Liverpool or by calling 07773 715666

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...1/sfnsix101.xml

[jon_hall]

Going to this tonight with Will, Christine and others (others = not sure who else is going)

[Will]

others = not sure who else is going

Others are the Welsh wonder, your beloved and the nearly birthday girl

[jon_hall]

My beloved?

 

Assumed welshie was going.

[suzyv]

I am going tonight looking forward to it it should be good. I believe Ron yeates will be their.

[Will]

Yeats, St John and the slightly befuddled Lawler were all there - good show

[Duncan Disorderly]

Good story about the pic below, when he asked one of the players who the leader of China was and then he said...

 

"Not even Chairman Mao has seen such a sea of red!"

 

[suzyv]

yes it was a realy good show just thinking about shanks brought tears to my eyes.

[Will]

Ron Yeats got very emotional at the end as well (as did I)

[suzyv]

I know if they had played Shankly Shankly loud at the end I think I would have broken down. It is corect that you remember where you were when Shankly resigned. I was off school sick and I cried for about 2 days. It was so strange being in the kop the next season without him in charge.

Edited March 2, 2008 by suzyv

[jon_hall]

i was far too young to remember.

 

And Chris Lawler really didn't want to speak at all.

[Christine]

i was far too young to remember.

 

I wasn't born.

[suzyv]

I am beging to feel old now because I do remember it is etched on my mind because I dont think up untill then I had never realy been upset like that. I just could not comprehend life without shankly.

[matty]

Did anyone say how much he was like Mourinho? Like, really outspoken and that.

[Will]

No. Cos he wasn't much like him.

[Duncan Disorderly]

Did anyone say how much he was like Mourinho? Like, really outspoken and that.

It would be more like did anyone say how huch Mourinho was like HIM!?

[Des]

It would be more like did anyone say how huch Mourinho was like HIM!?

 

Matty was making a funny.