On a more meaningful note, today would have been the 97th birthday of one of the greatest football managers in history. William "Bill" Shankly was a working class hero who was responsible for the clubs great history.
Here is a quote of his:-
QUOTE
What Liverpool Football Club means to people
"Liverpool is not only a club. It's an institution. And my aim was to bring the people close to the club and the team and for them to accepted as a part of it. The effect was that wives brought their late husband's ashes to Anfield and scattered them on the pitch after saying a little prayer. That's how close the people have come to this club. When they wanted to scatter the ashes of their loved one, who wanted to be part of the club when they were dead, I said to them: 'In you come, you're welcome.' And they trooped in by the dozen.people not only support Liverpool when they're alive. They support them when they are dead. This is the true story of Liverpool.
I was asked recently, what the club has given back to me for my support. I never once asked myself that question. Instead, I've always asked what more I could give. My commitment is to pass on as many stories as possible, to ensure that younger fans hear of it, and older ones never forget. Some will listen and some won't but if it makes a difference to just one fan, it's worth it.
Upon his appointment as manager, Shankly has determined to turn Liverpool from a mediocre second division side to a force to be reckoned with. He and Bob Paisley had great respect for the club's supporters and did not want the people who paid their wages, and those of the players, to have to put up with a shabby ground and poor facilities. If the club could not afford the cost of outside help, such was his and Bob's devotion to the club and its cause that they were willing to paint toilet blocks themselves and maintain the plumbing of the loos and sinks so that they were functioning normally come matchday.
Here is a passage I extracted from the autobiography of Tommy Smith, better known as the "Anfield Iron", testifying to what I had just typed out above.
QUOTE
One night the Liverpool chairman, T.V. Williams, called in to Anfield at around half nine to collect some paperwork. The offices were dark and deserted, but just as he was about to leave, Williams noticed a light shining from the steps of one of the exits in the Kop. Illuminated by the light, Williams saw a box of tools on the terracing. Curious to know who was on the premises at such an hour, he walked over to the Kop and proceeded down the steps at the back of the stand. The light was coming from one of the toilet blocks where he found Shankly and Paisley in overalls, painting the walls an ceiling
Reckon we'll see that today? I bet not. The Shanks was a great man and it's no wonder the fans love him and the players respect him. His devotion to the club and it's fans transformed us from a midtable 2nd division side with shambolic facilities to one of the most feared sides in Europe boasting a stadium whose name is now known by all.
Happy Birthday Bill. Gone but not forgotten.
Added on September 2, 2010, 7:40 pmQUOTE(sahathai @ Sep 2 2010, 07:06 PM)
As far as I know, Masch accepted a paycut of 20% less than original amount that
Barca had offered him so that the money can be used to finance his transfer fee as Barca is reluctant to pay the price that Liverpool had asked. Still his current wage is higher than what we paid him before.
Forget it mate. He's already guilty as far as some are concerned. He can no longer do right. YNWA indeed.
This post has been edited by Duke Red: Sep 2 2010, 07:58 PM Attached thumbnail(s)