THE BOOT ROOM

No great leader has ever reigned supreme without the support and loyalty of others: Bill Shankly was no different in this respect. For him to consistently 'illuminate' Anfield Road, a quite awesome team of back-room staff were always around to keep the 'fire burning'. It is a fact that when Shankly arrived at Liverpool in 1959 the club was in dire need of a 'face-lift', to say the least. Although lacking in ambition and funds, the actual devotion and football knowledge was already there - it just needed guidance and belief; enter the leader, Bill Shankly. Quite unheard of in football is a manager arriving at a new club 'alone' which was the case for Bill. He decided not bring in his own coaching staff, opting to stick with the existing 'back-room' Anfield boys.

Throughout the 15 years of Shankly's reign the now legendary Boot Room was occupied by: Reuben Bennett, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, and Ronnie Moran. These men were the 'engine room' of Liverpool FC; their loyalty and devotion to Shankly and the club as trainers, physiotherapists, scouts or assistant managers, was paramount to the clubs on-field success.

Keeping Shankly's system of training and playing at Anfield after he left the club, Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan went on to become managers themselves: both lifting the sought after European Cup! Credit also has to be given to two other men from the Liverpool set-up. Tom Saunders, who provided youthful talent from the schoolboys, and Geoff Twentyman who travelled the country endlessly in search of potential talent as Chief Scout.