Bob Paisley
He was there during the bad times as well. One year they came second
| Full name: | Robert Paisley |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: | January 23, 1919 |
| Date of death: | February 14, 1996 |
| Clubs played for: | Liverpool |
| Clubs managed: | Liverpool |
Club Career
The very definition of a one club man, Bob Paisley joined Liverpool in 1939 from non-league outfit Bishop Auckland, but the outbreak of World War II meant that he didn't make his debut until six years later.
Playing at half-back in the first full season after the war, Paisley helped Liverpool to their first league title in 24 years, playing in all but eight of that campaign's matches. He eventually became club captain for the 1950-51 season and retired three seasons later to join Anfield's backroom staff.
Club Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1939-54 | Liverpool | 253 | 10 |
Managerial Career
The trophies and accolades tell their own story of Paisley's reign at Anfield. After stepping up from the role of Bill Shankly's right-hand man, he led the team for nine seasons, winning at least one trophy in eight of those. Between 1976 and 1983, he won the Manager of the Year award six times.
Inspiring fierce loyalty and affection in his players, he was a sound tactician with a fantastic eye for potential recruits. Although initially a reluctant leader, he retired in 1983 after 44 uninterrupted years at the club, hailed as Anfield's greatest-ever manager.
Key Games
FC Bruges 1-1 Liverpool (UEFA Cup final, second leg, May 19, 1976)
Although history records that this 1-1 draw, courtesy of a Kevin Keegan goal, was enough to win the UEFA Cup after the heroics of their first leg victory, the role of Paisley has been largely overlooked. Phil Neal had a torrid time in that first encounter at Anfield, which Liverpool won 3-2 after being two goals down. Despite calls for Neal to be dropped, Paisley stuck with him, and a strong rearguard performance as a unit managed a hard fought draw.
Liverpool 3-1 Borussia Moenchengladbach (European Cup final, May 25, 1977)
Another tactical masterstroke in arguably the biggest game in Liverpool's history assures Paisley's legendary status. Midfielder Ian Callaghan was called up to replace out-of-form striker David Johnson and the veteran performed superbly in a 3-1 win against Borussia Monchengladbach. This meant that Paisley became the first manager to win the UEFA Cup and the European Cup in successive seasons.
Liverpool 2-1 Manchester United (League Cup final, March 26, 1983)
The curtain came down on Paisley's incredible association with the club with yet another final and yet another trophy. This League Cup victory was his third in a row and the second of three successive League and League Cup doubles. Manchester United were the opposition and led through a Norman Whiteside goal, but a drive from Alan Kennedy and an extra time screamer from Ronnie Whelan gave Liverpool's manager the best possible send-off. Graeme Souness, as captain, insisted on Paisley climbing Wembley's 39 steps to collect the trophy and he later described it as the proudest moment of his life.
Honours
| Club | Competition | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | League Championship | 1946-47 |
| Liverpool (as manager) | League Championship | 1975-76, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1982-83 |
| League Cup | 1981, 1982, 1983 | |
| European Cup | 1977, 1978, 1981 | |
| UEFA Cup | 1976 |
Did You Know...?
After hanging up his boots, Paisley joined the Anfield boot room as a self-taught physiotherapist. His team would later say that as a manager he could diagnose an injury just by looking at a player.
Paisley had to leave Liverpool during World War II and drive army vehicles without having a single driving lesson under his belt.
Paisley never wanted the manager's job in the first place. He told Kevin Keegan and the rest of the players during his first team meeting as Liverpool boss: "I'm not even sure that I can do it. I need all the help I can get from you lads. There'll be no disruption to the team. Let's just keep playing the Liverpool way."
We want your help to grow the MirrorFootball.co.uk archive! Leave your comments about this piece of football history by clicking on the 'Your Memories' tab above. Tell us who or what you'd like to see covered in the MirrorFootball.co.uk archive by emailing archive@mirror.co.uk
(PDF2.5MB)
