'Some people believe football is a matter of life and death.

I am very disappointed with that attitude, I can assure you it is much, much more important than that'... As Liverpool (and Preston) toast Bill Shankly's 100th birthday, Golden Years remembers the great Scot
By Nick Metcalfe

British football has been blessed with some magnificent managers and the likes of Sir Matt Busby, Jock Stein, Brian Clough and Sir Alex Ferguson have become legends thanks to their success and charisma. BIll Shankly deserves his place in that company, for taking Liverpool from the Second Division to the top of the English game. Liverpool's 18 league titles and five Europeans Cups puts them in the same bracket as Manchester United as by a distance England's most successful clubs, and it was the inspirational brilliance of Shankly between 1959 and 1974 that paved the way. The three league titles, two FA Cups and a UEFA Cup won by Shankly are all the more remarkable when you consider where Liverpool were when he joined - the second tier. Not only was he successful, but Shankly was hugely charismatic, the quote at the top of this feature just one of many. He also had an aura about him that only a few men in the game over the decades have possessed. With Preston playing Liverpool this weekend - Shankly spent most of his playing career with the Lancashire club - in a special match to commemorate what would have been the great Scot's 100th birthday, which falls in September, Golden Years remembers him with some special images from the archives. Feel free to have your say at the bottom of this article and join us next Wednesday when we bring you some more nostalgia from Ashes Test matches played at Lord's.

This picture of Bill Shankly in front of the Kop at Anfield demonstrates how he was hero worshipped by Liverpool supporters. It was taken after Liverpool's final game of the 1972-73 season against Leicester, with the club celebrating winning the league. It was a third for Shankly as Liverpool boss, following titles in 1963-64 and 1965-66

Shankly spent most of his playing days with Preston - he was there for 17 years between 1933 and 1949, which included a long break during the Second World War. In all, the legendary Scot made 297 appearances for North End after joining at the age of 19. Here's a charming 1938 picture of Shankly adjusting a radio

Sir Matt Busby, who went on to become Manchester United manager, introduces his Scotland team (including Shankly, fourth right) to Baroness Spencer-Churchill, the wife of Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, before a wartime match between England and Scotland at Wembley in 1942. The game finished 0-0 in front of 75,000

Shankly practises an overhead kick in this 1946 picture. By this time, with the Second World War over, Shankly was well into his 30s and nearing the end of his playing days. He continued with Preston until 1949. The picture below shows Shankly in action for Preston, also in 1946

Shankly leads Preston out in 1948, a year before he left the club. He went straight into management after his playing career was over, first with Carlisle, and then with Grimsby, Workington and Huddersfield. It was when he joined Liverpool as their manager in 1959 that his legend really began to take shape...

Shankly and his Liverpool players celebrate after winning the club's sixth league title in 1964. Five years earlier, when Shankly joined, they were in the Second Division, but they won promotion in 1961-62 and after finishing eighth in 1962-63, they finished top 12 months later. Crucial to Liverpool's success were the 31 league goals scored by Roger Hunt, while captain and fellow striker Ian St John scored 21

Colour pictures were relatively rare in the 1960s, this one shows Shankly before the 1964-65 season. The Scot was at the peak of his powers that year, having led Liverpool to the league title the previous season. And he was about to inspire the club to another famous triumph...

Winning the league is the ultimate achievement for any club and although Liverpool claimed the title in 1964, there was still something significant missing from the Anfield trophy cabinet - until 1965, that is. Here's a picture of Shankly on the Liverpool bench during the 1965 FA Cup final against Leeds. Goals from Roger Hunt and Ian St John gave Liverpool a 2-1 win at Wembley and the Merseysiders had won the famous old competition for the first time

Shankly stands defiant in defeat at St George's Plateau in Liverpool following defeat by Arsenal in the 1971 FA Cup final. A huge crowd turned up to greet the Scot and his young team. Liverpool may have finished trophyless that season but their long-serving manager was planning for the future - and there were more glories to come

Could there be a more 1970s image than this? Here Shankly is with Kevin Keegan after signing him from Scunthorpe for 35,000 in 1971. Keegan became a hero in his six seasons with Liverpool, during which time the club won the league title three times. His spell culminated in the club winning their first European Cup in 1977

A thousand pounds was certainly not to be sniffed at in 1973 - nor of course was being named Manager of the Year. Shankly was given the award that year after leading Liverpool to the league title and UEFA Cup. Liverpool battled to the title ahead of Arsenal and Leeds and beat German outfit Borussia Monchengladbach 3-2 in the two-legged European final, claiming their first continental trophy

The famous red book is in the hands of TV presenter Eamonn Andrews in this 1973 picture Shankly was having his story told in one of Britain's most popular television programmes, This Is Your Life. Among those that made an appearance to toast Shankly were Sir Matt Busby, Emlyn Hughes, Tommy Docherty and Kevin Keegan

Enlarge Two all-time greats of management here, Shankly with legendary Celtic boss Jock Stein at Billy McNeill's testimonial in 1974

Shankly is pictured here during Liverpool training in 1973 - by this time, he was nearing the end of his memorable 15-year reign at the club

Shankly sitting at a table on the train home to Liverpool with the FA Cup following his side's 3-0 victory over Newcastle in 1974. It was to be Shankly's swansong as Liverpool boss, with the man from Glenbuck deciding it was time to retire at the age of 60

Shankly leads Liverpool out for the 1974 Charity Shield against Brian Clough's Leeds (Clough famously spent just 44 days in charge at Elland Road) shortly after announcing his resignation at the end of the previous season. Bob Paisley had taken over as Liverpool boss but Shankly enjoyed one more big day at Wembley

Here Shankly is congratulated by jubilant and emotional Liverpool supporters after a Charity Shield victory over rivals Leeds in 1974. A famously bad-tempered match saw Billy Bremner and Kevin Keegan sent off for trading punches, while Liverpool won on penalties following a 1-1 draw

The reaction of fans to the departure of Shankly illustrated how much of a revered figure he was at Liverpool - these two ladies can't contain their emotions. His amazing 15 years had seen Liverpool transformed from a club languishing in the Second Division to one of the top teams in the country

Shankly made way for Paisley at Liverpool and the trophies kept rolling in. Here, Shankly lights Paisley a cigar after his successor was named Manager of the Year in 1976. Liverpool won the league title and UEFA Cup that year - 12 months later, Paisley led the club to their first European Cup

Our final picture shows Shankly playing Subbuteo at home in 1976. Shankly died in 1981 at the age of 68. He has a permanent place in the pantheon of truly great managers. The majority of Liverpool's 18 league championships, and their five European Cups, came after he left the club but supporters will always have a special place in their hearts for the man that helped to make it all happen

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