I was taken to Melwood in the early sixties many times by my older cousin, a girl, because all the males in the family were Blues. I remember Shanks lifting me up to punch the ball in the changing rooms. At the time I thought he just worked there! I never had a clue who he was.

I then went on to attend matches with my mate as all my family were blue. My Grandad lived in Winterburn Heights opposite Melwood; on the sixth floor, and never opened the curtains facing the pitches. His loss. It was then that I started loving the team and Shanks.

I went to St Edwards College Sandfield Park and used to sit outside his house for hours, rarely seeing him. We were petrified when we did. He took 4 of us into his house once for about 10 minutes and we just said ‘yes Mr Shankly’ and ‘no Mr Shankly’.

I joined the Royal Navy in 1973 and really missed the team when I was at sea. I wrote to Shanks just before 74 FA Cup Final enclosing a five pound postal order and asking for a ticket. I was based in Malta and would be home for the final. It was then that I was informed my flight was cancelled for a few weeks so I wrote again and asked for a charity shield ticket.

I came home and heard nothing so I went to Wembley with the lads as it was only one pound on the gate. Weeks later a letter came from Malta with a four pound match ticket, boss seat and my postal order back. How I loved that man.

In 76 I wrote to Harold Wilson to nominate Shanks for a knighthood. I was young and naive then about honours etc. I have the letter from the first lord of the treasury. Two months later I read Shanks daughter was to marry so I wrote to him and told him I was gutted she was marrying and I had wanted to marry her. He replied with the following;

‘Received your letter with comments. Thanks very much indeed Steve. Such a letter is more valuable than all the paper comments that have been published during my time at Anfield. It’s people like you I worked long and hard for so that you could be proud of the Liverpool team and of course the City of Liverpool; Champion of Champions. No team will ever overtake them, the ones who are near; such as Arsenal have fallen by the wayside.
I have enclosed a photograph for you. Hope you like it.’

BILL SHANKLY

I do not even put this letter on the wall in case it faded. I loved the man so much.
Shanks died 2 years after my dad. My dad was only 50 and a good man. Hard working but not a football lover. The biggest testament I can pay Shanks is that I miss him as much as my dad. Not many people could understand that. Just the Shankly Men