Words: Carl Clemente
Billy with grandsons“WHERE’S THE
OFFICE, SON?”
Lifelong Reds fan Billy Howard was a youth-team player
when ‘The Boss’ walked into Melwood for the first time...
On a cold, damp December evening at Melwood training fields
in 1959, it was business as usual for 17-year-old youth player
William Howard, 'Billy' as he was more usually known.
Billy's love of Liverpool Football Club had started during the
late 1940s. From the age of ive he'd cheer on his heroes, Albert
Stubbins and the great Billy Liddell, from the old Boys’ Pen in the
left-hand corner of the Spion Kop.
Billy would spend much of his childhood during the 1950s and
early 60s living his dream, playing for Liverpool FC's youth teams
as a left-half. He'd train on a Tuesday and Thursday evening at
Melwood under the guidance of Tom Saunders, Rueben Bennett,
Joe Fagan and Bob Paisley. Indeed over the years he'd play or train
with six of the team that won the FA Cup for the irst time in 1965.
During the 1959/60 season, following Phil Taylor's departure in
mid-November, the Reds had been left without a manager for four
Second Division games. Billy recalls what happened on Tuesday 15
December 1959...
“On that day I went to Melwood straight from work on my bike.
I was early, the only one in the dressing-room. I started gettingchanged and sat down reading the Echo. The headlines were all
about Bill Shankly becoming the new Liverpool manager.
“All of a sudden, the door opens, in walks this fella wearing a
black tracksuit top, shorts, socks and baseball boots. Crikey, it’s
him! Shanks was stood there before me – what a presence.
“'Where’s the oice, son?'” he asked me, 'Through there, to the
left, sir', I replied nervously. 'Thanks. Son', he said and of he went.
He only had arrived in Liverpool the night before and there he was,
ready for action. I had only ever seen the previous manager, Phil
Taylor, four times in over three years – each time he was always
wearing a suit and tie...
“From the day he arrived, whenever Shanks was around there
seemed to be a diferent atmosphere around Melwood. Although
he didn't get involved in the training of the youth teams, I
remember those dark winter nights when he would wander round
Melwood speaking to Bob Paisley and his team.
“Shanks didn’t let the grass grow under his feet and it was
noticeable that things were changing – as young lads, we also felt
them. I remember previously the great Joe Fagan would say, 'Right
lads, follow me', and of we would go running through Huyton,
Prescot and further. We'd get back to Melwood, eight, ten miles
later.
“The irst time this happened, me and the lads started to make
our way back to the dressing rooms and Joe shouted, 'Where you
going, lads? We start training now!'
“Fortunately Shanks stopped all these gruelling runs. More short
sprinting, drills and small-sided games were introduced. And, as
strange as it may seem, actual footballs were introduced into our
work more.
“This made me realise that when Shanks was having those
initial conversations with Bob and the staf, he was observing the
methods and putting in the changes he wanted. Of course, us
trainees were made-up with the changes – but it was also obvious
that the coaching staf were enjoying them too. The shackles had
been unlocked!