As favourite adopted sons of Liverpool go, perhaps none come much bigger or more adored than the legendary football manager Bill Shankly. Even those who don’t come from the city and don’t support the team he managed so successfully can only but admire the man who took the club from the depths of Division Two and made them the most remarkable and well-regarded club in the country.
Ahead of what would have been the great man’s 100th birthday in September, the author David Peace talked about his new book Red Or Dead with highly respected journalist Brian Reade to a packed and appreciative audience at the Epstein Theatre on Hanover Street.
The crowd, which included the much loved Karen Gill, author of The Real Bill Shankly and the Grand-Daughter of the man who managed Liverpool between 1959 and 1974, the voice of Anfield, Mr. George Sephton, musician John Power who will be performing in Lennon at the Royal Court soon and the brave figure of Margaret Aspinall, who typifies the exemplary way in which Bill Shankly saw Liverpool, were treated to two readings from the new book by the author and an interesting question and answer session in an evening which showed just how much the man was held in high esteem by those he loved the most, the fans, those who made the club and the city what it is, resilient, determined and fair.
David Peace has become one of the most enjoyable and appreciated writers of his generation and the respect he has garnered for this book, especially from the Shankly family, shows how much his words are heeded and needed.
Brian Reade, who interviewed Mr. Shankly early in his journalistic career, added to the enjoyment and reminiscing of the man’s life and it was one of those nights in which the supporters could have listened, taken part in and relished in all night. As with his excellent book The Damned United, David Peace gets under the skin of arguably the finest manager and man to take charge of a football club and those who were fortunate to spend the evening in the company of those paying respects to Mr. Shankly were not to be disappointed by the night or by Mr. Peace’s work.
Ian D. Hall