Name: William "Bill" Shankly
Nickname: "-"
Country:
ScotlandClub: Preston North End
Shirt Number: 4
Position: ★DMF, CMF
Side: RF/BS
Age: 21-26 years (02/09/1913)
Height: 170 cm
Weight: 71 kg
Attack: 71
Defence: 77
Balance: 85
Stamina: 88
Top Speed: 79
Acceleration: 81
Response: 84
Agility: 78
Dribble Accuracy: 78
Dribble Speed: 76
Short Pass Accuracy: 81
Short Pass Speed: 76
Long Pass Accuracy: 78
Long Pass Speed: 77
Shot Accuracy: 68
Shot Power: 84
Shot Technique: 70
Free Kick Accuracy: 64
Curling: 66
Header: 71
Jump: 78
Technique: 80
Aggression: 75
Mentality: 93
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 85
Injury Tolerance: B
Condition: 8
Weak Foot Accuracy: 5
Weak Foot Frequency: 5
Consistency: 8
Growth type: Early/Lasting
CARDS:
P11– Enforcer
S03 – Long throw
S08 – Slide Tackle
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Long Throw - Sliding
Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Balanced
Glenbuck, Ayrshire born right half Bill Shankly became one of the most legendary football managers of all time later in life. He was described as “a hard running, gritty right-half… earmarked as a key young player capable of taking Carlisle on to greater things”. He was soon spotted by Preston North End, who signed him after 16 appearances for £500 in July 1933. He made his first team debut on 9th December 1933, three months after his 20th birthday, against Hull City. Shankly created an early goal to help Preston win 5-0, earning him praise in a national newspaper for his “clever passing”. With his wholehearted attitude and commitment to the team, he quickly established himself as a first-team regular and became a crowd favourite. In his debut season Preston fulfilled their potential and gained promotion to the First Division as runners-up to Grimsby Town. In a summary of the 1933-34 season, a Preston correspondent, Walter Pilkington, wrote: “One of this season’s discoveries, Bill Shankly, played with rare tenacity and uncommonly good ideas for a lad of 20. He is full of good football and possessed with unlimited energy; he should go far”.
In 1937 Preston reached the FA Cup Final but were well beaten 3-1 by Sunderland at Wembley. Preston recovered to reach the 1938 FA Cup Final in which they defeated Huddersfield Town 1-0 with a penalty scored by George Mutch in the final minute of extra time. As well as winning the FA Cup, Preston finished third in the League. That season marked “the pinnacle of Shankly’s playing career”.
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