Shankly Bob Image 4 Falkirk 1937

Description

Glenbuck, Ayrshire born centre forward and later centre half Bob Shankly is most famous as the older brother of legendary football manager and Scottish international Bill Shankly, being was one of five brothers who all played football professionally. Bob began his career with junior club Auchinleck before moving to the local club Glenbuck Cherrypickers. He then moved into the senior ranks with Alloa Athletic in 1930-31 after being turned down by Ayr United, despite scoring a hat-trick of goals in a trial match.

Shankly then played for English non-league team Tunbridge Wells Rangers in 1933 before returning to Scotland to join Falkirk in the close season, making his debut for Falkirk against Third Lanark in August 1933. He went on to spend the rest of his playing career with Falkirk, making over 400 appearances for them in all competitions, Of these 233 were Scottish League and Cup appearances, scoring 4 goals. He won representative honours when he played for The Scottish League against The Irish League in a 3-2 win at The Oval, Belfast in September 1937 and he eventually hung up his boots in 1946 to move into training and management.

After retiring from playing he had a spell as a coach of Stenhousemuir before he became manager of Falkirk in 1950, remaining as manager until 1957, when he became manager of Third Lanark. After two years at Caithkin Park he became manager of Dundee in 1959. Whilst manager of Dundee, he managed to guide his club to win the Scottish League Championship of 1961-62, three points ahead of Rangers and to date the only time Dundee have won the League title.

The following season, he guided Dundee to the semi-finals of the European Champions Cup, where they were defeated 5-2 on aggregate by AC Milan. Craig Brown later compared Shankly’s achievements with Walter Smith, Jock Stein, Alex Ferguson and Jim McLean. Dundee made it to the 1964 Scottish Cup Final where they lost3-1 to Rangers, but a Scottish Cup defeat by St Johnstone the following season prompted his departure in February 1965 and he moved to succeed Jock Stein as manager of Hibernian.

Hibs reached the League Cup Final in April 1969, but lost heavily to Stein’s Celtic. He temporarily retired and left Hibs later in 1969. He returned to football management with Stirling Albion in 1970, then became their general manager in 1973 and a club director. He survived a major car accident in 1975, in which he, Jock Stein and another friend were seriously injured. Bob died from a heart attack at an SFA meeting in 1982. A stand at Dens Park is named in Shankly’s honour and he is a member of the Dundee F.C. Hall of Fame.