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Joe Fagan (Liverpool)
Those of us that
remember Liverpool's domination of European football
during the 70's and 80's, will be sad to hear of the
death of Joe Fagan. Though one of the famous Boot Room
Boys at Liverpool, as a young football fan at the time,
I'm sure I would not have been alone in not knowing who
he was until the day he became the manager of Europe's
leading side. This experience happened again more
recently with Roy Evans. The difference was that Joe was
a huge success, and took Liverpool to further European
greatness. Back in 70-71 he was the first team coach.
Here is Liverpool's own
tribute that appears at The Joe Fagan story
Joe Fagan will go
down in history as a Liverpool legend, and not just
because he was the first manager to lead his team to
three major trophies in one season. For 27 years
Fagan displayed an undivided loyalty to the Liverpool
cause, the likes of which is unlikely to be matched
again.
A long serving member of the fabled Anfield boot
room, Fagan worked under the greats like Shankly and
Paisley before taking up the managerial reins of the
club during the summer of 1983. What he achieved then
assured him of a permanent place in footballing
folklore.
Born in Walton hospital on March 12, 1921, the
majority of Joe Fagan's childhood was spent in
Litherland, where his footballing ability was evident
at an early age. At 14, he captained his school, St
Elizabeth Central, to the Daily Dispatch trophy and,
when not playing, he was a frequent visitor to
Anfield.
Described as 'a strapping centre half', young Fagan
played for Earlestown in the Liverpool County
combination, where his performances attracted the
attention of the Reds. He was invited to Anfield for
a trial and manager George Kay was suitably
impressed.
However, 17-year-old Fagan decided that his first
team opportunities at Anfield would be limited and,
in October 1938, he signed for Manchester City.
The advent of the Second World War interrupted his
progress and he served in the Navy during the
hostilities. When football resumed he established
himself as a regular member of the City side and was
a member of their 1946/47 Second Division
Championship winning team.
He was later appointed skipper at Maine Road but
could not halt their slide back into Division Two
three seasons later. In 1951, after a broken leg, 138
games and two goals, Fagan left the Citizens to
become player/manager of non-league Nelson on a
part-time basis. At the same time he also worked in a
factory checking gas meters for leaks. Fagan made a
brief return to the Football League as a player,
making three appearances for Bradford Park Avenue,
before Harry Catterick took him to Rochdale as
trainer. His duties at Spotland were divided between
coaching, doing the laundry and marking the pitches.
When Liverpool began the search for a replacement for
assistant trainer Dickie Dorsett in 1958, Fagan was
recommended to the Reds by future Everton boss
Catterick. At first he worked under the managership
of Phil Taylor before the arrival of Bill Shankly the
following year.
Upon arriving at Anfield Shanks was delighted to find
Fagan on the coaching staff. When manager of Grimsby
Town in the early 1950's he had tried to sign Fagan
as a player.
As coach of the Reds' reserve team Fagan helped
nurture the talents of youngsters like Roger Hunt and
Ian Callaghan, and he steadily rose through the ranks
of the boot room.
In 1966 he was promoted to work with the first team
and then in 1979 he became assistant to Bob Paisley.
Quiet and unassuming, he was renowned throughout
football for his ability as a coach and Bobby Robson
once rated him the best in the game, when interviewed
during the early eighties.
When Bob Paisley announced he was stepping down as
Liverpool boss in 1983 the guessing game began as to
who would carry on the remarkable Anfield dynasty.
Many names were mentioned but there was only ever one
candidate. Although Fagan admitted that it came as a
big surprise to him.
He said at the time: "In all the time that I've
been at this club, I have always said that whatever
the directors wanted me to do, I would do'but I
certainly had never given a thought to becoming
manager of Liverpool F.C."
Following in the footsteps of a legend such as
Paisley was a daunting task but Fagan added:
"Nobody could follow Bob - if you thought on
those lines, you'd be driven mad. It's a clean slate
now. I'm my own man and I' m going to do it my way. I
know the drill."
What followed during the 1983/84 season surpassed
anything Liverpool had achieved before and not even
in his wildest dreams would Joe Fagan have expected
to complete his first season in the hot seat with an
unprecedented treble.
He quickly added to Paisley's squad with the signings
of David Hodgson, Michael Robinson and Gary Gillespie
and although his first game in charge ended in
defeat, at the hands of Manchester United in the
Charity Shield, the winning formula was soon
rediscovered,
The first leg of the triple trophy haul was sealed
following victory over Mersey neighbours Everton in
the Milk Cup Final replay at Maine Road. The
championship was wrapped up with a game to spare and
then it was off to Rome to face AS Roma on their own
ground. The dramatic penalty shoot-out success
against the Italians clinched the club's fourth
European Cup and immortality for Joe Fagan and his
players. Not surprisingly, he also won the Manager of
the Year award.
"I am the first to say that I never imagined
emulating the success that Bob achieved'although, in
all modesty, I lived in hope that this club would
continue to carry off a trophy or two," he said
during the heady summer of 1984.
Topping the treble was always going to be difficult,
and not helped by the departure of skipper Graeme
Souness to Sampdoria. Fagan responded by adding
several new faces to squad in John Wark, Jan Molby,
Paul Walsh and Kevin MacDonald and, although the
season was to end trophy-less, Liverpool again
contested the major honours.
Defeat in the FA Cup semi-final was a major
disappointment, as was finishing runners-up to
Everton in the league, but that all paled into
insignificance following the tragic events that
preceded the 1985 European Cup Final against Juventus
in Brussels.
Win or lose, Fagan had already decided that he would
announce his retirement after the game. What should
have been a night of celebration instead turned into
disas ter.
It was such a terrible way in which to bring the
curtain down on an illustrious Liverpool career and a
tearful Fagan was inconsolable on his return to Speke
airport.
The shameful scenes at Heysel may have overshadowed
his decision to retire but he bowed out with honour
and dignity. In just two seasons he achieved more
than some managers do in a lifetime and only recently
have Alex Ferguson and Gerard Houllier emulated his
amazing feat.
Never one to court the limelight, Fagan stepped back
into anonymity following his resignation but
continued to visit both Anfield and Melwood on a
regular basis and was always on hand with words of
advices for his successor's.
Throughout his time at Liverpool and until his death
he lived in the same modest house, which was situated
just a short walk away from Anfield. It summed up his
down-to-earth approach.
Joe Fagan, Liverpool legend. R.I.P
Joe Fagan Fact file
Born: 21-3-1921
Birthplace: Liverpool
Playing career:
Manchester City (1938-1951) 138 games, 2 goals
Nelson (1951-1953) player/manager
Bradford Park Avenue (1953) 3 games, 0 goals
Management/Coaching career:
Rochdale (1953-1958) trainer
Liverpool (1958-1966) reserve team trainer
Liverpool (1966-1979) first team trainer
Liverpool (1979-1983 assistant manager
Liverpool (1983-1985) manager
Honours won: (player) Second Division Championship
1946/47, (manager) First Division Championship
1983/84, European Cup 1984, Milk Cup 1984
Liverpool's
pages carry tributes from the following players from
Bob's 70-71 pages.
Ian Callaghan
(Liverpool) : liverpoolfc.tv Cally pays his
tribute (by Mark Platt)
Secretary of
the Liverpool Former Players Association Ian
Callaghan has spoken to Liverpoolfc.tv about his
sadness at the death of Joe Fagan.
Cally recalls that Fagan was a constant source of
inspiration to him throughout his Anfield career
and he was keen to pay the following tribute.
"When I first signed as a professional Joe
was there and he was always one of those guys who
would encourage you. It was the same right
throughout my time at the club.
"He was a quiet man who got on with his job
without any fuss and who didn't want any
limelight. He was very much a big influence
behind the scenes. Him, Bob and Shanks were
always in the boot room, discussing tactics and
whatever. He was a man you could approach if you
needed to talk to someone, he'd always listen and
be there to help. You couldn't find a fault with
Joe really.
"He was a big family man. I've met him on a
number occasions since he left the club and the
former players took him out for his 80th
birthday, for a meal in Liverpool and we made a
presentation, which was nice.
"It is a great loss, to football in general
but especially Liverpool Football Club, because
that is where he spent the majority of his
career. He'll be sadly missed by everyone who
worked with him, and all in the former players
association."
Brian Hall (Liverpool): liverpoolfc.tv Hall pays tribute
to Fagan (by Paul Eaton)
Brian Hall today spoke of
his sadness after the death of former Anfield boss
Joe Fagan.
Hall, now the club's PR Director, was a raw talent
when he joined the Reds as a reserve team player back
in 1965, but the guidance of Fagan on both a
professional and personal level left him with many
fond memories.
He says: "I feel very sad today. Joe was such a
nice guy. He told things the way he saw them and I
liked that immensely. He was never malicious.
"When I came here as a young student and broke
into the reserve team he was enormously helpful. He
understood I had problems with fitness because the
other lads were full time professionals and he
realised it was a hard step for me to take but he was
great.
"The when I became professional he continued to
be helpful. He was also incredibly knowledgeable. I
was a little surprised when he became manager because
I didn't think he wanted the job, but I had no doubts
he would be successful.
"I had enormous respect for him professionally
but I felt the same about him as a person. That's why
today's news has knocked me for six. It's very hard
to put into words how I feel."
Hall readily admits he had problems at certain stages
of his career, but he took comfort form the fact that
Joe was always available for advice.
He recalls: "My second season as a professional
was very difficult because my game had gone to
pieces. I was on the edge of the first team but my
performances weren't good enough. I went to see Joe
and told him I felt lethargic and tired. He sorted me
out with a part-time job teaching primary kids at a
local school. It kept my mind occupied. Ironically,
his son Mike was one of my pupils at the school.
Shortly after my game turned around and I know I have
Joe to thank for that.
"Joe was a very private person and wanted to
keep a low profile when he left. Over recent years
I've met up with him on occasions after games in the
boot room, he was always worth listening to because
he could spot things in agame that I and most other
people would never see.
"The game has lost a remarkable professional and
a remarkable person."
Kenny Dalglish
(Celtic squad):
Liverpoolfc.tv Dalglish - Joe's
contribution was immense (by Mark
Platt)
Kenny Dalglish has paid a
special tribute to Joe Fagan, the man he succeeded as
Liverpool manager in 1985.
He says: "Joe's contribution to Liverpool was
immense. He won three trophies in his first season as
manager in 1984. I don't think he ever got the
recognition he deserved for that achievement in
winning the European Cup, the Championship and the
League Cup."
Dalglish was a member of that historic treble winning
side and he adds: "It was a marvellous
achievement. Joe was a very private family man. He
didn't seek attention or publicity. In fact, he went
on record as saying that he did not want the
manager's job.
"He took on the role because it was what the
club wanted. He was a different character to Bill
Shankly and Bob Paisley, but his impact on the club
was immense. Joe was brilliant for Liverpool. He was
in with Shanks at the beginning and is a part of the
club's famous history."
Emlyn Hughes (Liverpool) in his own column at www.footymad.net writes:
He was a Liverpool legend
and one of the nicest blokes you could ever wish to
meet.
Joe was handed an impossible
job at Anfield when he was asked to follow the greats
Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley and manage the side.
Between them they’d won
trophy after trophy but Joe didn’t let anyone
down. In fact in his very first season his side
– a very good Liverpool side - went and landed
the treble.
Joe was a coach during
my days at Liverpool. I remember him as a friendly
man. He certainly wasn’t a shouter. He never
ranted and raved instead he went about his work in a
quiet dignified manner without any fuss.
As part of the legendary
Anfield boot-room he was steeped in the game.
Along with Shankly, Paisley
and Ronnie Moran, Joe made up one of football’s
most enduring teams.
The boot-room experience and
know-how helped turn Liverpool into a great
institution.
Joe knew how sides should
play and whether players were doing the right thing.
He helped teach good habits and that was the basis
for the success of the side.
Joe was in charge during an
era when changes were made gradually and correctly.
It’s sad to think that
only one of the boot-room quartet is still with us
today.
Joe Fagan’s passing is
a sad day for Liverpool Football Club and for the
world of football in general.
My thoughts go out to his
family.
Tom Saunders (Liverpool staff)
Very sadly in the same month,
another of the Boot Room Boys died. In 1970 he was
appointed as youth development officer, and became a
crucial part of the team's success in Europe. Liverpool
football club have been shocked by the death of their
vice-president Tom Saunders.
It is the third legendary
figure associated with Anfield to have passed away
over the past week.
It follows the deaths of
former manager Joe Fagan and 79-year-old Billy
Liddell, a star of the 40s and 50s.
Manager Gerard Houllier paid
tribute to 80-year-old Saunders, who has been a key
member of the backroom team from the Boot Room era
until the present day. "He was like my
father," Houllier said. "I chatted to him
at our training ground every day.
"He was a man of
football not only a figure of the past but a man of
the future - a visionary.
"Even when he was ill
at the end of last season, he was determined to join
us in Cardiff, Dortmund and Charlton. I have a
photograph of Tom and I with the three trophies we
won, which I will always cherish."
Saunders will be mourned by
many of the current Liverpool squad who have come
through the Anfield ranks.
The former club scout and
youth development officer took a keen interest in the
club's youngsters when he eventually joined the
board.
There's an
excellent and interesting 'last interview' with Tom
available on the official Liverpool site at Tom Saunders The Last Interview
See more July 2001 news
at the following ...
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