Liverpool have played in all-red ever since what Bill Shankly said in the 1960s
Bill Shankly is one of the most legendary figures associated with Liverpool.
The Scotsman is widely considered as the man who set the Reds on the path to where they are today.
The Anfield outfit is a global superpower, one of the biggest clubs in world football, with record revenues and the trophies to match, and it is Shankly who takes the credit for that.
The former Preston star brought the Merseysiders up from the Second Division to win three First Division titles, two FA Cups and their first European trophy with the UEFA Cup in the 1972-73 season.
Shankly was the reason Liverpool wear nothing but red
When they were formed in 1892, Liverpool initially wore kits that were blue and white with navy shorts before transitioning to red and white four seasons later.
The famous Scottish manager decided to change to all-red before his side’s maiden European campaign in the 1964-65 season.
The Reds entered the European Cup, which is now known as the Champions League, and the new shirt and shorts combination debuted in the first leg of the 3-0 first-round win against Anderlecht in November 1964.
Shanks, as he is affectionately known on Merseyside, believed that the change would have a psychological effect on the opposition, making his side more imposing.
- Shankly transformed the training ground and methods at Liverpool
- He signed legends such as Ian St. John, Ron Yeats and Kevin Keegan
- He overhauled Anfield, in terms of both facilities and supporter relationships
Speaking in the aftermath of the clash, he said: “It was fantastic.”
“The introduction of the all-red strip had a huge psychological effect. The players looked like giants. And we played like giants.”
The Reds then added red socks in the return leg, which they won 1-0 on Belgian soil, completing the transformation, and they have never looked back.
Liverpool owe their success to Shankly
The Scotsman completely transformed the club, both on and off the pitch, paving the way for the success enjoyed by the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot in recent years.
The Reds are the most successful club in English football, with 69 major honours to their name, having most recently added the league title, to draw level with Manchester United’s record 20 crowns.
| Trophies | Shankly |
| Second Division | 1961-62 |
| First Division | 1963-64, 1965-66, 1972-73 |
| FA Cup | 1964-65, 1973-74 |
| UEFA Cup | 1972-73 |
| FA Charity Shield | 1964, 1965, 1966 |
The kit change was a huge part of his changes; he turned the club from a neglected mess into the establishment that it is today.
He created the idea of Liverpool that we know and love today, and his contributions will forever be immortalised outside Anfield, with the Shankly Gates and a seven-foot-tall bronze statue in his honour.
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