Bob
Paisley (23rd January 1919 to 14th February 1996)
When I was a lad I used to get the annual football sticker
book and try to fill in all the blanks with stickers (it was a bit of a craze
at school.) Some of the manager didn’t last long but Bob Paisley –
Liverpool’s manager – was there year after year. He looked like a friendly
chubby uncle every kid should have. Here I
am at this grave.
Liverpool was
in his Bob’s blood as he was there as a footballer and manager for almost fifty
years. He was a player, physiotherapist, coach and then manager. He was one of
the greatest football managers of all time dominating domestic and European
leagues for decades (winning Manager of the Year Award a record six times.)
Even Alex Ferguson couldn’t beat this reluctant genius. Under his management
Liverpool just about every cup going several times however the FA Cup escaped
his clutches. Aged 66 he was interviewed by the Football Association of Ireland
with a view to managing Ireland football team but Jack Charlton got the job.
He retired having been diagnosed with the
early stages of Alzheimer's disease. This had been evident for a while as he
often could not remember the route home after home matches. He died on St
Valentine’s Day aged 77 and was honoured by the club with the opening of the
Paisley Gates at one of the entrances to Anfield Football Stadium (complementing
the existing Shankly Gates.) Though he was awarded the OBE for services to
football he was an ordinary friendly bloke surrounded by a corona of glittering
achievements. His wife Jessie died in 2012 aged 96 and is buried here with
Bob.
He’s buried in
the rear cemetery at St Peter’s Church, Woolton only a few meters away from the
place where The Quarrymen (who became The Beatles) did their first performance
at a summer fete.
The church is
up on the left hand side…
Note the hedges.
Over there The Quarrymen did their first gig in 1957 at a church fete... 
In the front
cemetery is the Eleanor Rigby grave…
Across the road
from the church is the hall where John and Paul met…
Looking down
into Woolton village…
