Saturday, July 08, 2006

Shankly’s quote voted best of all time



LONDON — Bill Shankly felt football was more important than life and death, and fans around the world agreed with the former Liverpool manager yesterday.

Scotsman Shankly, who died of a heart attack in 1981, beat former Manchester United and France forward Eric Cantona in a poll organised by the Plain English Campaign to pick football’s most memorable quote.

Shankly struck a chord when he said: “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I’m very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”

Shankly’s passionate commitment to the game gave him top spot above Cantona, who once bewildered fans by saying: “When the seagulls follow the trawler, it’s because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea”. Third place went to former England star Paul Gascoigne for saying: “I never predict anything and I never will”.

BBC commentator John Motson took two of the top-10 spots. “I think this could be our best victory over Germany since the War” said Motson, who also once declared “the World Cup is a truly international event”.

Former Manchester United great George Best, famous for his passion for the good life, was at number eight in the poll for saying: “I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars. The rest I just squandered”.

Great Red North @ 10:35 pm

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