Greatest 1 Club Men: Paisley
Bob Paisley (Liverpool, 1939-1954)
The most successful manager in Liverpool's history, Paisley also spent the entirety of his professional playing career with the club.
He had dreamed of playing for local club Sunderland as a boy, but they had felt he was too small and instead he joined amateur side Bishop Auckland. He enjoyed two hugely successful years there before attracting the attention of Liverpool but, joining at the end of the 1938-39 season, the outbreak of war was to stall his professional career.
He would eventually establish himself as a left-half of some repute, noted for his long throws, and he won the league title there in 1947, although his love affair with the Reds came under threat in 1950 when he was omitted from the side that lost the FA Cup final to Arsenal.
"I was offered what was big money in those days to pour out my heart to a newspaper. Thankfully I thought the better of it," he later said. "That was the only occasion in my lifetime when I was disenchanted with Liverpool. I have lived to bless the day when I bit my tongue and said nothing. I didn't want to move really."
He stayed on until 1954, when Liverpool announced he would not be retained as a player. Having toyed with the idea of resuming his trade as a brick-layer, he was offered a role as physio before working his way up the ranks to become Bill Shankly's assistant and eventually taking over from him.
"It will be a tough task following him," Paisley said upon Shankly's retirement in 1974, "but I can claim to be just as devoted to Liverpool, dedicated and keen to succeed."
Via http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/928381/first-xi:-one-club-players?cc=5901
Paisley led the Reds to 6 league titles (LFC have won 18 total), 3 European cups (LFC have won 5), 1 UEFA cup (LFC have won 3), and 3 league cups (LFC have won 7).
"I'll admit, right away, that I am disappointed that we did not have a major trophy to show for our efforts. We were in four and we had a good side, but when you count second place as failure, then standards are becoming fantastically high. We never celebrate second place here." - Paisley
via http://www.bobpaisley.com/article/2532
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