Claimed:Worst. Bio. Ever. - The Shankly Story

[Phil 5,119]

Worst. Bio. Ever. - The Shankly Story

 

 

It is hard to believe that at the tender age of 19 that anyone could have a biography written about them, as humans aren’t even fully developed until 25 years of age, but as is customary in the VHL, as a way of introducing the community to a player, here is the story of Phil Shankly:

 

It’s almost a shame that Shankly picked hockey to play in all honesty, but I suppose this is what’s special about nearly every player the Phil Knight Agency signs. As was with Phil Gerrard, Shankly was supposed to be a football (soccer) superstar. 

 

The difference between Gerrard and Shankly (as 33 seasons have separated the two) is the fact that growing up, Shankly knew all about the VHL, but still elected soccer as his main sport. Gerrard, on the other hand, paved the way for Liverpudlians to get to the VHL. But I digress.

 

Sports was not just a hobby for Shankly, it was a lifestyle choice. He lived and breathed them. As soon as he could walk he was kicking a football around in the garden. He was almost more stable on his feet with the ball than when he didn’t have one. He’d play rounders with his father (basically the English version of baseball) in the park on weekends and netball with his mother (basically the English version of basketball for girls) on a tyke-sized net. No matter the sport, if he was playing it, he’d have a massive smile on his face. If ever he was fussy, his parents could just put a ball in his hand and he’d settle down. Even at bedtime, he’d never sleep unless he was cuddling his stuffed toy which was soccer ball shaped with tiny black hands and feet. Yes, Shankly lived and breathed sports. 

 

From the age of 6, Shankly would read the papers – specifically the sports pages. He’d look at standings and results from all the sports, which is how he knew of the VHL. 

 

In school, he boxed and played rugby and football.  On weekends he’d go to the Gerrard Hockey Clinic, set up by the VHL Hall of Famer to learn to skate and learn the basics of the game of hockey. There was only one league in the city of Liverpool and it started at the age of 10 so in the interim, Shankly played organized football and rugby. 

 

Shankly, being quite a powerful lad, was very successful in rubgy, but as a footballer, he was a superstar. At just 7 years of age he was invited to join Everton’s academy program but turned it down because of two reasons: one he would have to give up rugby and he was not yet ready to do that; and two, he hated the Toffees on account of the fact that he was a Reds man, just like his father and his grandfather before him. 

 

 

Four years later, however, he did give up rugby because LFC came knocking at his door with an offer to join their academy team. He pounced on that and started exclusively training for football. 

 

He was a pure striker – a true number 9. Because of his soft touch, towering height, and fighting background from boxing he reminded LFC a little bit of the Swedish strike Zlatan Ibrahimović. Shankly spent 4 season training and playing for the baby Reds. His stats are shown down below.

  

2008
Appearances: 21
Goals: 20
Assists: 10
Passing Accuracy: 80%
 
2009
Appearances: 22
Goals: 29
Assists: 8
Passing Accuracy: 82%
 
2010
Appearances: 23
Goals: 34
Assists: 12
Passing Accuracy: 87%
 
2011
Appearances: 25
Goals: 57
Assists: 18
Passing Accuracy: 85%

 

In his last season at that level, he hit a growth spurt, allowing him to win many aerial battles and averaged over two goals a game. He also played the full 25 games in the season and the Reds offered him a contract for the Liverpool U21 side. He was just 15. 

 

But fate has a funny way of running its course. Despite being on Liverpool he still went to Gerrard’s hockey clinic every single weekend. He was slowly improving his skating and his shooting and one day when Shankly was 14 (in his third season with the academy) Phil Gerrard happened in on his training session and saw the potential. He offered Shankly some pointers, who stood there with his jaw gaping (it’s not every day you get to meet a former superstar) and drank in everything he had to say. Gerrard told him that he should play for the Liverpool Lasers (his hockey team) but Shankly stammered that he played football. Gerrard laughed and said not to worry but that he should try coming to a few of the games every now and again to get some playing experience. He said that there would always be a roster spot open for him. 

 

So in that 2011 season, if there was over a week in-between games and it didn’t conflict with his training sessions, he started playing ice hockey. He played on the right wing on the second line and it was clear from the start that he had exceptional talent. Below are his stats from the season

 

2012(LL) GP 12 – 28G- 14A – 42P | +40 | 10PIM | 89HIT | 3HTT | 27%S | 9GWG

 

The stats speak for themselves. This kid was involved in almost every single goal his line scored, he had an incredible shooting percentage and a ridiculous amount of hits while evading almost everything and being disciplined on the ice. Every game he missed his coach would be calling him up and asking if he still couldn’t make the game that night. But after the season ended, Shankly had a terrible (or amazing) decision to make.

 

 

Gerrard was aware of what LFC were offering Shankly, so he called up his old agent and now dear friend Phil Knight to give Shankly some guidance counselling. They brought him into Gerrard’s office one Sunday evening after his skating clinic appointment and laid it out for him

 

“You know that a very small percentage of academy products actually go on to make a good life for themselves in football, right?” Gerrard posed to Shankly. “I’m not saying that you won’t be one of them, but what I am saying is that there is a pivotal decision for you to make and I want you to know all the facts.” 

 

“Fact one,” Knight announced. “Every single player I’ve signed for the VHL has been a first round pick and had a full 8-season career. Honestly, I don’t think we need another fact.”

 

“The long and the short of it is this,” Gerrard continued. “You may or may not make it as a professional footballer. What Mr. Knight is offering is a guaranteed that you’ll make it to professional hockey which will set you up for the rest of your life. Besides, because of the 8-season maximum, you’ll be 27 when you retired and you can still go back to football. Do it Jamie Vardy style!”

 

It didn’t take long to convince Phil that this was the right move. He spent the next 3 seasons playing for Liverpool Laser. His dominance is shown below:

 

2013(LL) GP24 – 59G - 20A –  79P | +71 | 28PIM | 154HIT | 6HTT | 21%S | 12GWG
2014(LL) GP24 – 64G - 18A –  82P | +70 | 30PIM | 175HIT | 9HTT | 31%S | 10GWG
2015(LL) GP24 – 70G - 31A – 101P | +89 | 14PIM | 187HIT | 9HTT | 30%S | 14GWG

 

 

Before we all knew what was happening, Shankly was picked off waivers in S50 by Bratislava Watchmen, and then drafted by them in the S51 VHLM Dispersal Draft. He’s taken some time to warm up to the level of play but by the end of the season he was averaging 3.5 points per game and 4 hits. They are currently in the playoffs against Bern and hold a 3-0 lead. He is also looking like to be drafted first overall in the upcoming S52 VHL Entry Draft and will likely end up at Madison Square Gardens arena in the Big Apple. But I believe that this story is really just beginning.

[Jericho 917]

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