A new juniors football tournament is to keep the spirit of iconic Liverpool manager Bill Shankly alive in his home village.
This month marks 60 years since the Scot left Huddersfield Town to take over at Anfield and began laying the foundations which took the Reds to the top of the domestic and European game.
Shankly originally hailed from the tiny mining village of Glenbuck in East Ayrshire, which became one of the most prolific breeding grounds of footballers in the world with over 50 professional players emerging around the turn of the 20th century.
The decline of opencast mining in the area led to the demise and demolition of much of the village but, after years of lobbying from native campaigners, a joint initiative from the Scottish Mines Restoration Trust and East Ayrshire Council has seen the site of the village partially redeveloped, with a heritage attraction and a restored memorial opened to the public earlier this year .
Now a new juniors football tournament will bring together eight teams, four from Liverpool and four from East Ayrshire, to keep Shankly's footballing legacy alive in the soil where he first kicked a ball.
The inaugural event, in association with East Ayrshire Council and Liverpool supporters' union Spirit of Shankly will be played in June 2020 in one of East Ayrshire’s excellent footballing facilities.
Douglas Reid, leader of East Ayrshire Council, said: “Football has featured in the lives of East Ayrshire’s mining communities for generations. Bill Shankly and his five brothers all played professional football.
"In total, some 50 members of Glenbuck’s, famous Cherrypickers, progressed to professional teams. That incredible legacy continues today with our hugely talented and successful local junior teams.
“The Sprit of Shankly Cup will build on this, strengthening the bond between Liverpool and East Ayrshire giving local teams from both sides a unique opportunity to compete for something special, in the memory of one of the world’s greatest football managers.
“In September this year, we unveiled the restored site of Glenbuck Heritage Village. We look forward to welcoming players and supporters to Glenbuck and East Ayrshire as part of the tournament arrangements.”
Tournament organiser Dave MacDiarmid said: “We are honoured to be part of this great project. It's amazing that Shankly's legacy lives on and the youngsters will get to see where it all began and how his values in life are as strong as ever.”
SOS’s Stephen Monaghan said: “It’s a personal honour to be involved in the Spirit of Shankly Cup. It’s a fantastic, fitting tribute to the great man that will see youngsters from Liverpool and Ayrshire brought together under his name.”
Karen Gill, Bill Shankly’s granddaughter added: “It's a brilliant tribute to my grandad’s legacy that Spirit of Shankly have helped arrange this tournament. This is something special that will help honour his memory in a fitting manner. Playing in Ayr, makes it doubly special.”
Following the tournament, there will be a visit to Glebuck and the SOS plaque.
Lifelong Liverpool fan Jimmy Flowers, who arranged the first organised fan trip and plaque at Glenbuck in 1997, said: "Credit to both Spirit of Shankly and East Ayrshire Council, a massive well done for all the hard work."
