Bill Shankly Dubbed English Legend the ‘Greatest Footballer I Ever Saw, Bar None’

Iconic Liverpool manager Bill Shankly once claimed that a 76‑capped England international was the “greatest player” he ever saw. Shankly wrote his name in Anfield folklore during his 15 years as manager of the club. The legendary Scot won three First Division titles on Merseyside and remains one of the best coaches to have ever taken charge in front of the Kop.

During his time as manager, Shankly oversaw some of the game’s absolute best, including two‑time Ballon d’Or winner Kevin Keegan and World Cup winner Roger Hunt. Yet despite being surrounded by such star‑studded talent, Shankly singled out one often‑overlooked British star for some praise.

Image of Bill Shankly with silhouette of Dixie Dean and England flag background

Bill Shankly Dubbed English Legend the ‘Greatest Centre Forward There Will Ever Be’

The Liverpool icon claimed: ’He belongs in the company of the supremely great like Beethoven, Shakespeare and Rembrandt.”

Shankly Named Sir Tom Finney As Greatest Player He’d Seen

Finney scored over 35 goals for the Three Lions

As per the Mirror, Shankly bestowed the honour of the greatest footballer he had ever witnessed to Sir Tom Finney. The Preston-born forward was a two-time First Division Player of the Year and earned himself a notable fan in Shankly.

In an anecdote from journalist David Walker following Finney’s death in 2014, he retold a story of how highly Shankly regarded the centre-forward, stating:

“It was through one of these “Do you want a cuppa tea son?” chats in the manager’s office that I became truly aware of the genius of Tom Finney. I’d never seen the England star play. A schoolboy mate, who was a Preston fan, used to bore me with tales of how great Tom Finney was but I failed to take his view onboard. When Bill Shankly uttered his, typically forthright opinion, I was hooked.

“Tommy Finney is the greatest English footballer ever to walk on a pitch,” was Shanks’ emphatic view. “And son, more than that, Tommy Finney is a truly fine man.”

Shankly would even go on to double down on that comment, with the National Football Musuem’s Hall of Fame archives quoting the Scotsman as saying that Finney was: “the greatest player I ever saw, bar none.”

Finney, played in the frontline for Preston North End from 1946 to 1960, making over 400 appearances. Renowned for his dribbling, crossing, and sportsmanship, he also earned 76 caps for England, scoring 30 goals.

Finney was known for his loyalty, spending his entire club career at Preston despite interest from bigger clubs. He represented England in three World Cups (1950, 1954, 1958). After retirement, he ran a plumbing business. Knighted in 1998 for his services to football and charity, Finney is remembered as one of the game’s true gentlemen, just as Shankly had disclosed to Walker.