In the case of Liverpool’s most transformative signings, few parallel the colossal affect of Ron Yeats as he helped Invoice Shankly lead the membership right into a profitable Nineteen Sixties.
Shankly knew precisely what he was getting when he introduced Yeats to the membership in 1961, in a £22,000 deal from Dundee United.
Shanks had adopted his countryman throughout his time as supervisor at Huddersfield and, upon switching to Liverpool in 1959, set his sights on a transfer that may cement the bedrock of his aspect.
The Reds had been within the Second Division upon Yeats’ arrival, and had been for seven seasons following their relegation from the highest flight in 1954, however such was Shankly’s confidence he instructed him “with you within the aspect, we are going to quickly be within the First Division.”
With the Billy Liddell period drawing to a detailed, Liverpool wanted a brand new long-term chief, and after biking by way of the likes of Johnny Wheeler, Ronnie Moran and Dick White on the flip of the last decade, Shankly had discovered the proper successor.
A product of a employee’s upbringing in Aberdeen, Yeats was robust, tall, resilient and guaranteed, and upon his unveiling to the press, his new supervisor urged reporters to “stroll round” him, telling them “he’s a colossus.”
Halfway by way of the 1961/62 marketing campaign, on the age of 24, he was given the captain’s armband, and made 46 appearances throughout all competitions in his first season with the membership, together with 41 of a doable 42 within the league because the Reds clinched the title.
Liverpool had been again within the First Division, and in Yeats they’d a brand new figurehead—an inspirational presence whom the followers had already latched onto as a favorite, sharing Shankly’s admiration.
It took a stabilising season to search out their toes, however within the area of 4 campaigns again within the high flight the Reds had received the title twice and secured a first-ever FA Cup.
The triumph of 1963/64 was Liverpool’s first top-tier title in 17 years, going again to Bob Paisley‘s enjoying days alongside Liddell, Albert Stubbins and Jack Balmer, and it marked a major step ahead for the membership beneath Shankly.
‘Christ son, you look 7 toes tall’
It was Shankly’s imaginative and prescient that heralded a brand new age of dominance at Anfield, and a central, stylistic choice from the supervisor to mirror this was the change to all-red kits in 1964.
Yeats was to be mannequin—a far cry from his days within the slaughterhouse—and as Ian St John wrote in his autobiography, the sight of the centre-back in pink shirt, shorts and socks prompted a legendary response from their coach.
“He thought the color scheme would carry psychological affect—pink for hazard, pink for energy. He got here into the dressing room sooner or later and threw a pair of pink shorts to Ronnie Yeats,” St John recalled.
“‘Get into these shorts and let’s see the way you look’, he mentioned. ‘Christ, Ronnie, you look superior, terrifying. You look 7’ tall.’”
The brand new look was given its debut within the European Cup, and the go to of Anderlecht within the first spherical; Yeats was captain and scored the third purpose as Liverpool received 3-0.
It was his first purpose at Anfield, and solely his second for the membership in three years, and in line with the Guardian‘s match report from the evening, “the Kop went mad.”
“Christ, the gamers regarded like giants. And we performed like giants,” Shankly reminisced years later, revealing that he instructed his spouse after the sport: “I went out onto Anfield and for the primary time there was a glow like a hearth was burning.”
Shankly was constructing one thing particular, and the imposing Yeats was on the fulcrum of this revolution.
However for all of the emphasis on his construct and the terrifying picture he evoked on the again, it could be remiss to miss his high quality on the pitch; he was a brick wall of a defender, who thrived alongside Tommy Smith on the again.
“I used to be 6’2½” and 14-and-a-half stone, so once I tackled somebody he should have felt it,” Yeats instructed LFCHistory in 2004.
“I wasn’t soiled so far as soiled is worried. I used to verify I used to be there or thereabouts.
“At the moment we had these huge centre forwards to play in opposition to. I at all times knew if there was going to be a battle I’d win the battle. I wouldn’t come second to no person. I used to get pleasure from it.”
Having that uncompromising presence on the again allowed the likes of St John, Roger Hunt, Peter Thompson, Chris Lawler and later Tony Hateley and Bobby Graham to thrive on the different finish of the pitch, in a interval the place defence and assault may very well be extra clearly outlined.
Yeats was a relentless determine for Liverpool over 9 seasons, wherein they received three titles (two First Division, one Second Division), the FA Cup and three Charity Shields, earlier than again issues restricted him in his last season in 1970/71.
He performed simply 16 occasions that season, with Shankly turning to Larry Lloyd as his alternative, earlier than transferring to Tranmere in 1971 and serving as player-manager for 3 years as a part of a irritating spell as a coach.
Yeats as Liverpool Chief Scout for 20 years
Liverpool went on to win 11 titles within the following 19 seasons, with two of these coming upon his return to the membership as chief scout in 1986 — a job he served till 2006.
One in every of his proudest achievements in his position overseeing the membership’s scouting community was the advice of Sami Hyypia to Gerard Houllier in 1999, with the Finn going some size to filling his boots as certainly one of Liverpool’s greatest centre-backs for the reason that Premier League started.
Hyypia has been overtaken now, in fact, by Virgil van Dijk, and although there are a long time and tens of millions of kilos separating them, there are numerous parallels to be drawn between the affect signing Yeats and Van Dijk had on Liverpool.
They had been each transformative signings wherein their supervisor had the utmost religion and conviction, who had been introduced in to finish an extended, barren run at Anfield.
Although lots of Liverpool’s titles got here within the years after Yeats’ exit in 1971, arguably an important triumph got here in his first season with the membership, lifting the membership again as much as the highest desk, the place they’ve remained since.
His position in that was colossal, and for an extended whereas Yeats stood as Liverpool’s second longest-serving captain with a run of 9 years, although each he and Alex Raisbeck have now been surpassed by Steven Gerrard.
Sadly, the Scot was identified with Alzheimer’s illness in his later years, with St John revealing in 2016 that he, together with Yeats and Smith, who’ve all now handed away, had been all struggling with signs.
St John described it as “an occupational damage,” with research linking gamers from the Fifties and Nineteen Sixties with issues with reminiscence because of their frequent heading over heavy footballs, and it serves as a tragic sacrifice made by many younger males who had been naturally unaware.
Yeats was blessed to name St John a detailed buddy, and the previous striker detailed their struggles as a part of Ragnhild Lund Ansnes’ guide Liverpool Captains.
Liverpool are equally as lucky to depend the pair amongst their quantity, with Shankly describing them as “the best signings.”
“They had been the start of Liverpool,” he concluded, completely summarising Yeats’ legacy.
