Les Shannon

Dec 17 2007 by David Charters, Liverpool Daily Post

SURPRISED eyebrows would have risen with the steam from the beef-tea and defiant pies down in the terraces, when news broke that the inside-forward with no-nonsense shoulders had been hired to advise an Italian temptress on her role as the first female manager in top-flight English football.

But, in real life on the mud at Burnley’s Turf Moor, the talk was about whether Les Shannon should have been picked for the national team.

Sadly, the Liverpool-born wing-half never made the full-England side, though he was capped for three B internationals.

Shannon was robust in the tackle and his potential was spotted by Everton, but they decided that, at 5ft 7in, he was too small for first-team football.

So he moved across Stanley Park and signed for Liverpool, almost immediately, causing the Blues to rue their haste by scoring early on his debut in the Liverpool Senior Cup derby (1945), though Everton won the match.

With football returning to normal after the war, Shannon struggled to establish himself at Liverpool, but, in 1948, he was called in to replace Albert Stubbins, hero of the Kop, against Manchester City.

The following season, Shannon played 10 matches in the senior side, only scoring once. However, he starred in the reserves and was sold to Burnley for £6,000.

A versatile player, Shannon was at home in attack and midfield. He became a firm favourite with the Turf Moor crowd, scoring 39 goals in 263 appearances. During this time, he had qualified as a coach.

So, on retiring as a player, he returned to Goodison Park as a coach, spending three years there, before moving to Arsenal as an assistant manager, helping to develop the talents of youngsters who would eventually feature in the great double team of 1971.

But Shannon and the Gunners had parted company in 1966.

He then enjoyed periods of mixed fortune as manager of Bury and then Blackpool. But his move to the Greek team PAOK was a triumph, resulting in them finishing league runners-up in 1973 and cup winners in 1972 and ’74. While chief scout at Luton Town, Shannon was hired as adviser for the TV series, The Manageress (1989/90), starring Cherie Lunghi.

His son, David, a former professional with Stockport County, coaches at the Liverpool Academy.

Les Shannon, footballer/coach; born March 12, 1926, died December 2, 2007.