He’s said that he is “appalled and embarrassed” by the club’s owners
Bill Shankly’s grandson Chris Carline has asked that his grandfather’s statue outside Anfield is removed, in the aftermath of the announcement that Liverpool are one of six Premier League teams that have signed up to a new Super League.
Carline, who runs the Shankly Foundation charity and is director of the Shankly Hotel in Liverpool, has always been proud of his grandfather’s achievements. During Shankly’s tenure, the Reds won three first division titles, two FA Cups and one UEFA Cup, and is widely regarded as the main reason that Liverpool became a force in British football.
Carline told the Liverpool Echo that the decision for Liverpool to be involved in the Super League though flies in the face of everything his grandad believed in. He said:
“I know my Grandad has been quoted more than ever right now, and rightly so, because what is going on couldn’t be further removed from what he wanted for this football club.
“I’m appalled and embarrassed. When you talk about Liverpool Football Club and its history and its roots, you could reference seven, eight or nine of grandad’s quotes which are all appropriate to the current situation – socialism, greed and the Holy Trinity – but I also think about one of the less well known comments.
“It’s from his book, when he spoke about wanting to bring the football club closer to the fans and the fans closer to the football club. And he achieved that.”
Carline went on to say that Shankly would be “spinning in his grave at the current situation because it couldn’t be further removed from his ethos” and that given the chance he would “happily see” the statue of his grandad removed from outside the ground.
The 39-year-old added that he had sympathy for manager Jurgen Klopp and the squad.
“I feel sorry for Jurgen Klopp, for the players because they have not been consulted about this and obviously the fans haven’t been spoken to,” he said. “The owners have met in secret and have come to this decision based on greed.”
