Tom Saunders
Encyclopedia
Tom Saunders was a famed figure in Bill Shankly
’s Boot Room organisation at Liverpool FC
, and served 30 years with the club.
in 1921. He joined the Territorial Army as a 16 year old four years in North Africa. He played amateur football for New Brighton
, Burscough
, Fleetwood
, Marine
and Prescot Cables
. http://www.lfcbootroom.net/history2.htm
He then took up a teaching post at Olive Mount Secondary School in Wavertree
spending 17 years there before becoming head of the lower school at West Derby Comprehensive. He became interested in schoolboy football and managed Liverpool Schoolboys. He then went on to become England
Schoolboy coach and held the position for 10 years.
he was, upon recommendation from Tony Waiters
who was a youth coach at Liverpool, offered a job as Youth Development Officer at Anfield by Bill Shankly
in 1968. It was the first appointment of its kind in British football. http://www.lfcbootroom.net/saunders.htm
He oversaw the development of more or less every player from 1970 to 1986, including such legends as David Fairclough
, Jimmy Case
and Steve Heighway
. He also spied for Liverpool
in Europe, making dossiers on unknown opponents from across the region. He was also appointed Liverpool's Chief Scout.
He also brought Frank Skelly into the Liverpool set up. Frank began scouting for the Reds at the request of Tom Saunders in 1973 when Bill Shankly was manager. He discovered Bruce Grobbelaar
who played for Crewe Alexandra while on loan from Vancouver Whitecaps
.
Tom Saunders finally retired from his position as Youth Development Officer in 1986. He returned to Anfield
after being elected to the board of directors in 1993. Although his principle task was in administration, he helped the likes of Graeme Souness
and his fellow bootroom legend Roy Evans
through their work as managers. Saunders recommended Phil Thompson
to Gérard Houllier
for appointment as Assistant Manager at Liverpool
. http://www.liverweb.org.uk/lfcs12.htm
He died in July 2001 after a long illness.
Bill Shankly
William "Bill" Shankly, OBE was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Liverpool between 1959 and 1974. One of Britain's most successful and respected football managers, Shankly was also a fine player whose career was interrupted by the Second World War...
’s Boot Room organisation at Liverpool FC
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, and served 30 years with the club.
Biography
Tom Saunders was born in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
in 1921. He joined the Territorial Army as a 16 year old four years in North Africa. He played amateur football for New Brighton
New Brighton A.F.C.
-Revived club:New Brighton A.F.C. were reborn in 1993, and joined the Birkenhead and Wirral League, which they won in their first season. In 1995 the club switched to the South Wirral League. After upgrading their new ground, the club were admitted to the Second Division of the West Cheshire League...
, Burscough
Burscough F.C.
Burscough F.C. is an English football club based in Burscough, Lancashire. The club are members of the Northern Premier League Premier Division and groundshare with Skelmersdale United...
, Fleetwood
Fleetwood Town F.C.
Fleetwood Town F.C. is an English football club based in Fleetwood, Lancashire. They currently play in the Conference National having been defeated in the Conference National play-off semi-final by AFC Wimbledon in the 2010–11 season.-History:...
, Marine
Marine F.C.
Marine Football Club is an English football club in Crosby, Merseyside. The club, which was founded in 1894, is a member of both the Liverpool County and Lancashire County Football Associations, and currently plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.Marine is notable for having the...
and Prescot Cables
Prescot Cables F.C.
Prescot Cables F.C. is a football club based in Prescot, Merseyside. It was established in 1884 and has also been known as Prescot and Prescot Town...
. http://www.lfcbootroom.net/history2.htm
He then took up a teaching post at Olive Mount Secondary School in Wavertree
Wavertree
Wavertree is an area of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England, and is a Liverpool City Council ward. It is bordered by a number of districts to the south and east of Liverpool city centre from Toxteth, Edge Hill, Fairfield, Old Swan, Childwall and Mossley Hill....
spending 17 years there before becoming head of the lower school at West Derby Comprehensive. He became interested in schoolboy football and managed Liverpool Schoolboys. He then went on to become England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
Schoolboy coach and held the position for 10 years.
With Liverpool FC
He gained the necessary coaching certificates and after a spell running courses at LilleshallLilleshall
Lilleshall is a village in Shropshire, England.It lies between the towns of Telford and Newport, on the A518, in the Telford and Wrekin borough and the Wrekin constituency....
he was, upon recommendation from Tony Waiters
Tony Waiters
Anthony Keith "Tony" Waiters is a former England international football goalkeeper and Canadian national football team head coach...
who was a youth coach at Liverpool, offered a job as Youth Development Officer at Anfield by Bill Shankly
Bill Shankly
William "Bill" Shankly, OBE was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Liverpool between 1959 and 1974. One of Britain's most successful and respected football managers, Shankly was also a fine player whose career was interrupted by the Second World War...
in 1968. It was the first appointment of its kind in British football. http://www.lfcbootroom.net/saunders.htm
He oversaw the development of more or less every player from 1970 to 1986, including such legends as David Fairclough
David Fairclough
David Fairclough is a retired English footballer, most famous for playing for Liverpool as a striker during the 1970s and 80s.-Life and playing career:...
, Jimmy Case
Jimmy Case
James Robert Case is a retired English football player who shot to fame with the all-conquering Liverpool side of the 1970s and became known as a player with one of the hardest shots in the game.-Early life:...
and Steve Heighway
Steve Heighway
Stephen Derek "Steve" Heighway is a former footballer who was part of the hugely successful Liverpool team of the 1970s.-Life and playing career:...
. He also spied for Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in Europe, making dossiers on unknown opponents from across the region. He was also appointed Liverpool's Chief Scout.
He also brought Frank Skelly into the Liverpool set up. Frank began scouting for the Reds at the request of Tom Saunders in 1973 when Bill Shankly was manager. He discovered Bruce Grobbelaar
Bruce Grobbelaar
Bruce David Grobbelaar is a former football goalkeeper and manager.He played for a number of clubs in a career which spanned for more than 20 years at professional level, most notably Liverpool during their dominant period in the 1980s and early 1990s.-Early years:In his teenage years, Grobbelaar...
who played for Crewe Alexandra while on loan from Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL)
The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...
.
Tom Saunders finally retired from his position as Youth Development Officer in 1986. He returned to Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
after being elected to the board of directors in 1993. Although his principle task was in administration, he helped the likes of Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
and his fellow bootroom legend Roy Evans
Roy Evans
Roy Evans CBE was a Liverpool football player who eventually rose through the coaching ranks to become team manager.-Career:...
through their work as managers. Saunders recommended Phil Thompson
Phil Thompson
Philip Bernard Thompson is a retired English footballer, who played as a defender for Liverpool team of the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, he also represented the England national football team on 42 occasions...
to Gérard Houllier
Gérard Houllier
Gérard Houllier, OBE , is a French football manager, who was last manager of Premier League club Aston Villa. He stepped down on 1 June 2011, following hospitalisation over heart problems towards the end of the 2010-2011 season....
for appointment as Assistant Manager at Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. http://www.liverweb.org.uk/lfcs12.htm
He died in July 2001 after a long illness.