Secret Diary of a Liverpool Scout

Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley have been rightly credited for turning Liverpool Football Club into a world power during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. But few people know about the major role played behind the scenes by Geoff Twentyman, the club’s chief scout from 1959 to 1984. A former Anfield player, Twentyman was recruited into the bootroom team by Shankly and went on to unearth a host of world-famous stars that helped to maintain the Reds’ position as one of Europe’s greatest teams during a glittering era that saw them claim the Football League championship 18 times.

Twentyman worked tirelessly, travelling up and down the country in his trademark Cortina to write reports on young up-and-coming professionals such as Alan Hansen, Terry

McDermott, Steve Nicol, Ian Rush and other household names that went on to forge successful careers at other clubs.

His son William has kept his father’s scouting book and publishes those fascinating early reports as Twentyman casts his expert eye over young hopefuls that were to become legends of the game as well as others that failed to make the top grade.