The eccentric passion of Shankly was underlined for me by my England team-mate Roger Hunt’s version of the classic tale of the Liverpool manager’s pre-game talk before playing Manchester United. The story has probably been...

In the sweep of its appeal, its ability to touch every corner of humanity, football is the only game that needed to be invented.

It shows a mediocre architect at the top of his game [on the Beetham Tower in Manchester]

His sadness was almost palpable, like moisture in the air before it rains. Although this was Manchester, it was probably about to rain anyway.