BOB PAISLEY- THE PATRON SAINT OF PHYSIOS

EXPERIENCED NON-LEAGUE PHYSIOTHERAPIST GAVIN BLACKWELL PAYS A PERSONAL TRIBUTE TO THE LIVERPOOL LEGEND

- GAVIN BLACKWELL

BOB Paisley was a fine trainer and physiotherapist long before he became, in my opinion, English football’s greatest manager.

At the end of January, there was the unveiling of a bronze statue of the great man at his beloved Anfield.

It was pleasing to see that the sculpture was based upon the picture taken when Paisley, in his trainer/physio days, carried off Emlyn Hughes, who had suffered a badly cut knee, on his shoulders.

The photograph shows everything that Liverpool stands for - helping each other and getting through tough times with everybody working for each other.

The match was in April 1969, a 1-1 draw against Tottenham, but Bob never really talked about that game or carrying Emlyn off on that day.

Emlyn never talked about it either, it was just par for the course in those days.

This was Bob as the humble ‘sponge man’ as they used to call him because he was a physio as well as a coach.

Do you know what it relates to? People helping each other, that’s what it’s about, everyone in a football club helping each other.

It is fantastic to see this recognition of the indispensable backroom staff.

I have an article at home based on when he was a physio. “It’s Not Just A Magic Sponge” was the headline from the Liverpool Echo back in January 1974.