Liverpool FC Forum

by **NANNY RED** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:43 pm

ONE OF THE TRUE LEGENDS AT OUR CLUB 8 YEARS AGO TODAY SMOKING JOE
R.I.P JOE FAGAN,GREAT SERVANT AND WILL ALWAYS BEEN REMEMBERD BY US,

RIP JOE FAGAN

FROM TONIGHT ECHO
Paul Hassall 30 June 2009

Liverpool said an emotional farewell to one of the greatest managers in the club's history on this day in 2001. Joe Fagan, an orginal member of the famous Anfield bootroom, died at the age of 80 after a long and successful life dedicated to football and Liverpool FC.

A founder member of the bootroom, 'Smoking Joe' became assistant manager to Bob Paisley in 1974 before finally taking the manager's hotseat himself nine years later.

In his first season at the helm he led Liverpool to a remarkable league title, European Cup and league cup treble, but in spite of his success, his final year in charge would be marred by the Heysel Stadium tragedy of 1985.

A humble man, Fagan kept a low profile following his retirement from the game but his success was never forgotten, and former bootroom colleague Roy Evans led the glowing tributes when news of his death was made public.

"I don't want people to take it the wrong way, and certainly intend no disrespect to Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley," he said.

"But, to me, Joe was the best, respected throughout football and in life.

"He was probably the most respected man in football and the guy given the least praise. Others have been honoured for their contributions to football - but Joe was the top man.

"He was my mentor, from the day I first arrived at the club as a young boy. He was like my father in football, and many of the lads feel the same way as I do about him.

"He was deeply involved in the running of all the great Liverpool teams until the day he left. Of course, he will be remembered by most for winning a treble in 1984, but he was a top coach for 30 years.

"People didn't see much of him after he retired. It wasn't so much that he was a private man, more because he was a family man."

ANYONE WHO WHATS TO SEE OR LOOK UP ON WHAT THE MAN DONE FOR US,
http://www.joefagan.com/

by **NANNY RED** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:19 pm

Legand

by **redhayesy** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:23 pm

thanks for that article NR, anyone on here who doesn't remember what joe fagan gave & did for LFC should read the link etc. total legend R.I.P JOE YOU WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED AS GREAT MAN & A GREAT SERVENT TO LFC.

sadly for me i feel when joe died,a part of our tradition died with him as in the 'boot room'.

by **NANNY RED** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:54 pm

Do you know what Hayesy i find it totaly incredible that only me an you have managed to remember this great man, Im disgusted to be honest. This man one one of the greatest human beings to put his life in to our club, Totaly disgusted

by **bigmick** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:59 pm

In fairness Nan 1984 was a long time ago, many of the lads on here weren't born then. 25 years ago is an eternity for anyone under 30, but for those of us old enough we remember Joe. I haven't read the link, but wasn't he only in charge for a couple of seasons? Won sh!tloads though, but didn't get any credit because the media made out that anybody could manage us and win the lot. Lovely fella too by all accounts.

by **redhayesy** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:06 pm

i know it's a REAL shame, cause the younger generation on here & LFC fans everywhere need to & should know that the history of our great FC is only where it is today because of Legends like JOE FAGAN.

for me it's about education & rememberence,not just about recent times etc.

by **NANNY RED** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:07 pm

I understand your point about 1984 Mick ,an the age difference, but im of the opinion when you love this club you love every thing an learn everything about it, Im not being funny here but i dont care how young some are he was our manager and a great great servant to this club, until the day he died, an they should know this, maybe its me be an arl ar.se an a moody cow but i just found it amazing that only me an Hayesy rememberd the man,

by **redhayesy** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:15 pm

NANNY RED wrote:I understand your point about 1984 Mick ,an the age difference, but im of the opinion when you love this club you love every thing an learn everything about it, Im not being funny here but i dont care how young some are he was our manager and a great great servant to this club, until the day he died, an they should know this, maybe its me be an arl ar.se an a moody cow but i just found it amazing that only me an Hayesy rememberd the man,

spot on nanny! for me iv'e educated my 15 year old son about our history etc & that makes me proud to have discussion's with him around me mates etc as they are even impressed with his knowledge of the club & respect his opinion's - as he knows as much if not more as a result.

it's one thing to wear an LFC shirt as a fan but iv'e been fuming & embarased somtimes by what i hear at games & in the workplace etc when a so called fan has no knowledge etc. it really makes me mad.

by **lakes10** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:42 pm

when i think of him there only one thing that come to mind and that is "what a kind man"

the week after Hillsborough i was at our ground, Jow walk walking up from the park (in his long black Coat). I was standing outside with my dad and my brother in law, my brother in law had a west ham shirt on, Joe just stopped, he turned and said " its very kind of you to come all the way to be here" when i told him about the loss of my friend he put both hands on my shoulders and said we are all one family here and you can talk to anyone, for some the pain is harder than most" with that he shook our hands and just walked off into the ground.

a great man, and missed very much by the family of Liverpool fc

by **red37** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:45 pm

I'll Never forget him.......or Bob...nor Bill.

Joe Fagan - one of the great unsung (who in all fairness, was probably quite comfortable remaining that way...without any fuss)

In other words, like his former incumbant - down to earth honest, hard working fellas who knew the game inside out and did their bloody best. - And it sure was.

Gone but never forgotten.

by **Lando_Griffin** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:16 pm

Rest in Peace, Joe.

by **LFC4allseasons** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:28 am

bigmick wrote:In fairness Nan 1984 was a long time ago, many of the lads on here weren't born then. 25 years ago is an eternity for anyone under 30, but for those of us old enough we remember Joe. I haven't read the link, but wasn't he only in charge for a couple of seasons? Won sh!tloads though, but didn't get any credit because the media made out that anybody could manage us and win the lot. Lovely fella too by all accounts.

He was only in charge for two seasons mate and it would have been many, many more successful years had the Heysel disaster not happened.

His name should be spoken with as much pride and love as Shankly or Paisley. Smokin' Joe is often forgotten by too many but for those Liverpool fans who understand that there's more to our history than the greats that were Shankly and Paisley. It's a crying shame that Joe doesn't have any sort of remembrance at the ground in the way there's the Paisley and Shankly gates.

Without him we wouldn't have so much of what we do i.e. the five European Cups. Even when he wasn't the manager and he was just part of the coaching staff he had such an important part to play for the club. Shanks and Bob always spoke highly of him as did the King when he took over.

RIP Joe mate. A legend in every single sense of the word.

by **account deleted by request** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:50 am

Joe Fagan
Birthdate: 12.03.1921
Birthplace: Liverpool, England
Other clubs as manager: Player-manager of part-timers Nelson
Arrived from: LFC coach
Signed for LFC: 01.07.1983
First game in charge: 20.08.1983
Contract expiry: 29.05.1985
LFC league games as manager: 84
Total LFC games as manager: 131
Honours: First Division champions 1984
League cup winners 1984
European cup winners 1984

Manager Notes:
Joe Fagan tried his luck as a player with Liverpool but manager George Kay said he wasn't good enough. Joe went on to be quite a depandable centre-half with Manchester City. Joe returned to Liverpool on 30th of June 1958 as a coach. He was put in charge of the Liverpool reserves in July 1971 and following Shankly's surprise departure as manager he was promoted to 1st team trainer in July 1974. By 1979 he had become right-hand man to Paisley. On 1st of July 1983, Fagan took over as manager from Paisley. Bob was a tough act to follow but everything fell into place for the new manager in his first season. Joe wrote his name in the record books by becoming the first British manager to win three major titles in one season; the League, the Milk cup and the European cup. Fagan had inherited a strong side from Paisley but that's never been a recipe for success. The team needed a strong character to keep it going. What faced Fagan now was to live up to his own and fans' expectations after such a fairytale season. The omens were not good. One of the strongest characters in the side and skipper Graeme Souness had left for Italy.

The most promising player of the 1983-84 season in the 1st division, Paul Walsh, had been bought in May for 700,000 pounds, midfield maestro Jan Molby from Ajax for 225,000 pounds and midfielder Kevin MacDonald from Leicester. Fagan's buy from the previous season, John Wark came into his own and was the season's topscorer at Liverpool. Liverpool's start was terrible. As if Souness' absence from midfield wasn't bad enough, goalmachine Ian Rush didn't feature until October because of injury. At the end of October the European champions were in 20th place, only two places from rock bottom (2 wins - 5 draws - 4 losses). Liverpool had moved to 10th in December, but in the end couldn't catch Everton who won the title by a mile. Liverpool came 2nd. Liverpool reached the European final again. A big occasion for Fagan as he had decided it was his last match in charge. He told his players simply before the game that after the match they could call him just Joe instead of Boss.

Hooliganism destroyed this great occasion and it was on a sad note Fagan retired. When he came out of the airplane from Brussels, his sadness was for everyone to see. The great gentleman cried on Roy Evans' shoulder. He was already 62-years-old when he took the job and had intended to stay only two years in the managerial seat.

One of Fagan's signings, Republic of Ireland international Jim Beglin said: "He was just a very genuine nice man. He was a very humble, down to earth person. He had a lovely way about him and was very gentlemanly. Underneath that soft exterior, there was also a hardened professionalism. Joe had authority and when strong words were needed, Joe could produce them."

LINK

RIP Joe

A true gentleman and a genuine legend.

by **Fowler_E7** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:16 am

R.I.P Joe Fagan

by **Homebooby** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:22 am

Another one of those old school managers who were only in it for the love of the game, same as the players then too of course. I was only a kid when he was in charge and thought it was strange he retired when he did.

I always used to think that he was the guy who sang the theme tune to Auf Wiedersehn Pet too

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