Southport BID feature by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
Football fans and book lovers are invited to a special book signing in Southport today (Saturday 3rd August 2025).
Acclaimed football writer John Keith will unveil his first ever novel, The Shankly Conspiracy, at Waterstones bookshop on Chapel Street in Southport town centre from 1pm.
He will be joined by Liverpool FC and England legend Ian Callaghan MBE.
Iam Callaghan holds the record for the most ever Liverpool FC appearances, playing 857 times for the Reds between 1960 and 1978, breaking into the first team just after the appointment of Bill Shankly as manager.
During his time there he won five League titles, two European Cups, two UEFA Cups, two FA Cups, as well as being part of the victorious England 1966 World Cup squad.
John, who lives in Southport, has written 33 books during his illustrious career, but this is his first novel.
It has been inspired by legendary Reds manager Bill Shankly, someone John knew extremely well.
John Keith said: “I have written 33 books over the years, including biographies on Bill Shankly, Dixie Dean, Kevin Sheedy and others.
“This is the first novel I’ve ever written, which makes it different.
“I have always been fascinated with the Elgin Marbles, the Greek treasures which were stolen by Lord Elgin, the Scottish aristocrat, in the 1800s.
“I think if Bill Shankly had been involved in real life, he would have been very much on the side of the Greeks.
“He always had a real sense of right and wrong, and that came across in his players and in his teams.
“The book is fictional, but it is also underpinned by my knowledge of the football world in the 1960s and 1970s. I was a football writer with the Daily Express and have been blessed with a good memory, as well as good records.
“Liverpool Football Club kept it very quiet at the time, but Bill Shankly had handed in a letter of resignation, after an FA Cup defeat to Everton and after Howard Kendall, who he had believed was signing for Liverpool, left Preston to join Everton instead. He was livid.
“Shankly actually disappeared for a few days and no-one knew where he was. It turned out he went away to visit family in Scotland.
“He came back as if nothing had happened, and the letter was filed away and was never seen again.
“Liverpool kept it very quiet.
“Also very helpful was the fact that Fort Crosby was still there at the time when this novel was set. It had been used as a Prisoner Of War camp during World War II.
“It wasn’t demolished until later on.”
Accompanying John Keith on his book signing will be legendary Liverpool FC player Ian Callaghan.
John said: “Ian Callaghan is my longest standing friend in football. I am delighted that he will be with me at the book signing.
“One of the first ever books I wrote was The Ian Callaghan Story.
“He was a member of the 1966 England World Cup squad and enjoyed a remarkable career at Liverpool.
“He roomed with Nobby Stiles at the World Cup.
“It will be lovely for fans to come and be able to meet him.”
Waterstones Southport Manager Ed Lamb said: “We are excited to be welcoming John Keith to our bookshop on Saturday along with Ian Callaghan MBE, a real Liverpool FC legend.
“John has written many football related books over the years, so it will be interesting for football fans to be able to read his first ever novel!
“John has done book signings at the former Broadhurst’s bookshop in Southport in the past, which sadly closed last year.
“When he popped into our bookshop and asked if we could host a book signing for him, we were delighted to be able to accommodate him.
“It’s great to be able to support local authors. John is an accomplished football writer and a great authority on football in the 1960s and 1970s.
“We are really keen to expand our events programme and look forward to hosting more book signings and events throughout the rest of this year.”
‘The Shankly Conspiracy’ is an arresting blend of fact and fiction with legendary Liverpool manager, Bill Shankly, the target of a Greek group campaigning for the return of the so-called Elgin Marbles to Athens.
But Shankly has a shock for them as events in football and politics merge in a plot that takes twists and turns with the seizure of power by the Greek colonels.
The story exemplifies Shankly’s deep beliefs about life and people as he takes verbal aim at the Greek dictators and his fellow Scot, Lord Elgin, who took the Marbles from the Parthenon in Athens and sold them to the British government.
Former British Prime Minister, Sir Harold Wilson, and his interplay with Shankly also features. Shankly is a man Wilson deeply respects but also fears for the power of his oratory …..a fascinating read.
About the author
John Keith has been a journalist, broadcaster and writer for several decades and has also written, produced and presented many football-based stage shows in Britain and abroad including The Bill Shankly Story, The Bob Paisley Story, Kendall’s Kings and The Dixie Dean Story’ as well as appearing in many radio and television shows.
He was a Daily Express staff sportswriter for 30 years and has spent a similar period as the Merseyside football correspondent for Ireland’s national broadcasting service RTE, providing radio commentary and reports on Everton and Liverpool games. He has written more than 30 football books, including biographies of Billy Liddell, Kevin Sheedy as well as Shankly, Paisley and Dean.
This is his first novel. He has also written, co-produced and presented a documentary on Dixie Dean for FreeStand Films which is planned for release in 2025.
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