The original ‘This Is Anfield’ sign that was first installed by Bill Shankly in 1972 has sold for £115,000 at auction, 7.6 times the guide price.
The Reds’ historic sign has been in place since the early 1970s, though three different iterations have adorned the Anfield tunnel.
The original was installed by Shankly and is now said to have been taken down some time after 1979, with a second sign replacing it.
It is a piece of history and recently was listed for auction through BUDDS, with it expected to be sold for £15,000.
However, it fetched more than seven times that amount on Wednesday, closing at a winning bid of £115,000 — though commission and VAT will take the final total above £138,000.
The buyer’s identity remains anonymous unless they choose to reveal themselves publicly, and many will hope it was the club or someone willing to make it available to the museum.
This Is Anfield understands there were figures at the club who would have liked to purchase the sign, but there was no guarantee it would happen.
Taggy’s Bar, an Anfield hub for supporters, claim “it’s not the club,” but that it is “in safe hands” and it “stays in Liverpool.”
It is a piece of the club’s history and is renowned for how Shankly viewed its importance: “It’s there to remind our lads who they’re playing for and to remind the opposition who they’re playing against!”
What happened to the original This Is Anfield sign?
For many years, it was believed that the original sign was taken down upon Bob Paisley’s takeover from Shankly in 1974.
However, new research has shown this not to be the case.
Budds auctioneers noticed that photos from Alan Hansen and Kenny Dalglish’s signings, and later Frank McGarvey’s arrival in 1979, include the original sign.
Identified thanks to the cracks, paint marks and chips, they were able to identify the sign as the original.
As for Shankly’s original, it ended up on the Isle of Man in a small hotel.
Bob Paisley at Anfield after taking over as Liverpool manager following the resignation of Bill Shankly. 26th July 1974. (PA / Alamy) 1970s
Bob Paisley at Anfield after taking over as Liverpool manager following the resignation of Bill Shankly. 26th July 1974. (PA / Alamy) 1970s
Ex-manager and member of the Boot Room, Roy Evans, gifted it to youth player Ron Wilson after it was taken down from display.
The young footballer never made it in the professional game, but he took the sign with him when he opened a Bed and Breakfast on the Isle of Man.
From then until 2000, the sign was hung in the bar of the Rutland Hotel in Douglas.
After the B&B was sold, it was passed down to Ian & Lynn, the current owners, and placed into storage.
It then hung in Ian’s office from the mid-2010s until his recent retirement, with the family then choosing to sell their remarkable relic.
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