Peter Wall passes away; EOTK tribute to one of Shankly’s men
Peter Wall passes away; EOTK tribute to one of Shankly’s men
Peter Wall was a tough-tackling left-back that proved to be a strong option for Bill Shankly but was caught up in a side in transition that came painfully close to clinching silverware during his time
Today is a sad day for Liverpool Football Club as it has been confirmed that Peter Wall has passed away, aged 80.
Due to the fame of popular comedian Max Wall, Peter was often coined ‘Max’ by players and supporters alike after he was transferred from Wrexham in 1966.
The 21-year-old cost the Reds £35,000 to prize him from Wales, a side he had moved to from his boyhood club Shrewsbury Town in 1964, and arrived with a solid reputation of being a steady full-back who could add to the squad of the then champions.
He joined fellow full-back Stuart Mason in making the switch, though it’s safe to say that Wall’s impact was far superior in what would prove to be a near four-year stay.
It took 17 months of learning in the Reserves before being able to dent the formidably consistent defensive options that were Chris Lawler and Gerry Byrne, in Peter’s position.
Bill Shankly finally handed the Shrewsbury-born defender his debut in March 1968, in place of the then ageing Byrne for what was a dramatic 3-2 victory at Anfield over Burnley.
A seamless transition to take the place of a man who was in the twilight of his Merseyside career meant that the had finally earned a place in the team. Wearing the No.3, 4 and 6 shirts during the nine starts he made to close the campaign showed that the Reds had unearthed a versatile option for a side that finished the season in 3rd place.
The 1968-69 campaign began and it was clear that Shankly felt that he could rely on Wall and when a 1-1 draw with Everton in October 1968 put Liverpool top of the league, Peter was an ever-present at left-back and looked to be a key part of a stern defence.
However, a clash in that game with Alan Ball, in what was the 100th Merseyside derby, saw the No.3 cautioned by the referee. Seeing as the England World Cup winner also went on the score in the match, Shankly had seen enough to rotate his side.
With little warning, Wall was out and the versatile Geoff Strong was about to go on and make the shirt his own. So much so that a run of 16 successive starts to begin the campaign was swiftly curtailed and Peter was dumped into the reserves - not making a single further appearance in the whole campaign for the team that sat top of the division on his previous game for them.
The Reds finished the season in second place and the man signed from Wrexham was firmly out of the first team picture.
A return wasn’t forged until 1969 when Shankly set up his typically defensive tactics for a clash in Portugal against Vitoria Setubal in the European Fairs Cup. The return of a more traditional left-back clearly impressed the legendary Scot as the No.3 shirt was again held down by a man who had been patient awaiting his return.
Between November ‘69 and February ‘70, Wall was back and made 15 successive appearances but for anyone aware of the sliding doors moment that was Vicarage Road in the FA Cup at the end of this run - it was no surprise to see another sudden end to his first team football.
Bill Shankly effectively culled a team of old favourties and replaced them with a host of new stars that would soon go on to end an unprecedented seven-year trophy drought. Wall was caught in the cross fire and was one of many who saw their Anfield careers all but end with a 1-0 loss to the Second Division side in the quarter-final of the FA Cup.
He did make one further appearance in the match that followed the humiliation at Watford but it proved to be 42 and out for the full-back, as he moved to Crystal Palace that summer.
Two years later, a Tommy Smith tackle saw the defender break his leg on a return to L4. Such was the resilience of the left-back though, he forced his way back into action and would go on to skipper the Eagles during his time in London.
There was an eventual exit from English football, with a 1977 move to St. Louis Stars in the North American Soccer League and then California Surf in 1978, as Wall finishing his career in the States.
Coaching followed in America in California and Los Angeles until the late 1980s.
Peter Wall was a tough-tackling left-back that proved to be a strong option for Bill Shankly but was caught up in a side in transition that came painfully close to clinching silverware during his time at the club.
Another sad loss for the Liverpool family from an era under a manager that is so famed for his impact on the club. One of Bill Shankly’s men that will never be forgotten.
RIP Peter Wall, 1944-2024
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