For over two decades Tom Saunders was a key figure behind
the scenes at Liverpool Football Club. As Youth Development Officer he brought
on many players who would succeed at the top level and as the club’s ‘spy in
Europe’ he would prepare the groundwork for their successful campaigns on the
continent. He was also responsible for me donning a West Germany schoolboy
international shirt.
Thomas William Saunders was born in Liverpool on 2nd
April 1921. After wartime service in North Africa he began a teaching career,
firstly at Olive Mount Secondar Modern School in Wavertree then as head of the
lower school at West Derby Comprehensive. He was a keen amateur footballer, turning out for New
Brighton, Fleetwood Town, Burscough, Marine and Prescot Cables and soon became
involved in schoolboy football. Becoming manager of the Liverpool Schoolboys
team in the 1950s, his success led to him being appointed to run the English
Schoolboys team, a post he held for 10 years.
It was in 1968 that the then Liverpool youth team coach,
Tony Waiters, recommended the club to employ Saunders as Youth Development Officer,
the first club in England to make such an appointment. For nearly two decades
he oversaw the development of Liverpool’s youth players. He also became the man
chiefly responsible for ‘spying’ on upcoming opponents in European football. In
an interview in the Liverpool Echo [‘Tom Saunders Masterspy’ 21.5.1984]
he recounted tales of his travels. Astonishingly, one trip involved Saunders
and Bob Paisley travelling to Rome to personally pick up 17,500 tickets for the
European Cup Final. They were so bulky that the duo had to jettison their
clothes at the hotel to fit them in their suitcases.
Tom Saunders retired as Youth Development Officer in 1986
but returned to serve the club as a director in 1993. He died on 8th
July 2001.
Tom Saunders married his wife Anne in 1946, having two sons,
Peter and David. Their first home was at 50 Scarisbrick Crescent L11, later
moving to 3 Kirkmaiden Road L19.
As to my appearance in a West Germany schoolboy
international shirt. I was good friends with Tom Saunders’ son Dave, and at his
dad’s request he got together a group of Quarry Bank boys to give the Liverpool
Schoolboys team a practice run out. Asked to bring a white shirt, which I didn’t
have, Dave kindly obliged with the international shirt in which I played.
