1972: The Life of a Football Apprentice | Scene | Classic BBC Sport | BBC Archive

"If you don't live every minute of the day to keep fit, and you don't think about the game all the time, then really and truely you shouldn't be in the game. You're an imposter." - Bill Shankly.

It's nearly every child's dream to be a professional footballer, but in reality the football apprentice's life is far from glamorous Scene follows two budding young footballers as they try to earn a professional contract with Liverpool Football club. Before they even kick a football, their duties include cleaning boots and preparing the dressing rooms and kits for the first team. When they do get to go onto the training pitch, they are worked intensively to build up their physical fitness and technical ability - Liverpool's notorious "sweat box" sees to that. After training, they must wash the baths and sweeping the floors.

Over half of the apprentices will fail to make it as professionals. Liverpool's Youth Development Officer Tom Saunders and Manager Bill Shankly share their views on what it takes to succeed in the game.

Clip taken from Scene: It's a Tough Life - Football Apprentices, originally broadcast on BBC One, 13 January 1972.

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