WHEN IT WAS MY WAY NOT THE HEIGHWAY FOR STEVE
BOB PAISLEY’S limited communication skills meant he struggled with confrontation. When it came to leaving players out, he could rarely look them in the eye. At 33, Steve Heighway’s Liverpool days were effectively over but he enjoyed a swansong in the European Cup campaign of 1981. Heighway had already signed a two-year contract in the North American Soccer League with Minnesota Kicks, sold his house and was scheduled to move his family out on the week of the semi-final at Bayern Munich. Sensing a last opportunity at the club, he knocked on Paisley’s office door. ‘The house is sold and we’re leaving next week, Bob,’ he said. ‘But if you want me to stay I’ll wait and move the family into a hotel. I can do that if you might need me.’ Paisley said that would help, and without hesitation Heighway moved his wife and children into Liverpool’s Adelphi Hotel. But 24 hours before Liverpool flew out to Germany, Heighway was told Paisley wanted to see him. ‘I’m not taking you,’ he stated flatly. ‘You’re joking?’ replied Heighway. ‘I’m not taking you. I’m taking the boy (Howard) Gayle instead.’ ‘But I asked you did you want me to stay. You said, “Yes”. We’re in a hotel. We cancelled the flights . . . ’ Heighway exploded. He returned to his hotel, picked up the phone, organised flights and in a couple of days had gone. That was the way his 11 years at Liverpool ended. Extracted from QUIET GENIUS: BOB PAISLEY, BRITISH FOOTBALL’S GREATEST MANAGER by Ian Herbert, published by Bloomsbury Sport on May 4 at £20. © Ian Herbert 2017. To order a copy for £15 (offer valid to May 6, p&p free), visit www.mailbookshop.co.uk or call 0844 571 0640.