John Smith (businessman)

Sir John Smith
Chairman of Liverpool F.C.
In office 1973–1990
Preceded by	Eric Roberts
Succeeded by	Noel White
Personal details
Born	(1920-11-06)6 November 1920
Died	Gayton, Merseyside, England
Spouse(s)	Doris Parfitt (1944-1995; his death)
Children	1
Profession	Businessman

Sir John Wilson Smith (6 November 1920 - 31 January 1995) was the former chairman of Liverpool F.C. from 1973 to 1990.

Liverpool F.C.

John Smith was chairman of Liverpool Football Club for 17 years from 1973 and during this period they embarked on their most successful era. By the time he stepped down in 1990, the club had amassed eleven Football League championships, four European Cups, two UEFA Cups and three FA Cups. He first joined the Liverpool board in 1971 as a director and ran the club in tandem with longtime club secretary Peter Robinson. Smith was a stout defender of The Boot Room system of promoting managers from within the club, he appointed assistant manager Bob Paisley to succeed Bill Shankly in 1974 and followed this by appointing Paisley's assistant Joe Fagan to manager in 1983. The appointment of club centre forward Kenny Dalglish to player manager in 1985 broke away from the line of succession but heralded in another period of unbroken success. Dalglish had been signed as a player by Smith in 1977 and was described as "the best we ever had". Smith also played a pivotal role in the acceptance of shirt sponsorship in British football.

Personal life

John married Doris Mabell Parfitt in 1946, and remained married to her until his death in 1995.

Smith was knighted in 1989 "for services to sport".

Quotations

• “We’re a very very modest club. We don’t talk. We don’t boast. But we’re very professional”
• "There is something they call, The Liverpool Way"
• "The ground was not good enough for an ordinary match, let alone a final."