Willie Anderson

Manchester United

Anderson was a boyhood fan of his hometown side Liverpool and had dreamt of playing for the club. He had regularly trained under Alan A'Court for his school side and had been set to join the club before impressing scouts from Manchester United while representing Lancashire schoolboys. After being approached by representatives from United, he decided to join the club after fearing that Liverpool would not sign him, joining the club's youth system at the age of fifteen. In later years, Anderson would meet Liverpool manager Bill Shankly who confirmed that the club would have made an approach to sign him if he had rejected United. One of a group of around twenty players in his age group, he was one of just three who went on to sign professional contracts with United at the age of eighteen, alongside George Best and John Fitzpatrick. Anderson later commented on the jump in quality after joining the club, stating "I was the best soccer player around where I grew up, but when I joined United they were all as good as me and most of them better. That was something of a shock to my system." Anderson had been considered one of the brightest prospects at the club but, the arrival of Best, led to him falling down the pecking order. Of the three youth players, Anderson was the youngest to make his debut, starting in the First Division at the age of sixteen in a 5–1 victory over Burnley on 28 December 1963. He made two further appearances during the 1963–64…

Anderson was born in Liverpool and was raised as a Protestant. His father worked as a porter in a fruit and vegetable market.

Following his retirement from playing, Anderson worked as an advertising salesman for classical music radio station KKSN. He later worked as an accounts executive at another radio station, KQAC, and coached the girl's varsity team at Riverdale High School. Anderson later became a sports analyst for KPTV, covering Portland Timbers matches.

Manchester United

FA Charity Shield: 1965 (shared) Aston Villa

Football League Third Division: 1971–72 Football League Cup runner-up: 1970–71 Cardiff City

Football League Third Division runner-up: 1975–76 Welsh Cup: 1972–73, 1973–74; runner-up: 1974–75 Portland Timbers

North American Soccer League runner-up: 1975