At 65, Mullan is older than Shankly was when he retired from football, a key moment in the play. "I'm probably about five or six years too old for the part but in theatre there's more license.

Mullan grew up in a city divided by its two football giants. “In Glasgow in the 1960s, sadly even now, everybody was either a Celtic or a Rangers fan, split along sectarian lines,” he says.

When Peter Mullan steps on stage as legendary football manager Bill Shankly on Friday night, it will be for the first time in more than 30 years. Red or Dead is an adaptation of the 2013 David ...

Mullan interpreted that as Shankly being pleased with himself. “Ah said that tae a man in London,” reprises Mullan, who seems to genuinely enjoy seeing how listeners react to his best Shanklyisms.