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Ernie Ashley said he got straight on the phone when he read the letter that had been pushed though his door(Image: Liverpool Echo)

A lifelong Liverpool supporter says he is 'sad and disappointed' after he was told the Bill Shankly plaque he has outside his front door must be taken down.

Season ticket holder Ernie Ashley says he touches the decoration, which he purchased while in the Gambia, before he goes to

A lifelong Liverpool supporter says he is 'sad and disappointed' after he was told the Bill Shankly plaque he has outside his front door must be taken down.



Season ticket holder Ernie Ashley says he touches the decoration, which he purchased while in the Gambia, before he goes to Anfield every home game.

But Ernie has been told the plaque, which says, ‘One of Bill Shankly’s disciples lives here’ goes against building safety regulations by his landlord Riverside, which owns the block of flats in Woolton where Ernie lives.

In February, 81-year-old Ernie went to the Gambia to see family and friends, where he bought the ornament, which was apparently carved into wood taken from a 300-year-old tree.

Ernie was in the crowd at Wembley and decided to commemorate the triumph by running onto the pitch to kneel before Shankly and kiss his shoes.

Article continues belowErnie has multiple plaques outside his flat(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)

Pleased with the plaque made in tribute to his idol, Ernie decided to hang it outside his flat, next to his front door.

It’s not oversized, it’s not on the floor, so I can’t understand it."

The photograph of Ernie Ashley kissing the feet of Bill Shankly at Wembley(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)

Riverside said that, while it appreciated Ernie is upset, it had a zero-tolerance approach to resident items in common areas, which the wall outside his flat is technically classed as.

They said it was to minimise the risk of fire and I told them I have lived in my leasehold flat for over 50 years."

Ernie has been told to take down the wooden Bill Shankly tribute plaque from outside his home(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)

A spokesperson for Riverside said: “We appreciate Mr Ashley is upset at being asked to remove a football plaque he has installed within a communal space of the high-rise block of flats he resides in.

“As this building is registered with the Building Safety Regulator due to its height and for the safety of our customers, we adopt a zero-tolerance approach to customer items in common areas.

“This is standard across all Riverside apartment blocks, were we ask for communal areas (e.g. stairways, corridors and hallways) to remain sterile and free from obstructions or combustible items to ensure safe and quick exit in the event of emergencies.

“Mr Ashley is welcome to install the plaque inside his flat and a member of the team will reach out to provide this reassurance, but to ensure the safety of everyone within the 79-flat complex, it cannot remain in the common area where it is currently installed.”

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