In 1964 Chisnall, an inside-right, was the last footballer to be transferred directly between Old Trafford and Anfield after Bill Shankly paid Matt Busby £25,000 for the then 22-year-old. These days he supports both clubs but probably sees more of United, where his grandson is an academy winger hoping for a senior contract.
"He's a left-footer, so that might help," said Chisnall, who is a little dismayed by the actions of a slightly older "leftie", Gabriel Heinze, whose mooted move from United to Liverpool is causing such consternation down the M62 corridor.
"When we played you signed a contract, stayed loyal to your club until it was finished and regarded your wife as your agent," Chisnall said yesterday. "But there's no loyalty in football nowadays; players just leg it if they're unhappy."
Heinze, of course, has two years remaining on his United deal and, much to Sir Alex Ferguson's chagrin, hopes to become the first man to follow in Chisnall's footsteps. While United appear set on denying the Argentina left-back that opportunity, Liverpool have hired lawyers in an attempt to bulldoze through the proposed move.
Chisnall's transfer was facilitated by a deep friendship between Busby and Shankly. "I just feel privileged to have represented two great clubs from two great cities and to have had a lot of fun doing so," reflected a man born and raised in the Davyhulme area of Manchester and now living only a mile from his birthplace.
"When I moved to Liverpool there was nothing like the intensity between them and United that now exists," added Chisnall, who after failing to establish himself at Anfield later played for Southend and Stockport. He then ran betting shops before taking a pre-retirement job as a factory processor in Trafford Park.
"If Heinze turns up at Old Trafford playing for Liverpool next season there will be hell to pay from today's fans but, with me, nobody really said anything about the transfer and I got a good reception when I went back to United with Liverpool."
At least Heinze will not have to travel to and from games on a public bus as Chisnall did. "Fans would come up and say 'why did you do that and you should have done that'. I used to think 'bloody hell, a window cleaner's telling me my job' but you felt privileged to be a footballer and had to keep your mouth shut," he recalled. "There were a lot of nice people on the bus though; supporters and players were much closer then. It was fun."
From Red to Red
Key players who have represented Manchester United and Liverpool
Phil Chisnall Man Utd 1961-64; Liverpool 1964-67
Paul Ince Man Utd 1989-95; Liverpool 1997-99
John Gidman Liverpool 1970; Man Utd 1981-86
Peter Beardsley Man Utd 1982-83; Liverpool 1987-91
Ted MacDougall Liverpool 1966-67; Man United 1972-73