Red or Dead (13 page)

Bill nodded. And Bill said, Aye. The deal is done. But I still feel very, very strongly about it. Very, very strongly that you have made a mistake. A very, very grave mistake. And let me tell you another thing I feel very, very strongly about. Let me tell you this: if you ever go against my wishes again, if you ever go behind my back again. Then it will be the last time. The very last time. Because I am the manager of Liverpool Football Club. And so I decide who stays and who goes. Who plays and who doesn’t. And if anyone in this room, if anyone around this table, does not accept that I am the manager of Liverpool Football Club, does not agree that I am the man who decides who stays and who goes, who plays and who doesn’t, then they should say so now, they should speak up now. And then I’ll be gone. I’ll be on my way. So speak up now. Speak up now …

In the boardroom, the Anfield boardroom. There was silence.

And in the boardroom, the Anfield boardroom. At the end of the table, the long table. Bill got to his feet. And Bill walked out of the boardroom, the Anfield boardroom. Bill went back down the stairs. Bill went back into his office. Bill closed the door. And Bill sat back down. At his desk, in his chair. Bill took out the envelope from his jacket pocket. Bill opened the bottom drawer of his desk. And Bill put the envelope in the drawer. And Bill shut the drawer. For now.

On Saturday 18 August, 1962, on the first day of the 1962–63 season, Blackpool Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, fifty-one thousand, two hundred and seven folk came, too. Fifty-one thousand, two hundred and seven folk to watch Liverpool Football Club’s first game in the First Division for eight seasons –

Before the whistle, the first whistle of Liverpool Football Club’s first game in the First Division. In the dressing room, the home dressing room. Jim Furnell, Gerry Byrne, Ronnie Moran, Gordon Milne, Ron Yeats, Tommy Leishman, Kevin Lewis, Roger Hunt, Ian St John, Jimmy Melia and Alan A’Court sat on the benches. In their kits and in their boots. Jim Furnell, Gerry Byrne, Ronnie Moran, Gordon Milne, Ron Yeats, Tommy Leishman, Kevin Lewis, Roger Hunt, Ian St John, Jimmy Melia and Alan A’Court waited for Bill Shankly. In their kits and in their boots. Jim Furnell, Gerry Byrne, Ronnie Moran, Gordon Milne, Ron Yeats, Tommy Leishman, Kevin Lewis, Roger Hunt, Ian St John, Jimmy Melia and Alan A’Court heard the footsteps in the corridor outside the dressing room. The fast steps, the heavy steps. And Jim Furnell, Gerry Byrne, Ronnie Moran, Gordon Milne, Ron Yeats, Tommy Leishman, Kevin Lewis, Roger Hunt, Ian St John, Jimmy Melia and Alan A’Court looked up from the benches. And now Jim Furnell, Gerry Byrne, Ronnie Moran, Gordon Milne, Ron Yeats, Tommy Leishman, Kevin Lewis, Roger Hunt, Ian St John, Jimmy Melia and Alan A’Court saw Bill Shankly. Bill Shankly in his hat and coat, Bill Shankly on pins and needles –

What a day, said Bill Shankly. What a day this is, boys! Can you hear that crowd? Can you hear them, lads? They cannot wait and I
cannot wait. Because this is what we have been waiting for, boys. This is what we have been working for. The Big League, lads! This is what we have been dreaming about and what the supporters have been dreaming about. Playing in the Big League, boys. This is what it’s all about. And so this is where it all starts, lads! Today …

In the eightieth minute, Kevin Lewis scored. But Liverpool Football Club lost two–one to Blackpool Football Club. In their first game in the First Division and for the first time since New Year’s Eve of 1960. At home, at Anfield. Liverpool Football Club had lost.

On Wednesday 22 August, 1962, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Maine Road, Manchester. And Liverpool Football Club drew two-all with Manchester City. On Saturday 25 August, 1962, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Ewood Park, Blackburn. And Liverpool Football Club lost one–nil to Blackburn Rovers. That evening, Liverpool Football Club had one point from three games. That evening, in the first published League table of the new season, Everton Football Club were joint top of the First Division with Wolverhampton Wanderers. And that evening, Liverpool Football Club were joint bottom of the First Division with Leyton Orient.

On Wednesday 29 August, 1962, Manchester City came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, forty-six thousand and seventy-three folk came, too. In the third minute, Ian St John scored. In the fifty-fifth minute, Roger Hunt scored. In the sixty-fifth minute, Alan A’Court scored. And four minutes later, Hunt scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Manchester City four–one. At home, at Anfield. Liverpool Football Club had won their first game in the First Division. In the Big League –

In September, 1962, Liverpool Football Club beat Sheffield United. Then they lost at West Ham United, then they lost at Nottingham Forest. Then they beat West Ham United at home, then they drew with Ipswich Town at home. Liverpool Football Club were now eleventh in the First Division. Everton Football Club still second in the First Division.

…

In the night, they came. With cans of paint, through the park. Between the houses and over the walls. In the night, they came. Into Goodison Park, with cans of paint. To paint the goals and to paint them red. The Everton goals, they painted them red –

The Everton goals, at Goodison Park –

On Saturday 22 September, 1962, seventy-two thousand, four hundred and eighty-eight folk came to Goodison Park, Liverpool. Seventy-two thousand, four hundred and eighty-eight folk to watch the first League meeting of Everton Football Club and Liverpool Football Club for eleven years. Not since 1951 had these two football clubs played each other in a League fixture. Not until today. Today the shops of Liverpool were empty, today the streets of Liverpool were deserted. But there was no peace, there was no quiet. The ground shook, the air roared. Back across the city, out across the river. The ground shook and the air roared. It shook and it roared with the voices of the seventy-two thousand, four hundred and eighty-eight folk packed inside Goodison Park, Liverpool –

Before the whistle, the first whistle. In the dressing room, the away dressing room. In their kits and in their boots. Jim Furnell, Gerry Byrne, Ronnie Moran, Gordon Milne, Ron Yeats, Tommy Leishman, Ian Callaghan, Roger Hunt, Kevin Lewis, Jimmy Melia and Alan A’Court were shaking, too. Not with nerves, but with laughter –

And it’s taken them all bloody morning to repaint those goals, said Bill Shankly. So it’s no bloody wonder Harry Catterick’s looking glummer than usual, lads. By, he’s a miserable man is Harry. And I’ve just seen him, lads. In the corridor. And he’s looking even glummer today, lads. Even more miserable than usual. And I know why, lads. I know why. Because I said to him, I said to Harry, All that money you have and the only player you can find to buy is one we don’t want. A player we don’t need. That lad Morrissey. I said to Harry, You know why we don’t want him, why we let you have him? Because he’s only got the one leg has Morrissey. His right leg. And he needs that one to stand on. So he was no use to us. That one-legged lad. And so you did us a favour, Harry. Taking Johnny Morrissey, poor Johnny Morrissey. So thank you, Harry, I said, Thank you very much, Harry. It was very good of you, Harry. It was very kind of you …

But in their kits and in their boots. Jim Furnell, Gerry Byrne, Ronnie Moran, Gordon Milne, Ron Yeats, Tommy Leishman, Ian Callaghan, Roger Hunt, Kevin Lewis, Jimmy Melia and Alan A’Court were no longer listening to Bill Shankly. Now in their kits and in their boots. Jim Furnell, Gerry Byrne, Ronnie Moran, Gordon Milne, Ron
Yeats, Tommy Leishman, Ian Callaghan, Roger Hunt, Kevin Lewis, Jimmy Melia and Alan A’Court were listening to the voices of the seventy-two thousand, four hundred and eighty-eight folk inside Goodison Park. In their kits and in their boots. They were listening and they were trembling. Not with laughter, now with fear. Their faces pale and their legs shaking. They could hardly stand, they could hardly walk. Out of the away dressing room, down the Goodison corridor. Onto the pitch and into the arena. Into the arena. The arena waiting,

waiting and baying, baying for blood,

their red, red blood –

In the first minute, the very first minute, Jim Furnell collected the ball, his back to the Park end, the noise from the Park end deafening, Furnell still trembling as he bounced the ball once, trying to steady himself, steady himself to kick the ball back up the field, the referee already running back up the field, his back to Furnell, Furnell bouncing the ball, Furnell dropping the ball, the ball running loose, Roy Vernon nipping in, Vernon saying, Thank you very much, Jim. Thank you very much as he rolled the ball into the net, into the net as the crowd roared with laughter, roared in celebration as Furnell held his head in his hands, his head in his hands and the ball in the goal –

Now the referee turned. Now the referee blew his whistle. And the referee shook his head. The referee disallowed the goal. The referee awarded a free kick to Liverpool Football Club. A free kick for an infringement by Vernon on Furnell. And now the crowd roared, roared with indignation, roared with injustice, shouting of cheat and deceit, of robbery and theft, baying for righteousness, righteousness and the blood of the referee, his red, red blood –

And the players of Liverpool Football Club stared down at the ground, the pitch and the grass. The players of Liverpool Club would not look up. From the ground, the pitch and the grass. The players of Liverpool Football Club could not look up. And seven minutes later, the ball was in the back of their net again. But again the referee blew his whistle. Again the referee shook his head. Again the referee disallowed the goal. Again the referee awarded a free kick to Liverpool Football Club. A free kick for an offside against Stevens. And again the crowd roared with indignation, roared with injustice, shouting of cheat and deceit, of robbery and theft, baying for
righteousness, righteousness and the blood of the referee, his red, red blood. And still the players of Liverpool Football Club stared down at the ground, the pitch and the grass. Still the players of Liverpool Football Club would not look up. From the ground, the pitch and the grass. Still the players of Liverpool Football Club could not look up. And now Everton came at them again. Again and again. Ball after ball. Into the Liverpool penalty area. Again and again. Ball after ball until one ball, one ball bounced up against the hand of Gerry Byrne, the hand of Gerry Byrne in the Liverpool penalty area. And again the referee blew his whistle. But now the referee nodded. And now the referee pointed to the penalty spot. And now Vernon placed the ball upon the penalty spot. And Vernon placed the ball in the back of the Liverpool goal. And now the crowd roared with laughter, roared in celebration, in celebration of justice, of justice done –

But now, in amongst that laughter, in amongst that celebration, now other voices began to rise, began to echo, quietly and slowly, then louder and faster.
LI-VER-POOL, LI-VER-POOL, LI-VER-POOL …

And now the players of Liverpool Football Club looked up from the ground, from the pitch and from the grass. Now the players of Liverpool Football Club looked for each other. And on the pitch and on the grass. They found each other. And now the players of Liverpool Football Club looked for the ball. And they found the ball. And now they moved forward with the ball, forward with each other, into the Everton half, towards the Everton goal, Callaghan hooking the ball into the Everton penalty area, Lewis hitting that ball, hitting that ball on the volley, on the volley and into the back of the Everton net, the ball in the back of the Everton goal. And now it was one-all –

At half-time in the dressing room. In the away dressing room at Goodison Park. Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett went from player to player. Praising each player, encouraging each player. Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett filling each player with confidence, filling each player with belief. Confidence in themselves, belief in themselves. Confidence in each other, belief in each other. In themselves and in each other. And now the players were listening to Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett. Now the players were not listening to the voices of the seventy-two thousand, four hundred and eighty-eight folk inside
Goodison Park. Now they stood back up, now they walked back out. Back out of the dressing room, back down the corridor. Back onto the pitch, back into the arena. Still hearing those words of Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett, still hearing that chant of
LI-VER-POOL, LI-VER-POOL, LI-VER-POOL …

In the second half, the players of Liverpool Football Club played with enthusiasm, they played with thrust. But the players of Everton Football Club had the guile, they had the skill. In the
sixty-third
minute, a shot from Vernon was blocked, blocked only to fall to Johnny Morrissey. Morrissey shot but Ronnie Moran got to the ball. The ball on the line. And Moran cleared the ball off the line. But the referee blew his whistle. The referee nodded. And the referee said the ball had crossed the line. Into the goal. And the referee awarded a goal. A goal to Everton. A goal to Johnny Morrissey. His first for Everton Football Club. And the players of Liverpool Football Club looked to the bench, the Liverpool bench. And the players of Liverpool Football Club saw Bill Shankly. Up on his feet, his finger in the air. Pointing into the air, pointing to the voices. In the air, the Liverpool voices.
LI-VER- POOL, LI-VER-POOL, LI-VER-POOL
. Bill Shankly with his arms outstretched now, Bill Shankly with his palms open now. Urging his boys to keep their eyes from the ground, urging his lads to keep their heads up. To keep looking for each other, to keep looking for the ball. To keep going forward, forward to the goal. Bill Shankly never looking at the clock, Bill Shankly never looking at his watch. Bill Shankly knowing the time, the time would come. On the wing, down the wing. In the eighty-ninth minute, Alan A’Court looped the ball into the centre of the Everton penalty area. Kevin Lewis headed the ball down. Down to the feet of Roger Hunt. And Roger Hunt rolled the ball across the line. Across the line, into the net. The net of the goal that had been painted red overnight, that had taken the groundsmen all morning to clean and repaint, that Everton goal that was now red again, red again in the eighty-ninth minute –

Red again.

…

One week after Liverpool Football Club had drawn two-all with Everton Football Club, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Molineux, Wolverhampton. And Liverpool Football Club lost three–two
to Wolverhampton Wanderers. One week later, Bolton Wanderers came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, forty-one thousand, one hundred and fifty-five folk came, too. And in the thirty-seventh minute, Roger Hunt scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Bolton Wanderers one–nil. One week after that, Liverpool Football Club lost three–nil to Leicester City. That evening, Liverpool Football Club were thirteenth in the First Division. After thirteen games, they were thirteenth. In the Big League. Everton Football Club were first. In the First Division. Everton Football Club top –

In the Big League –

After the game at Filbert Street, after Liverpool Football Club had travelled back to Anfield. Bob Paisley walked down the corridor. Bob Paisley knocked on the door to the office of Bill Shankly. Bob Paisley opened the door. And Bob Paisley saw Bill Shankly sat behind his desk. Bill Shankly turning the pages of a book, Bill Shankly staring at the pages of the book. And Bob Paisley said, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news, Boss. Some very bad news …