Red or Dead (41 page)

in his chair. Bill smiled.

…

On the bench, the Anfield bench. Bill and fifty-three thousand, seven hundred and seventy-seven Merseyside folk were watching Liverpool Football Club play Everton Football Club. Everton Football Club were eleventh in the First Division. But Everton Football Club were still the Champions of England. In the first half, the pace was relentless, the challenges unflinching, the game breathless and the game raw. In the second half, Morrissey tackled Tommy Smith. Morrissey won the tackle and Morrissey won the ball. Morrissey passed to Whittle. And Whittle lobbed the ball over the head of Clemence. Over his head, into the net. The Liverpool net, the Liverpool goal. Minutes later, Ball passed to Morrissey. Morrissey passed to Ball. Ball crossed. Larry Lloyd lost the cross. Royle found the cross. And Royle headed the cross into the net. The Liverpool net, the Liverpool goal. And Liverpool Football Club were losing two–nil to Everton Football Club. At home, at Anfield. But in the sixty-ninth minute, Steve Heighway slipped past Hurst on the left. Heighway cut inside from the left. And Heighway shot through four defenders into the net. The Everton net, the Everton goal. And five minutes later, again Heighway came down the left. Heighway crossed from the left. John Toshack met the cross from the left. Toshack found the cross. And Toshack headed the cross into the net. The Everton net, the Everton goal. His first goal for Liverpool Football Club. And Anfield erupted. With noise. And Anfield exploded. With sound. Deafening noise and thunderous sound. And in the eighty-fourth minute, Toshack
nodded on a cross to Chris Lawler. And Lawler turned. And Lawler shot. And Lawler scored. In a maelstrom of noise, in a riot of sound. Liverpool noise and Liverpool sound. Liverpool Football Club beat Everton Football Club three–two. At home, at Anfield. In the red noise, in the red sound. LI-VER-POOL, LI-VER-POOL –

LI-VER-POOL!

…

Before the house, on their step. In the night and in the silence. Bill unlocked the front door. In the night and in the silence. Bill opened the door. In the night and in the silence. Bill stepped into the house. In the dark and in the silence. Bill walked down the hallway to the kitchen. In the dark and in the silence. Bill switched on the kitchen light. In the kitchen, at the table. Bill sat down. In the silence. Bill closed his eyes. In the kitchen, at the table. In his ears and in his mind. Bill heard the crowd. The Anfield crowd.
LI-VER-POOL
. In the kitchen, at the table. In his ears and in his mind. Bill heard the Kop. The Spion Kop.
LI-VER-POOL
. In the kitchen, at the table. In his ears and in his mind. Bill heard the voices of the Kop, the dreams of the Spion Kop.
LI-VER-POOL
. In the kitchen, at the table. Bill heard Ness cough upstairs. In their bed, in her sleep. In the kitchen, at the table. Bill opened his eyes. And Bill heard Ness cough again. And the clock upon the wall ticking. Ticking and ticking. In the kitchen, at the table. The watch upon his arm ticking. Ticking and ticking. Always ticking, already ticking. And in the kitchen, at the table. Bill put his fingers in his ears. In the kitchen, at the table. His fingers in his ears.

In the night and in the silence,

his fingers in his ears. Bill knew you had to be patient. Even if by nature you were impatient. Impatient for success, impatient for victory. Impatient to give the people success, impatient to give the people victory. Even if others around you were telling you what had to be done. Even if others around you were telling you what needed to be done. Bill knew you still had to be patient in your methods. You still had to be patient in your ways. You had to be a patient, impatient man.

A very patient, impatient man.

On Saturday 28 November, 1970, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Highbury, London. But Ian Callaghan did not travel to Highbury, London. Ian Callaghan was injured. And Peter Thompson did not travel to Highbury, London. Peter Thompson was injured. And Alun Evans did not travel to Highbury, London. Alun Evans was injured. And Bobby Graham did not travel did to Highbury, London. Bobby Graham was injured. On Saturday 28 November, 1970, Arsenal Football Club were second in the First Division. And Liverpool Football Club were sixth in the First Division. And on Saturday 28 November, 1970, Liverpool Football Club struggled against Arsenal Football Club. Clemence struggled, Lawler struggled, Lindsay struggled, Smith struggled, Lloyd struggled, Hughes struggled, Hall struggled, Toshack struggled, Heighway struggled, McLaughlin struggled and Ross struggled. And in the sixty-sixth minute, Graham of Arsenal Football Club volleyed past Clemence. Into the net, into the goal. And minutes later, Radford of Arsenal Football Club went up for a ball. And Radford found the ball. And the ball found the net. And the goal. And Liverpool Football Club lost two–nil to Arsenal Football Club. Away from home, away from Anfield. Bill Shankly walked down the touchline. The Highbury touchline. And Bill Shankly shook the hand of Bertie Mee, the manager of Arsenal Football Club –

Well played, Bertram. Very well played indeed. I thought we might have got a draw out of you, Bertram. But oh no. Not today …

Thank you, William, said Bertie Mee. Thank you very much. But you gave us a game and a half, William. You have some promise and you have some talent. In those young lads you have coming through, William. Some real promise and some real talent …

Thank you, Bertram. Thank you very much. And you are not wrong, Bertram. You are not wrong. And they are improving all the time. Because they are learning all the time. Every game they play. They are getting better. Better and better. And so mark my words. You mark my words, Bertram. You have not seen the best of these boys yet. And you’ve not heard the last of them. Not yet. Not by a long chalk, Bertram. Not by a very long chalk …

One week afterwards, Leeds United came to Anfield, Liverpool.
That day, fifty-one thousand, three hundred and fifty-seven folk came, too. Leeds United were first in the First Division. And Liverpool Football Club were seventh in the First Division. And Liverpool Football Club struggled against Leeds United. Clemence struggled, Lawler struggled, Lindsay struggled, Smith struggled, Lloyd struggled, Hughes struggled, Hall struggled, McLaughlin struggled, Heighway struggled, Toshack struggled and Thompson struggled. And in the fiftieth minute, Cooper belted down the wing. Cooper crossed. Madeley met the cross. And Madeley scored. But the supporters of Liverpool Football Club did not surrender. They kept cheering and they kept singing. And so the players of Liverpool Football Club did not surrender. They kept struggling and they kept trying. Harder. Clemence struggled and Clemence tried. Harder. Lawler struggled and Lawler tried. Harder. Lindsay struggled and Lindsay tried. Harder. Smith struggled and Smith tried. Harder. Lloyd struggled and Lloyd tried. Harder. Hughes struggled and Hughes tried. Harder. Hall struggled and Hall tried. Harder. McLaughlin struggled and McLaughlin tried. Harder. Heighway struggled and Heighway tried. Harder. Toshack struggled and Toshack tried. Harder. And Thompson struggled and Thompson tried. Harder and harder. And Liverpool Football Club won a free kick. Tommy Smith took the free kick. Smith floated the free kick towards the far post. The Leeds far post. And there was John Toshack. In the air, the Anfield air. At the far post. To meet the free kick. To head the free kick. Into the net and into the goal. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club cheered. The supporters of Liverpool Football Club sang. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club roared. Roared for more. More and more. And Liverpool Football Club attacked and attacked. Harder and harder. For the next thirty minutes. The supporters of Liverpool Football Club roared and the players of Liverpool Football Club attacked. More and more, harder and harder. But Leeds United defended. For the last thirty-five minutes. They defended and they defended. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Leeds United. At home, at Anfield. Bill Shankly walked down the touchline. The Anfield touchline. Bill Shankly shook the hand of Don Revie. And Bill Shankly smiled –

Well defended, Don. Very well defended. I thought we were going to beat you, Don. I really did. I thought we would win …

Not a chance, Bill. Not a chance. You were lucky today, Bill. Very lucky. We should have beaten you, Bill. We should have won.

Well, I don’t know what game you were watching, Don. I really don’t. But my advice to you, Don. My advice if you want to win a game of football. Would be to attack, Don. And not simply to defend.

Three days later, in a land of darkness, in a land of power cuts, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Easter Road, Edinburgh, to play Hibernian Football Club in the first leg of the Third Round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. And in a land of darkness, in a land of power cuts, Liverpool Football Club attacked and attacked. Away from home, away from Anfield. And in a land of darkness, in a land of power cuts. In the seventy-fifth minute, John Toshack scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Hibernian Football Club one–nil in the first leg of the Third Round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Away from home, away from Anfield. In a land of darkness, in a land of power cuts.

On Saturday 12 December, 1970, in a land still in darkness, in a land still of power cuts, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Upton Park, London. And because of the darkness, because of the power cuts, the game between Liverpool Football Club and West Ham United kicked off thirty minutes early, at half past two. Because of the darkness, because of the power cuts. But in the darkness, among the power cuts, in the twenty-seventh minute, Jack Whitham scored for Liverpool Football Club. His first goal for Liverpool Football Club. And in the darkness, among the power cuts, in the forty-third minute, Phil Boersma scored for Liverpool Football Club. And in the darkness, among the power cuts, Liverpool Football Club beat West Ham United two–one. Away from home, away from Anfield. One week later, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Leeds Road, Huddersfield. But Liverpool Football Club did not score. And Huddersfield Town did not score. And Liverpool Football Club drew nil–nil with Huddersfield Town. Away from home, away from Anfield. Bill Shankly walked down the touchline. The Leeds Road touchline. And Bill Shankly shook the hand of Ian Greaves, the manager of Huddersfield Town –

Well played, Ian. Well played. And I wish you all the best, Ian. All the very best for the rest of the season. I know you have a battle on your hands, Ian. But I hope it is a battle you win. I really do, Ian. I really do. Because I’ve always said Huddersfield Town belong in the
First Division, Ian. In the First Division. And I admire the job you have done, Ian. The success you have brought to Huddersfield Town.

Ian Greaves smiled. And Ian Greaves said, Thank you, Bill. Thank you very much. It means a lot to us. It really does …

Three days afterwards, Hibernian Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That night, thirty-seven thousand, eight hundred and fifteen folk came, too. Thirty-seven thousand, eight hundred and fifteen folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Hibernian Football Club in the second leg of the Third Round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. In the twenty-third minute, Emlyn Hughes sent Steve Heighway through the middle. Heighway racing, Heighway accelerating. Leaving Hibernian standing, leaving Hibernian watching. And Heighway shot. And Heighway scored. And in the fiftieth minute, Phil Boersma crossed the ball from the right. Hibernian standing, Hibernian watching. The cross drop over the Hibernian keeper, the cross drop into the Hibernian net. And Liverpool Football Club beat Hibernian Football Club three–nil on aggregate in the Third Round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

Four days later, on Boxing Day, 1970, in blizzards and in ice, Stoke City came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, in the blizzards and in the ice, forty-seven thousand, one hundred and three folk came, too. But in the blizzards and in the ice, Liverpool Football Club did not score. And Stoke City did not score. And in the blizzards and in the ice, Liverpool Football Club drew nil–nil with Stoke City. At home, at Anfield. It was Liverpool Football Club’s tenth draw of the season, their sixth nil–nil draw of the season. And that evening, in the blizzards and in the ice, Liverpool Football Club had twenty-six points. And Liverpool Football Club were seventh in the First Division. In the blizzards and in the ice, Liverpool Football Club were still lost, Liverpool Football Club still missing –

Still nowhere.

On Saturday 2 January, 1971, Aldershot Football Club of the Fourth Division came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, forty-five thousand and five hundred folk came, too. Forty-five thousand and five hundred folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Aldershot Football Club of the Fourth Division in the Third Round of the FA Cup. At home, at Anfield. Bill Shankly walked into the dressing room.
The home dressing room. Bill Shankly looked around the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. From Clemence to Lawler, Lawler to Boersma, Boersma to Smith, Smith to Lloyd, Lloyd to Hughes, Hughes to Hall, Hall to McLaughlin, McLaughlin to Heighway, Heighway to Toshack and from Toshack to Callaghan. And Bill Shankly took a piece of paper from his coat pocket. And Bill Shankly read out the names on the piece of paper –

Dixon, Walden, Walker, Joslyn, Dean, Giles, Walton, Brown, Howarth, Melia and Brodie. That is the Aldershot team, boys. That is who you are playing today. Now you’ll all recognise one of those names, boys. The name of Jimmy Melia. And you all know Jimmy played two hundred and eighty-six times for Liverpool Football Club and scored seventy-nine goals for Liverpool Football Club. Two hundred and eighty-six times, boys. And seventy-nine goals. And so Jimmy knows everything there is to know about Liverpool Football Club, boys. But today Jimmy is the captain of Aldershot Football Club. And Jimmy will have told his teammates all there is to know about Liverpool Football Club. He will have told them about you and he will have told them about the crowd. About what they can expect when they play Liverpool Football Club, when they come to Anfield. And he will be settling their nerves, telling them they have nothing to lose. That this is the biggest game of their lives, the greatest day of their careers. Telling them to go out there and enjoy the game, telling them to go out there and savour the day. But we know very little about the other players of Aldershot Football Club. About Dixon, Walden, Walker, Joslyn, Dean, Giles, Walton, Brown, Howarth and Brodie. All we know is that they are in the Fourth Division. But that means nothing today, boys. Because this is not the League. This is the Cup, boys. But the expectation is still on us, boys. The pressure is on us. But I tell you this, boys. I tell you this: if we treat those players with the same respect we would treat the players of Manchester United. The players of Leeds United. And if we play like we would play against Manchester United. Against Leeds United. Then I know we will win. If we struggle and if we try. We will win, boys. We will win. Because we play for Liverpool Football Club. Because we are Liverpool Football Club. And this is Anfield. And we treat every player who comes to Anfield with respect. Every team that
comes to Anfield with respect. Because we are not complacent, boys. But we are not afraid either. And that is how we win, boys. With respect. And with graft. And with skill, boys. That is how we win …

On Saturday 2 January, 1971, in the Third Round of the FA Cup, in the twenty-eighth minute, John McLaughlin scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Aldershot Football Club of the Fourth Division one–nil in the Third Round of the FA Cup. At home, at Anfield. And the players of Liverpool Football Club shook hands with the players of Aldershot Football Club. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club applauded the players of Aldershot Football Club. And then the supporters of Liverpool Football Club sang,
Ee-aye-addio, we’re going to win the Cup. We’re going to win the Cup. Ee-aye-addio, we’re going to win the Cup …

That same day, that same Saturday. Sixty-six men and boys had woken up. In their beds. Those sixty-six men and boys had eaten their breakfasts and their lunches with their families. In their kitchens. Those sixty-six men and boys had joked and talked with their families. In their homes. Those sixty-six men and boys had said goodbye to their families. See you later. In their halls. Those sixty-six men and boys had walked out of their doors, walked out of their houses and caught a bus, caught a train. In the mist. Those sixty-six men and boys had gone to see a football match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium, in Glasgow, in Scotland. In the mist. The sixty-six men and boys had paid at the turnstiles to Ibrox Stadium. In the mist. The sixty-six men and boys had stood and watched the football match between Rangers and Celtic. In the mist. The sixty-six men and boys had seen Celtic score, had seen Rangers equalise, and had heard the final whistle. In the mist. The sixty-six men and boys had made their way to the top of the terracing, made their way to stairway thirteen. In the mist. The sixty-six men and boys felt the crowd getting tighter and tighter at the top of stairway thirteen. In the mist. The sixty-six men and boys felt the weight of the people behind them. In the mist. The sixty-six men and boys felt themselves being carried over the top of the stairs. In the mist. The sixty-six men and boys felt their feet begin to leave the ground. In the mist, on the stairs. The sixty-six men and boys began to fall forward. In the mist, on the stairs. The sixty-six men and boys felt the crowd stop moving but the pressure increase. In the mist, on the
stairs. And increase. In the mist, on the stairs. And increase. In the mist, on the stairs. The sixty-six men and boys heard the cries and the screams around them. In the mist, on the stairs. The sixty-six men and boys heard the cries and the screams stop. In the mist, on the stairs. The sixty-six men and boys heard the silence, only the silence. In the mist, on the stairs. The sixty-six men and boys felt the breath begin to leave their bodies. In the mist, on the stairs. The sixty-six men and boys felt the life being squeezed out of them. In the mist, on the stairs. The sixty-six men and boys felt the life leave them. In the mist, on the stairs. The sixty-six dead men, boys and one young woman were lifted from the stairway. In the mist. The sixty-six dead men, boys and one young woman were carried down the terracing. In the mist. The
sixty-six
dead men, boys and one young woman were laid on the edge of the pitch. In a row. In the mist. The black-and-white mist. The sixty-six dead men, boys and one young woman who had gone to see a game of football on Saturday 2 January, 1971. In the mist. The black-and-white mist. In a row. In the mist. The black-and-white mist. The sixty-six dead men, boys and one young woman who had been crushed and asphyxiated under the weight of thousands of other bodies in stairway thirteen at Ibrox Stadium, in Glasgow, in Scotland. In the mist. The black-and-white mist. In the evening, that Saturday evening. In their house, in their front room. Bill Shankly tried to get to his feet. Bill Shankly tried to stand. To walk to the television, to turn off the television. The pictures. The black-and-white pictures. His jumper stuck to his shirt. His shirt stuck to his vest. His vest stuck to his skin. Bill Shankly could not get to his feet. Bill Shankly could not stand. And Bill Shankly turned to his wife. Bill Shankly tried to speak. To find the words. The words for his wife. The words for Jock. The words for Willie Waddell, the manager of the Rangers Football Club. The words for the people of Glasgow. The people of Scotland. But Bill Shankly could not speak. Bill Shankly could not find the words. That evening, that Saturday evening. In their house, in their front room. There were no words. There were only pictures. Black-and-white pictures. Pictures and silence,