Red or Dead (8 page)

Bill laughed again. And Bill said, Congratulations, Jerry. Congratulations. I am very pleased for you, Jerry. Very pleased. I could not be more pleased for you, Jerry. But I also know what a struggle it is to stay in that division. What a struggle it is, Jerry. So I know you must have your eye on a few new players. A few new players, Jerry. To freshen things up a bit, liven things up, you know?

Well, said Jerry Kerr. A few new players would be nice. Aye. I won’t deny you that, Bill. I can’t deny you that. But there’s the ones you want and then there’s the ones you can afford. You know that, Bill. You know how it is. It’s always a question of money, Bill …

Bill said, Aye, Jerry. Aye. You don’t have to tell me that, Jerry.

I know, said Jerry Kerr. I know I don’t, Bill.

Bill said, Aye. It’s always a question of money, Jerry.

Aye, it’s always the money, said Jerry Kerr. Well, thank you, Bill. Thank you for calling. Now you take care, Bill. And you give my regards to your lovely wife. To Nessie and the girls, Bill …

In the house, in their hallway. Bill put down the telephone. In the night, in the silence. Bill smiled. And Bill picked up the phone again. And Bill dialled another number.

…

At the station, on the platform at Dundee. Bill shook hands with Duncan Hutchinson, one of the directors of Dundee United Football Club. And Bill said, Well, thank you for the lift back here, sir. It’s a great shame the way things have turned out. I mean, things have not gone the way I hoped, the way I wanted. But it was very good of you to still give us a lift back here, sir. And save us a cab fare.

Yes, said Duncan Hutchinson. It’s a great shame, Mr Shankly.

Bill nodded. And Bill said, Aye. It is that. But if a club says a player is not for sale, then there is not much more to say …

At the station, on the platform. Duncan Hutchinson leaned forward. And Duncan Hutchinson whispered in Bill’s ear, No, it’s a great shame because I bet for thirty thousand, Yeats would be yours.

Bill looked at Duncan Hutchinson. And Bill said, Really?

Duncan Hutchinson nodded, Duncan Hutchinson winked.

On the train, in their carriage. At their table, in his seat. Bill looked out of the window as the train pulled out of Dundee station. And Bill smiled. Bill turned to look across at Sidney Reakes and Eric Sawyer. In their seats, at their table. And Bill said, You remember you told me, if I can find the players, you can get me the money?

Yes, said Eric Sawyer. Of course, I remember.

Bill laughed. And Bill said, Good. I’m glad you do. Because we’re getting off at Waverley. At Edinburgh.

Edinburgh, asked Sidney Reakes. Why are we getting off in Edinburgh, Mr Shankly?

Bill laughed again. And Bill said, So you can make some phone calls. So he can get me the money. The money I need.

…

In the lounge of the North British Hotel in Edinburgh. At a table, in a chair. Bill looked up and Bill saw Ron Yeats. Ron Yeats striding into the lounge, Ron Yeats looking around the room. And Bill sprang up from his chair. Bill ran across the room. Bill grabbed Ron Yeats by the hand. And Bill said, Christ! What a player you are, Ron. What a man you are! You are the biggest defender I have ever seen, Ron. You must be seven feet tall, I swear. Seven foot tall, Ron!

Actually, I’m six foot three, said Ron Yeats.

Bill smiled. And Bill said, But you look seven foot, Ron. You look seven foot. But you’re also quick, Ron. You’re the quickest defender I’ve ever seen. The very quickest, Ron.

Thank you very much, said Ron Yeats. By the way, where exactly is Liverpool, Mr Shankly?

Bill said, In the First Division, Ron. The First Division.

I meant whereabouts in England, Mr Shankly. Whereabouts is Liverpool in England. But that’s not true, Mr Shankly. The club are in the Second Division. I know that much, Mr Shankly.

Bill laughed. And Bill said, Not with you in the team, Ron. Not with you in the team. With you in the team, we’ll be in the First Division, Ron. The Big League.

In the last week of June, 1961. Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, Reuben Bennett, Arthur Riley and Albert Shelley walked up the stairs to the boardroom of Liverpool Football Club. The directors of Liverpool Football Club were still on their holidays. But Bill Shankly was not on his holidays. Bill Shankly was sitting in a chair in the boardroom of Liverpool Football Club with the door open. Bill Shankly was waiting for Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert. Bill Shankly smiling –

Come in, said Bill Shankly. And sit down, sit down …

Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert sat down around the long table in the boardroom. They looked at the books spread out on the long table. The books of names, the books of notes. They looked at the sheets of paper piled up on the table. And they looked at Bill Shankly.

Bill Shankly picked up one of the piles of papers. Bill Shankly handed Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert each a sheet of paper. A sheet of names, a sheet of dates. And Bill Shankly smiled again –

Gentlemen, said Bill Shankly. These are all our fixtures for the season. The coming season, the new season …

Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert each looked down at the typed sheet of paper. The sheet of names, the sheet of dates. The names of clubs, the dates of fixtures. And then Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all looked back up at Bill Shankly. Smiling –

Gentlemen, said Bill Shankly again. This season we’re going to take no chances. We’re going to leave nothing to chance. We’re going to leave no stone unturned. We’re going to look under every stone. And find out all there is to know. Everything there is to know. Everything there is to know about every one of these teams on this sheet of paper. Every single thing there is to know about every single one of these teams. Every single thing, every last thing …

Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert each looked down at the typed sheet of paper again. The sheet of names, the sheet of dates. The
names of clubs, the dates of fixtures. And Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all nodded.

Bill Shankly picked up a second pile of papers. A massive pile of papers. The papers bound in five separate sheaves. Bill Shankly handed Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert each a sheaf of paper –

And this is a list of fixtures for every team in our division. Every game every team in our division will play this season. Every single game for every single team. They are all listed here …

Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert each looked down at the sheaf of paper in their hands. And Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert flicked through the pages. The pages of names, the pages of dates. The names of every single club in the division, the dates of every single one of their fixtures. Forty-one names, one thousand, seven hundred and twenty-two dates –

Gentlemen, said Bill Shankly. This season we are going to watch every team in our division. Every single team. Before they come to us, before we go to them. Because we need to know every thing there is to know about every team. Every single thing about every single team. Their strengths and their weaknesses. And so we need to watch them all. Before they come to us, before we go to them. And then we are going to come back here and we are going to talk about them. Discuss them and analyse them. Their strengths and their weaknesses. And so then we will know every single thing there is to know about every single team. And then we will be prepared. Before they come to us, before we go to them. We will be prepared.

Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all looked up from the sheaves of papers in their hands. And Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all nodded again.

So we need to study these fixtures, said Bill Shankly. And then we need to decide which one of us will go to which one of these games. If we have no game, I am happy to go. More than happy to go. And any one of you is welcome to join me. Particularly if you don’t mind driving. But if we have a game, then one of you will have to go …

Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all nodded again.

Bill Shankly picked up the last pile of papers. Another list of names, another list of dates. And Bill Shankly handed Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert these last papers –

But enough about them, said Bill Shankly. Enough about the opposition. These are the names of every player we have on the books at Liverpool Football Club. And these are the dates of every training session we have scheduled at Liverpool Football Club. And so what I want us to do now, what I want us to do today, is to go through every player and every date and plan every training session for every player at Liverpool Football Club. Every single session for every single player. Because this season we’re going to take no chances. We’re going to leave nothing to chance. Because this season Liverpool Football Club will be promoted. This season Liverpool Football Club will be Champions. Together, gentlemen. We will be Champions!

Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all looked up from the papers in their hands. Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all nodded again. And Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all smiled.

…

In the first week of July, 1961. On the first day of their
preseason
training. The players of Liverpool Football Club gathered in the car park at Anfield. In their new kits, their brand-new training kits. In the sun, the July sun. Bill Shankly came out of the stadium. He greeted every player. He shook their hands, he patted their backs. He asked after their families, he asked after their holidays. And then Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert joined Bill Shankly and the players of Liverpool Football Club in the car park at Anfield. And in the sun, the July sun. They all walked out to Melwood. And the players jogged once around the training pitch. Then the players passed the ball back and forth, in pairs, back and forth to each other for twenty minutes. Then the players jogged once more around the training pitch. And then in the sun, the July sun. The players and the coaching staff of Liverpool Football Club all walked back to Anfield.

On the second day of their pre-season training. The players and the coaching staff of Liverpool Football Club all gathered in the car park at Anfield. Then the players and the coaching staff of Liverpool Football Club all jogged out to Melwood. And the players ran once around the training pitch. Then the players passed the ball back and forth, in threes, back and forth to each other for thirty minutes. Then the players ran once more around the training pitch. Then the players and the coaching staff of Liverpool Football Club all jogged back to
Anfield. And on the third day of their pre-season training. The players and the coaching staff of Liverpool Football Club all gathered in the car park at Anfield. Then the players and the coaching staff of Liverpool Football Club all ran out to Melwood. And the players ran twice around the training pitch. Then the players passed the ball back and forth, in fours, back and forth to each other for forty minutes. Then Reuben blew his whistle. And Bill Shankly gathered the players in the middle of the training pitch. Bill, Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert divided the thirty players into six groups of five.

And Bill Shankly smiled –

Right then, lads, said Bill Shankly. Enough bloody running. We’re going to play some football! Some five-a-sides, lads …

In the second week of their pre-season training. The players of Liverpool Football Club gathered in the car park at Anfield. Bill Shankly came out of the stadium. He greeted every player. He shook their hands, he patted their backs. He asked after their families, he asked after their weekends. And then Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert joined Bill Shankly and the players of Liverpool Football Club in the car park at Anfield. And they all climbed on the bus to Melwood. And when the players of Liverpool Football Club arrived at Melwood, when the players of Liverpool Football Club got off the bus at Melwood, the players of Liverpool Football Club saw the box on the training pitch at Melwood. The box ready for them, the box waiting for them. And the players groaned. And the players laughed. And the players of Liverpool Football Club ran twice around the training pitch. Then the players passed the ball back and forth, in pairs, back and forth for twenty minutes. And then the players went into the box. In pairs. And a ball came over the top into the box. And the first player shot against one board. First time. Then the other player hit the same ball on the rebound. First time. Ball after ball. Every second, another ball. Into the box. Every second for one minute. Ball after ball. Into the box. Then for two minutes. Ball after ball, into the box. Then for three minutes. Ball after ball, into the box. Again and again. Ball after ball, into the box. Every second. Shot after shot. Every second. Inside the box. Every player. Inside the box. Player after player. Pair after pair. Into the box. The players working in the box, the box working on the players. Then Reuben blew his whistle. And Bill Shankly gathered the
players in the middle of the training pitch. And Bill Shankly smiled –

Right then, lads. Enough bloody exercises. Now we’re going to play some football! Some five-a-sides, lads …

And that was the second week of their pre-season training. And the third week. And the fourth. And the fifth. The players of Liverpool Football Club did not practise set pieces. They did not practise corners and they did not practise free kicks. The players of Liverpool Football Club practised passing. Always forward, always faster. Faster and faster, always forward. Always forward –

And always to a red shirt,

always to a red shirt,

a red shirt.

…

On Saturday 19 August, 1961, on the first Saturday of the new season, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the Eastville Stadium, Bristol. And before the whistle, the first whistle of the new season. In the dressing room, the away dressing room. The players of Liverpool Football Club looked up at Bill Shankly. Bill Shankly in the centre of the dressing room, the away dressing room. Bill Shankly looking around the dressing room, the away dressing room. From player to player, Liverpool player to Liverpool player. From Slater to White, White to Byrne, Byrne to Milne, Milne to Yeats, Yeats to Leishman, Leishman to Lewis, Lewis to Hunt, Hunt to St John, St John to Melia, Melia to A’Court. And Bill Shankly rubbed his hands together –

This is it, said Bill Shankly. This is it, boys! Everything we’ve been doing. Everything we’ve been working for, boys. It was all for this moment, all for this game. This first game of the season, boys. This season that will be our season. Our season, boys …

In the seventh minute of this first game of this new season, Kevin Lewis scored. And in the fifty-fifth minute, Hills scored an own goal. And Liverpool Football Club beat Bristol Rovers two–nil. Away from home, away from Anfield. In the first game of the new season.

On Wednesday 23 August, 1961, Sunderland Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That night, forty-eight thousand, nine hundred folk came, too. On a Wednesday night, for the first home game of the season. In the forty-eighth minute of the first home game of the season, Roger Hunt scored. In the seventy-eighth minute, Kevin
Lewis scored. And in the eighty-third minute, Hunt scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Sunderland Football Club three–nil. At home, at Anfield. In the first home game of the season.

After the whistle, the final whistle. In the dressing room, the home dressing room. Bill Shankly sat down beside Ron Yeats. And Bill Shankly smiled. Bill Shankly laughed –

That lad Clough is some player, said Bill Shankly. And I tried to sign him. But tonight he never had a sniff, son. He never had a touch. Because you marked him out of the game, son. You made him look ordinary. And that is why I signed you, son. And that is why I made you the captain of Liverpool Football Club. Well done, son.

Three days later, Leeds United came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, forty-two thousand, nine hundred and fifty folk came, too. In the sixth minute, Roger Hunt scored. In the forty-eighth minute, Hunt scored again. In the fifty-third minute, Kevin Lewis scored a penalty. In the sixty-eighth minute, Jimmy Melia scored. And in the seventy-fourth minute, Hunt scored his third. And Liverpool Football Club beat Leeds United five–nil. At home, at Anfield.

And after the whistle, the final whistle. In the dressing room, the home dressing room. Bill Shankly sat down beside Roger Hunt. And Bill Shankly smiled. Bill Shankly laughed –

That lad Charlton is some player, said Bill Shankly. And I tried to sign him. But today he could not get near you, son. Today you made him look very ordinary. Well played, son.

On Wednesday 30 August, 1961, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Roker Park, Sunderland. In the twenty-sixth minute, Roger Hunt scored. In the thirty-ninth minute, Ian St John scored. In the sixty-ninth minute, Hunt scored again. And in the ninetieth minute, the very last minute, St John scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Sunderland Football Club four–one. Away from home, away from Anfield. That night, that season, Liverpool Football Club had played four games and they had won four games. They had scored fourteen goals and they had conceded only one. It was a good start. A very good start. But it was only a start,

only the start.

…

In September, 1961, Liverpool Football Club beat Norwich City
and they beat Scunthorpe United. And they drew with Brighton and Hove Albion. But then Liverpool Football Club beat Newcastle United. They beat Bury Football Club. And they beat Charlton Athletic.

On Wednesday 4 October, 1961, Newcastle United came to Anfield, Liverpool. Last season, the average gate at Anfield had been just twenty-nine thousand, six hundred and three. This season, the average gate was over forty-six thousand. Tonight, fifty-two thousand, four hundred and nineteen folk had come to Anfield. On a Wednesday night. In the thirty-eighth minute, Kevin Lewis scored. And in the seventy-fifth minute, Roger Hunt scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Newcastle United two–nil. At home, at Anfield. That night, that season, Liverpool Football Club had played eleven games. They had scored thirty-one goals and they had conceded only four. They had won ten of those games and they had drawn only one. Liverpool Football Club were unbeaten. Liverpool Football Club had twenty-one points. Liverpool Football Club were top of the Second Division.