David Peace - Red or Dead

at Anfield. On the bench, the Anfield bench. In the evening, the hot August night. Bill and fifty-four thousand, seven hundred and seventy-nine folk were watching Liverpool Football Club play Manchester United. And in the twelfth minute, they watched John Toshack score. And in the twentieth minute, they watched Steve Heighway score. And Liverpool Football Club beat Manchester United two — nil. At home, at Anfield –

On the bench, the bench at Selhurst Park. Bill watched Liverpool Football Club play Crystal Palace. And in the forty-fifth minute, in the last minute of the first half, Bill watched Steve Heighway get caught dawdling on the ball, Heighway caught napping, Heighway robbed of the ball. And from that ball, that robbed and stolen ball, Bill watched Anthony Taylor score. And in the seventy-fifth minute, Bill watched Emlyn Hughes equalise. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Crystal Palace. Away from home, away from Anfield. A point dropped, a point lost. The first point dropped, the first point lost. And on the bench, the bench at Selhurst Park. Bill stood up, Bill got to his feet. And Bill walked down the touchline. The touchline at Selhurst Park. Bill walked down the tunnel. The tunnel at Selhurst Park. Bill walked into the dressing room. The away dressing room. And Bill looked from player to player. From Clemence to Lawler, Lawler to Lindsay, Lindsay to Smith, Smith to Lloyd, Lloyd to Hughes, Hughes to Keegan, Keegan to Hall, Hall to Toshack, Toshack to Callaghan and from Callaghan to Heighway. And Bill held his tongue. For now. Bill said nothing.

In the pavilion, the pavilion at Melwood. Every Monday, after the game on the Saturday. Every Monday, after the training was finished. Bill and the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club discussed the last game, the match on the Saturday. Their strengths and their weaknesses. The reasons they had won or the reasons they had lost. The reasons they had drawn. That Monday, after that Saturday. After that draw. In the pavilion, the pavilion at Melwood. Bill looked around the room. From player to player. And then Bill stopped looking around the room. From player to player. And Bill stared at one player. Bill stared at Steve Heighway. And Bill said, It was you, Steve Heighway. It was you who cost us a point. You who lost us one point. One point which might be the reason we are not Champions in April. The reason we finish nowhere again. Because you dawdled on the ball, because you were robbed of the ball. Because after you had been robbed, because after you had lost the ball. You did not chase back after the man, you did not run back after the ball. You made no attempt to make right your wrong. You just stood there. And you just watched. Watched him play a one-two. And watched him score. Because of you, Steve Heighway. Because of you. Have you no legs, son? No legs to chase after him? To help out your team, son?

I’m not a defender, said Steve Heighway. It’s not my job.

Not your job? You play for a team, son. You work for a team. What would you do if you saw your neighbour’s house on fire? Would you just say, I’m not a fireman? It’s not my job? Is that what you’d say? Or would you fetch a bucket of water? To help him put out his fire? To help him save his house? What would you do, son?

What are you talking about, asked Steve Heighway. I don’t know what you mean, what you’re asking me …

I’m asking you a simple question. You’ve been to university, son. You’ve got a bloody degree. So you tell me, would you help your neighbour if his house was on fire? Or would you just stand and just watch and just say, It’s not my job? I’m asking you a simple question, son. And so I want you to give me an answer. A straight answer, son.

I’ll give you an answer, said Steve Heighway. When you ask me a sensible question. A sensible answer to a sensible question …

Bill turned to Tommy Smith. Bill turned to Chris Lawler. And Bill shouted, Get him out of here. Out of my sight. Take him away. Before I set bloody fire to him.

…

On the bench, the bench at Stamford Bridge. In the third minute, Bill watched Steve Heighway cross to John Toshack. And Toshack met the cross. And Toshack scored. Ten minutes later, from thirty yards out, Bill watched Ian Callaghan shoot. And Callaghan scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Chelsea Football Club two — one. Away from home, away from Anfield –

On the bench, the Anfield bench. In the forty-fourth minute, Bill and fifty thousand, four hundred and ninety-one folk watched John Toshack score again. In the sixty-second minute, they watched Ferguson score an own goal. And two minutes later, they watched Emlyn Hughes score. And Liverpool Football Club beat West Ham United three — two –

On the bench, the bench at Filbert Street. In the eighth minute, Bill watched John Toshack score again. And in the sixteenth minute, Bill watched Toshack score again. But in the six minutes before half-time, Bill watched Weller score twice for Leicester City. And in the second half, Bill watched Weller score again for Leicester City. And Liverpool Football Club lost three — two to Leicester City. Away from home, away from Anfield. That night, Arsenal Football Club had ten points. And Arsenal Football Club were first in the First Division. Everton Football Club had nine points. Tottenham Hotspur had nine points. And Liverpool Football Club had nine points, too. That night, Liverpool Football Club were fourth in the First Division. On goal average. Not second, not even third best. Fourth, fourth, fourth.

On the bench, the bench at the Baseball Ground. On his fifty-ninth birthday, Bill was watching Liverpool Football Club play Derby County. And Bill was watching Peter Cormack play for Liverpool Football Club. Peter Cormack making his debut for Liverpool Football Club. But that day, on his birthday, Bill was not watching Ray Clemence play for Liverpool Football Club. Ray Clemence was injured. That day, on his birthday, Bill was watching Frankie Lane play for Liverpool Football Club. Frankie Lane making his debut for Liverpool Football Club. Against Derby County, against the Champions of England. Derby County eighteenth in the First Division, the Champions struggling in the First Division. And on his birthday, in the sixteenth minute, Bill watched Kevin Keegan pass to John Toshack. And Toshack scored again. But then, Bill watched Hinton cross for Derby County. A long cross. And Bill watched Frankie Lane catch the cross for Liverpool Football Club. The long cross. And Lane held the ball in his arms. And Lane stepped back. The ball in his arms. His feet over the line. The goal line. And into the goal. An own goal. A needless own goal. And on his birthday, in the eighty-seventh minute, Bill watched Nish pass to O’Hare. And O’Hare scored. And on his birthday, Bill watched Liverpool Football Club lose two — one to Derby County. Away from home, away from Anfield. Brian Clough walked down the touchline. The touchline at the Baseball Ground. Brian Clough shook Bill’s hand. And Brian Clough smiled –

That was bad luck, Mr Shankly. Very bad luck. But I said all we needed to get going, to get our season going, was a little bit of luck. And that’s what we got today. A little bit of luck …

On the bench, the bench at Brunton Park. Bill watched Liverpool Football Club play Carlisle United in the Second Round of the Football League Cup. But again, Ray Clemence did not travel. Ray Clemence still injured. And so again, Frankie Lane played for Liverpool Football Club. In the forty-second minute, Bill watched Kevin Keegan score. But in the seventy-second minute, Bill watched O’Neill score, too. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Carlisle United in the Second Round of the Football League Cup. Away from home, away from Anfield –

On the bench, the Anfield bench. In the twenty-eighth minute, Bill and forty-three thousand, three hundred and eighty-six folk watched Emlyn Hughes shoot. And his shot hit the post. The shot rebounded off the post onto the body of Parkes and the ball rebounded off the body of Parkes. Into the net and into a goal. In the seventy-sixth minute, Bill and the forty-three thousand, three hundred and eighty-six folk watched Kevin Keegan pass to Steve Heighway. And Heighway passed to Peter Cormack. And Cormack shot. And Cormack scored. His first goal for Liverpool Football Club. On his home debut, his Anfield debut. Four minutes later, they watched Tommy Smith take a penalty. Twice. And Smith scored for Liverpool Football Club. And in the eighty-fourth minute, they watched Heighway take a free kick. And Keegan met the free kick. And Keegan headed the free kick. Into the net and into another goal. And Liverpool Football Club beat Wolverhampton Wanderers four — two. At home, at Anfield. That evening, Everton Football Club had thirteen points. And Everton Football Club were first in the First Division. Everton Football Club unbeaten. Tottenham Hotspur had twelve points. Tottenham Hotspur second in the First Division. Arsenal Football Club, Liverpool Football Club, Ipswich Town and Leeds United all had eleven points. Liverpool Football Club still fourth in the First Division. On goal average –