David Peace - Red or Dead

away from Anfield. On the bench, the bench at the Hawthorns. In the sixty-sixth minute, Bill watched Hartford score for West Bromwich Albion. And in the eighty-sixth minute, Bill watched Steve Heighway equalise for Liverpool Football Club. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with West Bromwich Albion in the Third Round of the Football League Cup. Away from home, away from Anfield. There would have to be a replay. Another replay –

On the bench, the Anfield bench. Bill and fifty-five thousand, nine hundred and seventy-five Merseyside folk were watching Liverpool Football Club play Everton Football Club. And in the opening minutes, they watched Clemence drop the ball in his own six-yard box. Clemence lost the ball. And Royle found the ball in the six-yard box. The Liverpool six-yard box. And Royle shot. But Larry Lloyd was on the line. The Liverpool goal line. And Lloyd cleared the ball off the line. The Liverpool goal line. But in the sixtieth minute, Johnson passed to Royle. Royle passed to Connolly. And Connolly passed to Kendall. Kendall in front of the goal. The Liverpool goal. The goal open, the goal yawning. Kendall shot. And Kendall missed. The open goal, the yawning goal. And in the seventy-seventh minute, Alec Lindsay passed to Steve Heighway. Heighway hoisted the ball. From the left, to the right. And the ball dropped. By the post, the Everton post. And there was Peter Cormack. Cormack headed. And Cormack scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Everton Football Club one — nil. At home, at Anfield. That evening, Everton Football Club had fifteen points. And Tottenham Hotspur had sixteen points and Arsenal Football Club had sixteen points, too. But that evening, Liverpool Football Club had eighteen points. And Liverpool Football Club were first in the First Division. Not on goal average. On points. Two points. First in the First Division by two points –

And with a game in hand.

…

In the kitchen, at the sink. In the night and in the silence. In his pyjamas and in his slippers. Bill filled another glass with water. Bill walked back over to the kitchen wall. And Bill switched off the light again. In the dark and in the silence. Bill walked back up the stairs. Bill went back into their bedroom. And Bill walked around their bed. Bill put down the glass of water on the table beside the bed. Beside his wife. And Ness looked up at Bill. And Ness smiled up at Bill –

Thank you, love. Thank you. But I’m sorry, love …

In the bedroom, by their bed. In the night and in the silence. Bill said, I wish you’d see the doctor, love. I really wish you’d go.

But it’s nothing, love. It’s just a cough. A little cough.

But it’s getting no better, love. It’s getting worse.

In the night and in the silence. Ness did not reply. Ness had closed her eyes again. In the night and in the silence. Bill walked back around their bed. Bill got back into their bed. In the dark and in the silence. Bill stared up the ceiling. Their bedroom ceiling. And in the dark, and in the silence. Bill said his prayers again.

Three days after Liverpool Football Club had beaten Everton Football Club one — nil. At home, at Anfield. West Bromwich Albion came to Anfield, Liverpool, to play Liverpool Football Club in the replay of the Third Round of the Football League Cup. That evening, twenty-six thousand, four hundred and sixty-one folk came, too. In the fifty-first minute, Robertson of West Bromwich Albion shot from the edge of the penalty area. And the shot glanced off Kevin Keegan. And the shot arced over Ray Clemence. Into the net and into a goal. In the sixty-second minute, Emlyn Hughes shot from the edge of the penalty area. And Latchford knocked the shot down. But the shot still bobbled over the line and into a goal. And the replay of the Third Round of the Football League Cup went into extra time. And in the last minute of extra time, in the one hundred and twentieth minute of the match, the two hundred and tenth minute of the tie, Alec Lindsay crossed into the penalty area. And there was Keegan. To meet the cross, to head the cross. Into the net and into a goal. And Liverpool Football Club beat West Bromwich Albion two — one in the last minute of extra time in the replay of the Third Round of the Football League Cup. At home, at Anfield. Four days later, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the Dell, Southampton, and Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Southampton Football Club. Away from home, away from Anfield. But that evening, Liverpool Football Club were still first in the First Division. By one point, just one point. But still with a game in hand.

On Saturday 21 October, 1972, Stoke City came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, forty-five thousand, six hundred and four folk came, too. Forty-five thousand, six hundred and four folk and Tommy Smith. Tommy Smith no longer hurt, Tommy Smith no longer injured. But in the thirty-fourth minute, Hurst hit the bar. The Liverpool bar. And Greenhoff met the rebound. Greenhoff headed the rebound into the net and into a goal. In the sixty-sixth minute, Banks carried the ball more than the permitted four steps. And from the free kick, the indirect free kick, Smith rolled the ball to Emlyn Hughes. And Hughes shot. And Hughes scored. And in the ninetieth minute, the last minute of the match, Ian Callaghan shot into the penalty area. And the shot deflected off Skeels’ face. Into the net and into a goal. And Liverpool Football Club beat Stoke City two — one. At home, at Anfield. In the last minute of the match, the very last minute.

Three days afterwards, Athletic Union of Constantinople Football Club of Greece came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, thirty-one thousand, nine hundred and six folk came, too. Thirty-one thousand, nine hundred and six folk to watch Liverpool Football Club of England play Athletic Union of Constantinople of Greece in the first leg of the Second Round of the UEFA Cup. In the ninth minute, Ian Callaghan won a corner. Emlyn Hughes passed to Steve Heighway. Heighway shot hard and low across the goalmouth. And Phil Boersma met the shot. Boersma touched the shot over the line and into a goal. Twenty minutes later, Kevin Keegan shot. And the shot rebounded back to Peter Cormack. Cormack shot. And Cormack scored. But in the fifty-ninth minute, Hughes was hurt. Hughes injured. And Phil Thompson came on for Hughes. And in the seventy-eighth minute, Tommy Smith scored a penalty. And Liverpool Football Club beat Athletic Union of Constantinople of Greece three — nil in the first leg of the Second Round of the UEFA Cup. At home, at Anfield.

On Saturday 28 October, 1972, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Carrow Road, Norwich. But Emlyn Hughes did not travel to Carrow Road. Hughes still hurt, Hughes still injured. Phil Thompson travelled to Carrow Road. In the eighteenth minute, Peter Cormack scored. But Norwich City scored, too. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Norwich City. Away from home, away from Anfield. But that evening, Liverpool Football Club were still first in the First Division. And still with a game in hand.

Three days afterwards, Leeds United came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, forty-four thousand, six hundred and nine folk came, too. Forty-four thousand, six hundred and nine folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Leeds United in the Fourth Round of the Football League Cup. And John Toshack headed wide. And Peter Cormack shot wide. And Harvey saved from Kevin Keegan. But Liverpool Football Club kept coming, Keegan kept coming. And in the thirty-first minute, Steve Heighway robbed Clarke. Heighway crossed for Keegan. Keegan jumped for the cross, Keegan headed the cross. And Keegan scored from the cross. But eight minutes later, Gray took a corner. Jones jumped for the corner. And Jones headed the corner. Into the net and into a goal. And in the second half, after thirteen minutes, Gray passed to Clarke. Clarke passed to Lorimer. Lorimer shot. And Lorimer scored. And Liverpool Football Club were losing to Leeds United. And again Harvey saved from Toshack. But again Liverpool Football Club kept coming, Toshack kept coming. And in the eightieth minute, Emlyn Hughes pushed the ball through to Toshack. Toshack shot. And Toshack scored. And Liverpool Football Club drew two-all with Leeds United in the Fourth Round of the Football League Cup. At home, at Anfield. There would have to be another replay. Another game, always another game –