David Peace - Red or Dead

On Saturday 4 November, 1972, Chelsea Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, forty-eight thousand, three hundred and ninety-two folk came, too. In the thirty-third minute, Emlyn Hughes beat Webb to the ball. Hughes faster, Hughes hungrier. And Hughes passed to Kevin Keegan. Keegan fast, Keegan hungry. But Keegan did not shoot. Keegan passed to Toshack. Toshack shot. And Toshack scored. And in the fiftieth minute, Keegan won the ball again. Keegan still fast, Keegan still hungry. Keegan passed to Toshack. But Keegan kept running. Fast and hungry. Toshack crossed. Keegan met the cross. Fast and hungry. Keegan headed the cross. Into the net and into a goal. And five minutes later, Steve Heighway found Toshack again. And Toshack scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Chelsea Football Club three — one. At home, at Anfield. That evening, Arsenal Football Club had twenty-one points and Leeds United had twenty-one points, too. But Liverpool Football Club had twenty-four points. Liverpool Football Club first in the First Division. Not by one point. Not by two points. Liverpool Football Club were first in the First Division by three points.

Three days afterwards, Liverpool Football Club came to the Nikos Goumas Stadium, in Athens, in Greece, to play Athletic Union of Constantinople in the second leg of the Second Round of the UEFA Cup. On a pleasant, sunny afternoon. Against a backdrop of mountains and white houses. In front of fanatical, hysterical supporters. Athletic Union of Constantinople attacked and attacked. And Emlyn Hughes headed off the line. The Liverpool goal line. And Ray Clemence saved. And Clemence saved again. And in the eighteenth minute, Tommy Smith rolled a free kick to Hughes. Hughes shot. The shot hit the inside of the post. The shot flew across the face of the goal. And into the net. But then Hughes fell on the ball in his own penalty area. Hughes touched the ball with his hand in his own penalty area. And Athletic Union of Constantinople won a penalty. And Nikolaidis scored the penalty. As afternoon turned to evening, as the mountains darkened. The houses black now. In front of fanatical, hysterical supporters. Again. Athletic Union of Constantinople attacked and attacked. But in the forty-fourth minute, Hughes won the ball in midfield. Hughes ran with the ball. Hughes passed to Kevin Keegan. Keegan passed back to Hughes. Hughes shot. And Hughes scored. But in the seventieth minute, Heighway was hurt. Heighway injured. And Phil Boersma came on for Heighway. And in the eighty-seventh minute, Smith passed to Keegan. Keegan crossed. And Boersma tapped the cross. Into a goal. And in the night. Before the silent mountains, in the muted stadium. Liverpool Football Club beat Athletic Union of Constantinople three — one in the second leg of the Second Round of the UEFA Cup. Away from home, away from Anfield.

On Saturday 11 November, 1972, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Old Trafford, Manchester. Liverpool Football Club were first in the First Division and Manchester United were last in the First Division. That afternoon, fifty-three thousand, nine hundred and forty-four folk came to Old Trafford, Manchester, to watch top versus bottom. Some of them in gangs, some of them in mobs. Inside the ground and outside the ground. There were policemen with dogs, there were policemen on horses. Supporters herded towards the turnstiles, supporters pushed through the turnstiles. And there were stampedes and there were crushes. Men flattened, children flattened. In the streets and on the terraces. Things fell apart, people fell apart. And on the pitch, the Old Trafford pitch, things fell apart, people fell apart. MacDougall handled the ball. But the referee waved play on. And MacDougall shot. Ray Clemence half stopped the shot. But Davies pounced. And Davies scored. And then O’Neil crossed the ball. And MacDougall beat Chris Lawler to the ball. And MacDougall scored. And Liverpool Football Club lost two — nil to Manchester United. Away from home, away from Anfield. That evening, there was fighting. Fighting in department stores, fighting at the stations. And fighting on the trains. But that evening, Liverpool Football Club were still top of the First Division. Manchester United still bottom.

…

High above the battles, high above the fighting. In his office, in his director’s office. Sir Matt Busby put down his cup of tea. And Sir Matt Busby said, Well, it’s not easy, Bill. And I try to keep out of Frank’s way. To not interfere, to not meddle. As much as I can, Bill. To not be seen to be interfering, to not be seen to be meddling. But of course I hear things, Bill. I hear whispers. And things seem to have gone sour in the dressing room. I know things have gone sour in the dressing room. And I know he should be buying …

So why don’t you step in, asked Bill Shankly. Why don’t you say something, Matt? Before it’s too late …

Sir Matt Busby shook his head. And Sir Matt Busby said, But it’s not that easy, Bill. Not that easy at all. I don’t want to undermine the man. I don’t want to be accused of that. So I’m in a difficult position. A very difficult position. And it’s not a position I’d recommend to anyone. Not to you, Bill. Not when your time comes.

Oh, my time is a way off yet, laughed Bill Shankly. So don’t you be wasting your worries on me, Matt …

Sir Matt Busby looked across his desk at Bill Shankly. Sir Matt Busby stared at Bill Shankly. And then Sir Matt Busby said, Are you sure about that, Bill? Are you certain? If you don’t mind me saying, I do think you look tired, Bill. I do think you look drained. And it worries me, Bill. You worry me …

I’m fine, said Bill Shankly. Really I am. But thank you, Matt. Thank you. It’s just been a very hard week. We were in bloody Athens on Tuesday. Then straight back here to face your lot. So it’s been a very tough week. But you know how it is, Matt. You know how it is.

Sir Matt Busby nodded. And Sir Matt Busby said, And Ness? And the girls? They’re all well, I hope, Bill?

The girls are great, said Bill Shankly. I don’t see enough of them or the grandkids. There’s never enough time. But you know how it is, Matt. That’s football for you …

Sir Matt Busby nodded again. And Sir Matt Busby asked again, And Ness? How is Ness, Bill?

Well, she’s had a bad cough, said Bill Shankly. And she’s had it for a while now. And I wish she’d cut down on the cigarettes. Because they’re not helping. Not helping at all. But she says she smokes two packs every time we play. That’s the only way she can cope with the stress. With the worry. Every time we play. But I wish she’d ease up, Matt. And I wish she’d go to the doctors. But what can I do, Matt? She’s like me. You’d have to drag her kicking and screaming to the doctors. That’s the only way she’ll go, Matt …

Sir Matt Busby smiled. And Sir Matt Busby said, Well, then maybe you should, Bill. Drag her kicking and drag her screaming. If that’s what it takes, Bill. Maybe you should …

…

On Saturday 18 November, 1972, Newcastle United came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, forty-six thousand, one hundred and fifty-three folk came, too. In the fifth minute, Peter Cormack scored. In the thirty-fifth minute, Alec Lindsay scored. In the forty-eighth minute, John Toshack scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Newcastle United three — two. At home, at Anfield.

Four days afterwards, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Elland Road to play Leeds United in the replay of the Fourth Round of the Football League Cup. And Chris Lawler cleared off the line from Charlton. And Jones shot wide of the post. And Bremner shot over the bar. But Leeds United kept coming, Bremner kept coming. And midway through the second half, Tommy Smith took the ball off the toes of Bremner in the penalty area. But Smith took the toes of Bremner, too. The referee awarded a penalty to Leeds United. And Giles took the penalty. But Giles missed the penalty. And in the last minute, the last minute of normal time, the very last minute before extra time, Charlton conceded a corner. And Kevin Keegan jumped for the corner. Keegan leapt. And Keegan outjumped everyone for the corner. Keegan outleapt everyone. And Keegan met the corner. Keegan headed the corner. Into the net and into a goal. And Liverpool Football Club beat Leeds United one — nil in the replay of the Fourth Round of the Football League Cup. Away from home, away from Anfield. In the last minute, the very last minute.