David Peace - Red or Dead

Bill leapt to his feet. And Bill shouted, Who the hell do you think you’re talking to? Who the hell do you think you are? Coming in here, shouting the odds. Jesus Christ. Get out of here, you cheeky bastard. Go on, get out. Get out with you …

Don’t worry, said John Toshack. I’m going. But I’m not coming back. Because you can stuff your bloody team!

Bill watched John Toshack storm out of the office. Bill heard John Toshack slam the door of the office. And Bill smiled. Bill walked around his desk. Around the bags and bags of mail. And Bill went out of the office. Bill went down the corridor. Bill went down to the boot room. And Bill saw Bob, Joe, Reuben and Ronnie sat on the empty, upturned beer crates, among the scrubbed and hanging boots. And Bill sat down in the boot room. Among the scrubbed and hanging boots. And Bill said, Morning, boys. How are you all today, boys? I hope you’re all dried off? Jesus Christ, eh? What a night. I thought that rain would never end. I thought it would never stop. It was like something out of the Bible. Like Noah and his flood, it was …

Yes, laughed Bob. It was. But the pitch will be fine for tonight, Bill. Heavy but fine enough.

Bill smiled. And Bill said, That’s great, Bob. Great news. And so what about the Germans, eh? What did you think of them, boys?

I think they thought we’d attack more than we did, said Joe. I think they thought we might play Phil Boersma from the start. Or even Tosh. And so I think they’d set themselves up to defend. And then to try and nick a goal. And so I think that’s why they brought in Surau for Michallik. That was a bit of a surprise …

Bill nodded. And Bill said, Aye. We didn’t expect them to do that. Not from what we’d said, not from what they’d said. I thought they would push more for a goal. I didn’t think they’d be so defensive. Not from what we’d all said …

Yes, said Bob again. And I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t bring Michallik back in tonight. And attack a bit more …

Bill said, Aye. I am sure you are right, Bob. I am sure they will. But I think we should, too. Because their defence are not that tall. Not that tall at all. They are much smaller than I thought …

Yes, said Bob. You’re right. So what are you thinking, Bill?

I’m thinking we should make a change …

And Bill stood up. Bill walked out of the boot room. Bill walked back down the corridor. Bill went back into the office. Around the bags and bags of mail. And Bill sat down at his desk. Bill picked up his address book. Bill turned the pages of his address book. Bill picked up the telephone. Bill dialled a number. And Bill said, Hello, son. Are you not in your bed yet?

No, said John Toshack. I’ve only just got back home.

Well, get to your bloody bed, son. Don’t be dilly-dallying. Because you’ll need your rest, son. You’re playing tonight …

…

In the dressing room, the Anfield dressing room. Bill looked from player to player. The sixteen players in the Liverpool dressing room. The sixteen players desperate to play for Liverpool Football Club in the first leg of the final of the UEFA Cup against Borussia VfL 1900 Mönchengladbach e.V. of West Germany. At home, at Anfield. Bill took out a piece of paper from the pocket of his coat. And Bill said, There’ll just be the one change to our team tonight, boys. And so our team will be Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Cormack, Toshack, Heighway and Callaghan. And the substitutes will be Lane, Thompson, Storton, Boersma and Hall …

And in the dressing room, the Anfield dressing room. Brian Hall stood up. Brian Hall stared at Bill Shankly. Brian Hall shook his head, Brian Hall cursed. And Brian Hall walked out of the dressing room. Brian Hall slammed the dressing-room door. And the players looked at Bill Shankly. The staff looked at Bill Shankly. And Bill said, Let him go. Let him calm down. The boy is disappointed. The boy is hurt. Disappointed he’s not playing, hurt he is on the bench. And so the boy has reacted like he has done. But I would expect the same reaction from every one of you boys. If you were not playing, if you were on the bench. Because you should be disappointed, you should be hurt. If you’re not playing for Liverpool Football Club in a European final. If you’ve not the chance to be part of history. And to do something no Liverpool player has ever done before. To win a European trophy. And to do something no English player has ever done before. To win the League and to win a European trophy. In one season, in the same season …

In the twenty-first minute, Chris Lawler crossed. John Toshack met the cross. Toshack headed the cross down for Kevin Keegan. Keegan diving for the ball, Keegan lunging for the ball. And Keegan headed the ball. Into the net and into a goal. Four minutes later, Lindsay crossed. And Bonhof handled the cross in the penalty area. The referee blew his whistle. The referee awarded a penalty. Keegan took the penalty. But Kleff saved the penalty. In the twenty-ninth minute, Rupp passed to Wimmer. Wimmer passed to Heynckes. Heynckes passed to Dammer. And Dammer shot. But the shot hit the post. In the thirty-third minute, Emlyn Hughes crossed. Toshack met the cross. Toshack headed the cross down for Keegan. And Keegan shot. Into the net and into a goal. In the sixtieth minute, Heynckes passed to Wimmer. And Wimmer shot. But the shot went over the bar. Two minutes later, Keegan took a corner. Larry Lloyd met the corner. And Lloyd headed the corner. Into the net and into a goal. In the sixty-fifth minute, Steve Heighway fouled Jensen in the penalty area. The referee blew his whistle. The referee awarded a penalty. Heynckes took the penalty. But Ray Clemence saved the penalty. And Liverpool Football Club beat Borussia VfL 1900 Mönchengladbach e.V. of West Germany three — nil in the first leg of the final of the UEFA Cup. At home, at Anfield. Bill walked down the touchline. The Anfield touchline. And Bill shook the hand of Hennes Weisweiler, the coach of Borussia VfL 1900 Mönchengladbach –

Well played, said Hennes Weisweiler. Well played to you and to Liverpool Football Club, Mr Shankly. You are easily the best team we have ever played. You are full of power, you are full of strength. But you are also very attractive when you attack. Very skilful. And so I can’t say I fancy our chances now. I think our chances of winning the trophy have disappeared. So congratulations to you, Mr Shankly …

Bill shook his head. And Bill said, Thank you, sir. Thank you very much. It was a fantastic match. A high-class game. An international-class game. Because you played very well, too. And so I cannot say it was a case of what you did wrong. It was more a case of what we did right. And the most important thing for us is that we did not give a goal away. That was the most important thing we did right. But you are a great side, sir. And so I make no predictions for the second leg. Because I know it’s only half-time –

Still only half-time.

…

In the dressing room. The away dressing room at the Bökelbergstadion in Mönchengladbach, in West Germany. Bill looked from player to player. The sixteen players in the Liverpool dressing room. The sixteen players desperate to play for Liverpool Football Club in the second leg of the final of the UEFA Cup. Away from home, away from Anfield. Bill took out a piece of paper from the pocket of his tracksuit. His red tracksuit. And Bill said, There’ll be no change to our team tonight, boys. It’ll be the same team who won three — nil at Anfield. And so our team will be Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Cormack, Toshack, Heighway and Callaghan. And the substitutes will be the same. The substitutes will be Lane, Thompson, Storton, Boersma and Hall …

But from the first whistle of the game, from the very first kick of the match, Borussia Mönchengladbach attacked and attacked Liverpool Football Club. Again and again, they came and they came at Liverpool Football Club. And in the twentieth minute, the heavens opened. With a flash of lightning, with a clap of thunder. The German heavens fell down upon Liverpool Football Club. Rain. Cold rain. Cold and heavy rain. Cold and heavy, ceaseless and torrential rain falling down on Liverpool Football Club. And in the thirtieth minute, Rupp cut out a pass from Ian Callaghan to Larry Lloyd. Rupp pounced on the pass. Rupp pulled the ball back for Heynckes to hammer. Into the net and into a goal. And ten minutes later, Netzer played a long ball down the left to Rupp. Rupp beat two Liverpool players. And again Rupp pulled the ball back for Heynckes. And again Heynckes hammered the ball. From the edge of the penalty area. Into the net and into the goal. And in the first half of the second leg of the final of the UEFA Cup, Liverpool Football Club had been completely outplayed. And completely outclassed. And Liverpool Football Club were losing two — nil to Borussia Mönchengladbach. Away from home, away from Anfield. On the bench, the bench in Bökelbergstadion. Bill stood up, Bill got to his feet. And Bill walked down the touchline. Down the tunnel. Into the dressing room. The away dressing room. And Bill looked from player to player to player. From drenched and sodden player to drenched and sodden player. And Bill said, I tell you what, boys. By, they are a good side. And by, they’ve played well. But I’ll tell you something else, boys. As they walked off just now. As they came down this tunnel. I looked into their eyes, boys. Into all of their eyes. And I’ll you this, boys. I’ll tell you this: they’ve gone, boys. They’ve given it their best shot. And they have shot their bolt, boys. They’ve nothing left to give. The tank is empty, boys. They’re done. You mark my words, boys. That lot are done. So come on, boys. Come on now. Because we’re almost there, boys –