David Peace - Red or Dead

We’re almost home …

But from the start of the second half, from the very first kick of the second half, Borussia Mönchengladbach attacked and attacked Liverpool Football Club. Again and again, they came and they came at Liverpool Football Club. And on the bench, the bench in Bökelbergstadion. Bill stood up again, Bill got to his feet again. And Bill began to pace the touchline. To pace and to prowl. Turning to look up at the supporters of Liverpool Football Club. To point up at the supporters of Liverpool Football Club. To stare up into the eyes of the supporters of Liverpool Football Club. Knowing they knew this was the greatest test Liverpool Football Club had ever faced. But knowing they believed this was a test Liverpool Football Club would pass. Knowing they believed. Knowing they believed victory would come,

believing victory would come,

victory would come,

victory –

And now the supporters of Liverpool Football Club were scaling the perimeter of the pitch, the supporters of Liverpool Football Club swarming onto the pitch. Dancing for joy, jumping for joy. Patting the players of Liverpool Football Club on their backs, hoisting the players of Liverpool Football Club onto their own backs. And the officials of UEFA carried a large table onto the pitch. The officials of UEFA placed the huge UEFA Cup on the table. And Tommy Smith stepped out of the carnival of supporters of Liverpool Football Club. Tommy Smith picked up the huge UEFA Cup. And Tommy Smith held aloft the huge UEFA Cup. And the players of Liverpool Football Club reached out and touched the UEFA Cup. They held the UEFA Cup. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club reached out and touched the UEFA Cup. And they held the UEFA Cup, too. The players and the supporters of Liverpool Football Club …

In the dressing room. The away dressing room. Drenched in rain, soaked in sweat. Bill sat on the bench. Drenched in rain and soaked in sweat. Bill listened to the joy of the players of Liverpool Football Club. Drenched in rain, soaked in sweat. Bill listened to the joy of the supporters of Liverpool Football Club. Drenched in rain and soaked in sweat. Bill heard the studs coming down the tunnel. Drenched in rain, soaked in sweat. Bill watched the dressing-room door open. Drenched in rain and soaked in sweat. Tommy Smith carried the huge UEFA Cup into the dressing room. Drenched in rain, soaked in sweat. Tommy Smith handed the huge UEFA Cup to Bill –

Here you are, Boss. There you go. It’s all yours, Boss.

Drenched in rain, soaked in sweat. Bill shook his head. Bill smiled. And Bill said, No, Tommy. It’s all ours …

…

At the airport, at Speke Airport. In the morning, at half past two in the morning. Bill and the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club got off the plane from Germany. And Bill could not believe his eyes. Everywhere he looked, he saw faces. The faces of people. Everywhere. There were hundreds, there were thousands. Hundreds and thousands of people at the airport, at Speke Airport. In the morning, at half past two in the morning. The people waiting to greet the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club, the people waiting to cheer the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club. The people smiling, the people happy. And Bill could not believe his ears. The people all cheering and clapping, the people all shouting and singing, LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL …

And the next evening there was a parade. A parade through the streets of Liverpool. On an open-top bus, on the top deck of the bus. With their two cups, with their two trophies. From Anfield to the centre of the city, to the heart of the city from Anfield. On the open-top bus, on the top deck of the bus. Again. Bill could not believe his eyes. Everywhere he looked, he saw faces. The faces of people. Everywhere. There were hundreds. There were thousands. Hundreds of thousands of people. The people smiling, the people happy. From Anfield to the centre of the city, to the heart of the city from Anfield. Again. Bill could not believe his ears. The people all cheering and clapping, the people all shouting and singing, LI–VER-POOL ,

LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL …

On William Brown Street. Bill got off the bus with the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club. On William Brown Street. Bill walked up the steps to the front of the Picton Library with the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club. Before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill stood with the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club and their families. And before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill still could not believe his eyes. Everywhere Bill looked, Bill saw more faces. The faces of more people. Everywhere. More and more people. Hundreds of thousands more people. More smiling people, more happy people. And before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill still could not believe his ears. These hundreds of thousands of smiling people all cheering and all clapping, these hundreds of thousands of happy people all shouting and all singing, LI–VER-POOL,

LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL …

And on William Brown Street. Before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. With the players and with the staff of Liverpool Football Club and their families. Between the two cups, between the two trophies. Again. Bill fought back tears. Again. Bill struggled to breathe. And again. Bill stepped forward. Again. Bill opened his arms. And again. The people, the hundreds of thousands of people, all fell silent. Just like that . They all fell silent. All silent, all waiting –

Ladies and gentlemen. This is the greatest day of my career. The happiest day of my life. I have known nothing like it as a player or a manager. Because you are the greatest fans in the world. We have won for you. And that is all we are interested in, winning for you. And the reason we have won is because we believe in you and you believe in us. And it’s your faith and your interest that have won us something. Thank God you are all here. Thank God we are all here. Thank you. You don’t know how much we love you. Thank you …

And the people, the hundreds of thousands of people, all cheered and clapped, they all shouted and sang –

SHANK-LEE, SHANK-LEE —

SHANK-LEE …

On William Brown Street. Before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. With the players and with the staff of Liverpool Football Club and their families. Between the two cups, between the two trophies. Bill turned to Ness. Bill took her hand. Bill held her hand. Bill squeezed her hand. And Bill said, Thank you, love. Thank you.

Ness looked up at Bill. And Ness smiled at Bill –

Is this the day, love? Is this the day?

In the summer of 1973, in the second week of July. In the pavilion, the pavilion at Melwood. Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, Reuben Bennett, Ronnie Moran and Tom Saunders stood before the players of Liverpool Football Club. And Bill Shankly looked around the pavilion. The pavilion at Melwood. From player to player. From Phil Boersma to Derek Brownbill, from Derek to Ian Callaghan, from Ian to Ray Clemence, from Ray to Peter Cormack, from Peter to Roy Evans, from Roy to Brian Hall, from Brian to Steve Heighway, from Steve to Emlyn Hughes, from Emlyn to Kevin Keegan, from Kevin to Frankie Lane, from Frankie to Chris Lawler, from Chris to Alec Lindsay, from Alec to Larry Lloyd, from Larry to Hughie McAuley, from Hughie to John McLaughlin, from John to Dave Rylands, from Dave to Tommy Smith, from Tommy to Peter Spiring, from Peter to Trevor Storton, from Trevor to Peter Thompson, from Peter to Phil Thompson, from Phil to John Toshack, from John to Alan Waddle and from Alan to John Webb. Bill Shankly nodded. And Bill Shankly smiled –