David Peace - Red or Dead

the Big One.

Up in Manchester, up at Old Trafford. That afternoon, in the eighty-fourth minute, Denis Law scored for Manchester City. And some of the supporters of Manchester United ran onto the pitch. And Matt Busby appealed to the supporters of Manchester United to get off the pitch. So the game could finish. For the sake of the club. For the sake of Manchester United. But some of the supporters of Manchester United would not get off the pitch. For the sake of the club. For the sake of Manchester United. And so the match could not finish. The match abandoned. But the result still stood. Manchester United had lost one — nil to Manchester City. At home, at Old Trafford. Manchester United were relegated from the First Division.

…

In the dressing room. The Wembley dressing room. Bill pinned a newspaper cutting to the wall. The Wembley wall. And Bill looked around the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. From player to player. The sixteen players of Liverpool Football Club. And Bill said, There you go, boys. That’s what Supermac says he’s going to do to us. How many goals he is going to score against us. How he is going to destroy us. And what he says about us. That we are overrated and that we have no pace. Well, he’s done his talking. So now let’s do our playing, boys. And so our team today will be Clemence, Smith, Lindsay, Thompson, Cormack, Hughes, Keegan, Hall, Heighway, Toshack and Callaghan. And our twelfth man will be Lawler …

And in the dressing room. The Wembley dressing room. Phil Boersma stood up. And Phil Boersma shook his head –

My days of playing for this club are over …

And Phil Boersma walked out of the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. Down the corridor. The Wembley corridor. And out of the stadium. Wembley Stadium.

…

On the bench, the Wembley bench. Bill moved his arms, Bill moved his hands. For every ball, for every run. And every pass. And Callaghan passed to Lindsay. Lindsay crossed for Toshack. Toshack leapt for the cross. Toshack headed on the cross for Keegan. But Kennedy leapt. And Kennedy headed the ball over the bar. The Newcastle bar. And on the bench, the Wembley bench. Bill moved his arms again, Bill moved his hands again. For every ball, for every run. And every pass. And Heighway passed to Keegan. Keegan ran with the ball. Keegan beat Howard. Keegan crossed for Toshack. But McFaul got to the ball. McFaul saved. On the bench, the Wembley bench. Bill moved his arms, Bill moved his hands. For every ball, for every run. And every pass. And Smith passed to Keegan. Keegan chested down the ball. Keegan passed to Toshack. And Toshack shot. And Toshack missed. And on the bench, the Wembley bench. Again Bill moved his arms, again Bill moved his hands. For every ball, for every run. And every pass. And Callaghan passed to Heighway. Heighway ran. Heighway crossed the ball. But Howard cleared the ball off the goal line. The Newcastle goal line. And at half-time. On the bench, the Wembley bench. His vest stuck to his skin. Bill stood up, Bill got to his feet. And Bill walked down the touchline. The Wembley touchline. Bill walked down the tunnel. The Wembley tunnel. Bill walked into the dressing room. The Wembley dressing room. And Bill looked around the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. From player to player. From Clemence to Smith. From Lindsay to Thompson. From Cormack to Hughes. From Keegan to Hall. From Heighway to Toshack. And from Toshack to Callaghan. And Bill said, Well done, boys. Well played indeed. You’ll win three or four — nil. I have no doubt, boys. No doubt at all. Three or four — nil. You mark my words, boys. Three — nil. You mark my words …

And back on the bench, the Wembley bench. Bill moved his arms again, Bill moved his hands again. For every ball, for every run. And every pass. And Hughes passed to Heighway. Heighway passed to Keegan. Keegan passed to Toshack. Toshack passed to Cormack. Cormack passed to Keegan. And Keegan shot. And Keegan missed. And on the bench, the Wembley bench. Bill moved his arms, Bill moved his hands. For every ball, for every run. And every tackle. And Lindsay won a tackle. Lindsay ran with the ball. Lindsay passed to Keegan. Keegan dummied the ball. The ball hit Howard. The ball bounced back to Lindsay. Lindsay struck the ball on the bounce. Lindsay volleyed the ball. Into the far corner of the net. The Newcastle net and the Newcastle goal. A goal of class, of different class. A disallowed goal. Offside. And so the goal did not count, the goal did not matter. But on the bench, the Wembley bench. Bill moved his arms again, Bill moved his hands again. For every ball, for every run. And every throw-in. And Heighway took a throw-in to Smith. Smith crossed the ball. Hall dived for the ball. The ball ran to Keegan. Keegan flicked up the ball. And Keegan volleyed the ball. Into the net and into a goal. A goal that counted, a goal that mattered. A goal that paid the rent. But on the bench, the Wembley bench. Bill was still moving his arms, Bill was still moving his hands. For every ball, for every run. And every free kick. And Cormack rolled a free kick to Hughes. And Hughes shot. And Hughes missed. By inches. And on the bench, the Wembley bench. Bill moved his arms, Bill moved his hands. For every ball, for every run. And every pass. And Toshack passed to Hall. Hall passed to Callaghan. Callaghan passed to Smith. Smith passed to Hall. Hall passed back to Smith. Smith passed to Keegan. Keegan passed to Heighway. And Heighway shot. And Heighway missed. And on the bench, the Wembley bench. Bill moved his arms again, Bill moved his hands again. For every ball, for every run. And every kick. And Clemence kicked the ball long up the pitch. Toshack flicked on the ball to Heighway. And Heighway shot. And Heighway scored. And on the bench, the Wembley bench. His shirt stuck to his vest. His vest stuck to his skin. Bill stood up, Bill got to his feet. And Bill turned to the supporters of Liverpool Football Club. And Bill raised his arm. His hand and his finger. In salute. And then Bill sat back down. On the bench, the Wembley bench. Bill moving his arms, Bill moving his hands. For every ball, for every run. And every header. And Thompson headed the ball down to Callaghan. Callaghan flicked on the ball to Keegan. Keegan crossed for Toshack. And Toshack shot. And Toshack missed. But on the bench, the Wembley bench. Bill still moved his arms, Bill still moved his hands. For every ball, for every run. And every pass. And Keegan passed long across the pitch to Smith. Smith flicked on the ball to Hall. Hall passed back to Smith. Smith passed to Heighway. Heighway passed back to Smith. Smith crossed the ball. And Keegan met the cross. Keegan hit the cross. Into the net and into the goal. The Newcastle net and the Newcastle goal. Newcastle United undressed now, Newcastle United stretched naked now. Naked and lost. In a nightmare, in broad daylight. And on the bench, the Wembley bench. His jacket stuck to his shirt. His shirt stuck to his vest. His vest stuck to his skin. Bill looked at his watch. And now Bill moved his arms one last time. Now Bill stretched out his arms. And now Bill moved his hands one last time. Now Bill waved his hands in front of him. And Bill said, That’s it. It’s all over …

And the referee put his whistle in his mouth. The referee raised his hands above his head. And the referee blew his whistle. And Liverpool Football Club had beaten Newcastle United three — nil. Liverpool Football Club had won the FA Cup. Again.

And on the bench, the Wembley bench. His coat stuck to his jacket. His jacket stuck to his shirt. His shirt stuck to his vest. His vest stuck to his skin. Bill stood up again, Bill got to his feet again. And Bill turned to the supporters of Liverpool Football Club again. And Bill Shankly raised his arm again. His hand again –

His finger again. In salute again –