David Peace - Red or Dead

And in thanks. Again –

Bill walked onto the pitch. The Wembley pitch. And two young supporters of Liverpool Football Club ran onto the pitch. The Wembley pitch. And the two young supporters fell to their knees on the pitch. The Wembley pitch. On their knees, at the feet of Bill Shankly, kissing the feet of Bill Shankly. And Bill laughed. And Bill said, Make a good job of them boots for me, will you, boys?

And Bill watched Emlyn Hughes lead the players of Liverpool Football Club up the steps. The thirty-nine steps. Bill watched Emlyn Hughes receive the FA Cup from Princess Anne. Bill watched Emlyn Hughes hold the Cup aloft. And Bill heard the supporters of Liverpool Football Club roar, Li-ver-pool, Li-ver-pool –

LI–VER-POOL …

And on the pitch. The Wembley pitch. The gentlemen of the press and radio and television crowded around Bill Shankly. And Bill took off his coat. Bill handed his coat to a television producer. And Bill said, Look after that for me, please. But if you don’t, you’ll have to pay for it. And I got it in Rotterdam. And the fare to Rotterdam is very expensive. So make sure you look after it. But Christ, after today, you should be proud to be holding Bill Shankly’s coat. Proud and humble. Because a lot of you people in the press were making predictions about the final. You were analysing our team when you hadn’t even seen us play. When you had no idea how we play. And that annoyed me. It’s like trying to analyse Jack Dempsey when you haven’t even seen him fight. Well, now you know how we fight. How we fight for each other. And how we play. How we play for each other. And for the supporters of Liverpool Football Club. You have seen us and you have heard them. And I’m happiest not for myself, the players or the staff. But for the multitudes. Because I’m a people’s man. A socialist. And I’m only sorry I couldn’t go amongst them. And speak to them. But I’m happy that we worked religiously. That we didn’t cheat them and that we have something to take back to them tomorrow. And so there’s nothing more to say. So if you gentlemen will excuse me, now I’m going to get a cup of tea and a couple of pies …

SHANK-LEE, SHANK-LEE, SHANK-LEE …

And Bill walked off the pitch. The Wembley pitch. Bill walked down the tunnel. The Wembley tunnel. Bill walked into the dressing room. The Wembley dressing room. Bill looked around the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. And Bill sat down on the bench. The dressing-room bench. In the silence, on his own. His jacket still stuck to his shirt. His shirt still stuck to his vest. His vest still stuck to his skin. In the silence, on his own. Bill closed his eyes. And Bill whispered, That’s it. All the arguments are won …

All but one. Just the one.

…

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. And with the Cup. The FA Cup. Bill stepped forward again. Bill opened his arms again. And again the people, the hundreds of thousands of people, fell silent. Just like that. They all fell silent. And Bill said, Ladies and gentlemen, we have had many great memories at Liverpool Football Club during the last few seasons. But I think today I feel prouder than I have ever done before. Three years ago, I stood here and I said we would go back to Wembley. And yesterday we went back and not only did the team win the Cup, they gave an exhibition of football. But above all else, we are pleased for you. Because it is you who we play for. It’s you who pay our wages. And not only did we win the Cup on the field, we won it on the terraces as well. But now we look to the future. Because that has always got to be done. And we have a great team. They can go on from here because we have been building to this for three years. During which time we have been the best team in the country. The best team in the land. And our consistency over the last three years proves it. We’re good enough to win the League each season. If we did not have to play sixty or seventy games each season. But they are basically a young side. A side that is more than capable of winning the League next year. A young side playing great football, playing pure football. Pure football. And so there is no end to it –

There is no end to it …

After the Cup, after the parade. The speeches and the parties. There was still another game, always another game. And on Wednesday 8 May, 1974, Liverpool Football Club travelled to White Hart Lane, London, to play Tottenham Hotspur in the last game of the season. And Bill Shankly walked into the dressing room. The away dressing room. Bill Shankly looked around the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. From player to player. From Ray Clemence to Tommy Smith. From Alec Lindsay to Phil Thompson. From Peter Cormack to Emlyn Hughes. From Kevin Keegan to Brian Hall. From Steve Heighway to Ian Callaghan. And from Ian Callaghan to Max Thompson. And Bill Shankly walked over to Max Thompson. Bill Shankly sat down on the bench beside Max Thompson. And Bill Shankly put his arm around the shoulders of Max Thompson –

How old are you, lad? How old are you, son?

I’m seventeen, Boss, said Max Thompson.

Aye, said Bill Shankly. I know, son. I know that. You’re seventeen years, one hundred and twenty-nine days old, son. Bob told me. And Bob told me you are the youngest player ever to play for Liverpool Football Club. Did you know that, son?

Yes, Boss. Bob told me and all …

And so are you nervous, son?

Yes, Boss. Very nervous.

That’s natural, son. That’s only natural. But you should be excited, too. Excited and proud. Proud to be pulling on that shirt, proud to be playing for Liverpool Football Club. For the supporters of Liverpool Football Club. And remember, son. There are fifty thousand men and boys on the Kop who dream of pulling on that shirt. Who dream of playing for Liverpool Football Club. Who dream of being in your shoes. In your boots, in that shirt. That red shirt. And believe me, son. Once you’ve pulled on that shirt. Once you’ve played for Liverpool Football Club. You’ll never want to take off that shirt again. You’ll never want it to stop, you’ll never want it to end. So enjoy it, son. Enjoy every second and every minute of it. Every single second of every single minute. Because one day it will stop –

Believe me, son. One day it will end.

…

On Wednesday 8 May, 1974, early in the second half, Chris McGrath scored for Tottenham Hotspur. But in the sixty-seventh minute, Steve Heighway equalised. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Tottenham Hotspur. Away from home,

away from Anfield.

In the house, in their front room. After the whistle, before the whistle. In his chair, before the television. The World Cup on, the World Cup off. Bill turned to Ness. And Bill said, I’ve decided, love. I’ll go now.

Are you sure that’s what you want to do, asked Ness.

Bill shook his head. And Bill said, No, I’m not, love. I’m not sure at all. But I’m not enjoying life, love. I need to get it sorted out.

Well, if it’s making you miserable, love. If it is making you unhappy. All this talking, all this thinking. Then you have to make a decision, love. One way or the other. It’s like living with a time bomb.

Bill nodded. And Bill said, I know, love. And I’m sorry. Because it’s hard on you, love. It’s wearing you out, too. I know that, love. I can see that. But I thought you would bite off my hand, love. I thought you would jump for joy. And say, Yes, love. Now is the time.