David Peace - Red or Dead

On Saturday 6 January, 1962, the world and forty-eight thousand, four hundred and fifty-five folk came to Anfield, Liverpool. Oh, when the saints . The world and forty-eight thousand, four hundred and fifty-five folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Chelsea Football Club in the Third Round of the FA Cup. Go marching in . The world and the Kop. Oh, when the saints go marching in . The Kop clapping, the Kop cheering. Lord, how I want to be in that number . The Kop shouting and the Kop singing. When the saints go marching in. A wall of sound, a sea of noise. We are travelling in the footsteps . A sound so great the Chelsea players trembled on the pitch. Of those who’ve gone before . A noise so loud the Chelsea players could not hear the referee blow his whistle. And we’ll all be reunited . In a din, a din. On a new and sunlit shore . A din so deafening, a din so intimidating. Oh, when the saints, go marching in . That never let up and never subsided, that had the Chelsea players kicking the ball anywhere. Oh, when the saints go marching in . Anywhere for a moment’s peace, for a moment’s respite. Lord, how I want to be in that number . But there was no peace, there was no respite. When the saints go marching in. Not from the din and not from the team. And when the sun, refuse to shine. The team in red shirts, white shorts and white socks. Oh, when the sun refuse to shine. The team that came again and again at the Chelsea players. Lord, how I want to be in that number . Again and again, wave after wave, attack after attack. When the sun refuse to shine. The sound behind the team in red shirts, white shorts and white socks. And when the moon, turns red with blood . The noise of forty-eight thousand, four hundred and fifty-five folk clapping and cheering, shouting and singing. Oh, when the moon turns red with blood . The din and then the roar. Lord, how I want to be in that number . The roar in the sixteenth minute as Ian St John scored. When the moon turns red with blood . The roar of a goal. Oh, when the trumpet, sounds its call . A Liverpool goal. Oh, when the trumpet sounds its call . The roar and then, then a sudden silence. A sudden silence as Tambling equalised for Chelsea. One-all. One-all and Bill Shankly was on his feet. On his feet, his arms outstretched. Cajoling his team, rallying his team. Orchestrating and conducting. Not only the team. Orchestrating and conducting the crowd. Lord, how I want to be in that number . The forty-eight thousand, four hundred and fifty-five crowd inside Anfield, Liverpool. When the trumpet sounds its call . The crowd and the Kop. Some say this world of trouble. The Kop clapping again, the Kop cheering again. Is the only one we need . Shouting again and singing again. But I’m waiting for that morning . Roaring. When the new world is revealed . Roaring again in the twenty-eighth minute as Roger Hunt scored. Oh, when the new world is revealed . Two — one. Oh, when the new world is revealed. Roaring again in the forty-first minute as St John scored his second. Lord, how I want to be in that number. Three — one. When the new world is revealed . Roaring again as Jimmy Melia hit one post. Oh, when the saints . Roaring again as Ian Callaghan hit the other. Go marching in . Roaring again and again as Bonetti made save after save. Oh, when the saints go marching in. Then roaring again, louder than ever, roaring again in the forty-fourth minute as Alan A’Court scored. Lord, how I want to be in that number . Four — one –

When the saints go marching in …

At half-time, in the dressing room, the home dressing room. With a cup of tea or with a slice of orange. The players of Liverpool Football Club sat on the benches and the players of Liverpool Football caught their breath. And Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Reuben Bennett went from player to player. From Slater to Molyneux, Molyneux to Byrne, Byrne to Milne, Milne to Yeats, Yeats to Leishman, Leishman to Callaghan, Callaghan to Hunt, Hunt to St John, St John to Melia and Melia to A’Court. Praising them and cautioning them. Praising them for the job they had done, cautioning them for the job to come. The job still half done,

a half still to come –

The referee blew his whistle again and the forty-eight thousand, four hundred and fifty-five folk began to clap again, began to cheer again. But they did not clap as often, they did not cheer as much. They still shouted and they still sang. But they did not shout as loud, they did not sing as long. The forty-eight thousand, four hundred and fifty-five folk inside Anfield, Liverpool, began to think the job was done, began to think the game was over. But in the sixty-seventh minute, Tambling scored again. Four — two. Nine minutes later, Bridges scored. Four — three. And now the forty-eight thousand, four hundred and fifty-five folk did not clap at all, they did not cheer at all. They did not shout and they did not sing. The forty-eight thousand, four hundred and fifty-five folk inside Anfield, Liverpool, held their breath. In silence. For minute after minute. They held their breath. In silence. For long minute after longer minute. They held their breath. In silence. For eternal minute after eternal minute. They held their breath –

In silence. Silence

until, until,

until –

The referee raised his hand. Slowly. The referee put the whistle to his lips. Slowly. The referee spread his arms wide. And then, for the final time, for the last time, the referee blew his whistle, his whistle that became the roar, the roar of forty-eight thousand, four hundred and fifty-five Liverpool folk clapping and cheering, shouting and singing, the roar that became a cry, one huge and joyous cry of victory, of victory and of celebration, of communal victory,

of communal celebration –

Oh, when the reds. Liverpool Football Club had beaten Chelsea Football Club four — three. Go marching in. Liverpool Football Club had won. Oh, when the reds go marching in . And the world had watched. Lord, how I want to be in that number . The world had watched Liverpool Football Club. When the reds go marching in …

And the world had heard –

Go marching in! In! In …

Had heard the Kop –

The Reds! Reds! Reds …

The Spion Kop –

Go marching in, go marching on …

…

One week after Liverpool Football Club had beaten Chelsea Football Club in the Cup, Norwich City came to Anfield, Liverpool. And Liverpool Football Club beat Norwich City in the League. Just. Liverpool Football Club were still first in the Second Division. Just. Liverpool Football Club now had thirty-seven points. But Leyton Orient now had thirty-five points. They had won eight games in a row and they were unbeaten in twelve. One week later, Leyton Orient won again. Leyton Orient now had thirty-seven points. But Liverpool Football Club had only thirty-eight points. Liverpool Football Club had drawn one-all with Scunthorpe United. Away from home, away from Anfield. On Saturday 27 January, 1962, Liverpool Football Club went to Boundary Park, Oldham. And Liverpool Football Club beat Oldham Athletic two — one in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. One week after that, Brighton and Hove Albion came to Anfield, Liverpool. And Liverpool Football Club beat Brighton and Hove Albion three — one. One week later, Liverpool Football Club beat Bury Football Club three — nil. Roger Hunt had scored all three goals. His fourth hat-trick of the season. Roger Hunt had now scored twenty-nine goals in twenty-eight games. And Liverpool Football Club now had forty-two points. Liverpool Football Club still first in the Second Division.