David Peace - Red or Dead

The most important thing is to believe in yourself, Bill Shankly would always say. For the players to believe in themselves, for the players to believe in the team. In the club and in their supporters. And then nothing will stop you, Tony. Because you have all the ingredients needed for success here. You have a nice, clean and tidy ground. And you are a good manager. You have a good training schedule. You have the right approach to your matches. You have a plan that works. A plan you stick to. And so Altrincham are a fine football club.

And for the past three seasons, Altrincham Football Club had reached the Third Round of the FA Cup. In January, 1979, Altrincham had gone to White Hart Lane and drawn one-all with Tottenham Hotspur. And then Tottenham Hotspur had come to Moss Lane and beaten Altrincham three — nil. In January, 1980, Leyton Orient had come to Moss Lane and drawn one-all with Altrincham. And then Altrincham had gone to Brisbane Road and lost two — one to Leyton Orient. And now in January, 1981, Altrincham had drawn Liverpool Football Club in the Third Round of the FA Cup. Away from Moss Lane, away at Anfield Road, Liverpool.

On the bus, the Altrincham bus to Anfield. The Altrincham players saw Bill Shankly sat beside Tony Sanders at the front of the bus. On the Altrincham bus to Anfield. Bill Shankly not saying anything, Bill Shankly just looking out of the window of the bus. On the Altrincham bus to Anfield. Bill Shankly turned to Tony Sanders –

If you were to beat Liverpool today, Tony. If you were to win at Anfield today. It would be the giant-killing of the century, Tony. The biggest bloody giant-killing in history! David’s victory over Goliath would have nothing on you and your boys, Tony.

Tony Sanders nodded. Tony Sanders smiled. And Tony Sanders said, And do you think there’s any chance of that, Bill?

Do you want my honest opinion, asked Bill Shankly.

Tony Sanders nodded again. Tony Sanders smiled again. And Tony Sanders said, I’ve never known you give anything else, Bill.

Your problem is Liverpool, said Bill Shankly. Liverpool are different from any other football club. The players of Liverpool Football Club will treat your players as professionals. The players of Liverpool Football Club will treat your players with respect. There are no days off at Anfield, there are no slack days. And so Liverpool Football Club will treat this match like they treat every match. They will treat Altrincham like they would treat Manchester United. And so they will go out to beat you, Tony. They will go out to win.

Tony Sanders nodded. Tony Sanders smiled. And Tony Sanders said, Then we’re going to need all the help we can get. And we could never thank you enough for all you have done for us already, Bill. You have strengthened us in so many ways. And you have saved us a great deal of money, too. Money we didn’t have. And so as I say, I could never thank you enough, Bill. And I know you’ve said you don’t want to talk about tactics. Not against Liverpool. And I understand your reasons, Bill. And I respect them, I do. But do you think you could just have a word with my lads in the dressing room? Before the match. Just a few words, Bill?

In the dressing room at Anfield. The away dressing room at Anfield. The Altrincham dressing room at Anfield. The players of Altrincham Football Club listened to the noise of the Kop. The chanting and the singing. The roar of the Spion Kop. And the players of Altrincham Football Club looked down at their boots. Their empty, hollow boots. And then the players of Altrincham Football Club heard the dressing-room door open. The away dressing-room door. And the players of Altrincham Football Club looked up. And the players of Altrincham Football Club saw Bill Shankly standing in the centre of the dressing room. The away dressing room at Anfield, the visitors’ dressing room at Anfield. Bill Shankly looking from player to player. From Connaughton to Allan. From Allan to Davison. From Davison to Bailey. From Bailey to Owens. From Owens to King. From King to Barrow. From Barrow to Heathcote. From Heathcote to Johnson. From Johnson to Rogers. And from Rogers to Howard. And the players of Altrincham Football Club waited for Bill Shankly to speak. To inspire them and to motivate them. In the away dressing room at Anfield, in the visitors’ dressing room at Anfield. Bill Shankly opened his mouth. Bill Shankly closed his mouth. And then Bill Shankly looked around the dressing room again. The away dressing room at Anfield. The visitors’ dressing room at Anfield. And Bill Shankly looked at John King. Bill Shankly pointed at John King. And Bill Shankly smiled –

You all see that man there? That man John King, lads? Well, I once tried to sign him. But he wouldn’t listen to me. Oh no! And so he signed for Everton. Bloody Everton! But if he had listened to me. If he had signed for me. Then he would have been playing here every week. Every bloody week! And I would have curbed him. Oh yes! And I would have made him captain of England. But now he’s got his chance to finally play here. And I tell you this, lads. He’ll remember this day, he’ll remember this game for the rest of his life. And so will all of you, lads. Because remember, there are many men who will play their entire careers, their entire football careers, without playing a game at Anfield, without kicking a ball here. In this ground, on this grass. And so this is a game, this is a day you will always remember, lads. And so make sure when you do look back, when you do remember. You can all say, I gave it my best. My very best shot. And I enjoyed it. Every minute of it. Every single bloody minute!

In the twenty-seventh minute, McDermott scored. In the thirty-ninth minute, Dalglish scored. In the fifty-fourth minute, Dalglish scored again. And in the seventy-first minute, Altrincham won a penalty. And Heathcote scored the penalty. In front of the Kop, the Spion Kop. And in the eighty-eighth minute, Ray Kennedy scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Altrincham Football Club four — one in the Third Round of the FA Cup –

At Anfield, at home.

In the house, in their hall. The letters still came and the telephone still rang. But not the letters from clubs, not the calls from chairmen. Not these days. But in the house, in their hall. The letters from charities still came, the calls from hospitals still came. The Royal Society for the Blind on Merseyside and the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Letters Bill always wanted to answer, calls Bill always wanted to take. And in the house, in their hall. Other letters came, other calls came. Letters from local businesses asking Bill to help them win contracts, calls from local radio and television asking Bill to appear on their shows. And if he could still help, if he could still make people happy. Then Bill was still happy to help. Once or twice a week. Sometimes three, even four times a week. Bill would put on his suit again. Bill would put on his tie again. And Bill would kiss Ness goodbye again.

In the car park of Granada Television Studios in Manchester. Bill got out of the car. Bill walked across the car park. Bill walked into Granada Television Studios. Bill walked up to reception. And Bill said, Hello. My name is Bill Shankly. I am here for the Live from Two show. I am to be a guest on the show today …

The man on the reception desk nodded. The man on the reception desk picked up the telephone. And then the man on the reception desk asked Bill to wait for someone to come down and take him along to the studio. And Bill waited in the reception. And then Bill followed a young woman along to the studio. Along to the dressing room. And Bill sat in the dressing room at the Granada Television Studios. On his own, in the dressing room. Before the mirror, in the dressing room. In his grey suit and his white shirt. And his red and white striped tie. In the dressing room, in the mirror. Bill waited for the other guest to arrive. And then the dressing-room door opened. And Sir Harold Wilson came into the dressing room. With his two bodyguards, his protection. His special protection. And Bill got up from his chair. And Bill shook hands with Sir Harold Wilson. And Bill said, It’s good to see you, Sir Harold. It’s great to see you. How are you, Sir Harold? How are you? I was very sorry to hear you were so ill last year. And so I was very pleased to hear you would be coming on this show today. In fact, it was one of the reasons I said yes …