David Peace - Red or Dead

On Saturday 17 February, 1962, Preston North End came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, fifty-four thousand, nine hundred and sixty-seven folk came, too. Fifty-four thousand, nine hundred and sixty-seven folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Preston North End in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup. Fifty-four thousand, nine hundred and sixty-seven folk to watch Liverpool Football Club draw nil — nil with Preston North End. Three days after that, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Deepdale, Preston. And Liverpool Football Club were twenty-five minutes late. Because of the traffic around the ground. Because of the crowd around the ground. The gates of the ground had to be closed half an hour before kick-off. And inside the ground, Liverpool Football Club drew nil — nil with Preston North End again. Nil — nil again, after extra time. There was nothing to choose between the sides. Four days later, Middlesbrough Football Club came to Anfield. Ian St John scored two goals. And Roger Hunt scored three. His fifth hat-trick of the season. And Liverpool Football Club beat Middlesbrough Football Club five — one. Two days after, just two days later, on Monday 26 February, 1962, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Old Trafford, Manchester. Forty-three thousand, nine hundred and forty-four folk came, too. Forty-three thousand, nine hundred and forty-four folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Preston North End in the second replay of the Fifth Round of the FA Cup. On a snow-covered, frozen pitch. Where players slipped, where players fell. In the snow, on the pitch. They slipped and they fell. All except Peter Thompson. And in the two hundred and sixty-sixth minute of the tie, the tie that over one hundred and thirty-six thousand folk had paid to watch, Peter Thompson kept his feet. He did not slip, he did not fall, And Peter Thompson scored –

The only goal.

After the whistle, the final whistle. In the dressing room, their dressing room at Old Trafford. The players and the coaching staff of Preston North End were celebrating. And then the players and the coaching staff of Preston North End heard a knock upon the dressing-room door. And the players and the coaching staff of Preston North End saw Bill Shankly step into their dressing room, the Preston dressing room. And Bill Shankly went from player to player. Patting their backs, shaking their hands. Bill Shankly congratulated them all. And then Bill Shankly sat down on the bench next to Peter Thompson. Bill Shankly patted his back, Bill Shankly shook his hand –

Christ, you played well, said Bill Shankly. Over all three games, son. You were the best player on the pitch. The best player by far, son. And so I won’t forget you. I won’t forget you, son. So don’t you forget me. Don’t you forget me, son …

…

The morning after the night before, the cold morning after the Cup night before. The directors of Liverpool Football Club were sitting in the boardroom at Anfield. Again. The directors of Liverpool Football Club were waiting for Bill Shankly. And again. The directors of Liverpool Football Club heard the footsteps in the corridor outside. Again. The fast steps, the heavy steps. Again. The knock upon the boardroom door. Again. Fast and heavy, very fast and very heavy.

And Tom Williams said, Come in, please.

Bill Shankly opened the door. Again. Bill Shankly stepped into the room. Again. Bill Shankly looked around the boardroom. Again. From director to director. And again. Bill Shankly waited.

Tom Williams said, Sit down, please.

Bill Shankly walked to the end of the long table. Again. Bill Shankly sat down in the empty chair at the end of the table. And again. Bill Shankly looked up the long table.

The directors of Liverpool Football Club looked back down the long table at Bill Shankly. The directors of Liverpool Football Club smiled down the long table at Bill Shankly. And Tom Williams said, Bad luck in the Cup, Mr Shankly. Hard luck. But it is still a good season, Mr Shankly. A very good season. And we are all still behind you, Mr Shankly. We are all still sure we can get promotion. And we are all still sure you are the man who can get us promotion.

I’m very pleased to hear that, said Bill Shankly. But if we are to get promoted, if we are to be Champions. If we are sure to be promoted, if we are sure to be Champions. Then we need a new goalkeeper. We need to buy a new goalkeeper.

The directors of Liverpool Football Club looked at each other. The directors of Liverpool Football Club shook their heads. And Tom Williams said, But we have a good goalkeeper, Mr Shankly. A very good goalkeeper who has helped take us to the top of the table. We are still first in the Second Division. We are still at the top of the table, Mr Shankly. The very top of the table …

I know very well where we are, said Bill Shankly. Very well where we are now. But it is still only February. If we want to be top of the table at the end of the season, if we want to be top when it matters. Then we need a new goalkeeper. We need a new bloody keeper.

The directors of Liverpool Football Club looked at each other. Again. The directors of Liverpool Football Club shook their heads. And Tom Williams said, But what is wrong with the keeper we have, Mr Shankly? What is the problem with the keeper we have?

He is too short, said Bill Shankly. And he has let in twenty-seven goals in the League. And five in the Cup. Because he is too short.

Tom Williams said, He was just unfortunate in the Cup, Mr Shankly. He was just very unlucky against Preston …

He wasn’t unfortunate, said Bill Shankly. He wasn’t unlucky. He was too short. And that is one of the reasons we lost. Because he was too short. Because he is too short. It has nothing to do with fortune. Nothing to do with luck. It has everything to do with size. Everything to do with size. The man is simply too short.

Eric Sawyer asked, So who do you want, Mr Shankly? Who do you have in mind to replace him?

Jim Furnell, said Bill Shankly. From Burnley.

Eric Sawyer asked, But would Burnley really sell him?

Yes, said Bill Shankly. Burnley will sell him.

And how much would they want for him?

Eighteen thousand pounds.

The directors of Liverpool Football Club looked at each other. Again. The directors of Liverpool Football Club looked down the long table at Bill Shankly. And Tom Williams said, But how can you be so certain, Mr Shankly? How can you be so sure Burnley will sell us this man Furnell for eighteen thousand pounds?

Because I have already asked them, said Bill Shankly. I’ve already asked and they’ve already agreed. That’s why I am so certain.

…

On Saturday 3 March, 1962, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Fellows Park, Walsall. But Bert Slater did not travel to Fellows Park, Walsall. Bill Shankly had dropped Bert Slater. Bert Slater had played ninety-six consecutive games for Liverpool Football Club. But Bert Slater would never play another game for Liverpool Football Club. On Saturday 3 March, 1962, Jim Furnell travelled to Fellows Park, Walsall. It was Jim Furnell’s first match for Liverpool Football Club. Jim Furnell conceded one goal on his debut. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Walsall Football Club. One week after that, Derby County came to Anfield, Liverpool. And Liverpool Football Club beat Derby County four — one. Liverpool Football Club were still first in the Second Division. And Leyton Orient were still second.

On Saturday 17 March, 1962, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Brisbane Road, London. Ten minutes before kick-off, Bill Shankly burst into the away dressing room at Leyton Orient. Bill Shankly took a photograph from his pocket. Bill Shankly showed the photograph to every player, to Furnell, Byrne, Moran, Milne, Yeats, Leishman, Callaghan, Hunt, St John, Melia and A’Court –