David Peace - Red or Dead

Bill smiled. Bill nodded. And Bill picked up his cup.

But it didn’t happen overnight, said Matt Busby. Not overnight, Bill. There were still many more battles. And there are still many battles. There are always battles. Always battles. But I never resigned, Bill. I have never resigned. Because I would never let them force my hand. I would never let them dictate the terms to me. So I never resigned, Bill. I’ve never resigned. Because I would never give them the satisfaction, Bill. I would never give them that satisfaction. And so that is my advice to you, Bill. Never give them the satisfaction.

…

In the boardroom, the Anfield boardroom. In the chair, the chair at the end of the long table. Bill stared down the long table at the directors of Liverpool Football Club. And Bill waited.

But Morrissey did not play a single game last season, said the directors of Liverpool Football Club. Not one in the season in which we were promoted, in which we were Champions. A’Court played in his position. In every game. So we thought Morrissey was not needed. We thought he was surplus to our requirements. We thought you would not mind, Mr Shankly. We thought you would not object.

Bill said, Well, you were wrong. You were all bloody wrong. Because I do mind. And I do object. Because he was far from surplus to our requirements. He was needed. He is only twenty-two years old. He is a fine prospect. And Harry Catterick obviously agrees. Obviously agrees with me. That is why Everton Football Club have bought him. That is why they have paid ten thousand pounds for him. And that should tell you everything. That should tell you what a mistake you have made. Against my wishes. And behind my back.

We did not realise you would feel so strongly about this, said the directors of Liverpool Football Club. But now the deal is done.

Bill nodded. And Bill said, Aye. The deal is done. But I still feel very, very strongly about it. Very, very strongly that you have made a mistake. A very, very grave mistake. And let me tell you another thing I feel very, very strongly about. Let me tell you this: if you ever go against my wishes again, if you ever go behind my back again. Then it will be the last time. The very last time. Because I am the manager of Liverpool Football Club. And so I decide who stays and who goes. Who plays and who doesn’t. And if anyone in this room, if anyone around this table, does not accept that I am the manager of Liverpool Football Club, does not agree that I am the man who decides who stays and who goes, who plays and who doesn’t, then they should say so now, they should speak up now. And then I’ll be gone. I’ll be on my way. So speak up now. Speak up now …

In the boardroom, the Anfield boardroom. There was silence.

And in the boardroom, the Anfield boardroom. At the end of the table, the long table. Bill got to his feet. And Bill walked out of the boardroom, the Anfield boardroom. Bill went back down the stairs. Bill went back into his office. Bill closed the door. And Bill sat back down. At his desk, in his chair. Bill took out the envelope from his jacket pocket. Bill opened the bottom drawer of his desk. And Bill put the envelope in the drawer. And Bill shut the drawer. For now.

On Saturday 18 August, 1962, on the first day of the 1962–63 season, Blackpool Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, fifty-one thousand, two hundred and seven folk came, too. Fifty-one thousand, two hundred and seven folk to watch Liverpool Football Club’s first game in the First Division for eight seasons –

Before the whistle, the first whistle of Liverpool Football Club’s first game in the First Division. In the dressing room, the home dressing room. Jim Furnell, Gerry Byrne, Ronnie Moran, Gordon Milne, Ron Yeats, Tommy Leishman, Kevin Lewis, Roger Hunt, Ian St John, Jimmy Melia and Alan A’Court sat on the benches. In their kits and in their boots. Jim Furnell, Gerry Byrne, Ronnie Moran, Gordon Milne, Ron Yeats, Tommy Leishman, Kevin Lewis, Roger Hunt, Ian St John, Jimmy Melia and Alan A’Court waited for Bill Shankly. In their kits and in their boots. Jim Furnell, Gerry Byrne, Ronnie Moran, Gordon Milne, Ron Yeats, Tommy Leishman, Kevin Lewis, Roger Hunt, Ian St John, Jimmy Melia and Alan A’Court heard the footsteps in the corridor outside the dressing room. The fast steps, the heavy steps. And Jim Furnell, Gerry Byrne, Ronnie Moran, Gordon Milne, Ron Yeats, Tommy Leishman, Kevin Lewis, Roger Hunt, Ian St John, Jimmy Melia and Alan A’Court looked up from the benches. And now Jim Furnell, Gerry Byrne, Ronnie Moran, Gordon Milne, Ron Yeats, Tommy Leishman, Kevin Lewis, Roger Hunt, Ian St John, Jimmy Melia and Alan A’Court saw Bill Shankly. Bill Shankly in his hat and coat, Bill Shankly on pins and needles –

What a day, said Bill Shankly. What a day this is, boys! Can you hear that crowd? Can you hear them, lads? They cannot wait and I cannot wait. Because this is what we have been waiting for, boys. This is what we have been working for. The Big League, lads! This is what we have been dreaming about and what the supporters have been dreaming about. Playing in the Big League, boys. This is what it’s all about. And so this is where it all starts, lads! Today …

In the eightieth minute, Kevin Lewis scored. But Liverpool Football Club lost two — one to Blackpool Football Club. In their first game in the First Division and for the first time since New Year’s Eve of 1960. At home, at Anfield. Liverpool Football Club had lost.

On Wednesday 22 August, 1962, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Maine Road, Manchester. And Liverpool Football Club drew two-all with Manchester City. On Saturday 25 August, 1962, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Ewood Park, Blackburn. And Liverpool Football Club lost one — nil to Blackburn Rovers. That evening, Liverpool Football Club had one point from three games. That evening, in the first published League table of the new season, Everton Football Club were joint top of the First Division with Wolverhampton Wanderers. And that evening, Liverpool Football Club were joint bottom of the First Division with Leyton Orient.

On Wednesday 29 August, 1962, Manchester City came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, forty-six thousand and seventy-three folk came, too. In the third minute, Ian St John scored. In the fifty-fifth minute, Roger Hunt scored. In the sixty-fifth minute, Alan A’Court scored. And four minutes later, Hunt scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Manchester City four — one. At home, at Anfield. Liverpool Football Club had won their first game in the First Division. In the Big League –

In September, 1962, Liverpool Football Club beat Sheffield United. Then they lost at West Ham United, then they lost at Nottingham Forest. Then they beat West Ham United at home, then they drew with Ipswich Town at home. Liverpool Football Club were now eleventh in the First Division. Everton Football Club still second in the First Division.

…

In the night, they came. With cans of paint, through the park. Between the houses and over the walls. In the night, they came. Into Goodison Park, with cans of paint. To paint the goals and to paint them red. The Everton goals, they painted them red –

The Everton goals, at Goodison Park –

On Saturday 22 September, 1962, seventy-two thousand, four hundred and eighty-eight folk came to Goodison Park, Liverpool. Seventy-two thousand, four hundred and eighty-eight folk to watch the first League meeting of Everton Football Club and Liverpool Football Club for eleven years. Not since 1951 had these two football clubs played each other in a League fixture. Not until today. Today the shops of Liverpool were empty, today the streets of Liverpool were deserted. But there was no peace, there was no quiet. The ground shook, the air roared. Back across the city, out across the river. The ground shook and the air roared. It shook and it roared with the voices of the seventy-two thousand, four hundred and eighty-eight folk packed inside Goodison Park, Liverpool –