David Peace - Red or Dead

Red again.

…

One week after Liverpool Football Club had drawn two-all with Everton Football Club, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Molineux, Wolverhampton. And Liverpool Football Club lost three — two to Wolverhampton Wanderers. One week later, Bolton Wanderers came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, forty-one thousand, one hundred and fifty-five folk came, too. And in the thirty-seventh minute, Roger Hunt scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Bolton Wanderers one — nil. One week after that, Liverpool Football Club lost three — nil to Leicester City. That evening, Liverpool Football Club were thirteenth in the First Division. After thirteen games, they were thirteenth. In the Big League. Everton Football Club were first. In the First Division. Everton Football Club top –

In the Big League –

After the game at Filbert Street, after Liverpool Football Club had travelled back to Anfield. Bob Paisley walked down the corridor. Bob Paisley knocked on the door to the office of Bill Shankly. Bob Paisley opened the door. And Bob Paisley saw Bill Shankly sat behind his desk. Bill Shankly turning the pages of a book, Bill Shankly staring at the pages of the book. And Bob Paisley said, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news, Boss. Some very bad news …

Is there any other kind of news these days, asked Bill Shankly. So go on then, Bob, what is it now?

Bob said, Well, it turns out Jim Furnell has broken a finger.

He’s broken a finger, said Bill Shankly. Only the one?

Bob nodded. And Bob said, Yes. Only the one, Boss. But it’s broken all right. And so he cannot play, Boss. Not for a while …

Go on, said Bill Shankly. So what’s the bad news, Bob?

Bob said, Well, that is the bad news, Boss.

Bad news, laughed Bill Shankly. That’s not bad news, Bob. That’s great news! The best news we’ve had all season, Bob.

How is that great news, Boss? Our keeper is out.

Because it saves me breaking all his other fingers. It saves me telling him he’s dropped. It saves me telling him Tommy Lawrence has got his shirt. That Tommy’s got his shirt and he’ll never give it back. It saves me telling Jim Furnell he’ll never play for Liverpool Football Club again. That’s why it’s great news, Bob. Great news!

And on Saturday 27 October, 1962, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the Hawthorns, Birmingham. But Liverpool Football Club lost one — nil to West Bromwich Albion. It was Tommy Lawrence’s first game in goal for Liverpool Football Club.

…

In the night, the long night. Sidney Reakes, Eric Sawyer and Bill Shankly drove up to Glasgow. They parked outside the Central Hotel on Gordon Street. They walked into the bar of the Central Hotel. And they saw Willie Stevenson sat at the bar. Willie was smoking a Padron Serie 1926 cigar, Willie sipping a Courvoisier cognac.

Good evening, said Bill Shankly. That’s a very fine suit you are wearing, Billy. Did you buy that in Australia?

Willie Stevenson looked up from his brandy. Willie smiled. And Willie said, No. I bought it on Savile Row, Mr Shankly.

Aye, said Bill Shankly. That makes more sense. I didn’t think they made suits as fine as that Down Under. Must be hard to find cigars like that one, too. And a decent brandy. They are not known for their cigars or for their brandy, are they? The Australians?

Willie Stevenson smiled again. And Willie said, No, they are not. You are right, Mr Shankly. But I did not go there for their brandy or for their cigars. I went to Australia for their weather. And I went there to play some football. To play some football …

Ah yes, said Bill Shankly. The football. But do they play any football down there? Football like we do, like we play? I heard they had different rules in Australia, Billy?

Willie Stevenson shook his head. And Willie said, They have their Australian Rules football. But they also play football like we do. Soccer. With the same rules.

Well, I’m glad to hear that, said Bill Shankly. I’m very glad. So then what brought you back, Billy? Back here to Glasgow, back to Rangers. Why didn’t you stay down there, Billy? In the sunshine?

Willie Stevenson took a sip of his cognac. Willie sighed, Willie shook his head. And Willie said, Well, I couldn’t get the permission I needed, Mr Shankly. The clearance to play.

Oh, I’m very sorry to hear that, said Bill Shankly. I’m very sorry indeed. And so that’s why you’ve had to come back then, Billy? Back here to Glasgow, back to Rangers. And back to their reserves?

Willie Stevenson nodded. And Willie said, Yes. But obviously I’m hoping not to be playing in the reserves. I’m hoping for some first-team football. To be playing some proper football …

Is that right, asked Bill Shankly. Well then, I hope that happens for you, Billy. I really do. But I must say, I would be worried …

Willie Stevenson took another sip of his brandy. And then Willie said, And why would you be worried, Mr Shankly?

Well, I’m not a man who normally believes much in luck, said Bill Shankly. Good luck or bad, Billy. I believe a man makes his own luck. Through his determination and through his skill. His determination to use what skill he has, his determination to make that skill work for him. Through hard work, not through luck. But I have to say, Billy. I think you are a very unlucky man …

Willie Stevenson stared down at the end of his cigar. And Willie said, Oh, really? Do you now? So why is that, Mr Shankly? Why do you think I am an unlucky man?

Well, I can tell you why, said Bill Shankly. I can tell you why in two simple words: Jim Baxter. Jim Baxter is a great player. A great player for Rangers Football Club. But you are a great player, too. A player of great ability, a player of great vision. And for you to find yourself in the same squad as a player like Jim Baxter, a player in the very same position as yourself. Now that is unlucky. That is why you are an unlucky man, Billy. But it happens. It happens in football.

Willie Stevenson took another sip of his brandy. And then Willie nodded. And Willie said, And it’s happened to me …

Yes, said Bill Shankly. It’s happened to you. But you’re not the first and you won’t be the last. I’ve seen it before, many times before. And it’s never nice, Billy. Never pleasant. Because it reduces a man. It reduces a man to hoping for the worst for another man, for his teammate. Reduces him to sitting in bars, drinking and brooding, hoping that the other man gets injured, or loses his form. And that’s no way for a man to live, Billy. For any man to live. Hoping for the worst for another man, his fellow man, his teammate. Drinking and brooding, hoping for the worst, for a broken leg for another man. For a bloody piano to fall from the sky onto the head of another man. That’s no way to live, is it, Billy? Not for a man of your ability, a man of your talent.

Willie Stevenson nodded. And Willie said, So then what do you suggest I do about it, Mr Shankly?

Well, I suggest you change your luck, said Bill Shankly. And I suggest you change your life, Billy. It might not have worked out for you in Australia. But it can work out for you in Liverpool. So I suggest you join us, Billy. I suggest you join Liverpool Football Club. Where you can play some football. Some first-team football. In the First Division, in the Big League. Where you belong, Billy. A player of your ability, a player of your vision. At Liverpool Football Club, Billy. In the First Division, in the Big League. Where you bloody belong.

Willie Stevenson said, I’ll need to have a think about it.

Well, I’ll tell you what, said Bill Shankly. Why don’t we take you for a little drive, Billy? Take you for a wee drive so you can have your little think? How about we all do that, Billy?

Willie Stevenson nodded. Willie put out his cigar, Willie finished his cognac. And then Willie followed Bill Shankly, Eric Sawyer and Sidney Reakes out of the bar and into the street to the car.