David Peace - Red or Dead

Indefinitely.

But Liverpool Football Club borrowed halls. Halls from schools. And Liverpool Football Club trained in the halls. The halls of schools. Liverpool Football Club organised friendly games. Friendly games overseas. Liverpool Football Club braved the seas. The Irish seas. And Liverpool Football Club travelled to Ireland. Liverpool Football Club trained in Dublin. Liverpool Football Club played in Dublin. And Liverpool Football Club beat Drumcondra Football Club five — one at Tolka Park, Dublin. And then Liverpool Football Club travelled back. Back to Merseyside, back to school. Again. In borrowed halls. Liverpool Football Club trained and Liverpool Football Club prepared. Prepared to play, ready to play –

Prepared and ready.

And every day, Arthur Riley and his staff cleared the snow from the ground, the snow from the pitch. Every day, bit by bit, patch by patch. Arthur Riley and his staff placed braziers on the ground, on the pitch. They lit the braziers to warm the ground, to thaw the pitch. They moved the braziers across the ground, across the pitch. Every day, bit by bit, patch by patch. Arthur Riley and his staff put sand upon the ground, sand upon the pitch. To protect the ground, to protect the pitch. Until the ground was prepared,

until the pitch was ready –

Prepared and ready.

On Wednesday 13 February, 1963, Aston Villa came to Anfield, Liverpool. In the snow and in the ice. That evening, forty-six thousand, three hundred and seventy-four folk came to Anfield, too. In the snow and in the ice. In the eighteenth minute, Roger Hunt scored. In the twenty-fifth minute, Ian St John scored. In the twenty-ninth minute, St John scored again. And in the sixty-sixth minute, Hunt scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Aston Villa four — nil. At home, at Anfield. In the snow and in the ice. Three days after that, Wolverhampton Wanderers came to Anfield, Liverpool. Again in the snow, again in the ice. That afternoon, fifty-three thousand, five hundred and seventeen folk came to Anfield, too. In the snow and in the ice. In the seventh minute, Kevin Lewis scored. In the forty-seventh minute, Ian St John scored. In the fifty-second minute, Lewis scored again. And in the eighty-seventh minute, St John scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Wolverhampton Wanderers four — one. At home, at Anfield. In the snow and in the ice. That evening, Liverpool Football Club had not lost in their last twelve games. Liverpool Football Club had won their last nine League games. Liverpool Football Club still fifth in the First Division. Liverpool Football Club still prepared. Liverpool Football Club still ready. Prepared for Burnley, ready for their replay –

On Wednesday 20 February, 1963, Burnley Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, fifty-seven thousand, nine hundred and six folk came to Anfield, too. Fifty-seven thousand, nine hundred and six folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Burnley Football Club in the Fourth Round replay of the FA Cup. In the forty-fifth minute, Ian St John scored. But at half-time, the score was one-all. And at full time, the score was still one-all. And after twenty-nine minutes of extra time, the score was still one-all. But then in the Burnley goal, Blacklaw went to kick the ball upfield, upfield for the very last kick of the match. But when Blacklaw went to kick, Blacklaw delayed his kick. And when Blacklaw kicked the ball, the ball hit Ian St John. St John pounced on the ball, St John darted past Blacklaw. Blacklaw grabbed St John, Blacklaw stopped St John. And the referee blew his whistle. The referee pointed to the penalty spot. Moran placed the ball on the penalty spot. And Moran slammed the ball into the Burnley net. With the very last kick, in the very last second. Anfield erupted. In the very last second, with the very last kick, Liverpool Football Club were in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup –

Liverpool Football Club had been prepared. Liverpool Football Club had been ready. Prepared to play, ready to win –

Always prepared, always ready.

But then the snow came again. And then the ice came again. And so the snow stayed again, and the ice stayed

again. Again the Big Freeze,

still the Big Freeze –

On Saturday 23 February, 1963, Liverpool Football Club should have travelled to Burnden Park, Bolton. Liverpool Football Club should have played Bolton Wanderers. But the game was postponed. Two weeks later, there were still braziers on the Anfield ground, still sand upon the Anfield pitch. But Leicester City still came to Anfield, Liverpool. And that afternoon, fifty-four thousand, eight hundred and forty-two folk still came, too. Fifty-four thousand, eight hundred and forty-two folk surging, fifty-four thousand, eight hundred and forty-two folk singing LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL. LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL. LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL …

Liverpool Football Club were fith in the First Division. Leicester City were second in the First Division. Leicester City had won their last eight League games. Liverpool Football Club had won their last nine League games. But Leicester City beat Liverpool Football Club two — nil. At home, at Anfield. Leicester City silenced the fifty-four thousand, eight hundred and forty-two folk inside Anfield. No more surging, no more singing –

Now only silence,

only silence.

In the house, in their kitchen. In the night and in the silence. At the table, in the chair. In the night and in the silence. Bill stared at the bowls and the plates, the salt and pepper pots, the jars of honey and marmalade. Bill picked up the bowls and the plates, the salt and pepper pots, the jars of honey and marmalade. Bill moved the bowls and the plates, the salt and pepper pots, the jars of honey and marmalade to the edges of the cloth, to the sides of the table. Bill picked up the four forks and the four knives and the four spoons. Bill held the four knives and the four forks and the four spoons in his hand. Bill stared down at the tablecloth. Bill placed one spoon on the cloth. Banks. Bill placed two other spoons in front of the first spoon. Sjöberg, Norman . Bill placed three forks in front of the spoons. McLintock, King, Appleton . Bill placed the four knives in front of the three forks. Riley, Cross, Gibson, Stringfellow . Bill placed the last fork in front of the four knives. Keyworth . At the table, in the chair. In the night and in the silence. Bill stared down at the three spoons, the four forks and the four knives. And the three spoons, the four forks and the four knives began to move. They began to turn. And the three spoons, the four forks and the four knives would not stop moving. They would not stop turning. The three spoons, the four forks and the four knives spinning and swirling before his eyes. Like cogs. Moving and turning, spinning and swirling before Bill’s eyes. Like gears. Moving and turning, spinning and swirling. Never pausing, never stopping. Only moving, only turning. Like cogs. Always spinning, always swirling. Like gears. At the table, in the chair. In the night and in the silence. Bill felt nauseous, Bill felt sick. Bill dropped the last spoon onto the kitchen floor. Bill rubbed his eyes. At the table, in the chair. In the night and in the silence. Bill stood up. Bill walked back out of the kitchen. Bill walked back into the other room. Bill walked back over to the other chair. Bill picked up his book from the arm of the chair. His book of names, his book of notes. Bill walked back out of the room. Bill walked back into the kitchen. Bill sat back down. At the table, in the chair. In the night and in the silence. Bill stared back down at the three spoons, the four forks and the four knives. Bill took out his pen. His red pen. Bill opened his book. His book of names, his book of notes. And at the table, sat in the chair. In the night and in the silence. Bill began to write. To write down names, to write down notes. To draw squares, to draw arrows. To make diagrams, to make plans. At the table, in the chair. In the night and in the silence. Before the spoons, before the forks. And before the knives –