David Peace - Red or Dead

…

In the boardroom, the Anfield boardroom. Before the press, the local press. At the table, the long table. The directors of Liverpool Football Club sat down. And Bill sat down. The directors of Liverpool Football Club smiled. And Bill said, I am not playing with words when I say Liverpool Football Club have the most loyal supporters in the world. The greatest supporters in the world. And that is my challenge, to care for them. That is my challenge, to look after them. Because if the supporters of Liverpool Football Club are happy, then the players of Liverpool Football Club are happy, and if the players are happy, then the club is successful. That is the only sort of dividend I seek for my labours. That is the only reward I want. To make the supporters happy, to make the people happy. And I have never cheated the supporters, I have never cheated the people. And I never will, I never will. They deserve the best. Because they are the best. And no man, no man alive, can give more, can strive harder to give them the best, to make them happy. That is all I seek to do. That is all I try to do …

And so come what may, whether or not I am still associated with Liverpool Football Club after that time, that time this contract ends, my wife and I will spend the rest of our days in Liverpool. We have been made to feel at home here. We like the place and we like the people. And so we can see no reason for going elsewhere …

This is our home. Our home.

…

At home, at Anfield. Later that afternoon, that last afternoon of the 1966–67 season, Blackpool Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. And that afternoon, that last afternoon, twenty-eight thousand, seven hundred and seventy-three folk came, too. Just twenty-eight thousand, seven hundred and seventy-three folk. Blackpool Football Club had already been relegated from the First Division. And in the twenty-first minute, Peter Thompson scored. But that afternoon, that last afternoon, Liverpool Football Club lost three — one to Blackpool Football Club. At home, at Anfield. That afternoon, that last afternoon of the season, Liverpool Football Club were fifth in the First Division. And Liverpool Football Club were Champions no more.

…

In Portugal, in Lisbon. In the Estádio Nacional, in his seat. In the sun, the scalding sun. Bill watched Craig tackle Cappellini inside the Celtic penalty area. Bill watched Cappellini fall to the ground inside the Celtic penalty area. Bill watched the German referee point to the penalty spot inside the Celtic penalty area. Bill watched Mazzola send Simpson the wrong way in the Celtic goal. Bill watched the ball hit the back of the Celtic goal. In the Estádio Nacional, in his seat. In the sun, the scalding sun. Bill watched Auld hit the bar. Bill watched Gemmell shoot. Bill watched Sarti save. Bill watched Johnstone head the ball towards the goal. Bill watched Sarti tip the ball over the bar. Bill watched Gemmell shoot again. Bill watched Sarti save again. In the sun, the scalding sun. At the end of the first half, Bill watched Jock Stein harangue the referee, the German referee. Bill watched Jock Stein harangue Helenio Herrera, the manager of Internazionale of Milan. In the Estádio Nacional, in his seat. In the sun, the scalding sun. At the start of the second half, Bill watched the players of the Celtic Football Club wait for the players of Internazionale of Milan. In the sun, the scalding sun. In the heat, the eighty-five-degree heat. In the Estádio Nacional, in his seat. In the sun, the scalding sun. Bill watched Sarti save. Bill watched Sarti save and save again. In the sun, the scalding sun. In the sixty-second minute, Bill watched Gemmell scream for the ball. Bill watched Craig square the ball to Gemmell. Bill watched Gemmell shoot. And Bill watched Gemmell score. In the sun, the scalding sun. Bill watched justice prevail. Bill watched Murdoch shoot. Bill watched Chalmers turn the shot into the net. In the Estádio Nacional, in his seat. In the sun, the scalding sun. Bill watched the supporters of the Celtic Football Club pour down the marble terraces. Ready. Bill watched the supporters of the Celtic Football Club mass around the perimeter moat. Ready. And in the Estádio Nacional, in his seat. In the sun, the scalding sun. Bill heard the whistle, the final whistle. The Celtic Football Club had beaten Internazionale of Milan two — one. The Celtic Football Club had won the European Cup. The Celtic Football Club were the first British team to win the European Cup. Jock Stein the first British manager to win the European Cup. Not Matt Busby. And not Bill Shankly –

His jacket stuck to his shirt. His shirt stuck to his vest. His vest stuck to his skin. Bill had tears in his eyes. Tears on his cheeks now. The collar of his shirt, the silk of his tie –

His Liverpool tie. His red,

red Liverpool tie. In the dressing room, the Celtic dressing room. Bill patted Jock Stein’s back, Bill shook Jock Stein’s hand. And Bill said, Congratulations, John. Congratulations. I could not be happier for you, John. I could not be happier. You have won the League. You have won the Scottish Cup. You have won the Scottish League Cup. You have won the Glasgow Cup. And now you have won the European Cup. All in one season, John. All in the same season!

And so now you are immortal, John.

Now you are immortal.

Immortal, John.

After the season. The season of loss. Before the season. The season of hope. In the summer. The summer of love. Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett were not on their holidays. In the boardroom. The boardroom at Anfield. Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett were about their work. The books were spread out over the long table. The books of names, the books of notes. The sheets of paper piled up on the long table. The sheets of names, the sheets of dates. Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett going through every page of every book, every sheet of every paper. Every player and every game. Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett discussing every page, studying every sheet. They analysed every player, they evaluated every game. The games that had been, the season that had been. The season of loss –

In the 1966–67 season, Liverpool Football Club had played forty-two League games. They had won twelve games at home, at Anfield, and they had won seven games away, away from Anfield. They had drawn seven games at home and they had drawn six games away. They had lost two games at home, at Anfield, and they had lost eight games away, away from Anfield. They had scored thirty-six goals at home, at Anfield, and they had scored twenty-eight goals away, away from Anfield. They had conceded seventeen goals at home, at Anfield, and they had conceded thirty goals away from home, away from Anfield. In the 1966–67 season, Liverpool Football Club had finished with fifty-one points. And Liverpool Football Club had finished fifth in the First Division. Leeds United had fifty-five points. Tottenham Hotspur had fifty-six points. And Nottingham Forest had fifty-six points, too. Manchester United Football Club had sixty points. Manchester United had finished first in the First Division. Manchester United were the Champions of England. The new Champions.

The season before, Liverpool Football Club had finished first in the First Division. Liverpool Football Club had been the Champions of England. The season before, Liverpool Football Club had scored seventy-nine goals and they had conceded thirty-four. Home and away. In the 1966–67 season, Liverpool Football Club had scored sixty-four goals and they had conceded forty-seven. Home and away. Manchester United Football Club had scored eighty-four goals and they had conceded forty-six. Home and away.

In the new season, the season to come, Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett knew Liverpool Football Club would need to score more goals. A lot more goals.