David Peace - Red or Dead

…

On Saturday 19 August, 1967, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Maine Road, Manchester. Manchester City missed a penalty. And Liverpool Football Club drew nil — nil with Manchester City in the first game of the 1967–68 season. Three days afterwards, Arsenal Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, fifty-two thousand and thirty-three folk came, too. In the first fifteen minutes, Liverpool Football Club had seven headers or shots. In the twenty-third minute, Tommy Smith passed to Tony Hateley. Hateley passed to Roger Hunt. And Hunt scored. In the seventy-fifth minute, Liverpool Football Club won a corner. Ron Yeats shot. Furnell parried. And Hunt scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Arsenal Football Club two — nil. At home, at Anfield. The Spion Kop cheered and the Spion Kop clapped. The Spion Kop shouted and the Spion Kop sang, We are the Greatest, the Greatest …

On Saturday 26 August, 1967, Newcastle United came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, fifty-one thousand, eight hundred and twenty-nine folk came, too. In the eighth minute, Tony Hateley scored his first goal for Liverpool Football Club. In the thirtieth minute, Emlyn Hughes scored. In the forty-first minute, Roger Hunt scored. In the forty-seventh minute, Hateley scored his second goal for Liverpool Football Club. In the seventy-fifth minute, Hateley scored his third goal for Liverpool Football Club. And in the eighty-seventh minute, Hunt scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Newcastle United six — nil. At home, at Anfield. And the Spion Kop roared, We’re going to win the League. We’re going to win the League …

Two days later, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Highbury, London. Liverpool Football Club had not lost to Arsenal Football Club in the last thirteen matches they had played against Arsenal Football Club. That afternoon, Liverpool Football Club lost two — nil to Arsenal Football Club. Away from home, away from Anfield.

…

Geoff had no job. Geoff had just five pounds in his pocket. Geoff was planning to use that five pounds, his last five pounds, to travel to Liverpool. Geoff was planning to ask for a job at Ford’s in Halewood, Liverpool. That morning, just before Geoff left, the telephone rang. Geoff picked up the phone. And Geoff said, Hello?

Hello, said Bill Shankly. How are you, Geoff?

Geoff Twentyman had first met Bill Shankly in March, 1949. In March, 1949, Bill Shankly was appointed as the manager of Carlisle United. Geoff Twentyman was a player at Carlisle United. Bill Shankly liked Geoff. Geoff left Carlisle United for Liverpool Football Club. But Bill Shankly had kept in touch with Geoff. And Geoff had told Tom Williams, the chairman of Liverpool Football Club, many stories about Bill Shankly. In December, 1959, Bill Shankly had come to Liverpool Football Club. And Geoff had left Liverpool Football Club. But Bill Shankly had still kept in touch with Geoff. Geoff had gone into management. Geoff had managed Morecombe. Geoff had managed Hartlepools United. Hartlepools United had sacked Geoff. Hartlepools United appointed Brian Clough as their new manager. Hartlepools United gave Geoff and his family one month’s notice on the house they were living in. Hartlepools United owned the house they were living in. Hartlepools United needed the house for their new manager. For Brian Clough and his family. Geoff and his family moved back to Carlisle. Geoff tried to get a job in football. Geoff could not get a job in football. Bill Shankly thought that was a tragedy. A tragedy for the man. Bill Shankly thought that was a waste. A waste for football. But Bill Shankly had kept in touch with Geoff. And Geoff had kept in touch with football. Geoff still watched games. Geoff still watched players. And Geoff still called Bill Shankly. Geoff still talked to Bill Shankly about the games he had seen. The players he had seen. Players like Ray Clemence. But Geoff had had to get a job as a van driver. But then Geoff had lost his job as a van driver. Now Geoff had no job. That morning, the telephone rang –

Norman Lowe has just resigned as our chief scout, said Bill Shankly. Would you like to be our new chief scout? Would you like to come and work with me, Geoff? To work for Liverpool Football Club?

Yes, said Geoff. I would. Thank you, Bill.

…

On Saturday 2 September, 1967, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the Hawthorns, Birmingham. In the sixth minute, Tony Hateley scored. And in the fifty-eighth minute, Roger Hunt scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat West Bromwich Albion two — nil. Away from home, away from Anfield. Three days afterwards, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the City Ground, Nottingham. In the fifty-first minute, Emlyn Hughes scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Nottingham Forest one — nil.

On Saturday 9 September, 1967, Chelsea Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. In high summer sunshine. That afternoon, fifty-three thousand, eight hundred and thirty-nine folk came, too.

Before the whistle, the first whistle. Bill Shankly walked into the dressing room. The home dressing room. Bill Shankly closed the dressing-room door. The Anfield dressing-room door. Bill Shankly looked around the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. From player to player. From Lawrence to Lawler, Lawler to Byrne, Byrne to Smith, Smith to Yeats, Yeats to Hughes, Hughes to Callaghan, Callaghan to Hunt, Hunt to Hateley, Hateley to St John and from St John to Thompson. And Bill Shankly smiled –

In the last eight years, boys. In our last thirty-two League games against London clubs. Only West Ham United have ever won at Anfield, boys. And that was back in 1963. And that was a fluke, boys. A bloody fluke. Hateley here will tell you all how much London clubs hate coming here. Hate coming to Liverpool, hate coming to Anfield. A cup of tea is all we give a London club when they come here, boys. It is a tradition. An Anfield tradition, boys. We give London nothing when they come to Liverpool. Nothing but a cup of tea, boys.

In the high summer sunshine, on a hard, fast surface. Liverpool Football Club were all attack, Liverpool Football Club all power. In the high summer sunshine, on the hard, fast surface. Callaghan danced down one wing, Thompson weaved down the other. In the high summer sunshine, on the fast, hard surface. Hughes had hunger, Smith had thirst. In the high summer sunshine, on the fast, hard surface. Hateley took the weight off Hunt, Hateley made the space for Hunt. In the high summer sunshine, on the hard, fast surface. Bonetti saved, Bonetti saved and Bonetti saved again. In the high summer sunshine, on the fast, hard surface. After thirty-seven minutes, Harris hooked up Hateley in the Chelsea penalty area. Smith put the ball on the Chelsea penalty spot. And Smith put the ball in the back of the Chelsea net. In the high summer sunshine, on the fast, hard surface. At the beginning of the second half, when Bonetti took his place with his back to the Kop, the Spion Kop applauded him. But in the high summer sunshine, on the hard, fast surface. Ninety seconds later, Hughes crossed the ball. Hateley dived for the ball. A human rocket, a human torpedo. Hateley’s head met the ball. And the ball hit the back of the net. The Chelsea net. In the high summer sunshine, on the hard, fast surface. Ninety seconds later, Thompson crossed the ball. Hateley brushed between two defenders. A human rocket, a human torpedo. Hateley’s head met the ball. The ball hit the back of the net. The Chelsea net. And in the high summer sunshine, on the fast, hard surface. Liverpool Football Club beat Chelsea Football Club three — one. In the high summer sunshine, on the hard, fast surface. Tony Hateley had made his point against his former club. And Liverpool Football Club had served their notice on all the other clubs. That evening, Tottenham Hotspur had eleven points. That evening, Liverpool Football club had eleven points, too. But that evening, Liverpool Football Club were first in the First Division. On goal average. First again.