David Peace - Red or Dead

Three days afterwards, Tottenham Hotspur came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, fifty-three thousand, six hundred and fifty-eight folk came, too. Tottenham Hotspur had not won at Anfield in fifty-six years. In the twenty-third minute, Roger Hunt scored. And in the eightieth minute, Tony Hateley was brought down in the Tottenham penalty area. Tommy Smith put the ball on the Tottenham penalty spot. But Smith did not put the ball in the Tottenham net. Jennings saved the penalty. But the referee said Tottenham Hotspur had twelve players on the pitch. The referee said Mackay had not yet left the pitch when Jones came on. The referee said the penalty should be retaken. And Smith put the ball on the Tottenham penalty spot again. And this time Jennings did not save. This time Smith put the ball in the Tottenham net. Two minutes from the end of the match, from the final whistle, Jones scored for Tottenham. But it did not matter. It did not count. Tottenham Hotspur still had not won at Anfield for fifty-six years.

Four days later, Liverpool Football Club beat Burnley Football Club. One week later, Liverpool Football Club beat Sheffield Wednesday. That evening, Liverpool Football Club had forty-three points. And Manchester City had forty-three points, too. Manchester United had forty-five points. And Leeds United had forty-five points, too. That evening, Leeds United were first in the First Division. On goal average. Liverpool Football Club were fourth.

On Saturday 30 March, 1968, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the Hawthorns, Birmingham. That afternoon, fifty-three thousand and sixty-two folk came, too. Fifty-three thousand and sixty-two folk to watch West Bromwich Albion play Liverpool Football Club in the Sixth Round of the FA Cup. To watch two balls end up on the roof of the stand. To watch Liverpool Football Club win their first corner in the fifty-seventh minute. To watch Liverpool Football Club blatantly play for a draw. To watch Liverpool Football Club get what they blatantly played for. To watch Liverpool Football Club draw nil — nil with West Bromwich Albion in the Sixth Round of the FA Cup. Nil — nil again. Another replay again.

On Saturday 6 April, 1968, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Old Trafford, Manchester. In the opening minutes, Yeats made errors. Hughes made mistakes. And in the third minute, Best romped away from Yeats and Hughes. And Best scored. But six minutes later, Yeats headed the ball against the Manchester United post. And then Yeats headed the ball again. And this time the ball crossed the line. Ten minutes later, Hateley combined with Hunt. And Hunt scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Manchester United two — one. Away from home, away from Anfield. The players of Liverpool Football Club had remembered that date. But that evening, Liverpool Football Club were still fourth in the First Division.

Two days afterwards, West Bromwich Albion came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, fifty-four thousand, two hundred and seventy-three folk came, too. Fifty-four thousand, two hundred and seventy-three folk to cheer and to chant, to shout and to sing. And to split open the sky. The clear and starlit Anfield sky. In the twenty-fourth minute, Peter Thompson was obstructed. Thompson won a free kick. Ian St John took the free kick. St John floated the ball in from right to left. Ron Yeats hurtled into the West Bromwich Albion penalty area, Yeats tore through the West Bromwich Albion defence. And Yeats headed the ball. The ball hit the crossbar. Yeats stretched for the rebound. Yeats could not reach the rebound. But Hateley reached the rebound. Hateley struck the ball. And the ball struck the back of the net. And the Spion Kop roared. The Spion Kop ripped open the sky. The clear and starlit Anfield sky. But in the sixty-eighth minute, Fraser passed the ball to Brown. Brown crossed the ball. Astle rose to head the ball. And Astle scored. And under the clear and starlit Anfield sky, Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with West Bromwich Albion in the Sixth Round replay of the FA Cup. There would have to be another match, another replay. On neutral ground,

on Manchester soil.

On Good Friday, 1968, Sheffield United came to Anfield, Liverpool. That Friday, fifty thousand, four hundred and twenty-two folk came, too. In the thirty-second minute, Roger Hunt scored. But Currie scored for Sheffield United. And Reece scored for Sheffield United. And Liverpool Football Club lost two — one to Sheffield United. At home, at Anfield. Liverpool Football Club still only had forty-five points. Liverpool Football Club still only fourth in the First Division. The next day, the very next day, Sunderland Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That day, forty thousand, three hundred and fifty folk came, too. In the eighteenth minute, Roger Hunt scored. And in the seventy-first minute, Hunt scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Sunderland Football Club two — one. At home, at Anfield. Liverpool Football Club now had forty-seven points. But Liverpool Football Club were still only fourth in the First Division. Two days later, on Easter Monday, 1968, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Bramall Lane, Sheffield. But Gerry Byrne did not travel. Tommy Smith did not travel. Tony Hateley did not travel. And Peter Thompson did not travel. Peter Wall travelled. Alf Arrowsmith travelled. Bobby Graham travelled. And Geoff Strong travelled. And in the thirty-fourth minute, Geoff Strong scored. But Sheffield United scored, too. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Sheffield United. Away from home, away from Anfield.

Three days afterwards, Liverpool Football Club travelled to neutral ground, to Manchester soil. To Maine Road, Manchester. To play West Bromwich Albion in the second Sixth Round replay of the FA Cup. For a place in the semi-final of the FA Cup. That evening, fifty-six thousand folk came, too. This was the ninth FA Cup tie Liverpool Football Club had played this season. This season, over four hundred thousand folk had watched Liverpool Football Club play in the FA Cup. But that evening, on neutral ground, on Manchester soil, in a constant drizzle, a Manchester drizzle, the ball was always up in the drizzle, the Manchester drizzle, the ball never on the ground, the Manchester soil. The Liverpool balls hit high, looking for the head of Hateley. The West Brom balls hit high, looking for the head of Astle. And in the seventh minute, a West Brom ball found the head of Astle. And Astle found the net. In the fortieth minute, a Liverpool ball found the head of Hateley. And Hateley found the net. But in the sixtieth minute, a West Brom ball found the feet of Clive Clark. And Clive Clark found the net. And Liverpool Football Club were out of the FA Cup. After nine games, after nine matches. Liverpool Football Club were out of the Cup –

Out, out.

Two days later, just two days later, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Upton Park, London. And Liverpool Football Club lost one — nil to West Ham United.

On Saturday 27 April, 1968, Fulham Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, thirty-two thousand, three hundred and seven folk came, too. Just thirty-two thousand, three hundred and seven folk. In the twenty-ninth minute, Ian Callaghan scored. In the fortieth minute, Roger Hunt scored. In the forty-ninth minute, Hunt scored again. And in the fifty-sixth minute, Tony Hateley scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Fulham Football Club four — one. At home, at Anfield. Two days later, Tottenham Hotspur came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, forty-one thousand, six hundred and eighty-eight folk came, too. In the ninth minute, Mackay came forward from his own penalty area with the ball. Mackay found Robertson with the ball. Robertson found Gilzean with the ball. Gilzean found Greaves with the ball. And Greaves found the net with the ball. In the thirty-eighth minute, Peter Thompson crossed. Tony Hateley jumped for the ball, Tony Hateley headed the ball. And Tony Hateley scored. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Tottenham Hotspur. At home, at Anfield. That night, Liverpool Football Club had fifty-one points. And Leeds United had fifty-one points, too. Manchester United had fifty-four points. And Manchester City had fifty-four points, too. That night, Manchester City were first in the First Division. On goal average. Liverpool Football Club fourth in the First Division. On goal average. But Manchester City and Manchester United had only two games left to play. Liverpool Football Club still had three more games to play. Three more games to play, three more games to win –