David Peace - Red or Dead

For nothing, for nowhere.

In the summer of 1969, Bill Shankly did not take a holiday. Bob Paisley did not take a holiday. Joe Fagan did not take a holiday. Reuben Bennett did not take a holiday. And Ronnie Moran did not take a holiday. In the summer of 1969, Bill Shankly worked. Bob Paisley worked. Joe Fagan worked. Reuben Bennett worked. And Ronnie Moran worked. In the boardroom and in the offices, in the darkness and in the shadows. Through the books of names, through the books of notes. The sheets of names, the sheets of dates. The names of players and the dates of games. The reports on every player, the reports on every game. Every first-team player and every first-team game, every reserve-team player and every reserve-team game. They debated every player, they discussed every game. They analysed and they evaluated. In the boardroom and in the offices, in the darkness and in the shadows. In the summer of 1969, there were no days off –

And no complacency. Complacency was born of self-congratulation, complacency was born of self-satisfaction. Arrogance and contempt. There was no complacency. No days off,

no nights off. Every evening. Bill Shankly got in his car. Or in Reuben’s car. Or in Geoff’s car. Every evening. They drove. Every evening. North, south, east or west. Every evening. They drove and they discussed. The game they would see, the players they would see. Laughing and joking. Every evening. They watched a football game. Every evening. A friendly game or a testimonial game. A reserve-team match or an amateur-team match. And then, every evening. Bill Shankly got back into his car. Or into Reuben’s car. Or into Geoff’s car. Every evening. They drove back home. Every evening. North, south, east or west. Every evening. They drove and they discussed. The game they had seen, the players they had seen. Laughing and joking. Every evening. Every evening of every day of every week of every month of every year. Every year,

every evening.

…

In the summer of 1969, Liverpool Football Club did not go on a pre-season tour. In the summer of 1969, Liverpool Football Club stayed at home, at Anfield. In the summer of 1969, Liverpool Football Club began their pre-season training ten days earlier than usual. Because the 1969–70 season would start ten days earlier than usual. Because of the World Cup, in Mexico, in 1970. Liverpool Football Club would have to start training earlier, Liverpool Football Club would have to start training harder. In the summer of 1969, outside Anfield, in the car park, in his tracksuit and in his sweater. Bill Shankly waited for the players. Bill Shankly greeted the players. Bill Shankly shook their hands. Bill Shankly patted their backs. He asked after their summer holidays, he asked after their families. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. In the summer of 1969, the players got on the bus. Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, Reuben Bennett and Ronnie Moran got on the bus. And Bill Shankly got on the bus. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. In the summer of 1969, they all travelled to Melwood. Some people smiling, some people not. In the summer of 1969, they all got off the bus. Some smiling and some not. In the summer of 1969, the players ran round the training pitch at Melwood. And Bill Shankly ran round the training pitch at Melwood. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. In the summer of 1969, the players heard the whistle. And the players split into their groups. The players lifted weights. The players skipped. The players jumped. The players did squats. The players did abdominal exercises. The players sprinted. And Bill Shankly heard the whistle. Bill Shankly lifted weights. Bill Shankly skipped. Bill Shankly jumped. Bill Shankly did squats. Bill Shankly did abdominal exercises. Bill Shankly sprinted. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. In the summer of 1969, the players heard the whistle again. And the players passed the ball. The players dribbled with the ball. The players headed the ball. The players chipped the ball. The players controlled the ball. The players tackled. And Bill Shankly heard the whistle, too. Bill Shankly passed the ball. Bill Shankly dribbled with the ball. Bill Shankly headed the ball. Bill Shankly chipped the ball. Bill Shankly controlled the ball. Bill Shankly tackled. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. In the summer of 1969, the players heard the whistle again. And the players went between the training boards. The players moving, the ball moving. Playing the ball against one board. Then taking the ball, controlling the ball. Turning with the ball, dribbling with the ball. Up to the other board. In just ten touches. Playing the ball against the other board. Then pulling the ball down, turning again and dribbling again. Back down to the first board. In just ten touches. And Bill Shankly heard the whistle again, too. Bill Shankly went between the training boards. Bill Shankly moving, the ball moving. Bill Shankly playing the ball against one board. Then taking the ball, controlling the ball. Bill Shankly turning with the ball, dribbling with the ball. Up to the other board. In just ten touches. Bill Shankly playing the ball against the other board. Then pulling the ball down, turning again and dribbling again. Back down to the first board. In just ten touches. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. In the summer of 1969, the players heard the whistle yet again. And the players went inside the sweat box. Ball after ball. Into the box. Every second, another ball. For one minute. Then for two minutes. Then for three minutes. Ball after ball, into the box. And Bill Shankly heard the whistle yet again, too. Bill Shankly went into the sweat box. Ball after ball. Into the box. Every second, another ball. For one minute. Then for two minutes. Then for three minutes. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. In the summer of 1969, the players heard the whistle. And they played three-a-sides. Three-a-sides then five-a-sides. Five-a-sides then seven-a-sides. Seven-a-sides then eleven-a-sides. And Bill Shankly heard the whistle, too. And Bill Shankly played three-a-sides. Three-a-sides then five-a-sides. Five-a-sides then seven-a-sides. Seven-a-sides then eleven-a-sides. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. In the summer of 1969, the players ran one last time around the training pitch. And Bill Shankly ran one last time around the training pitch. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. And then, in the summer of 1969, the players got back on the bus. Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, Reuben Bennett and Ronnie Moran got back on the bus. And Bill Shankly got back on the bus. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. In the summer of 1969, they all travelled back to Anfield. More people smiling now, still some people not. In the summer of 1969, they all got off the bus. More smiling now and still some not. In the summer of 1969, the players went into Anfield. And Bill Shankly went into Anfield. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. In the dressing rooms, the players took off their boots, the players took off their tracksuits. And in the dressing rooms, Bill Shankly took off his boots, Bill Shankly took off his sweater and his tracksuit. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. The players went into the baths. And Bill Shankly went into the baths. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. The players washed and changed. And Bill Shankly washed and changed. Bill Shankly laughing, Bill Shankly joking. The players said goodbye. And Bill Shankly said goodbye. Bill Shankly still laughing, Bill Shankly still joking. The players went out to their bigger cars. The players went back to their bigger houses. Some smiling and some not. But Bill Shankly did not go out to his car. His same car. Bill Shankly did not go back to his house. His same house. Bill Shankly not laughing now, Bill Shankly not joking now. Bill Shankly looking, Bill Shankly listening. Always looking, always listening. Looking for complacency, listening for satisfaction. Complacency with the way things were, satisfaction with the way things were. Always learning. Learning who had become complacent with the way things were, learning who had become satisfied with the way things were. Because Bill Shankly was working. Always working. Day after day. Day in and day out. Always