David Peace - Red or Dead

away from Anfield. On the bench, the bench at Elland Road. In the mud. In the twentieth minute, Bill watched Strong trip up Bremner in the penalty area. And the referee blew his whistle. The referee awarded a penalty to Leeds United. And Giles scored the penalty. In the mud. In the thirty-first minute, Bill watched Yeats head the ball into the Leeds goalmouth. And the ball stuck in the Leeds goalmouth. In the mud. Sprake bent down to pick up the ball. The ball at his feet. In the mud. The ball between his fingers, the ball through his fingers. In the mud. The ball through his legs and the ball in net. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club inside Elland Road cheered. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club inside Elland Road laughed. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club inside Elland Road sang Careless Hands. In the second half, Bill watched the referee blow his whistle again. And the referee awarded a penalty to Leeds United again. In the mud. Giles took the penalty again. But Lawrence saved the penalty. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Leeds United. In the mud. Don Revie marched down the touchline. The Elland Road touchline. Shaking his head, wringing his hands –

By, you were lucky today, said Don Revie. We should have won. And we should have won easily, Bill.

Bill shook his head, too. Bill smiled. And Bill said, And well played to you, too, Don. Well played indeed. But we’ll see you again in March, Don. Back at our place –

On a decent pitch,

on some grass. Back at Anfield. Four days later. On the bench. Bill and forty-one thousand, six hundred and thirty-three folk were watching Liverpool Football Club play Vitória Futebol Clube of Setúbal in the second leg of the Second Round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Everyone thought Vitória Futebol Clube of Setúbal would come to protect what they had. Everyone thought Vitória Futebol Clube of Setúbal would come to defend their one — nil advantage. Everyone thought wrong. Vitória Futebol Clube of Setúbal had not come to defend. Vitória Futebol Clube of Setúbal had come to attack. Attack and attack. And in the twenty-third minute, Lawler looked at the ball and waited for Yeats to go to the ball. But Yeats did not go to the ball. Yeats looked at the ball and waited for Lawler to go to the ball. But Lawler did not go to the ball. Guerreiro went for the ball. And Lawrence went for Guerreiro. And Lawrence brought down Guerreiro in the Liverpool penalty area. And the referee blew his whistle. The referee awarded a penalty to Vitória Futebol Clube of Setúbal. Wagner took the penalty. And Wagner scored the penalty. But now, finally, finally, Liverpool Football Club attacked. Attacked and attacked. And Vital saved from Thompson. And Vital saved from Graham. And Vital saved from Peplow. And in the second half, Bill took off Peplow and brought on Hunt. And Bill took off Graham and brought on Evans. And again, Liverpool Football Club attacked and attacked. But Vitória Futebol Clube of Setúbal broke quickly. Tomé sprinted down the left flank. Tomé crossed. Strong rose to defend the cross. And Strong met the cross. But Strong headed the cross into his own goal. And Liverpool Football Club were losing two — nil on the night and three — nil on aggregate. But still Liverpool Football Club attacked and attacked. And in the sixtieth minute, Hunt shot. And Carriço punched the ball off the line. And the referee blew his whistle. The referee awarded a penalty. And Smith took the penalty. And Smith scored the penalty. And still Liverpool Football Club attacked and attacked. And Vital saved from Callaghan. And Vital saved from Evans. And Vital saved from Hunt. And Vital saved from Strong. And Vital saved from Lawler. But in the eighty-eighth minute, Evans shot and Vital did not save. Evans scored. And still Liverpool Football Club attacked and attacked. And in the ninetieth minute, Hunt turned. And Hunt shot and Hunt scored. His two hundred and eighty-sixth goal for Liverpool Football Club. And Liverpool Football Club beat Vitória Futebol Clube of Setúbal three — two. But Liverpool Football Club would not be in the Third Round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Liverpool Football Club had drawn the tie three — three on aggregate. And Liverpool Football Club lost the tie on away goals scored. And Liverpool Football Club were out of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Out,

out. Again. On the bench, the Anfield bench. In silence. In the thirtieth minute, Bill watched Robertson score for Arsenal Football Club. And Liverpool Football Club lose one — nil to Arsenal Football Club. At home, at Anfield. In silence. For the first time that season, Liverpool Football Club had been beaten at home,

at Anfield. In silence. In the office, at his desk. Bill stared down at his book. His book of names, his book of notes. At all his books. His many books of names, his many books of notes. And Bill heard the wind. Blowing around the ground. And Bill heard the winter. Howling around the ground. And at the desk, in his chair. Bill opened his diary. His diary of dates, his diary of fixtures. And Bill stared down at the next date. The next fixture. Next week, next Saturday. Liverpool Football Club would travel across the park. And Liverpool Football Club would play Everton Football Club. Everton Football Club had not lost at home, at Goodison, all season. Liverpool Football Club had not won away, away from Anfield, since August. Everton Football Club were first in the First Division. And Liverpool Football Club were third in the First Division. Third in the First Division and out of the Fairs Cup. People said Liverpool Football Club had no chance of beating Everton Football Club. People said Everton Football Club would easily beat Liverpool Football Club. The wind blowing around the ground. Easy . The winter howling around the ground. Easy . Bill closed his eyes. Easy! Easy! Easy …

On the bench, the bench at Goodison Park. In the forty-seventh minute, Bill watched Ian Callaghan pull the ball back from the byline. Easy . Callaghan passed for Emlyn Hughes. Easy . Hughes beat six defenders and the goalkeeper to the ball. Easy . Hughes bundled the ball across the line and into the Everton goal. Easy . In the fifty-fourth minute, Bill watched Peter Thompson round his man. Easy . Thompson crossed. Easy . Brown rose to defend the cross, Brown met the cross. But Brown headed the cross into his own goal. Easy . And on the bench, the bench at Goodison Park, Bill heard the supporters of Liverpool Football Club inside Goodison Park cheer. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club inside Goodison Park chant, Easy! Easy! Easy! And in the seventy-fourth minute, Bill watched Bobby Graham beat Hurst to the ball. Easy . Graham ran from the halfway line towards West. Easy . Graham rounded West. Easy . Graham tapped the ball into the back of the empty net. And again on the bench, the bench at Goodison Park, Bill heard the supporters of Liverpool Football Club inside Goodison Park cheer. And again the supporters of Liverpool Football Club inside Goodison Park chanted, Easy! Easy! Easy! And Liverpool Football Club beat Everton Football Club three — nil. Easy! Easy! Easy! Away from home, away from Anfield. Easy! Easy! Easy!

Easy! Easy! Easy! …

On the bench, the Anfield bench. Bill and forty-seven thousand, six hundred and eighty-two folk were watching Liverpool Football Club play Manchester United. Manchester United were still struggling, Wilf McGuinness still struggling. One month ago, Manchester United had been beaten four — nil by Manchester City. Easy . One week ago, Manchester United had been beaten two — nil by Chelsea Football Club. Easy . Early in the first half, Bill watched Manchester United win a corner. Charlton took the corner. Ronnie Yeats met the corner. And Yeats sliced the corner into his own net. Easy . In the twenty-fifth minute, Bill watched Ian Callaghan shoot. Stepney could not hold the shot. Stepney dropped the shot. And Emlyn Hughes equalised. Easy . But early in the second half, Bill watched Hughes give away a needless corner with a reckless back pass. Easy . Charlton took the corner. Ure met the corner. And Ure scored. Easy . And later in the second half, Bill watched Charlton shoot again. And the shot hit the crossbar. The shot fell to Morgan. Morgan unmarked, Morgan free. Free to shoot and free to score. Easy . And seven minutes from the end of the second half, Bill watched Charlton shoot again. And Charlton score. Easy . And Liverpool Football Club had lost four — one to Manchester United. At Anfield, at home. On Saturday 13 December, 1969. Tomorrow would be the tenth anniversary of the appointment of Bill Shankly as manager of Liverpool Football Club. Ten years, two League Championships and one FA Cup. Ten years and beaten four — one by Manchester United. At home, at Anfield. Ten years and third in the First Division. Ten years and nowhere,