David Peace - Red or Dead

nowhere and nothing. Nothing but the sound of chains rattling, knives sharpening and spades digging. At your back, in your shadow. Rattling, sharpening, digging. And ticking. The clock ticking. No matter what you knew. No matter what you believed. No matter what you did. The clock ticking, always ticking. Binding you, stabbing you and burying you. In the wasteland, in the wilderness. No matter what you knew. No matter what you believed. No matter what you did. There was always, already the wasteland. There was always, already

the wilderness. The wasteland and the wilderness of the clock. The clock ticking, always ticking. But the directors of Liverpool Football Club wanted to hold a dinner for Bill. The directors of Liverpool Football Club wanted to throw a party for Bill. On his anniversary. To make speeches, to give toasts. To pop corks and to fill glasses. For his anniversary. But Bill did not want a dinner. Bill did not want a party. To listen to speeches, to listen to toasts. To corks pop and to glasses clink. Bill only wanted cups –

FA Cups, League Championship cups and European Cups. That was all Bill wanted. Cups. In the wasteland. Another cup, one more cup. In the wilderness. A cup,

a grail. The grail.

On Tuesday 16 December, 1969, Liverpool Football Club sold Roger Hunt to Bolton Wanderers. After four hundred and ninety-two games. After two hundred and eighty-six goals. And ten years. Four days later, Liverpool Football Club should have travelled to Highfield Road, Coventry. But Liverpool Football Club did not travel to Highfield Road, Coventry. The game was postponed. That day, Derby County did travel to Goodison Park, Liverpool. And that day, Everton Football Club beat Derby County one — nil. That evening, Everton Football Club had thirty-nine points. Leeds United had thirty-eight points. And Liverpool Football Club had thirty points. On Christmas Day, 1969, Everton Football Club were first in the First Division.

On Boxing Day, 1969, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Turf Moor, Burnley. In the twenty-sixth minute, Ian Ross scored. In the thirty-ninth minute, Bobby Graham scored. In the forty-fourth minute, Chris Lawler scored. In the fifty-second minute, Peter Thompson scored. And in the sixtieth minute, Ian Callaghan scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Burnley Football Club five — one. Away from home, away from Anfield. But that day, Everton Football Club also won. And that day, Everton Football Club still had nine more points than Liverpool Football Club.

The next day, Sheffield Wednesday should have come to Anfield, Liverpool. But Sheffield Wednesday did not come to Anfield, Liverpool. The game was postponed. That day, Everton Football Club did travel to Elland Road, Leeds. And that day, Everton Football Club lost two — one to Leeds United. But that evening, Everton Football Club were still first in the First Division. And that evening, Liverpool Football Club were fourth in the First Division. Still only fourth.

On Saturday 3 January, 1970, Liverpool Football Club should have travelled to Highfield Road, Coventry, to play Coventry City in the Third Round of the FA Cup. But Liverpool Football Club did not travel to Highfield Road, Coventry. The game was postponed. But four days later, Liverpool Football Club did travel to Highfield Road, Coventry, to play Coventry City in the Third Round of the FA Cup. In the twenty-seventh minute, Martin scored for Coventry City Football Club. But three minutes later, Bobby Graham scored for Liverpool Football Club. And then Lawrence saved from Martin. And then Lawrence saved from Mortimer. And Lawrence was outstanding. Lawrence was unbeatable. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Coventry City in the Third Round of the FA Cup –

On Monday 12 January, 1970, Coventry City came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, fifty-one thousand, two hundred and sixty-one folk came, too. Fifty-one thousand, two hundred and sixty-one folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Coventry City in the Third Round replay of the FA Cup. And in the thirty-ninth minute of the Third Round replay of the FA Cup, Ross scored. In the fifty-fourth minute, Thompson scored. In the seventy-second minute, Graham scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Coventry City three — nil in the Third Round replay of the FA Cup. At home, at Anfield. And Liverpool Football Club were in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup.

On Saturday 24 January, 1970, Wrexham Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, fifty-four thousand and ninety-six folk came, too. Fifty-four thousand and ninety-six folk to watch Liverpool Football Club of the First Division play Wrexham Football Club of the Fourth Division in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. In the twenty-fourth minute, Smith of Wrexham Football Club of the Fourth Division scored. And at half-time in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup, Liverpool Football Club of the First Division were losing one — nil to Wrexham Football Club of the Fourth Division. But in the fifty-first minute, Bobby Graham scored. And in the fifty-ninth minute, Ian St John scored. And in the seventy-third minute, Graham scored again. And Liverpool Football Club of the First Division beat Wrexham Football Club of the Fourth Division three — one in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. At home, at Anfild. And Liverpool Football Club were in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup.

On Saturday 7 February, 1970, Leicester City Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, fifty-three thousand, seven hundred and eighty-five folk came, too. Fifty-three thousand, seven hundred and eighty-five folk to watch Leicester City play Liverpool Football Club in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup. Last season, Leicester City had reached the final of the FA Cup. But Leicester City had lost the final one — nil to Manchester City. And Leicester City had also been relegated. Leicester City were now in the Second Division. On Saturday 7 February, 1970, Leicester City of the Second Division did not score. And Liverpool Football Club of the First Division did not score. And Liverpool Football Club drew nil — nil with Leicester City in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup –

Four days afterwards, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Filbert Street, Leicester, to play Leicester City in the Fifth Round replay of the FA Cup. This was the seventh meeting and the third replay between Liverpool Football Club and Leicester City in the FA Cup since 1963. In nine hours of cup football, there had been only three goals. But on the last three occasions, the winner had gone on to Wembley, on to the final. After this replay, the winner would face Watford Football Club of the Second Division in the Sixth Round of the FA Cup. People were saying this could be Liverpool Football Club’s season. People were saying this could be Liverpool Football Club’s chance. For redemption,

for salvation. Their best chance, their only chance. On a frozen pitch, in inches of sand. In the twenty-first minute, Peter Thompson was tackled. Hard. Thompson fell, Thompson hurt. Hard. And on the frozen pitch, in the inches of sand. Thompson did not get back up. And Evans came on for Thompson. And on the frozen pitch, in the inches of sand. Liverpool Football Club were all fingers and thumbs. Error after error, mistake after mistake. On the frozen pitch, in the inches of sand. In the fifty-third minute, Lochhead put Glover through. And Glover shot. But the shot hit the bar. And on the frozen pitch, in the inches of sand. In the sixty-fourth minute, Tommy Smith passed to Bobby Graham. Graham passed to Ian Callaghan. Callaghan crossed for Chris Lawler. Lawler flicked on the cross. And Alun Evans turned the flick past Shilton. On the frozen pitch, in the inches of sand. The ball in the goal, the ball in the net. The Leicester City goal, the Leicester City net. But on the frozen pitch, in the inches of sand. Liverpool Football Club were still all fingers and thumbs. Still error after error, still mistake after mistake. And on the frozen pitch, in the inches of sand. In the eightieth minute, Farrington had only Lawrence to beat. To beat and to score. To score and to equalise. But on the frozen pitch, in the inches of sand. Lawrence dived at the feet of Farrington. And Farrington did not beat Lawrence. He did not score, he did not equalise. Lawrence saved at the feet of Farrington. And on the frozen pitch, in the inches of sand. In the ninetieth minute, Ian St John passed to Graham. Graham passed to Evans. And Evans shot and Evans scored. And on the frozen pitch, in the inches of sand. All fingers and all thumbs. Error after error. Mistake after mistake. Liverpool Football Club beat Leicester City Football Club two — nil in the Fifth Round replay of the FA Cup. Away from home, away from Anfield. And Liverpool Football Club of the First Division would now play Watford Football Club of the Second Division in the Sixth Round of the FA Cup. And inside Filbert Street, the supporters of Liverpool Football Club sang, Ee-aye-addio, we’re going to win the Cup! We’re going to win the Cup. Ee-aye-addio, we’re going to win the Cup!