David Peace - Red or Dead

We’re going to win the Cup. Ee-aye-addio,

we’re going to win the Cup …

…

On the Monday morning. The Monday morning after the game, the Monday morning before the training. Ian St John knocked on the door to the office of Bill Shankly. Ian St John opened the door to the office. And Ian St John said, Bob said you wanted to see me, Boss?

Yes. I had a call from George Eastham last week.

George Eastham? How is George?

George sounds very well, said Bill Shankly. He is out in South Africa now. George is in Cape Town. He’s managing a side out there called Cape Town Hellenic …

That’s nice for George. That’s nice for him. And I hope he’s having a nice time out there. But what’s that got to do with me, Boss?

George wanted to know if I would let him speak to you.

Speak to me? Speak to me about what, Boss?

Speak to you about you going out there.

Out where?

Out to South Africa, said Bill Shankly. Out to Cape Town.

Ian St John looked across the desk at Bill Shankly. Ian St John stared at Bill Shankly. And Ian St John said nothing.

George is offering you a hundred quid a week, said Bill Shankly. The same money as you are on here. But George also wants you to be player — coach. And I know you’ve been to Lilleshall and got your whatever-it-is-they-call-it these days …

My FA coaching certificate.

Yes, said Bill Shankly. That thing. And so I thought you might be interested. I thought you might want to have a chat with George. To listen to what he has to say …

Ian St John stared at Bill Shankly. And Ian St John smiled.

Bill Shankly picked up a scrap of paper off his desk. And Bill Shankly handed the scrap of paper to Ian St John –

That’s his number. Give him a call.

Ian St John took the scrap of paper from Bill Shankly’s hand. Ian St John looked down at the telephone number on the scrap of paper. Then Ian St John looked back up at Bill. And Ian St John said, Do you know when I realised I was finished here? It was not that day at Newcastle when you dropped me. It was not that day. And it was not the Monday after, when I came to see you here in this office. Not that day either. It was when I went to the snooker room to get my Christmas present from the club. The turkey you give us every year as a thank you. And I went to the table I usually go to. And I picked up a turkey. A big one. A good one. Like I usually do. Like I’ve always done. And that bloke Bill Barlow. Your assistant club secretary or whatever-it-is-you-call-him these days. That bastard said, The birds on this table are for first-team players. Your bird is over there. On the table for reserve-team players. And I turned around and I looked at the turkeys over there. The little ones. The shit ones. And that was when I realised I was finished here. After I had played four hundred and twenty-four times for Liverpool Football Club. After I had scored one hundred and seventeen goals for Liverpool Football Club. That was when I knew. When your little bloody lap dog gave me a tiny fucking budgie for my Christmas turkey. That was when I knew I was finished at this club. But I still played for you on Saturday. And I still scored for you on Saturday. Didn’t I, Boss? For you. For you, Boss …

It comes to us all, said Bill Shankly. It happens to us all, son.

Yes, I know it does. I’m not stupid. But it didn’t have to come like that. It didn’t have to happen like this. Not like this.

…

On Saturday 30 January, 1971, Arsenal Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, forty-three thousand, eight hundred and forty-seven folk came, too. Arsenal Football Club were second in the First Division. And Liverpool Football Club were eighth in the First Division. But that afternoon, Liverpool Football Club did not struggle against Arsenal Football Club. Clemence did not struggle, Lawler did not struggle, Yeats did not struggle, Smith did not struggle, Lloyd did not struggle, Hughes did not struggle, Boersma did not struggle, McLaughlin did not struggle, Heighway did not struggle, Toshack did not struggle and Hall did not struggle. And in the fourth minute, Ron Yeats passed to Steve Heighway. Heighway raced down the wing, Heighway accelerated down the wing. And Heighway crossed. Brian Hall met the cross, Hall headed the cross. Towards the goal, towards the net. And John Toshack helped the ball. Into the net and into a goal. And in the fiftieth minute, Emlyn Hughes rolled a free kick short to Tommy Smith. And Smith shot. And Smith scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Arsenal Football Club two — nil. At home, at Anfield. Bill Shankly walked down the touchline. Bill Shankly shook the hand of Bertie Mee. And Bill Shankly smiled –

Well played, Bertram. Very well played indeed. I told my boys we’d be lucky to draw with you, Bertram. But no …

Thank you, William. Thank you very much. But you are a liar, William. And a bloody good liar. You never told those boys of yours they were going to draw. Never in a month of Sundays. You have never sent out a team to play for a draw. I know that. And you know that, William. And you also know what a team they are becoming. They are fulfilling their promise and they are fulfilling your belief. You must be very proud of them, William. Very proud indeed …

Thank you, Bertram. Thank you very much. And yes, I am proud. Very proud of them, Bertram. But you’ve still not seen the best of these boys yet. And so you’ve still not heard the last of them. Not by a long chalk, Bertram. Not by a very, very long chalk …

One week afterwards, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Elland Road, Leeds. Leeds United were first in the First Division. And Liverpool Football Club were sixth in the First Division. And in the second minute, Reaney went up for the ball. And Sprake went up for the ball. And Reaney and Sprake collided. And the ball fell to the ground. The Elland Road ground. And there was John Toshack. On the ground. The Elland Road ground. To tap the ball. The loose ball. Into the net and into a goal. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club cheered. But the supporters of Leeds United roared. Roared for vengeance. And Leeds United attacked and attacked. For the next eighty-eight minutes. The supporters of Leeds United roared and the players of Leeds United attacked. But Liverpool Football Club defended. For the last eighty-eight minutes. They defended and they defended. And Liverpool Football Club beat Leeds United one — nil. Away from home, away from Anfield. Bill Shankly walked down the touchline. And Bill Shankly shook Don Revie’s hand –

Well played, Don. I thought you were going to beat us. Or draw at least, Don. I wasn’t sure we could hang on. I really wasn’t.

Don Revie shook his head. And Don Revie said, You were lucky today, Bill. Very, very lucky. But to be honest, you are always lucky, Bill. I think you live a charmed life. Because for the life of me I don’t know how you won that match, Bill. We battered you. And we should have beaten you, Bill. We should have thrashed you. Murdered you, Bill. We should have murdered you. Two, three, four — nil …

Well, I think what you saw today, Don, was a lesson in defending. Great defending. Pure and simple, Don. We did our attacking early on. And then we defended, Don. From the back to the front, from the front to the back. So that’s how we beat you, Don. By great defending. It wasn’t a matter of luck, Don. There was no question of luck about it. It was heroic defending, Don. Plain and simple. But all the best to you, Don. And good luck in the Cup next week. Good luck to you, Don …

On Saturday 13 February, 1971, Southampton Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That day, fifty thousand, two hundred and twenty-six folk came, too. Fifty thousand, two hundred and twenty-six folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Southampton Football Club in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup. In the twenty-ninth minute, Steve Heighway raced down on the left, Heighway accelerated down the left. Heighway switched from one foot to the other. And Heighway crossed. Brian Hall met the cross. And Hall headed the cross. Towards the goal, towards the net. And there was Chris Lawler. Up from the back, down by their goal. And Lawler reached out a foot towards the ball. And Lawler stabbed the ball. Into the net, into a goal. And Liverpool Football Club beat Southampton Football Club one — nil in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup. At home again, at Anfield again. The supporters of Liverpool Football Club cheered. The supporters of Liverpool Football Club sang. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club roared, We’re going to win the Cup! We’re going to win the Cup! EE-AYE-ADDIO, WE’RE GOING TO WIN THE CUP!