by David Peace
Thank you very much …
On Saturday 9 March, 1968, Liverpool Football Club travelled to White Hart Lane, London. That afternoon, fifty-four thousand and five folk came, too. Fifty-four thousand and five folk to watch Tottenham Hotspur play Liverpool Football Club in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup. Tottenham Hotspur were the holders of the FA Cup. Tottenham Hotspur had already beaten Manchester United in the FA Cup. Tottenham Hotspur were the favourites to win the FA Cup. But that afternoon, there was lightning on the terraces, there was thunder on the pitch. Invention versus effort, precision versus strength. In the fifty-first minute, Gilzean flicked the ball forward to Greaves. And Greaves accelerated. Like lightning. Greaves found that extra pace, Greaves found that extra space. Between Yeats and Hughes. From twelve yards out. Greaves shot. Like thunder. And Greaves scored. Three minutes later, Lawler robbed the ball from Mackay. Lawler passed the ball to St John. St John lobbed the ball diagonally from right to left. And Hateley rose to meet the ball. Hateley headed the ball. And Hateley scored. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Tottenham Hotspur in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup –
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 –
On Saturday 4 May, 1968, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Elland Road, Leeds. That afternoon, forty-four thousand, five hundred and fifty-three folk came, too. In the fifteenth minute, Jones scored. And for the next sixty-nine minutes, Leeds United were beating Liverpool Football Club. But in the eighty-fourth minute, Chris Lawler latched on to a poor clearance by Harvey. And Lawler scored. And one minute later, Bobby Graham scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Leeds United two–one. Away from home, away from Anfield. That day, Manchester City beat Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United beat Newcastle United. That evening, Liverpool Football Club had fifty-three points. Manchester United had fifty-six points and Manchester City had fifty-six points, too. Manchester City were still first in the First Division. On goal average. Liverpool Football Club now third in the First Division. But Manchester City and Manchester United had only one last game to play. Liverpool Football Club still had two more games to play. If Manchester City and Manchester United each lost their last game and if Liverpool Football Club won each of their last two games, then Liverpool Football Club would be the Champions of England –
On Saturday 11 May, 1968, Nottingham Forest came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, thirty-eight thousand, eight hundred and fifty folk came, too. For the last home game of the season. Just thirty-eight thousand, eight hundred and fifty folk. In the thirty-fourth minute, Ian St John scored. In the thirty-sixth minute, Tony Hateley scored. And in the forty-first minute, Hateley scored again. In the fifty-fifth minute, Roger Hunt scored. And in the seventy-first minute, Hunt scored again. And in the eighty-fourth minute, Hateley scored again. His third goal of the match, his twenty-seventh goal of the season. And Liverpool Football Club beat Nottingham Forest six–one. But it didn’t matter. It didn’t count. That day, Manchester United lost two–one to Sunderland. But it didn’t matter. It didn’t count either. That day, Manchester City beat Newcastle United four–three. That evening, Manchester City were first in the First Division. And that evening, Manchester City were the Champions of England.
…
On Wednesday 15 May, 1968, Manchester United travelled to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, to play Real Madrid in the second leg of the semi-final of the European Cup. If Manchester United beat Real Madrid, then Manchester United would be in the final of the European Cup. That evening, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the Victoria Ground, Stoke. Bill Shankly walked into the dressing room. The away dressing room. Bill Shankly looked around the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. From player to player. From Lawrence to Lawler, Lawler to Wall, Wall to Smith, Smith to Yeats, Yeats to Strong, Strong to Callaghan, Callaghan to Hunt, Hunt to Hateley, Hateley to St John and from St John to Thompson. And Bill Shankly swallowed. And Bill Shankly swallowed again. Bill Shankly coughed. And Bill Shankly coughed again –
If we win tonight, boys. Then we will overtake Manchester United. And then we will be the runners-up in the Football League. We will finish second. And so we will be the second-best team in the Football League, boys. The second best …
On Wednesday 15 May, 1968, Manchester United came from three–one down at half-time to draw three–three with Real Madrid in the second leg of the semi-final of the European Cup. Manchester United had won the tie four–three on aggregate. Manchester United had reached the final of the European Cup. That night, in the fifty-eighth minute, Roger Hunt scored his thirtieth goal of the season. But that night, Liverpool Football Club lost two–one at Stoke City. That night, that season, after forty-two games, Liverpool Football Club finished third in the First Division –
Not first, not second –
Third best.
28. THE CROSSES AND THE MARKS
At the Estadio Insular, in the Canary Islands, Liverpool Football Club played UD Las Palmas in a post-season friendly. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with UD Las Palmas. That night, in the bar of their hotel in the Canary Islands, the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club watched the final of the European Cup on the television. That night, the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club watched Manchester United beat SL Benfica four–one after extra time. That night, the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club watched Manchester United become the first English team to win the European Cup. And that night, on the television in the bar of the hotel, Bill watched Matt on the pitch, the Wembley pitch. Bill watched Matt surrounded by his players on the pitch, the Wembley pitch. And Bill saw the look in Matt’s eyes. The memories in Matt’s eyes. And Bill knew what this meant to Matt. Bill knew Matt had set his heart on this. Bill wanted to call Matt, Bill wanted to congratulate Matt. And Bill tried to stand. Bill tried to get to his feet. His shirt stuck to his vest. His vest stuck to his skin. But in the bar, the hotel bar, Bill could not stand. Bill could not get to his feet. His shirt stuck to his vest. His vest stuck to his skin. Bill fought back tears. Bill struggled to breathe.
In his room, his hotel room. Not in his bed, his hotel bed. Bill paced and Bill paced. Bill thinking and Bill thinking. Bill knew failure could become habitual, defeat become routine. Routine and familiar. Familiar and accepted. Accepted and permanent. Permanent and imprisoning. Imprisoning and suffocating. Bill knew failure carried chains. Chains to bind you. You and your dreams. To bind you and your dreams alive. Bill knew defeat carried spades. Spades to bury you. You and your hopes. To bury you and your hopes alive. Bill knew you had to fight against failure. With every bone in your body. Bill knew you had to struggle against defeat. With every drop of your blood. You had to fight against failure, you had to struggle against defeat. For your dreams and for your hopes. For you and for the people. To fight and to struggle. For the dreams of the people,
for the hopes of the people.
…
In the car park, the Anfield Road car park. In the sunshine, the July sunshine. On the first day of training. In his sweater and in his tracksuit bottoms. Bill waited for the players of Liverpool Football Club. In their kits, their training kits. Bill greeted every player. Bill shook their hands, Bill patted their backs. Bill asked after their families, Bill asked after their holidays. And then Bob, Joe, Reuben and Ronnie Moran joined Bill and the players in the car park at Anfield. And in the sunshine, the July sunshine. They all walked out to Melwood. Then Bill and the players jogged once around the training pitch. Then Bill and the players passed the ball back and forth, in pairs, back and forth to each other for twenty minutes. Then Bill and the players jogged once more around the training pitch. And then Bill, Bob, Joe, Reuben, Ronnie and the players all walked back to Anfield.
In the car park, the Anfield car park. In the sunshine, the July sunshine. On the second day of training. Bill, Bob, Joe, Reuben, Ronnie and the players all jogged out to Melwood. Then Bill and the players ran once around the training pitch. Then Bill and the players passed the ball back and forth, in threes, back and forth to each other for thirty minutes. Then Bill and the players ran once more around the training pitch. And then Bill, Bob, Joe, Reuben,
Ronnie and the players all jogged back to Anfield.
In the car park, the Anfield car park. In the sunshine, the July sunshine. On the third day of training. Bill, Bob, Joe, Reuben, Ronnie and the players all ran out to Melwood. Then Bill and the players ran twice around the training pitch. Then Bill and the players passed the ball back and forth, in fours, back and forth to each other for forty minutes. Then Reuben blew his whistle. And Bill gathered the players in the middle of the training pitch. Bill, Bob, Joe, Reuben and Ronnie divided the thirty players into six groups of five. And Bill said, Right, lads. Enough running. We’re going to play some football. We’re going to play some five-a-sides …
In the car park, the Anfield car park. In the sunshine, the July sunshine. In the second week of training. In his sweater and in his tracksuit bottoms. Bill waited for the players of Liverpool Football Club. In their kits, their training kits. Bill greeted every player. Bill shook their hands, Bill patted their backs. Bill asked after their families, Bill asked after their weekends. And then Bob, Joe, Reuben and Ronnie joined Bill and the players in the car park at Anfield. Then Bill, Bob, Joe, Reuben, Ronnie and the players all climbed on the bus to Melwood. And when the players arrived at Melwood, when the players got off the bus, the players saw the boxes on the training pitch. And the players groaned, the players laughed. And Bill and the players ran twice around the training pitch. Then Bill and the players passed the ball back and forth, in pairs, back and forth for twenty minutes. Then Bill and the players went into the boxes. In pairs. Balls came over the top into the boxes. One player tried to hit the ball first time, the other tried to hit the same ball on the rebound. First time. Ball after ball. Every second, another ball. Into the box. Every second for one minute. Ball after ball. Then for two minutes. Then for three minutes. Again and again. Ball after ball. Every second. Shot after shot. Every second. Inside the box. In pairs, in turn. Pair after pair, player after player. Then Reuben blew his whistle. Bill gathered the players in the middle of the training pitch. And Bill said, Right, lads. Enough exercises. We’re going to play some football. Some five-a-sides …
