by David Peace
Bill walked out of the dressing room. The home dressing room. Bill walked down the corridor. The Anfield corridor. Bill walked down the steps. The Anfield steps. Bill walked down the touchline. The Anfield touchline. Bill sat down in the dug-out. The home dug-out. And Bill watched Liverpool Football Club play Wolverhampton Wanderers. At home, at Anfield. Bill watched Tommy Lawrence try and try. Bill watched Chris Lawler try and try. Bill watched Geoff Strong try and try. Bill watched Tommy Smith try and try. Bill watched Ron Yeats try and try. Bill watched Emlyn Hughes try and try. Bill watched Ian Callaghan try and try. Bill watched Roger Hunt try and try. Bill watched Bobby Graham try and try. Bill watched Ian St John try and try. Bill watched Peter Thompson try and try. For ninety minutes. Bill watched them try and try.
In the dressing room, the home dressing room. Bill looked around the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. From player to player. From Lawrence to Lawler, Lawler to Strong, Strong to Smith, Smith to Yeats, Yeats to Hughes, Hughes to Callaghan, Callaghan to Hunt, Hunt to Graham, Graham to St John and from St John to Thompson. And Bill said, Well played, boys. Well played. I know how hard you all tried, boys. I could see how hard you all tried. And we didn’t deserve to draw, boys. We deserved to win today. And if they gave goals for effort. If they gave points for graft. Then we would have won. And we would always win. So well played, boys. Well played. And thank you, boys.
Thank you.
…
In his seat, in the stands at the Estádio do Bonfim, in Setúbal, in Portugal, Bill watched Vitória Futebol Clube of Setúbal play Futebol Clube do Porto. And Bill did not like what he saw. Vitória Futebol Clube of Setúbal beat Futebol Clube do Porto five–nil. Three days later, on the bench at the Estádio do Bonfim, Bill watched Liverpool Football Club play Vitória Futebol Clube of Setúbal in the first leg of the Second Round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. And again, Bill did not like what he saw. In the fortieth minute, on a greasy surface, Cardoso shot. The ball hit the crossbar. The ball rebounded to Tomé. And Tomé scored. And in the seventy-ninth minute, on a greasy surface, Liverpool Football Club won their first corner of the game. But that was all they won. On Wednesday 12 November, 1969, on a greasy surface, Liverpool Football Club lost one–nil to Vitória Futebol Clube of Setúbal in the first leg of the Second Round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Away from home,
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,
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.
33. INTO THE DUSTBIN OF HISTORY
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, 1
970, 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!
