Red Or Dead

by David Peace

  What a night for you?

  This is the greatest night in the history of Liverpool Football Club, said Bill Shankly. Liverpool Football Club have been working towards this night for years. This night is the result of planning, of simplicity, and of how to play the game in a simple manner. And I think the whole world now realises that that’s the way to play. The players were simply tremendous. And so were the crowd. They were unbelievable. This is what football is all about …

  And the journalist thanked Bill Shankly. And Bill Shankly walked on. Among the supporters of Liverpool Football Club. In their thousands. Waving their banners, waving their flags. Their red and white chequered flags. In their thousands. Chanting and singing one song: Ee-aye-addio, we’ve won the Cup. Heading to the buses, heading back to town. Among the thousands. Bill Shankly headed back towards his bus. The bus back to the hotel. Among the thousands. Looking at all the flags waving. The red and white chequered flags. Listening to the one song being sung. Ee-aye-addio, we’ve won the Cup. Among the thousands. One supporter spotted Bill Shankly. And the supporter said, Is that really you, Bill? Is it really you, Bill?

  Aye, said Bill Shankly. But keep it down, son. Keep it down. I don’t want to start a riot with all the fans around …

  But what are you doing out here, Bill? Why aren’t you back in the stadium with the team, Bill? Your team …

  Oh well now, said Bill Shankly. It’s not my team now. It’s Bob’s team now, son. It’s Bob’s night tonight. Not mine, son.

  The supporter shook his head. And the supporter said, No offence, Bill. But that’s bloody rubbish, Bill. Everybody knows it’s your team, Bill. It’s your team, Bill. Everybody knows that, Bill. The team you built, Bill. The team you made, Bill. Everybody knows that, Bill. You should be celebrating with the players, Bill. With your players, Bill. With your team, Bill.

  Well, thanks for saying that, said Bill Shankly. That’s a nice thing to say, son. Thank you …

  No, Bill. No. Don’t thank me, Bill. Please don’t thank me, Bill. Because I’m not just saying it, Bill. I’m not just saying it, Bill. It’s true, Bill. It’s true, Bill. It’s us who should be thanking you, Bill. Us who should be thanking you, Bill. We wouldn’t be here without you, Bill. This wouldn’t have happened without you, Bill. Everybody knows that, Bill. It couldn’t have happened without you, Bill. It could never have happened without you, Bill. Never, Bill. Never.

  No, no, said Bill Shankly. It couldn’t have happened without all of you, son. Without all of you supporters.

  Well, come and join us then, Bill. Come and have a drink with us in town tonight, Bill …

  Thank you, said Bill Shankly. Thank you, son. But I’m a wee bit tired now. I’ve been at the stadium all day, son. I’m going back to the hotel now …

  But you haven’t even got a scarf on you, Bill. Not even a Liverpool scarf on, Bill. Will you not take mine, Bill? I would be proud if you would wear mine tonight, Bill –

  And the supporter untied the scarf from around his neck. And the supporter tied the scarf around Bill Shankly’s neck.

  And Bill Shankly looked down at the scarf around his neck. The Liverpool scarf. Bill Shankly touched the wool of the scarf. The red and white wool of the Liverpool scarf. And then Bill Shankly looked up at the supporter of Liverpool Football Club –

  Thank you, said Bill Shankly. Thank you, son. And I will treasure this scarf. I will always treasure it. Because I know what this scarf must mean to you, son. On this great night for our great club …

  The supporter of Liverpool Football Club nodded. And the supporter of Liverpool Football Club watched Bill Shankly walk on. Among the thousands of other supporters of Liverpool Football Club. Bill Shankly walked on towards the bus. The bus back to the hotel. Among the thousands. Other supporters now spotted Bill Shankly. In the coach park. And some of the supporters of Liverpool Football Club got down on their hands and on their knees. In the coach park. Thousands of supporters were now down on their hands and on their knees. In the coach park. On their hands and on their knees. Their heads bowed. The supporters quietly sang, Shankly, Shankly, Shankly. In the coach park. Bill Shankly walked among them. The thousands of supporters. On their hands and on their knees. Bill Shankly touched their bowed heads. Bill Shankly shook their outstretched hands. And then Bill Shankly climbed aboard the bus. The bus back to the hotel.

  After the match, after the victory. There were the celebrations. And the party. In the dining room at the Holiday Inn. Bill Shankly looked around the room. In the centre of the room, tables had been arranged in a huge oblong. The tables covered with long white cloths. The tables piled high with food. But inside these tables. In the centre of these tables. There was another table. And on this table stood the European Cup. Bill Shankly walked over to the tables. Bill Shankly stood before the European Cup. Bill Shankly looked across the tables. The European Cup on the other side of the tables. Bill Shankly looked across the food. And Bill Shankly stared at the European Cup. Out of reach. Bill Shankly stared into the European Cup. Into the silver, the silver surface of the European Cup. And Bill Shankly saw his face reflected in the European Cup. Contorted and distorted. And Bill Shankly smiled. Some of the supporters of Liverpool Football Club had managed to get into the dining room of the Holiday Inn. The supporters were on their hands and on their knees. Under the cloths, under the tables. The supporters crawled into the centre of the tables. The supporters got to their feet. And the supporters touched the European Cup. The supporters had their photographs taken with the European Cup. And one of the supporters came back up from under the tables, from under the cloths. On his hands and on his knees. The supporter saw Bill Shankly. Bill Shankly standing at the table. Bill Shankly staring at the European Cup. And the supporter said, This is all down to you, Mr Shankly. All down to you, Mr Shankly …

  Thank you, said Bill Shankly. Thank you, son.

  70. ’TWAS SURELY IN HIS ANGER

  Bill was invited onto the bus. The open-top bus. And Bill went onto the bus. The open-top bus. For the parade through the streets of Liverpool. With the players of Liverpool Football Club and with the European Cup. On the open-top bus. With the players and their cup, with the players and their bottles. On the open-top bus. Many of the players were still drunk from the night before. The triumph of the night before. Kevin Keegan had a black eye from the night before. The celebrations of the night before. And on the open-top bus. Bill tried to get some of the players of Liverpool Football Club to calm down. On the open-top bus. Bill tried to get some of the players to put down their bottles. On the open-top bus. Bill wanted the players of Liverpool Football Club to see the supporters of Liverpool Football Club. The thousands of supporters of Liverpool Football Club. The hundreds of thousands of supporters of Liverpool Football Club. And not only the supporters of Liverpool Football Club. The supporters of Everton Football Club. All the people of the city of Liverpool were lining the streets of the city of Liverpool. Applauding the players of Liverpool Football Club, cheering the players of Liverpool Football Club. On the open-top bus. Bill wanted the players of Liverpool Football Club to drink in these scenes on the streets of the city of Liverpool. On the open-top bus. Bill wanted the players of Liverpool Football Club to never forget these scenes on the streets of the city of Liverpool. On the open-top bus. Bill wanted the players of Liverpool Football Club to always remember these scenes on the streets of the city of Liverpool. On the open-top bus. Bill wanted the players of Liverpool Football Club to always remember the supporters of Liverpool Football Club.

  On William Brown Street. Bill got off the bus with the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club. On William Brown Street. Bill walked up the steps to the platform in front of the Picton Library with the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club. Before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill stood with the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club and their families. And before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill remembered the first time he had stood here. Bef
ore the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. The many times he had stood here. Before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. The last time he had stood here. But before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill could not believe his eyes. Bill saw some of the players of Liverpool Football Club swaying from side to side. Some of the players of Liverpool Football Club struggling to stay on their feet. Some of the players of Liverpool Football Club too drunk to stand. And before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill turned away, Bill looked away. Before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill looked down, down at his shoes. Before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill heard Bob Paisley say, In the thirty-eight years I have been here, this exceeds everything. It is the biggest day in the life of Liverpool Football Club. And before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill could not believe his ears. Bill heard Emlyn Hughes grab the microphone from Bob Paisley. And Bill heard Emlyn Hughes singing, Na na, na-na-na, Liverpool are magic, Everton are tragic. Na na, na-na-na, Everton are tragic …

  And before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill could not breathe. Bill could not fight back the tears.

  71. THIS WAS YOUR LIFE

  Bob Paisley had won the European Cup. Jock Stein and Matt Busby had also won the European Cup. But Bob Paisley was the first Englishman to win the European Cup. Bob Paisley was the Manager of the Year. Bell’s Whisky sponsored the Manager of the Year awards. Bell’s Whisky asked Bill Shankly if he would like to present Bob Paisley with his Manager of the Year award –

  Yes, said Bill Shankly. I will.

  In the hotel dining room. In front of all the managers of all the football clubs in England. Bill Shankly stood up. Bill Shankly walked to the front of the room. And Bill Shankly stood before the room –

  You probably all think I’m jealous at having to give this wonderful honour to Bob Paisley, the Manager of the Year, said Bill Shankly. Well, you’d all be damn right!

  And in the hotel dining room. All the managers of all the football clubs in England laughed. And Bob Paisley stood up. Bob Paisley walked to the front of the room. Bob Paisley shook hands with Bill Shankly. Bob Paisley thanked Bill Shankly. And Bob Paisley said, When I took over from Bill, I said that I would settle for a drop of Bell’s once a month, a big bottle at the end of the season and a ride around the city centre in an open-top bus! So thank you very much. Mind you, I’ve been here during the bad times, too. In my first year, we finished second …

  And in the hotel dining room. All the managers of all the football clubs in England laughed again. And all the managers of all the football clubs applauded Bob Paisley. And Bill Shankly smiled.

  The producers of This Is Your Life planned to surprise Bob Paisley in London after Liverpool Football Club had played Queens Park Rangers. The producers of This Is Your Life asked Bill Shankly if he would like to appear on this tribute to the life of Bob Paisley –

  Yes, said Bill Shankly. I will.

  In the television studio. In front of the audience. Bill Shankly stepped from behind the scenes. Bill Shankly walked towards Bob Paisley. Bill Shankly shook hands with Bob Paisley –

  Bob and I never had any rows, said Bill Shankly. We didn’t have any time for that. We had to plan where we were going to keep all the cups we won.

  And in the television studio. Bob Paisley laughed. Eamonn Andrews laughed. And the audience laughed. And in their homes. The viewers laughed. Everybody laughed.

  And Bill Shankly smiled.

  72. DON’T LET ME KEEP YOU

  In the house, in their kitchen. Bill helped Ness clear away the breakfast things. Bill dried up the breakfast things. In the house, in their hallway. Bill picked up the paper from the table in the hall. In the house, in their front room. In his chair. Bill read the paper. Bill finished the paper. Bill put down the paper. In the house, in their front room. Bill stared out of the window. Through the condensation on the inside of the glass, through the raindrops on the outside of the glass. Bill watched the people going to work. Bill watched the children going to school. In the house, in their front room. Bill heard Ness dusting in the hall. Bill heard Ness vacuuming in the hall. In the house, in their bedroom. Bill put on his suit. Bill put on his tie. In the house, in their hallway. Bill put on his coat. Bill picked up his umbrella. And Bill said, I’m just going to pop out for a bit, love. Have a walk to the shops for a paper.

  It’s raining cats and dogs out there, said Ness. You’ll get soaked to your skin, love. You’ll get soaked through.

  Bill smiled. And Bill said, No, love. No. I’ve got my coat and I’ve got my brolly. And a bit of rain never hurt anyone, love. And the exercise will do me good. And get me out from under your feet, love.

  Well, if you’ve made up your mind, said Ness, then you go, love. You go. But you take care, love. And I’ll see you when you get back.

  Bill kissed Ness on her cheek. And Bill said, Thanks, love.

  In the cafe on the Eaton Road in West Derby, Liverpool. In his suit and in his tie. Bill sat in the window. The condensation on the inside of the glass, the raindrops on the outside of the glass. In his suit and in his tie. Bill stared out of the window of the cafe on the Eaton Road in West Derby, Liverpool. Through the condensation, through the raindrops. Bill watched the people in the street. In the rain. Bill watched the people going to work. In the rain. The people doing their shopping. In the rain. The people busy, the people occupied. In the rain. In the cafe on the Eaton Road in West Derby, Liverpool. In his suit and in his tie. Bill looked back down at his newspaper on the table. The newspaper he had already read. Twice. Bill picked up his cup of tea. Bill took another sip. The tea cold, the tea old. Bill heard the door of the cafe open. Bill looked up. And Bill saw a man he knew. A man who sometimes came into the cafe for his breakfast. A man who always had a good chat with Bill. And Bill said, Hello, son. How are you, son? You look soaked through, son. Sit yourself down, son. And get some hot food inside you, son. A nice cup of tea down you, son …

  The man smiled. The man pulled up a chair. The man sat down at the table with Bill. And the man smiled again –

  It’s good to see you, Bill. Great to see you again. But how are you, Bill? Are you well?

  Oh, I’m very well. Thank you, son. Thank you. Mind you, I picked up a wee knock in the five-a-side on Monday. But I’ll be right for Friday. I’ll be fit to play on Friday, no danger. But what about you? How are you, son? I’ve not seen you in here for ages. You must be busy, son. Are they keeping you busy at work?

  Yeah, yeah. We’re busy, Bill. We’re busy. But I mean, I can’t complain, Bill. I mustn’t grumble. At least we’re busy, Bill. At least I’ve got a job. I mean, I’m one of the lucky ones these days, Bill.

  Oh yes. You’re right, son. You’re right. These are hard times for so many folk, son. I mean, these are desperate times for so many folk. It appals me, son. I mean, it appals me the way the country is going. It’s going backwards, son. Backwards. So you do right to count your blessings, son. You do right. You have your job, you have your work. You have your family and you have your health. These are the things that matter, son. These are the important things.

  And the football, said the man. Don’t forget the football, Bill. At least we’ve always got the football …

  Oh well, yes. Yes. You’re right, son. You’re right. We’ve always got the football, son. Always got the football. No matter what a mess the politicians make of things, son. No matter what a mess they make of the world. We’ve always got the football, son. We’ve always got that to be thankful for …

  The waitress brought over a breakfast for the man. The man picked up the knife and the fork from the table. And Bill said, Go on, son. Go on. Get stuck in, son. Get stuck in. Get that inside you, son. A man needs to keep his strength up …

  The man nodded –

  And at least we’re having a good season, Bill. Thank God we’re having a good season, eh?

  Oh well, yes. Yes. At Anfield, at home. We are. Yes. We are. No
t bad, not bad at all. But away from home, away from Anfield. It’s a different story, son. A very different story. And to be honest with you, son. I’m worried. I’m very worried, son. I mean, I know they won away at Leicester on Saturday. But they’ve lost at City, they’ve lost at United. And they lost at Queens Park Rangers. Now you can’t be losing at Queens Park Rangers, son. You can’t be losing there, if you want to win the League. Not if you want to win the League, son. And they lost at home to Villa, too. At Anfield, son. And then there have been all the draws. I mean, five draws already, son …

  The man nodded again –

  But you think we can still win the League, don’t you, Bill? You think we still can …

  Well, it won’t be easy. I can tell you that, son. It won’t be easy. I mean, we’ve still to play Forest, son. Home and away.

  But you don’t think Forest can win the League, do you, Bill?

  Bill smiled. And Bill said, Well, nothing would surprise me with Brian. Not with Brian Clough, son. I’ve always admired him. I’ve always respected him, son. And we often chat. He often calls me, son. To get my thoughts, to pick my brains. He’s a very clever man, son. And a socialist, too. A man after my own heart, son …

  But Dalglish is doing well for us, isn’t he, Bill? I mean, I thought it might take him time to find his feet. Take him a while to settle, Bill. I mean, I’m very surprised how well he’s doing for us …

  Oh well, yes. But I am not surprised, son. Not surprised at all. I mean, I had my eye on Kenny since he was fifteen. I mean, when he was only fifteen, I had Kenny down here for a trial. And he was brilliant. He was brilliant, son. Even then, at fifteen. I remember it well. After the trial, me and Reuben. We drove him back to the YMCA. And I would have signed him then and there. No bother at all! But the boy was homesick. He was only fifteen. And he didn’t want to leave home. And so I remember I called Jock Stein. And I said to Jock, I said, John, I cannot believe no one has signed this boy. This boy is brilliant. This boy is unbelievable. And Jock signed him. Then and there. Even though the boy was a Rangers fan! Jock signed him on. And that was good. That was great. I mean, if he wasn’t going to come to Anfield. If he wasn’t going to play for us. Then Celtic was the best place for him. With Jock to look after him, Jock to watch over him. So I’ve had my eye on him for years, son. For years. So I’m not surprised how well he is going, son. Not surprised at all. And I tell you another thing, son. This is only the beginning. Only the beginning for Kenny at Anfield, son. And he’ll not get carried away. No, Kenny’s not that type, son. I mean, the night he signed for us. Big John Toshack brought him over to my house here in West Derby. Because John knows what it’s like. No matter how old you are. No matter what you have done in the game. You are in a new city. You are stuck in a hotel. Away from your family, away from your home. So John brought him over to my house. For a cup of tea with me and Ness. And so we had a nice cup of tea and I had a wee chat with him. And I said to him, Kenny. I said, I’ve just got two pieces of advice for you, son. Don’t go overeating in that bloody hotel. And don’t lose your accent!