by David Peace
And Bill had said, Christ! You can’t afford not to buy them.
On the road to Scotland, in the Rolls-Royce. Again Bill said, We can’t afford not to buy St John, Mr Williams. We can’t afford not to. We didn’t get Clough. Sunderland got Clough. We can’t let that happen again, Mr Williams. We have to get St John. And we can. We can. I know we can. Because he wants to leave. He wants to go. And he wants to come to England. The boy wants to play his football in England. But Motherwell are no fools. They know what they have. They know what he’s worth. So they’ll have told other clubs. Other directors. And so they’ll be in their cars. They’ll be on their way. So we have to hurry. We have to be quick. Because we have to get Ian St John. We have to buy the boy. We cannot afford not to buy him!
Mr Williams nodded. And Mr Reakes stepped on it.
On the road back to England, in the Rolls-Royce. Bill sat between Ian St John and his wife. On the back seat. Bill was smiling and Bill was talking. Ten to the dozen. One hundred miles an hour. Bill said, Just think of all the goals you’ll score, son. We’ll be promoted in no time. In no time at all, son. With the goals you will score. We’ll be Second Division Champions, son. First Division Champions. We’ll win the FA Cup, son. We’ll play in Europe. We’ll win the European Cup, son. We will win the bloody lot. With the goals you will score, son. We will be the greatest team in England. The greatest team in Europe, son. With the goals you will score. I promise you we will, son. Because I know we bloody will!
…
In the house, in their front room. In the night and in the silence. In his chair. Bill closed his book. His book of names, his book of notes. And Bill closed his eyes. Liverpool Football Club had paid thirty-seven thousand, five hundred pounds for Ian St John. A club record. Plus one thousand pounds, in cash, under the table to Ian St John. A week later, Liverpool Football Club had gone to Goodison Park to play Everton Football Club in the Liverpool Senior Cup. Liverpool Football Club had lost four–three. But Ian St John had scored all three Liverpool goals. On his debut, a hat-trick. In the night and in the silence. In his chair. Bill opened his eyes again, Bill opened his book again. His book of names, his book of notes. Bill turned the pages. The pages of names, the pages of notes. Ticks and crosses. Bill had got Ian St John. And Bill had moved on Bobby Campbell, Alan Arnell and James Harrower. Then Bill had moved on Alan Banks, John Nicholson and Dave Hickson. And Billy Liddell had had his testimonial. In the night and in the silence. In his chair. Bill stared down at the pages. The pages of names, the pages of notes. All the ticks and all the crosses. But in the night and in the silence. In his chair. Bill was not satisfied. Too many crosses and not enough ticks. And no sense of satisfaction. There never was, never could be. Bill did not believe in satisfaction. That was another word Bill thought should be cut out of the dictionary. Satisfaction. Another word that should be struck from the English language. Banished and forgotten. In the night and in the silence. In his chair. Bill could not forget Yeats. Ron Yeats and Ian St John. Their names were forged together in Bill’s mind. Forged together since that night Bill and Eddie Boot had watched the Scotland national team play that Scottish Second Division select. In the night and in the silence. In his chair. Bill might have got Ian St John. But still Bill wanted Ron Yeats. What a player he was. What a man he was. Six foot three. A giant. A colossus. Not a man you forgot. In the night and in the silence. In his chair. Bill closed his book. His book of names, his book of notes. Bill picked up his address book from the arm of the chair. And Bill got up from his chair. Bill went out into the hall. Bill picked up the telephone. Bill dialled a number. And Bill said, Hello, Jerry? It’s Bill Shankly. How are you, Jerry? How’s Dundee United?
I’m fine, said Jerry Kerr. Well, I was fine. How are you, Bill?
Bill said, I’m fine, too, Jerry. Very fine. Thank you very much.
Good, said Jerry Kerr. That’s fantastic news, that’s great news. We’re both fine. Thanks for calling, Bill. Goodnight now …
Bill laughed. And Bill said, Not so fast, Jerry. Not so fast.
But he’s not for sale, Bill. Like I tell you every time. The man is not for sale. He helped us gain promotion. He’s helped keep us in the First Division. And we couldn’t have done it without him. We know that and he knows that. And so he’s happy here. We’re all happy.
Bill laughed again. And Bill said, Congratulations, Jerry. Congratulations. I am very pleased for you, Jerry. Very pleased. I could not be more pleased for you, Jerry. But I also know what a struggle it is to stay in that division. What a struggle it is, Jerry. So I know you must have your eye on a few new players. A few new players, Jerry. To freshen things up a bit, liven things up, you know?
Well, said Jerry Kerr. A few new players would be nice. Aye. I won’t deny you that, Bill. I can’t deny you that. But there’s the ones you want and then there’s the ones you can afford. You know that, Bill. You know how it is. It’s always a question of money, Bill …
Bill said, Aye, Jerry. Aye. You don’t have to tell me that, Jerry.
I know, said Jerry Kerr. I know I don’t, Bill.
Bill said, Aye. It’s always a question of money, Jerry.
Aye, it’s always the money, said Jerry Kerr. Well, thank you, Bill. Thank you for calling. Now you take care, Bill. And you give my regards to your lovely wife. To Nessie and the girls, Bill …
In the house, in their hallway. Bill put down the telephone. In the night, in the silence. Bill smiled. And Bill picked up the phone again. And Bill dialled another number.
…
At the station, on the platform at Dundee. Bill shook hands with Duncan Hutchinson, one of the directors of Dundee United Football Club. And Bill said, Well, thank you for the lift back here, sir. It’s a great shame the way things have turned out. I mean, things have not gone the way I hoped, the way I wanted. But it was very good of you to still give us a lift back here, sir. And save us a cab fare.
Yes, said Duncan Hutchinson. It’s a great shame, Mr Shankly.
Bill nodded. And Bill said, Aye. It is that. But if a club says a player is not for sale, then there is not much more to say …
At the station, on the platform. Duncan Hutchinson leaned forward. And Duncan Hutchinson whispered in Bill’s ear, No, it’s a great shame because I bet for thirty thousand, Yeats would be yours.
Bill looked at Duncan Hutchinson. And Bill said, Really?
Duncan Hutchinson nodded, Duncan Hutchinson winked.
On the train, in their carriage. At their table, in his seat. Bill looked out of the window as the train pulled out of Dundee station. And Bill smiled. Bill turned to look across at Sidney Reakes and Eric Sawyer. In their seats, at their table. And Bill said, You remember you told me, if I can find the players, you can get me the money?
Yes, said Eric Sawyer. Of course, I remember.
Bill laughed. And Bill said, Good. I’m glad you do. Because we’re getting off at Waverley. At Edinburgh.
Edinburgh, asked Sidney Reakes. Why are we getting off in Edinburgh, Mr Shankly?
Bill laughed again. And Bill said, So you can make some phone calls. So he can get me the money. The money I need.
…
In the lounge of the North British Hotel in Edinburgh. At a table, in a chair. Bill looked up and Bill saw Ron Yeats. Ron Yeats striding into the lounge, Ron Yeats looking around the room. And Bill sprang up from his chair. Bill ran across the room. Bill grabbed Ron Yeats by the hand. And Bill said, Christ! What a player you are, Ron. What a man you are! You are the biggest defender I have ever seen, Ron. You must be seven feet tall, I swear. Seven foot tall, Ron!
Actually, I’m six foot three, said Ron Yeats.
Bill smiled. And Bill said, But you look seven foot, Ron. You look seven foot. But you’re also quick, Ron. You’re the quickest defender I’ve ever seen. The very quickest, Ron.
Thank you very much, said Ron Yeats. By the way, where exactly is Liverpool, Mr Shankly?
Bill said, In the First Division, Ron. The First Division.
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br /> I meant whereabouts in England, Mr Shankly. Whereabouts is Liverpool in England. But that’s not true, Mr Shankly. The club are in the Second Division. I know that much, Mr Shankly.
Bill laughed. And Bill said, Not with you in the team, Ron. Not with you in the team. With you in the team, we’ll be in the First Division, Ron. The Big League.
7. TO BEGIN AGAIN, AT THE BEGINNING AGAIN
In the last week of June, 1961. Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, Reuben Bennett, Arthur Riley and Albert Shelley walked up the stairs to the boardroom of Liverpool Football Club. The directors of Liverpool Football Club were still on their holidays. But Bill Shankly was not on his holidays. Bill Shankly was sitting in a chair in the boardroom of Liverpool Football Club with the door open. Bill Shankly was waiting for Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert. Bill Shankly smiling –
Come in, said Bill Shankly. And sit down, sit down …
Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert sat down around the long table in the boardroom. They looked at the books spread out on the long table. The books of names, the books of notes. They looked at the sheets of paper piled up on the table. And they looked at Bill Shankly.
Bill Shankly picked up one of the piles of papers. Bill Shankly handed Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert each a sheet of paper. A sheet of names, a sheet of dates. And Bill Shankly smiled again –
Gentlemen, said Bill Shankly. These are all our fixtures for the season. The coming season, the new season …
Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert each looked down at the typed sheet of paper. The sheet of names, the sheet of dates. The names of clubs, the dates of fixtures. And then Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all looked back up at Bill Shankly. Smiling –
Gentlemen, said Bill Shankly again. This season we’re going to take no chances. We’re going to leave nothing to chance. We’re going to leave no stone unturned. We’re going to look under every stone. And find out all there is to know. Everything there is to know. Everything there is to know about every one of these teams on this sheet of paper. Every single thing there is to know about every single one of these teams. Every single thing, every last thing …
Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert each looked down at the typed sheet of paper again. The sheet of names, the sheet of dates. The names of clubs, the dates of fixtures. And Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all nodded.
Bill Shankly picked up a second pile of papers. A massive pile of papers. The papers bound in five separate sheaves. Bill Shankly handed Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert each a sheaf of paper –
And this is a list of fixtures for every team in our division. Every game every team in our division will play this season. Every single game for every single team. They are all listed here …
Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert each looked down at the sheaf of paper in their hands. And Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert flicked through the pages. The pages of names, the pages of dates. The names of every single club in the division, the dates of every single one of their fixtures. Forty-one names, one thousand, seven hundred and twenty-two dates –
Gentlemen, said Bill Shankly. This season we are going to watch every team in our division. Every single team. Before they come to us, before we go to them. Because we need to know every thing there is to know about every team. Every single thing about every single team. Their strengths and their weaknesses. And so we need to watch them all. Before they come to us, before we go to them. And then we are going to come back here and we are going to talk about them. Discuss them and analyse them. Their strengths and their weaknesses. And so then we will know every single thing there is to know about every single team. And then we will be prepared. Before they come to us, before we go to them. We will be prepared.
Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all looked up from the sheaves of papers in their hands. And Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all nodded again.
So we need to study these fixtures, said Bill Shankly. And then we need to decide which one of us will go to which one of these games. If we have no game, I am happy to go. More than happy to go. And any one of you is welcome to join me. Particularly if you don’t mind driving. But if we have a game, then one of you will have to go …
Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all nodded again.
Bill Shankly picked up the last pile of papers. Another list of names, another list of dates. And Bill Shankly handed Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert these last papers –
But enough about them, said Bill Shankly. Enough about the opposition. These are the names of every player we have on the books at Liverpool Football Club. And these are the dates of every training session we have scheduled at Liverpool Football Club. And so what I want us to do now, what I want us to do today, is to go through every player and every date and plan every training session for every player at Liverpool Football Club. Every single session for every single player. Because this season we’re going to take no chances. We’re going to leave nothing to chance. Because this season Liverpool Football Club will be promoted. This season Liverpool Football Club will be Champions. Together, gentlemen. We will be Champions!
Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all looked up from the papers in their hands. Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all nodded again. And Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert all smiled.
…
In the first week of July, 1961. On the first day of their preseason training. The players of Liverpool Football Club gathered in the car park at Anfield. In their new kits, their brand-new training kits. In the sun, the July sun. Bill Shankly came out of the stadium. He greeted every player. He shook their hands, he patted their backs. He asked after their families, he asked after their holidays. And then Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert joined Bill Shankly and the players of Liverpool Football Club in the car park at Anfield. And in the sun, the July sun. They all walked out to Melwood. And the players jogged once around the training pitch. Then the players passed the ball back and forth, in pairs, back and forth to each other for twenty minutes. Then the players jogged once more around the training pitch. And then in the sun, the July sun. The players and the coaching staff of Liverpool Football Club all walked back to Anfield.
On the second day of their pre-season training. The players and the coaching staff of Liverpool Football Club all gathered in the car park at Anfield. Then the players and the coaching staff of Liverpool Football Club all jogged out to Melwood. And the players ran once around the training pitch. Then the players passed the ball back and forth, in threes, back and forth to each other for thirty minutes. Then the players ran once more around the training pitch. Then the players and the coaching staff of Liverpool Football Club all jogged back to Anfield. And on the third day of their pre-season training. The players and the coaching staff of Liverpool Football Club all gathered in the car park at Anfield. Then the players and the coaching staff of Liverpool Football Club all ran out to Melwood. And the players ran twice around the training pitch. Then 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 Shankly gathered the players in the middle of the training pitch. Bill, Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert divided the thirty players into six groups of five.
And Bill Shankly smiled –
Right then, lads, said Bill Shankly. Enough bloody running. We’re going to play some football! Some five-a-sides, lads …
In the second week of their pre-season training. The players of Liverpool Football Club gathered in the car park at Anfield. Bill Shankly came out of the stadium. He greeted every player. He shook their hands, he patted their backs. He asked after their families, he asked after their weekends. And then Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert joined Bill Shankly and the players of Liverpool Football Club in the car park at Anfield. And they all climbed on the bus to Melwood. And when the players of Liverpool Football Club arrived at Melwood, when the players of Liverpool Football Club got off the bus at Melwood, the players of Liverpool Football Club
saw the box on the training pitch at Melwood. The box ready for them, the box waiting for them. And the players groaned. And the players laughed. And the players of Liverpool Football Club ran twice around the training pitch. Then the players passed the ball back and forth, in pairs, back and forth for twenty minutes. And then the players went into the box. In pairs. And a ball came over the top into the box. And the first player shot against one board. First time. Then the other player 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. Into the box. Then for two minutes. Ball after ball, into the box. Then for three minutes. Ball after ball, into the box. Again and again. Ball after ball, into the box. Every second. Shot after shot. Every second. Inside the box. Every player. Inside the box. Player after player. Pair after pair. Into the box. The players working in the box, the box working on the players. Then Reuben blew his whistle. And Bill Shankly gathered the players in the middle of the training pitch. And Bill Shankly smiled –