Red Or Dead
Page 29
Twenty-one more goals.
Bill Shankly had heard Tony Hateley was unhappy. Bill Shankly knew Tony Hateley had played one hundred and thirty-one times for Notts County Football Club. Bill Shankly knew Tony Hateley had scored seventy-seven goals for Notts County Football Club. Bill Shankly knew Tony Hateley had played one hundred and twenty-seven times for Aston Villa Football Club. Bill Shankly knew Tony Hateley had scored sixty-eight goals for Aston Villa Football Club. Bill Shankly knew Tony Hateley had played twenty-seven times for Chelsea Football Club. Bill Shankly knew Tony Hateley had scored six goals for Chelsea Football Club. Only six goals. Bill Shankly knew why Tony Hateley was unhappy. Bill Shankly didn’t like to think of any man being unhappy. Not when he could be happy. Not when he could be playing for Liverpool Football Club. Not when he could be scoring goals for Liverpool Football Club. Twenty-one goals for Liverpool Football Club. Home and away. At least twenty-one goals, for Liverpool Football Club.
…
After his summer holidays, back in the boardroom. Sidney Reakes said, But ninety-six thousand pounds is much more than we have ever paid for any footballer, Mr Shankly. Much, much more.
I know, said Bill Shankly. And I know it is a huge amount of money. And you know how much I dislike spending such huge amounts of money. But these are the amounts of money we have to spend these days. This is the world we have to live in these days. And we can dream of a different world, we can wish for a better world. We can still strive for that world, we can still work towards that world. That different world, that better world. But we still have to live in this world, we cannot only live in history. What has been done has been done. But what has been done is history now. Now we need to turn the page and to write a new page. And I believe this man is the player to help us turn the page, to let us write that new page. A new page of history, a new page of success. Because the supporters of Liverpool Football Club have been weaned on success. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club deserve success. Anything less would be an insult. An insult to the supporters of Liverpool Football Club. And an insult to the people of Liverpool …
Sidney Reakes said, You make a very powerful case, Mr Shankly. As usual. A very persuasive case, Mr Shankly. And I will present your case to the board. And then I will get back to you, Mr Shankly. Now was there anything else? Anything else I can do for you today, Mr Shankly?
Yes, said Bill Shankly. There was one other thing. One small thing. I’d also like eighteen thousand pounds to buy Ray Clemence from Scunthorpe Football Club …
Ray who?
…
Last season, Geoff Twentyman had called Bill Shankly. Geoff Twentyman had told Bill Shankly about a young lad called Ray Clemence. Ray Clemence was the goalkeeper for Scunthorpe United. In the Third Division. Eight times, Bill Shankly had travelled to the Old Showground, Scunthorpe. Eight times on a Friday night at a quarter to seven, Bill Shankly had sat in the stand at the Old Showground, Scunthorpe. Eight times, Bill Shankly had watched Ray Clemence play in goal for Scunthorpe United at the Old Showground, Scunthorpe. In the Third Division, on a Friday night. Eight times, because Bill Shankly had wanted to see Ray Clemence stop a shot with his left hand. Eight times, because Bill Shankly had wanted to see Ray Clemence stop a shot with his right hand. Eight times, because Bill Shankly had wanted to see Ray Clemence cut out a cross from the left. Eight times, because Bill Shankly had wanted to see Ray Clemence cut out a cross from the right. Eight times, because Bill Shankly had wanted to see Ray Clemence save with his left hand. Eight times, because Bill Shankly had wanted to see Ray Clemence save with his right hand. Eight times, because Bill Shankly had wanted to see Ray Clemence kick with his left foot. Eight times, because Bill Shankly had wanted to see Ray Clemence kick with his right foot. Eight times, because Ray Clemence was a goalkeeper. Eight times, because Ray Clemence was left-footed. Eight times, because Bill Shankly wanted to make sure Ray Clemence was not left-handed. Eight times, because Bill Shankly did not like left-handed goalkeepers. Eight times, because Bill Shankly thought left-handed goalkeepers were short of balance. Eight times, until Bill Shankly was certain Ray Clemence was not left-handed. Eight times, until Bill Shankly was convinced. Now Bill Shankly was certain. Now Bill Shankly was convinced. Ray Clemence was the best goalkeeper he had ever seen. Ever –
In the summer of 1967. At the doors to Anfield. Ray Clemence shook Bill Shankly’s hand. Hard. With his right hand. Hard.
Follow me, said Bill Shankly. Follow me, son …
And Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly into the dressing rooms, the Anfield dressing rooms. And Bill Shankly smiled –
These are the best dressing rooms in the world, son …
Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly out onto the pitch, the Anfield pitch. Bill Shankly knelt down. Bill Shankly touched the grass, the Anfield grass. And Bill Shankly smiled again –
Feel that, son. Feel that grass. That is the best grass in the world, son. The finest playing surface in the world …
Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly down to the Kop end. Bill Shankly looked up at the Kop, the empty Kop –
That is the Kop, son. The Spion Kop. That is where the finest supporters in the world stand, son. The greatest people in the world. Every game, every match. With those supporters behind you, with those people supporting you, you cannot lose, son. You cannot lose.
Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly to his office. Ray Clemence sat down. Bill Shankly passed Ray Clemence a contract –
If you carry on improving the way you are doing, then you will be in our first team within a year, son. And you will be the best goalkeeper in the land, the best goalkeeper in the world. Playing for the best team in the land, the best team in the world, son. And you’ll be playing for England, too. I believe that, son. In fact, I know that.
Ray Clemence looked down at the contract in his hand. And then Ray Clemence looked back up at Bill Shankly. And Ray Clemence said, I want to sign, Mr Shankly. I want to play for Liverpool Football Club. But Tommy Lawrence is a great goalkeeper. Tommy Lawrence is the first-team goalkeeper. Now I am playing first-team football. If I sign, I’ll be playing in the reserves …
Yes, said Bill Shankly. Tommy Lawrence is a great goalkeeper. You are right, son. And yes, you will be playing in the reserves. You are right again, son. But Tommy Lawrence is almost thirty-one years old. Tommy Lawrence won’t be the first-team goalkeeper for very much longer. And you will be learning from Tommy. And you will be improving, son. And remember, Liverpool reserves are not just any team. Liverpool reserves are the second-best team in the land, son. The only team better than the Liverpool reserve team is the Liverpool first team. So you will be learning and you will be improving, son. And then you will be ready to play for the first team. Ready to play for the best team in the world, son. You will be ready …
Ray Clemence took the pen from Bill Shankly. And Ray Clemence signed the contract with Liverpool Football Club. Ray Clemence shook hands with Bill Shankly. Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly out of his office. Down the corridor, in the corridor. Bill Shankly opened a door. The door to the toilets. Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly into the toilets. The Anfield toilets. Bill Shankly opened a cubicle door. Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly into the cubicle. Bill Shankly lifted the lid on the toilet. Bill Shankly flushed the toilet. Bill Shankly looked at his watch. Bill Shankly laughed –
Look at that, son. Look at the flush. Look at that toilet, son. That toilet refills in fifteen seconds. We have everything here, son. And everything we have is the best. Remember that, son. Everything we have here is the best. Only the very best, son.
…
On Saturday 19 August, 1967, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Maine Road, Manchester. Manchester City missed a penalty. And Liverpool Football Club drew nil–nil with Manchester City in the first game of the 1967–68 season. Three days afterwards, Arsenal Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, fifty-two thousand and thirty-three folk came, too. In the first fifteen minutes, Liver
pool Football Club had seven headers or shots. In the twenty-third minute, Tommy Smith passed to Tony Hateley. Hateley passed to Roger Hunt. And Hunt scored. In the seventy-fifth minute, Liverpool Football Club won a corner. Ron Yeats shot. Furnell parried. And Hunt scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Arsenal Football Club two–nil. At home, at Anfield. The Spion Kop cheered and the Spion Kop clapped. The Spion Kop shouted and the Spion Kop sang, We are the Greatest, the Greatest …
On Saturday 26 August, 1967, Newcastle United came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, fifty-one thousand, eight hundred and twenty-nine folk came, too. In the eighth minute, Tony Hateley scored his first goal for Liverpool Football Club. In the thirtieth minute, Emlyn Hughes scored. In the forty-first minute, Roger Hunt scored. In the forty-seventh minute, Hateley scored his second goal for Liverpool Football Club. In the seventy-fifth minute, Hateley scored his third goal for Liverpool Football Club. And in the eighty-seventh minute, Hunt scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Newcastle United six–nil. At home, at Anfield. And the Spion Kop roared, We’re going to win the League. We’re going to win the League …
Two days later, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Highbury, London. Liverpool Football Club had not lost to Arsenal Football Club in the last thirteen matches they had played against Arsenal Football Club. That afternoon, Liverpool Football Club lost two–nil to Arsenal Football Club. Away from home, away from Anfield.
…
Geoff had no job. Geoff had just five pounds in his pocket. Geoff was planning to use that five pounds, his last five pounds, to travel to Liverpool. Geoff was planning to ask for a job at Ford’s in Halewood, Liverpool. That morning, just before Geoff left, the telephone rang. Geoff picked up the phone. And Geoff said, Hello?
Hello, said Bill Shankly. How are you, Geoff?
Geoff Twentyman had first met Bill Shankly in March, 1949. In March, 1949, Bill Shankly was appointed as the manager of Carlisle United. Geoff Twentyman was a player at Carlisle United. Bill Shankly liked Geoff. Geoff left Carlisle United for Liverpool Football Club. But Bill Shankly had kept in touch with Geoff. And Geoff had told Tom Williams, the chairman of Liverpool Football Club, many stories about Bill Shankly. In December, 1959, Bill Shankly had come to Liverpool Football Club. And Geoff had left Liverpool Football Club. But Bill Shankly had still kept in touch with Geoff. Geoff had gone into management. Geoff had managed Morecombe. Geoff had managed Hartlepools United. Hartlepools United had sacked Geoff. Hartlepools United appointed Brian Clough as their new manager. Hartlepools United gave Geoff and his family one month’s notice on the house they were living in. Hartlepools United owned the house they were living in. Hartlepools United needed the house for their new manager. For Brian Clough and his family. Geoff and his family moved back to Carlisle. Geoff tried to get a job in football. Geoff could not get a job in football. Bill Shankly thought that was a tragedy. A tragedy for the man. Bill Shankly thought that was a waste. A waste for football. But Bill Shankly had kept in touch with Geoff. And Geoff had kept in touch with football. Geoff still watched games. Geoff still watched players. And Geoff still called Bill Shankly. Geoff still talked to Bill Shankly about the games he had seen. The players he had seen. Players like Ray Clemence. But Geoff had had to get a job as a van driver. But then Geoff had lost his job as a van driver. Now Geoff had no job. That morning, the telephone rang –
Norman Lowe has just resigned as our chief scout, said Bill Shankly. Would you like to be our new chief scout? Would you like to come and work with me, Geoff? To work for Liverpool Football Club?
Yes, said Geoff. I would. Thank you, Bill.
…
On Saturday 2 September, 1967, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the Hawthorns, Birmingham. In the sixth minute, Tony Hateley scored. And in the fifty-eighth minute, Roger Hunt scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat West Bromwich Albion two–nil. Away from home, away from Anfield. Three days afterwards, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the City Ground, Nottingham. In the fifty-first minute, Emlyn Hughes scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Nottingham Forest one–nil.
On Saturday 9 September, 1967, Chelsea Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. In high summer sunshine. That afternoon, fifty-three thousand, eight hundred and thirty-nine folk came, too.
Before the whistle, the first whistle. Bill Shankly walked into the dressing room. The home dressing room. Bill Shankly closed the dressing-room door. The Anfield dressing-room door. Bill Shankly looked around the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. From player to player. From Lawrence to Lawler, Lawler to Byrne, Byrne to Smith, Smith to Yeats, Yeats to Hughes, Hughes to Callaghan, Callaghan to Hunt, Hunt to Hateley, Hateley to St John and from St John to Thompson. And Bill Shankly smiled –
In the last eight years, boys. In our last thirty-two League games against London clubs. Only West Ham United have ever won at Anfield, boys. And that was back in 1963. And that was a fluke, boys. A bloody fluke. Hateley here will tell you all how much London clubs hate coming here. Hate coming to Liverpool, hate coming to Anfield. A cup of tea is all we give a London club when they come here, boys. It is a tradition. An Anfield tradition, boys. We give London nothing when they come to Liverpool. Nothing but a cup of tea, boys.
In the high summer sunshine, on a hard, fast surface. Liverpool Football Club were all attack, Liverpool Football Club all power. In the high summer sunshine, on the hard, fast surface. Callaghan danced down one wing, Thompson weaved down the other. In the high summer sunshine, on the fast, hard surface. Hughes had hunger, Smith had thirst. In the high summer sunshine, on the fast, hard surface. Hateley took the weight off Hunt, Hateley made the space for Hunt. In the high summer sunshine, on the hard, fast surface. Bonetti saved, Bonetti saved and Bonetti saved again. In the high summer sunshine, on the fast, hard surface. After thirty-seven minutes, Harris hooked up Hateley in the Chelsea penalty area. Smith put the ball on the Chelsea penalty spot. And Smith put the ball in the back of the Chelsea net. In the high summer sunshine, on the fast, hard surface. At the beginning of the second half, when Bonetti took his place with his back to the Kop, the Spion Kop applauded him. But in the high summer sunshine, on the hard, fast surface. Ninety seconds later, Hughes crossed the ball. Hateley dived for the ball. A human rocket, a human torpedo. Hateley’s head met the ball. And the ball hit the back of the net. The Chelsea net. In the high summer sunshine, on the hard, fast surface. Ninety seconds later, Thompson crossed the ball. Hateley brushed between two defenders. A human rocket, a human torpedo. Hateley’s head met the ball. The ball hit the back of the net. The Chelsea net. And in the high summer sunshine, on the fast, hard surface. Liverpool Football Club beat Chelsea Football Club three–one. In the high summer sunshine, on the hard, fast surface. Tony Hateley had made his point against his former club. And Liverpool Football Club had served their notice on all the other clubs. That evening, Tottenham Hotspur had eleven points. That evening, Liverpool Football club had eleven points, too. But that evening, Liverpool Football Club were first in the First Division. On goal average. First again.
One week afterwards, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the Dell, Southampton. In the thirtieth second, Southampton Football Club scored. In the tenth minute, Tommy Smith put the ball on the Southampton penalty spot. But Smith put the ball wide of the Southampton goal. And Liverpool Football Club lost one–nil to Southampton Football Club. Away from home, away from Anfield. That evening, Tottenham Hotspur still had eleven points. But now Sheffield Wednesday had eleven points, Manchester City had eleven points and Arsenal Football Club had eleven points, too. Liverpool Football Club still had eleven points, too. And that evening, Liverpool Football Club were first in the First Division. Still. On goal average.
On Tuesday 19 September, 1967, Liverpool Football Club came to the Malmö Stadium, Malmö, Sweden, to play Malmö Fotbollförening in the first leg of the First Round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Liverpool Football Club had never played in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup before. In the ninth m
inute, Tony Hateley scored. In the eightieth minute, Hateley scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Malmö Fotbollförening two–nil in the first leg of the First Round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.
Five days later, Everton Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, fifty-four thousand, one hundred and eighty-nine folk came, too. In the seventy-eighth minute, Roger Hunt scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Everton Football Club one–nil. That evening, Sheffield Wednesday had thirteen points and Arsenal Football Club had thirteen points. And Liverpool Football Club had thirteen points, too. That evening, Liverpool Football Club were first in the First Division. Still. On goal average.
One week afterwards, Stoke City came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, fifty thousand, two hundred and twenty folk came, too. In the thirty-eighth minute, Peter Thompson scored. In the fifty-fifth minute, Tommy Smith scored another penalty. And Liverpool Football Club beat Stoke City two–one. That month, Liverpool Football Club had played six League games. They had won five of those games and they had lost one of those games. Lawrence, Lawler, Byrne, Smith, Yeats, Hughes, Callaghan, Hunt, Hateley, St John and Thompson had played in all six games. The same eleven players in all six games.
…
At the end of the month. At the end of the corridor. In his office. Bill Shankly and Joe Fagan were talking about the reserve team. The reserve team had played ten games. They had won four, drawn five and lost one. They had scored fifteen goals and conceded seven.
How is Clemence doing, asked Bill Shankly.
Joe Fagan said, Not bad, Boss. Not bad.
But not good, asked Bill Shankly. Not good enough for the first team yet? Is that what you are saying, Joe?
Joe Fagan shook his head. And Joe Fagan said, Not yet, Boss. Not yet. But he will be, Boss. He will be. He’ll be a great goalkeeper. If we give him the help, Boss. And if we give him the time …