On Saturday 6 May, 1972, Leeds United beat Arsenal Football Club one–nil in the one hundredth FA Cup Final. The Centenary Cup Final. Leeds United had won the FA Cup for the first time in the history of Leeds United Association Football Club. Two days later, Leeds United travelled to Molineux, Wolverhampton, and Liverpool Football Club travelled to Highbury, London. But in the mud, the Highbury mud. There were no favours from the players of Arsenal Football Club, the beaten finalists in the FA Cup. And in the first half,
Emlyn Hughes shot. And the shot dipped. Dipped behind Barnett. And hit the bar. The Arsenal bar. And in the first half, Hughes shot again. And Barnett dived. And Barnett saved. And in the second half, the supporters of Liverpool Football Club inside Highbury knew Leeds United were losing to Wolverhampton Wanderers. And now the players of Liverpool Football Club knew Leeds United were losing to Wolverhampton Wanderers. But in the mud, the Highbury mud. There were still no favours from the players of Arsenal Football Club. And in the mud, the Highbury mud. Still the beaten finalists of the FA Cup were not tiring. And Radford crossed. And Kennedy rose to meet the cross. To head the cross. Against the post. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club inside Highbury shouted,
Li-ver-pool, Li-ver-pool, Li-ver-pool.
And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club inside Highbury roared,
LI-VER-POOL! LI-VER-POOL! LI-VER-POOL!
From the first minute to the last. And in the last minute of the last game of the season, Hughes shot. And the shot flew across the goalmouth. The Arsenal goalmouth. And Kevin Keegan slipped the shot back to John Toshack. And Toshack sent the ball into the net and into a goal. And the players of Liverpool Football Club leapt into the air. The Highbury air. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club inside Highbury jumped into the air. The Highbury air. Dancing and cheering. In the Highbury air. But the linesman had raised his flag. And the referee blew his whistle. The goal disallowed. Toshack offside. And in the mud, the Highbury mud. Liverpool Football Club drew nil–nil with Arsenal Football Club. Away from home, away from Anfield. Derby County were the Champions of England –
With their feet up, on their holidays.
On the bus, their Liverpool bus. Back to Anfield, back to Liverpool. There was silence. And there were even tears. And in the silence. Among the tears. Bill stared out through the window of the bus, their Liverpool bus. Into the darkness. And into the night. Bill knew Liverpool Football Club had been the masters of their own fate. In the darkness, in the night. Bill knew Liverpool Football Club had been the
engineers of their own failure. In the silence. And among the tears. Bill remembered the points dropped. The points lost. The chances missed. The opportunities spurned. The decisions that had gone against Liverpool Football Club. And the injuries to Liverpool Football Club. Bill remembered them all. And Bill smiled. In the darkness, in the night. Bill remembered Liverpool Football Club had been tenth in the First Division in February. And out of the Cup. Three cups. But in the silence. Among the tears. Bill remembered the points gained. The points won. The chances taken. The opportunities seized. The way the players of Liverpool Football Club had played. The way they had played as a team. In the darkness, in the night. Bill knew this was just the beginning. This was only the start. The real beginning, the true start. And on the bus, their Liverpool bus. Back to Anfield, back to Liverpool. In the darkness. And in the night. In the silence,
among the tears. Bill smiled
again. In the shadows of the big room at Anfield, Liverpool. Bill smiled. Bill, Bob, Reuben, Joe, Ronnie and Tom were working. Every day, all through the summer. They were working. Every day, through the summer. They were talking. Every day, that summer. They were analysing and they were discussing. The games Liverpool Football Club had played last season. The season Liverpool Football Club had finished third in the First Division. The season Liverpool Football Club had lost the Football League Championship by one single point. The season Liverpool Football Club had gained
fifty-seven
points. Not fifty-eight points. The season Liverpool Football Club had won seventeen games at home, at Anfield, and seven games away, away from Anfield. The season Liverpool Football Club had drawn three games at home, at Anfield, and six games away, away from Anfield. The season Liverpool Football Club had lost one game at home, at Anfield, and eight games away, away from Anfield. The season Liverpool Football Club had scored forty-eight goals at home, at Anfield, and sixteen away, away from Anfield. The season Liverpool Football Club had conceded sixteen goals at home, at Anfield, and fourteen away, away from Anfield. In the shadows of the big room at Anfield, Liverpool. Bill, Bob, Reuben, Joe, Ronnie and Tom analysed and discussed the players who had played for Liverpool Football Club last season. Every player. Phil Boersma. Ian Callaghan.
Ray Clemence. Alun Evans. Bobby Graham. Brian Hall. Steve Heighway. Emlyn Hughes. Kevin Keegan. Chris Lawler. Alec Lindsay. Larry Lloyd. John McLaughlin. Ian Ross. Tommy Smith. Peter Thompson. Phil Thompson. John Toshack. And Jack Whitham. The first-team players and the reserve-team players. Steve Arnold. Derek Brownbill. Phil Dando. Roy Evans. Chris Fagan. Edward Flood. John Higham. James Holmes. Robert Johnston. Kevin Kewley. Frank Lane. Graham Lloyd. Hughie McAuley. Stephen Marshall. Dave Rylands. John Waddington. And John Webb. In the shadows of the big room at Anfield, Liverpool. Bill, Bob, Reuben, Joe, Ronnie and Tom analysed and discussed every player who had played for the first team and every player who had played for the reserve team. Every day, all through the summer. They were analysing and they were discussing. Who would be stepping down and who would be stepping up. Every day, through the summer. Analysing and discussing. Every day, that summer. Who would be leaving and who would be staying. Every day, every single day. Who would be going and who would be coming …
…
In the office, at his desk. Bill put down the folder. Bill had first heard about Peter Cormack from his brother Bob. Bob had been the manager of Hibernian Football Club. And Bob had raved and raved about Peter Cormack. Peter Cormack had played one hundred and eighty-two games and scored seventy-five goals for Hibernian Football Club. In June, 1966, Bill had watched Peter Cormack play for Scotland at Hampden Park against Brazil. That day, Scotland had drawn one-all with Brazil. And Bill had liked what he had seen. Bill had liked Peter Cormack. But after Bob had resigned as the manager of Hibernian Football Club, Peter Cormack had been sold to Nottingham Forest for eighty thousand pounds. Bill had watched Peter Cormack every time Liverpool Football Club played Nottingham Forest. Bill had studied Peter Cormack. Bill knew Peter Cormack had scored twenty goals in his eighty-six games for Nottingham Forest. Bill also knew Peter Cormack had not really settled at Nottingham Forest. Bill did not like to think of any man being unsettled. Last season, Nottingham Forest had been relegated from the First Division. Bill did not like to think of any man being relegated. But Bill knew Peter Cormack was for sale.
In the boardroom, the Anfield boardroom. Bill looked up the
long table at the chairman and the directors of Liverpool Football Club. And Bill said, One hundred and ten thousand pounds.
One hundred and ten thousand pounds, exclaimed the chairman and the directors of Liverpool Football Club. For Peter Cormack? That is a lot of money, Mr Shankly. For a player who has never settled, who has never fulfilled his potential …
Bill stared up the long table at the chairman and the directors of Liverpool Football Club. And Bill said, This player will settle at Anfield, gentlemen. And this player will not only fulfil his potential, he will help fulfil the potential of this team. This team we are building. This team that should have been Champions last season. This team that were denied the Championship by one raised flag and one lost point. One lost point because of the injuries we suffered last season. Because of the lack of players we had last season. I need this player so that never happens to Liverpool Football Club again.
We can understand your frustration, said the chairman and the directors of Liverpool Football Club. And we share your frustration, Mr Shankly. And that is the reason we agreed to pay Tranmere Rovers twenty-five thousand pounds for Trevor Storton. To add cover for injuries, to add depth to the squad. But one hundred and ten thousand pounds is a lot of money, Mr Shankly. For cover and for depth.
Bill brought down his fists on the long table. And Bill said, I am not asking for one hundred and ten thousand pounds for a player who will cover for injuries. I’m not asking for one hundred and ten thousand pounds to add depth to the squad. I am asking for it because I believe this player is worth one hundred and ten thousand pounds. To our team and to this club. Worth every single penny to Liverpool Football Club. This is what I believe, gentlemen –
Because this is what I know.
Of course, we appreciate how strongly you feel, said the chairman and the directors of Liverpool Football Club. But this is still a lot of money, Mr Shankly. And so we will need to discuss the matter further, to consider it further …
Bill stood up at the end of the long table. And Bill shouted up the long table, This might be a hobby to you. To all of you. To sit around and to discuss at your leisure. Over a cigar and over a drink. But this is my life. My bloody life. And so you either give me the
money now. Or you find yourselves a new bloody manager. Because I will not see this team finish third again. I refuse to see our supporters runners-up again. Always the bloody bridesmaids,
always fucking second best.
…
On the bench, the Anfield bench. In the sunshine, the bright August sunshine. Bill and fifty-five thousand, three hundred and eighty-three folk were watching the first home game of the 1972–73 season. And in the sunshine, the bright August sunshine, in the third minute, they watched Brian Hall score. But in the bright August sunshine, in an ill-tempered match, they watched Larry Lloyd go up for the ball. And Wyn Davies go up for the ball. And in the bright August sunshine, in this ill-tempered match, Lloyd and Davies clashed in the air, the Anfield air. And in the bright August sunshine, in the
ill-tempered
match, the referee sent off Larry Lloyd and Wyn Davies. But in the bright August sunshine, in this ill-tempered match, in the
eighty-fourth
minute, Ian Callaghan scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Manchester City two–nil. At home,
at Anfield. On the bench, the Anfield bench. In the evening, the hot August night. Bill and fifty-four thousand, seven hundred and seventy-nine folk were watching Liverpool Football Club play Manchester United. And in the twelfth minute, they watched John Toshack score. And in the twentieth minute, they watched Steve Heighway score. And Liverpool Football Club beat Manchester United two–nil. At home, at Anfield –
On the bench, the bench at Selhurst Park. Bill watched Liverpool Football Club play Crystal Palace. And in the forty-fifth minute, in the last minute of the first half, Bill watched Steve Heighway get caught dawdling on the ball, Heighway caught napping, Heighway robbed of the ball. And from that ball, that robbed and stolen ball, Bill watched Anthony Taylor score. And in the seventy-fifth minute, Bill watched Emlyn Hughes equalise. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Crystal Palace. Away from home, away from Anfield. A point dropped, a point lost. The first point dropped, the first point lost. And on the bench, the bench at Selhurst Park. Bill stood up, Bill got to his feet. And Bill walked down the touchline. The touchline at Selhurst Park. Bill walked down the tunnel. The tunnel at Selhurst
Park. Bill walked into the dressing room. The away dressing room. And Bill looked from player to player. From Clemence to Lawler, Lawler to Lindsay, Lindsay to Smith, Smith to Lloyd, Lloyd to Hughes, Hughes to Keegan, Keegan to Hall, Hall to Toshack, Toshack to Callaghan and from Callaghan to Heighway. And Bill held his tongue. For now. Bill said nothing.
In the pavilion, the pavilion at Melwood. Every Monday, after the game on the Saturday. Every Monday, after the training was finished. Bill and the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club discussed the last game, the match on the Saturday. Their strengths and their weaknesses. The reasons they had won or the reasons they had lost. The reasons they had drawn. That Monday, after that Saturday. After that draw. In the pavilion, the pavilion at Melwood. Bill looked around the room. From player to player. And then Bill stopped looking around the room. From player to player. And Bill stared at one player. Bill stared at Steve Heighway. And Bill said, It was you, Steve Heighway. It was you who cost us a point. You who lost us one point. One point which might be the reason we are not Champions in April. The reason we finish nowhere again. Because you dawdled on the ball, because you were robbed of the ball. Because after you had been robbed, because after you had lost the ball. You did not chase back after the man, you did not run back after the ball. You made no attempt to make right your wrong. You just stood there. And you just watched. Watched him play a one-two. And watched him score. Because of you, Steve Heighway. Because of you. Have you no legs, son? No legs to chase after him? To help out your team, son?
I’m not a defender, said Steve Heighway. It’s not my job.
Not your job? You play for a team, son. You work for a team. What would you do if you saw your neighbour’s house on fire? Would you just say, I’m not a fireman? It’s not my job? Is that what you’d say? Or would you fetch a bucket of water? To help him put out his fire? To help him save his house? What would you do, son?
What are you talking about, asked Steve Heighway. I don’t know what you mean, what you’re asking me …
I’m asking you a simple question. You’ve been to university, son. You’ve got a bloody degree. So you tell me, would you help your neighbour if his house was on fire? Or would you just stand and just
watch and just say, It’s not my job? I’m asking you a simple question, son. And so I want you to give me an answer. A straight answer, son.
I’ll give you an answer, said Steve Heighway. When you ask me a sensible question. A sensible answer to a sensible question …
Bill turned to Tommy Smith. Bill turned to Chris Lawler. And Bill shouted, Get him out of here. Out of my sight. Take him away. Before I set bloody fire to him.
…
On the bench, the bench at Stamford Bridge. In the third minute, Bill watched Steve Heighway cross to John Toshack. And Toshack met the cross. And Toshack scored. Ten minutes later, from thirty yards out, Bill watched Ian Callaghan shoot. And Callaghan scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Chelsea Football Club two–one. Away from home, away from Anfield –
On the bench, the Anfield bench. In the forty-fourth minute, Bill and fifty thousand, four hundred and ninety-one folk watched John Toshack score again. In the sixty-second minute, they watched Ferguson score an own goal. And two minutes later, they watched Emlyn Hughes score. And Liverpool Football Club beat West Ham United three–two –
On the bench, the bench at Filbert Street. In the eighth minute, Bill watched John Toshack score again. And in the sixteenth minute, Bill watched Toshack score again. But in the six minutes before
half-time
, Bill watched Weller score twice for Leicester City. And in the second half, Bill watched Weller score again for Leicester City. And Liverpool Football Club lost three–two to Leicester City. Away from home, away from Anfield. That night, Arsenal Football Club had ten points. And Arsenal Football Club were first in the First Division. Everton Football Club had nine points. Tottenham Hotspur had nine points. And Liverpool Football Club had nine points, too. That night, Liverpool Football Club were fourth in the First Division. On goal average. Not second, not even third best. Fourth, fourth, fourth.
On the bench, the bench at the Baseball Ground. On his
fifty-ninth
birthday, Bill was watching Liverpool Football Club play Derby County. And Bill was watching Peter Cormack play for Liverpool Football Club. Peter Cormack making his debut for Liverpool Football Club. But that day, on his birthday, Bill was not watching Ray
Clemence play for Liverpool Football Club. Ray Clemence was injured. That day, on his birthday, Bill was watching Frankie Lane play for Liverpool Football Club. Frankie Lane making his debut for Liverpool Football Club. Against Derby County, against the Champions of England. Derby County eighteenth in the First Division, the Champions struggling in the First Division. And on his birthday, in the sixteenth minute, Bill watched Kevin Keegan pass to John Toshack. And Toshack scored again. But then, Bill watched Hinton cross for Derby County. A long cross. And Bill watched Frankie Lane catch the cross for Liverpool Football Club. The long cross. And Lane held the ball in his arms. And Lane stepped back. The ball in his arms. His feet over the line. The goal line. And into the goal. An own goal. A needless own goal. And on his birthday, in the eighty-seventh minute, Bill watched Nish pass to O’Hare. And O’Hare scored. And on his birthday, Bill watched Liverpool Football Club lose two–one to Derby County. Away from home, away from Anfield. Brian Clough walked down the touchline. The touchline at the Baseball Ground. Brian Clough shook Bill’s hand. And Brian Clough smiled –