Back on the bench, the Anfield bench. In the fifty-seventh minute, Bill watched Callaghan cross the ball. Keegan met the cross. And Keegan scored. And then Bill watched Cormack shoot. But the shot was cleared off the line. And then Bill watched Wignall head the ball. But Lindsay cleared the header off the line. The Liverpool goal line. And in the last minute, Bill watched Kitchen meet a cross. And Kitchen headed the cross. But the header hit the bar. The Liverpool bar. And Liverpool Football Club drew two-all with Doncaster Rovers in the Third Round of the FA Cup. At home, at Anfield.
On the bench, the bench at Belle Vue, Doncaster. At half past one, on a Tuesday afternoon. In the fifteenth minute of the first half, Bill watched Phil Thompson send a long ball into the penalty area. And Alan Waddle headed down the long ball for Steve Heighway. Heighway chested down the ball. Heighway shot. And Heighway scored. And in the fifteenth minute of the second half, Bill watched Alec Lindsay send a free kick into the penalty area. And Peter Cormack headed the free kick. Into the net and into a goal. In the seventieth minute, Bill watched Doncaster Rovers score. But the goal was disallowed. Offside. The goal did not count, the goal did not matter. And Liverpool Football Club beat Doncaster Rovers two — nil in the Third Round replay of the FA Cup.
On the bench, the Anfield bench. An hour early again, at two o’clock again. In the fifteenth minute, Bill and thirty-nine thousand and ninety-four folk watched Kevin Keegan score. And in the thirty-first minute, they watched Keegan score again. And in the sixty-ninth minute, they watched Phil Thompson score. And Liverpool Football Club beat Birmingham City three — two. At home, at Anfield. That evening, Leeds United had forty-two points. Leeds United still unbeaten. And Liverpool Football Club had thirty-four points. Liverpool Football Club still eight points behind Leeds United.
On the bench, the bench at the Victoria Ground. Bill watched Hurst score for Stoke City. And Bill watched Kevin Keegan score for Liverpool Football Club. But the goal was disallowed. For handball. The goal did not count, the goal did not matter. And in the ninetieth minute, Liverpool Football Club were losing one — nil to Stoke City. But in that minute, that very last minute, Bill watched Tommy Smith score for Liverpool Football Club. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Stoke City. Away from home, away from Anfield. And that afternoon, Leeds United drew, too. Leeds United still unbeaten. And Liverpool Football Club were still eight points behind Leeds United. Liverpool Football Club still with a mountain to climb.
On the bench, the Anfield bench. An hour early, at two o’clock. Bill and forty-seven thousand, two hundred and eleven folk were watching Liverpool Football Club play Carlisle United in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. In the last round of the FA Cup, Carlisle United had beaten Sunderland Football Club. Last season, Sunderland Football Club had beaten Leeds United in the final of the FA Cup. Sunderland Football Club had been the holders of the FA Cup. And on the bench, the Anfield bench. Bill and forty-seven thousand, two hundred and eleven folk watched Liverpool Football Club attack and attack. Again and again. But Alan Ross, the goalkeeper for Carlisle United, saved and saved. Again and again. And Liverpool Football Club drew nil — nil with Carlisle United in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. At home, at Anfield. There would have to be another replay –
On the bench, the bench at Brunton Park. At two o’clock, on a Tuesday afternoon. In the first half, Bill watched Liverpool Football Club have no chances. No shots on goal. But Bill watched Carlisle United have chances. Shots on goal. And Ray Clemence saved and saved. Again and again. But in the fiftieth minute, Bill watched John Toshack cross for Kevin Keegan. And Keegan turned the cross back for Phil Boersma. Boersma sidestepped a defender. Boersma shot. And Boersma scored. And thirty minutes later, Bill watched Brian Hall pass to Toshack. And Toshack scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Carlisle United two — nil in the Fourth Round replay of the FA Cup. Away from home, away from Anfield. Liverpool Football Club were in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup.
On the bench, the Anfield bench. Still an hour early, still at two o’clock. In the sixty-third minute, thirty-one thousand, seven hundred and forty-two folk saw Bill take off Larry Lloyd. And Bill sent on Peter Cormack. And in the ninetieth minute, the very last minute, they watched Cormack score. And Liverpool Football Club beat Norwich City one — nil. At home, at Anfield. That evening, Liverpool Football Club had thirty-seven points. And Leeds United had forty-four points. Leeds United still unbeaten. Liverpool Football Club still seven points behind Leeds United.
On the bench, the Anfield bench. At two o’clock, on a Tuesday afternoon. Because of the power saving, because of the energy rationing. Bill and twenty-one thousand, six hundred and fifty-six folk were watching Liverpool Football Club play Coventry City. Just twenty-one thousand, six hundred and fifty-six folk. The lowest attendance Liverpool Football Club had ever had for a First Division match. At home, at Anfield. Liverpool Football Club and Coventry City had asked the Football League to postpone the game. But the Football League had refused their request. Because Liverpool Football Club and Coventry City were both still in the FA Cup. And that afternoon, Bill and twenty-one thousand, six hundred and fifty-six folk watched Alan Waddle hit one post. And Waddle hit the crossbar. And Waddle hit the other post. And Waddle still could not score his second goal for Liverpool Football Club. But in the twenty-eighth minute, they watched Alec Lindsay score a penalty. And in the fifty-seventh minute, they watched Kevin Keegan score. And Liverpool Football Club beat Coventry City two — one. At home, at Anfield.
…
In the boardroom, the Anfield boardroom. On Friday 15 February, 1974. The Friday before Liverpool Football Club were to play Ipswich Town in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup. The chairman and the manager of Liverpool Football Club met the gentlemen of the sporting press. But the gentlemen of the press were not asking about the Cup. The gentlemen of the press were asking about Bill Shankly. About Bill Shankly’s future, about Bill Shankly’s new contract …
Mr Shankly’s present contract expires at the end of May this year, said John Smith, the chairman of Liverpool Football Club. The very end of May. But I have already spoken to Mr Shankly about his future. And Mr Shankly assures me he will be delighted to stay with the club to which he has brought so much success. And so I have told Mr Shankly that he can decide the terms of the new contract. And he can decide whatever length of contract he wants. And I would be happy if it were for life. Because it is my sincere hope that Mr Shankly will stay with us for life. But that decision is not for us to make. However, we are completely at Mr Shankly’s disposal.