Thank you, Billy, said Bill Shankly. Thank you. And good luck to you, Billy. The very best of luck to you all …
And Bill Shankly shook hands again with Billy Bingham. Bill Shankly walked into the directors’ box at Goodison Park, Liverpool. And Bill Shankly shook hands with the directors of Everton Football Club. And with their other guests. In the directors’ box at Goodison Park, Liverpool. Bill Shankly took his seat. And Bill Shankly looked down onto the pitch at Goodison Park. And then up and around the stands of Goodison Park. At the folk in the stands at Goodison Park. And the folk in the stands at Goodison Park saw Bill Shankly. And the folk in the stands at Goodison Park began to applaud Bill Shankly. To salute Bill Shankly. And to sing his name –
Shank-lee, Shank-lee, Shank-lee …
And in his seat. Bill Shankly could not believe his ears. The reception from the enemy. In his seat. Bill Shankly smiled. Embarrassed. In his seat. Bill Shankly raised his right hand. His fingers. The arguments finished, the battles over. In his seat. Bill Shankly tried to smile again. In thanks,
in thanks …
Bill Shankly watched Everton Football Club draw nil — nil with Derby County at Goodison Park, Liverpool, in the first match of the season. And then Bill Shankly shook hands with the directors of Everton Football Club and thanked them for their hospitality. And Bill Shankly shook hands with Billy Bingham and thanked him for his hospitality and for his generosity. For the invitation and for the ticket. But Billy Bingham shook his head. And Billy Bingham said, You don’t have to thank me, Bill. It’s always great to see you. Always a pleasure, Bill. And you’re always welcome. Very welcome, Bill. And so please remember. Please remember, Bill. There’s always a ticket for you at Goodison. Because you’re always welcome, Bill. Always …
Thank you, said Bill Shankly. Thank you, Billy …
And Bill Shankly drove home from the game. From the match. Every Saturday of the season. Bill Shankly drove home from the games. From the matches. The games at Goodison Park or the games at Old Trafford. The matches at Deepdale or the matches at Maine Road. Every Saturday. Every Tuesday. And every Wednesday. The games at Burnden Park or Brunton Park. The matches at the Victoria Ground or the Baseball Ground. Thursday. Friday. And Monday. Every night of the week, every game there was. Every match. Bill Shankly was there. And every night, Bill Shankly would drive home. From the game, from the match. Always thinking of another game, of a different match. The game he had not been to, the match he had not seen. And every night, Bill Shankly would open the paper. Looking for the result of that game. That game he had not been to. Every night, Bill Shankly would switch on the television. Waiting for the score of that match. That match he had not seen. And every night, Bill Shankly would close the paper. Every night, Bill Shankly would switch off the television. And Bill Shankly would wait for the telephone to ring. For the invitation to come. The invitation and the ticket. To the one game he wanted to go to. The only match he wanted to see. And every night, the telephone rang. Every morning and every afternoon. The telephone ringing and ringing. With invitations and with tickets. To games and to matches. The telephone ringing and ringing. But never with the invitation he wanted to come. The invitation or the ticket. The ticket for the game he wanted to go to. The match he wanted to see –
The only match Bill Shankly wanted to see –
The telephone ringing and ringing. Bill Shankly waiting and waiting. The telephone ringing and ringing –
Bill Shankly picked up the telephone. And Bill Shankly heard Ron Yeats say, Hello, Boss. How are you, Boss? Are you well, Boss?
Oh, I’m very well, said Bill Shankly. Never better, Ron. Thank you, Ron. Thank you. But how are you, Ron? How are you? I see you’ve a fight on your hands, Ron. A bit of a struggle …
Oh yes, Boss, said Ron Yeats. A fight and a half. And that’s why I’m calling, Boss. To get your advice, to pick your brains. If you don’t mind, Boss. If you’ve the time, Boss …
Of course I don’t mind, said Bill Shankly. I was going to call you myself, Ron. But I don’t like to intrude, to be putting my nose in. If it’s not needed, if I’m not wanted …
Well, you’re wanted at Tranmere, said Ron Yeats. You’re very much needed at Tranmere, Boss …
Then there’s not a moment to lose, said Bill Shankly. Because the clock is ticking, Ron. The clock is always ticking. And so I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Ron …
And that next morning, that very next morning. Ron Yeats, the manager of Tranmere Rovers Football Club, was waiting for Bill Shankly at Prenton Park, Birkenhead. Ron Yeats shook Bill Shankly’s hand. And Ron Yeats said, It’s great to see you, Boss. And very good of you to come, too. Thank you, Boss. Thank you very much …
No, Ron. No, said Bill Shankly. I should have come sooner, Ron. You should have called sooner. Because there’s not a moment to lose, Ron. Not a minute to spare. So let’s get to work, Ron …
And Bill Shankly trained with the players of Tranmere Rovers. Every morning. Bill Shankly watched the players of Tranmere Rovers. Every training session. And every game. Home or away. Every match. In the stands or on the bench. Bill Shankly watched and Bill Shankly listened. But Bill Shankly did not speak. Bill Shankly just watching, Bill Shankly just listening. And after some weeks, and after more defeats, Ron Yeats said, What am I doing wrong, Boss? It’s almost New Year and we’re bottom of the division. We’re going to go down. You’ve got to tell me what to do, Boss. Where I’m going wrong …
Well, you are making one basic, fundamental error, Ron, said Bill Shankly. Where do we change before training?
Up at Bromborough, said Ron Yeats.
Bill Shankly shook his head. And Bill Shankly said, No, Ron. No. Where do we change at Liverpool?
At Anfield, said Ron Yeats.
Exactly, said Bill Shankly. We change at Anfield, Ron. And then we travel out to Melwood. We train at Melwood. And then we travel back to Anfield. We always change at Anfield. Not at Melwood, Ron. Never at Melwood. Always at Anfield, Ron. Always at Anfield. And so you should be doing the same here, Ron. You should change here at Prenton Park. And then travel out to Bromborough. Train at Bromborough. And then travel back here to Prenton Park to change. It’s the only way, Ron …
Ron Yeats nodded. And Ron Yeats changed the morning routine at Tranmere Rovers. Every morning. The players reported to Prenton Park. The players changed at Prenton Park. Then the players travelled to Bromborough. The players trained at Bromborough. And then the players travelled back to Prenton Park. Every morning. And Tranmere Rovers began to win. Home and away. Tranmere Rovers won some games. But then Tommy Docherty heard about a young lad at Tranmere Rovers. A lad Bill Shankly couldn’t stop talking about. A lad Bill Shankly couldn’t stop watching. A lad Bill Shankly thought was almost as good as Tom Finney. Almost. And Manchester United bought Steve Coppell from Tranmere Rovers. And Tranmere Rovers began to lose. Home and away. Tranmere Rovers lost too many games. And at the end of the season, Tranmere Rovers finished twenty-second in the Third Division. Tranmere Rovers were relegated. Ron Yeats was sacked. And John King was appointed as manager of Tranmere Rovers. John King telephoned Bill Shankly. And John King said, I know Ron’s gone now, Bill. That it didn’t end well. But I want you to know you’re always still welcome at Tranmere, Bill. You’re always very welcome. Whenever you’ve the time, Bill …
I’ll help anyone, said Bill Shankly. That is my only aim in life. To help people. Anybody I can help, I will.
60. THE LONG GOODBYE