67. AND HIGHLAND SCAB AND HUNGER
People did want Bill Shankly to be involved in some way. People at big clubs, people at small clubs. People did think Bill Shankly could do the game a lot of good. At big clubs, at small clubs. His knowledge of the game. His knowledge of people. People called Bill Shankly. People invited Bill Shankly to their big club and to their small club. To share his knowledge of the game, to share his knowledge of people. Derby County called Bill Shankly. Derby County asked Bill Shankly if he would consider taking on an advisory role at the Baseball Ground. To share his knowledge of the game, to share his knowledge of people. I’m seriously thinking about this offer, Bill Shankly told the gentlemen of the local press. Because I would feel as if I were part of something again. I envisage going to the Baseball Ground once or twice a week. But that does not affect Colin Murphy’s position at all. And I’m not being pushed for a decision. It’s not like being asked to get a spade out and dig the road. But I would feel as if I were part of the game again without having the worries of a manager. When you are a manager, you have more worries than the prime minister. And he’s got enough. But I would feel as if I were part of something. I would be helping with the training and the playing side of the club, working on little details like where to eat and what time to go to bed and so on. I could come and go as I please, maybe just going in one day a week, which suits me fine. But I would feel as if I were part of something again. I go to the games anyway, so I wouldn’t be away from home any more than I am now. But I would feel as if I were part of something. I have been in football forty-three years and sometimes I get a bit moody and fidgety. Going to the games is fine but, having been involved, it’s better if you go with the official party. And I would feel as though I were part of something again …
And Bill Shankly did seriously think about the offer. Bill Shankly seriously thinking, Bill Shankly seriously wondering. Whether he should go or whether he should not go. Bill Shankly knowing and Bill Shankly not knowing. Whether he should go or whether he should not go. Round and around. Bill Shankly thinking, Bill Shankly wondering. Whether he should go or whether he should not go. Until Bill Shankly did know. And Bill Shankly did not go. Bill Shankly stayed at home. In Liverpool. Bill Shankly waiting. Still waiting, always waiting. For the letter on the mat, the knock on the door. Or the call on the phone –
Tommy Docherty rang Bill Shankly. Tommy Docherty invited Bill Shankly to Old Trafford. For the match against Liverpool Football Club. Tommy Docherty asked Bill Shankly if he would like to be the guest of Manchester United. For the match against Liverpool Football Club. And to share his knowledge of the game, his knowledge of people. And before the match at Old Trafford. The match against Liverpool Football Club. Tommy Docherty invited Bill Shankly into the dressing room at Old Trafford. The Manchester United dressing room. Bill Shankly walked around the dressing room at Old Trafford. The Manchester United dressing room. Bill Shankly shook hands with Alex Stepney, Jimmy Nicholl, Brian Greenhoff, Martin Buchan, Stewart Houston, Steve Coppell, Lou Macari, Sammy McIlroy, Gordon Hill, Jimmy Greenhoff, Stuart Pearson and David McCreery. Bill Shankly patted the backs of the players of Manchester United. Bill Shankly wished the players of Manchester United the best of luck. The best of luck for the match. The match against Liverpool Football Club.
After the match at Old Trafford. The match against Liverpool Football Club. The nil — nil draw with Liverpool Football Club. Tommy Docherty invited Bill Shankly to have a meal with him in the restaurant at Old Trafford. And Bill Shankly sat with Tommy Docherty in the restaurant at Old Trafford. Bill Shankly ate with Tommy Docherty. Bill Shankly talked with Tommy Docherty. Joked with Tommy Docherty, laughed with Tommy Docherty. Joked a lot and laughed a lot. Until Tommy Docherty needed a piss. And Tommy Docherty got up from their table in the restaurant at Old Trafford. Tommy Docherty walked across the restaurant at Old Trafford. Past the table of the directors. The directors of Manchester United and the directors of Liverpool Football Club. And Sidney Reakes stopped Tommy. And Sidney Reakes said, I see Bill Shankly is here …
Aye, said Tommy. Bill is welcome here.
68. O TELL NA ME O’ WIND AN’ RAIN
Bill drove to Manchester again. In the wind and in the rain. Bill parked in the car park at Maine Road. In the wind and in the rain. Bill got out of his car. In the wind and in the rain. Bill put on his hat, Bill turned up his collar. In the wind and in the rain. Bill went into the ground. In the wind and in the rain. Bill took his seat in the corner of the stand behind the goal. In the wind and in the rain. And Bill waited for the match to kick off. In the wind and in the rain. The FA Cup semi-final replay between Liverpool Football Club and Everton Football Club. In the wind and in the rain. Bill sat among the little boys and little girls who had travelled from Liverpool to Manchester. In the wind and in the rain. The little boys and little girls with no hats and with no collars. In the wind and in the rain. The little boys and little girls in their T-shirts and their singlets. In the wind and in the rain. The little boys and little girls soaked to their skins. In the wind and in the rain. Through to their bones. In the wind and in the rain. Bill watched the match with the little boys and little girls. In the wind and in the rain. Bill listened to them cheer. In the wind and in the rain. To cheer and to cheer. In the wind and in the rain. Liverpool Football Club. In the wind and in the rain. After the match. In the wind and in the rain. The match Liverpool Football Club had won. In the wind and in the rain. Bill got up from his seat. In the wind and in the rain. Bill soaked to his skin and through to his bones. In the wind and in the rain. Bill walked out of the ground. And in the wind and in the rain. Bill was recognised by a journalist. In the wind and in the rain. Bill was stopped by the journalist. In the wind and in the rain. The journalist asked Bill about the game. And in the wind and in the rain. Bill said, There was water dripping on me throughout the match. And there were little boys and little girls with only singlets on. They had spent all their money to get here. And they were soaked to their skins for their trouble. And then you people come out in the media and you say, These are the people we don’t want. They are hooligans. Hooligans. And we don’t want them here. And that really appals me. It appals me. The way you make them sit or stand in the rain in pens. The way you treat them like animals, worse than animals. Branding them as animals, branding them as hooligans. And hoping they will not come. Don’t you realise that without these people, these boys and girls, there would be no game? Don’t you realise that throughout the country these are the people who will spend all their money and do without a pair of shoes to support their team? Don’t you bloody realise? Don’t you fucking care?
69. IF PROVIDENCE HAS SENT ME HERE
Liverpool Football Club had won the League Championship again. For the first time, Liverpool Football Club had retained the League Championship. Then Liverpool Football Club had gone to Wembley Stadium. And Liverpool Football Club had lost the FA Cup Final to Manchester United. But Liverpool Football Club still had another cup final to come. The European Cup Final –
For the first time.
Liverpool Football Club travelled to Rome to play Borussia Mönchengladbach Football Club of West Germany at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. And they were not alone. In their thousands. The supporters of Liverpool Football Club travelled to Rome. In their thousands. On planes or on trains. In their thousands. By car or by thumb. In their thousands. With tickets and without tickets. In their thousands. With their banners. JOEY ATE THE FROGS LEGS, MADE THE SWISS ROLL, NOW HE’S MUNCHING GLADBACH. In their thousands. With their flags. Their red and white chequered flags. In their thousands. With their songs: Tell me ma, me ma, I’m not coming home for tea, I’m going to I-ta-lee, Tell me ma, me ma. In their thousands. They were not alone –