But you haven’t even got a scarf on you, Bill. Not even a Liverpool scarf on, Bill. Will you not take mine, Bill? I would be proud if you would wear mine tonight, Bill –
And the supporter untied the scarf from around his neck. And the supporter tied the scarf around Bill Shankly’s neck.
And Bill Shankly looked down at the scarf around his neck. The Liverpool scarf. Bill Shankly touched the wool of the scarf. The red and white wool of the Liverpool scarf. And then Bill Shankly looked up at the supporter of Liverpool Football Club –
Thank you, said Bill Shankly. Thank you, son. And I will treasure this scarf. I will always treasure it. Because I know what this scarf must mean to you, son. On this great night for our great club …
The supporter of Liverpool Football Club nodded. And the supporter of Liverpool Football Club watched Bill Shankly walk on. Among the thousands of other supporters of Liverpool Football Club. Bill Shankly walked on towards the bus. The bus back to the hotel. Among the thousands. Other supporters now spotted Bill Shankly. In the coach park. And some of the supporters of Liverpool Football Club got down on their hands and on their knees. In the coach park. Thousands of supporters were now down on their hands and on their knees. In the coach park. On their hands and on their knees. Their heads bowed. The supporters quietly sang, Shankly, Shankly, Shankly. In the coach park. Bill Shankly walked among them. The thousands of supporters. On their hands and on their knees. Bill Shankly touched their bowed heads. Bill Shankly shook their outstretched hands. And then Bill Shankly climbed aboard the bus. The bus back to the hotel.
After the match, after the victory. There were the celebrations. And the party. In the dining room at the Holiday Inn. Bill Shankly looked around the room. In the centre of the room, tables had been arranged in a huge oblong. The tables covered with long white cloths. The tables piled high with food. But inside these tables. In the centre of these tables. There was another table. And on this table stood the European Cup. Bill Shankly walked over to the tables. Bill Shankly stood before the European Cup. Bill Shankly looked across the tables. The European Cup on the other side of the tables. Bill Shankly looked across the food. And Bill Shankly stared at the European Cup. Out of reach. Bill Shankly stared into the European Cup. Into the silver, the silver surface of the European Cup. And Bill Shankly saw his face reflected in the European Cup. Contorted and distorted. And Bill Shankly smiled. Some of the supporters of Liverpool Football Club had managed to get into the dining room of the Holiday Inn. The supporters were on their hands and on their knees. Under the cloths, under the tables. The supporters crawled into the centre of the tables. The supporters got to their feet. And the supporters touched the European Cup. The supporters had their photographs taken with the European Cup. And one of the supporters came back up from under the tables, from under the cloths. On his hands and on his knees. The supporter saw Bill Shankly. Bill Shankly standing at the table. Bill Shankly staring at the European Cup. And the supporter said, This is all down to you, Mr Shankly. All down to you, Mr Shankly …
Thank you, said Bill Shankly. Thank you, son.
70. ’TWAS SURELY IN HIS ANGER
Bill was invited onto the bus. The open-top bus. And Bill went onto the bus. The open-top bus. For the parade through the streets of Liverpool. With the players of Liverpool Football Club and with the European Cup. On the open-top bus. With the players and their cup, with the players and their bottles. On the open-top bus. Many of the players were still drunk from the night before. The triumph of the night before. Kevin Keegan had a black eye from the night before. The celebrations of the night before. And on the open-top bus. Bill tried to get some of the players of Liverpool Football Club to calm down. On the open-top bus. Bill tried to get some of the players to put down their bottles. On the open-top bus. Bill wanted the players of Liverpool Football Club to see the supporters of Liverpool Football Club. The thousands of supporters of Liverpool Football Club. The hundreds of thousands of supporters of Liverpool Football Club. And not only the supporters of Liverpool Football Club. The supporters of Everton Football Club. All the people of the city of Liverpool were lining the streets of the city of Liverpool. Applauding the players of Liverpool Football Club, cheering the players of Liverpool Football Club. On the open-top bus. Bill wanted the players of Liverpool Football Club to drink in these scenes on the streets of the city of Liverpool. On the open-top bus. Bill wanted the players of Liverpool Football Club to never forget these scenes on the streets of the city of Liverpool. On the open-top bus. Bill wanted the players of Liverpool Football Club to always remember these scenes on the streets of the city of Liverpool. On the open-top bus. Bill wanted the players of Liverpool Football Club to always remember the supporters of Liverpool Football Club.
On William Brown Street. Bill got off the bus with the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club. On William Brown Street. Bill walked up the steps to the platform in front of the Picton Library with the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club. Before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill stood with the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club and their families. And before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill remembered the first time he had stood here. Before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. The many times he had stood here. Before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. The last time he had stood here. But before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill could not believe his eyes. Bill saw some of the players of Liverpool Football Club swaying from side to side. Some of the players of Liverpool Football Club struggling to stay on their feet. Some of the players of Liverpool Football Club too drunk to stand. And before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill turned away, Bill looked away. Before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill looked down, down at his shoes. Before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill heard Bob Paisley say, In the thirty-eight years I have been here, this exceeds everything. It is the biggest day in the life of Liverpool Football Club. And before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill could not believe his ears. Bill heard Emlyn Hughes grab the microphone from Bob Paisley. And Bill heard Emlyn Hughes singing, Na na, na-na-na, Liverpool are magic, Everton are tragic. Na na, na-na-na, Everton are tragic …
And before the Corinthian columns of the Picton Library. Bill could not breathe. Bill could not fight back the tears.
71. THIS WAS YOUR LIFE
Bob Paisley had won the European Cup. Jock Stein and Matt Busby had also won the European Cup. But Bob Paisley was the first Englishman to win the European Cup. Bob Paisley was the Manager of the Year. Bell’s Whisky sponsored the Manager of the Year awards. Bell’s Whisky asked Bill Shankly if he would like to present Bob Paisley with his Manager of the Year award –
Yes, said Bill Shankly. I will.
In the hotel dining room. In front of all the managers of all the football clubs in England. Bill Shankly stood up. Bill Shankly walked to the front of the room. And Bill Shankly stood before the room –
You probably all think I’m jealous at having to give this wonderful honour to Bob Paisley, the Manager of the Year, said Bill Shankly. Well, you’d all be damn right!
And in the hotel dining room. All the managers of all the football clubs in England laughed. And Bob Paisley stood up. Bob Paisley walked to the front of the room. Bob Paisley shook hands with Bill Shankly. Bob Paisley thanked Bill Shankly. And Bob Paisley said, When I took over from Bill, I said that I would settle for a drop of Bell’s once a month, a big bottle at the end of the season and a ride around the city centre in an open-top bus! So thank you very much. Mind you, I’ve been here during the bad times, too. In my first year, we finished second …